Destination Outbound

Kenya: A walk down the wilder side

Situated in Eastern Africa, Kenya is a haven for travellers who wish to get a taste of the wilderness and wildlife up-close. Renowned the world over for its safaris, the sprawling grasslands and savannahs, Kenya draws travellers from across the globe. By Gayatri Vijaykumar

Jambo Kenya

Kenya remains a relatively unexplored destination for most Indians. However, contrary to general perception, Indians would feel at home in the country primarily due to the large number of Indian inhabitants and the usage of English as the official language. It is not uncommon to walk down the streets of Nairobi or the coastal town of Mombasa and come across a Patel hardware store or a signboard which reads 'Shah Grocers'. Vegetarians wanting to eat out in cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa would be pleasantly surprised to find many restaurants run by the local Indians, offering Indian vegetarian food. Swahili, spoken by a majority of the population, is Kenya's national language and, being a former English colony till 1963, the official language of Kenya is still English.

Kenya Airways - a member of the Skyteam, connects Mumbai to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in East and Central Africa. Though yellow fever outbreaks have not been recorded in Kenya for a long time, as per WHO guidelines, travellers to Kenya have to undertake the Yellow Fever inoculation to avoid being put into quarantine or being deported. Travellers into Nairobi must keep in mind that random checks can be conducted by Health Ministry officials present at the JKIA, in this regard.

The most populous city in East Africa and the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi, is also the fourth largest city in Africa. Situated at an altitude of 5,449 feet above sea level, Nairobi enjoys a moderately pleasant climate all year round, though temperatures in June and July, the coldest months can dip to around 10 degrees.

The Central Business District of Nairobi houses most of the city's important commercial and administrative establishments. Visitors can get a preview of the wildlife that Kenya has to offer by going on a walking safari at the Nairobi Safari Walk. Located around seven kilometres away from the city centre, the Safari Walk is home to many animals including the white rhino, cheetah, leopard, pygmy hippos, and different species of primates to name a few. The Safari has been developed from an animal orphanage and at present serves as a conservation-cum-education centre.

The Karen Blixen Museum, located on the outskirts of Nairobi is home to the famous Danish author Karen Blixen. The author of 'Out of Africa', which was later adapted in the 1985 award-winning movie by the same name, lived at the farmhouse between 1914 and 1931. The home was later converted into a museum and became famous after it was used as the setting for the movie, 'Out of Africa'.

Kenya is famous for its wooden handicrafts and beaded jewellery. The open markets at Nairobi showcase a colourful display of beaded ornaments and wooden handicrafts.

Lying along the Indian Ocean, Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya is also an important port city. The city of Mombasa lies on an island which is connected to the mainland in the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni ferry and to the south by the Makupa Causeway. Being a coastal city, Mombasa has a tropical climate all year round. The Moi International Airport in Mombasa ensures that the city is well connected by air to many cities around the world. The Likoni ferry can be considered the lifeline of the island as it transports more than a thousand passengers as well as vehicles on a single trip. With its white sands and pristine blue beaches, the Chale Island, located 50 km south of Mombasa is an ideal location for those looking for a romantic getaway. However, connectivity remains a problem as the two hour drive to the island can be quite a bumpy one.

The Arabic influence is prevalent in the city's architecture. For those who wish to learn more about the history of Mombasa, the Fort Jesus, built in the 16th century by the Portuguese as a military base is worth a visit. The famous explorer, Vasco Da Gama was the first European to land at Mombasa on his voyage enroute to India. The city was later colonised by the Portuguese, the Arabs and the British. Stone tablets on the walls of the Fort outline the city's turbulent path to independence. The best way to experience Mombasa at night would be on board an Arab 'dhow' or a sailing vessel. The journey on board the dhow offers travellers a taste of the fresh sea food that Mombasa is famous for along with a live band.

On the wilder side

A trip to Kenya is incomplete without a visit to the famous game safaris that the country is renowned for. As opposed to national parks which are usually owned and run by the national government, the game reserves of Kenya are owned and run by private players. The best means of connectivity to the game reserves would be by air. Safarilink, a private airline offers safari by air to most of the popular game reserves in Kenya. Most game reserves have their own airstrips. The hour-long journey from the Wilson Domestic Airport in Nairobi to the airstrip at the Samburu game reserve offers passengers breath-taking views of the snow-clad Mount Kenya, the country's largest mountain. The untamed savannah terrain at the Samburu and Shaba Game Reserves made famous by the novel and film 'Born Free', offers an ideal viewing ground for wildlife exclusive to the area, such as the Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe and guinea fowl, apart from the lion, leopard and cheetah.

The Masai Mara Game Reserve, a continuation of the Serengeti National Park Game Reserve in Tanzania, is home to some of the most exotic species in the world. A tenth of the Serengeti ecosystem lies in Kenya where it is known by the name Masai Mara, or more popularly, the Mara. The journey from Shaba Game Reserve to the Mara can be best covered via a Safarilink aircraft. The one hour twenty minute flight to the grasslands provides passengers a spectacular view of the changing landscape from the savannah terrain of the Shaba, to the rolling open grasslands of the Masai Mara. The best season for visiting Masai Mara is during July and August when the annual migration of animals takes place. Nestled in the Great Rift Valley, the Masai Mara consists of open grassland terrain. Visitors to the Mara can embark on early morning, mid-morning and evening safaris to view the wildlife up close. A visit to the Masai Mara is incomplete without a visit to the Maasai village where the Maasai, an indigenous semi-nomadic group live and rear cattle. Though one of the most globally-known tribes, most Maasais are reluctant to change their indigenous lifestyle. The Maasais are famous for the beadwork which adorns most men and women in the tribe. Apart from rearing cattle, the Maasais also earn their livelihood by selling the beaded ornaments and other handicrafts. A bit of bargaining skills would definitely come in handy while buying these souvenirs.

Kenya has always held an important position in the tourism map of Africa. However, the recent political unrest, post-Presidential elections which were held in December 2007, had lead to a decline in the number of tourists visiting the country and had seen many countries imposing travel advisories restricting non-essential travel to Kenya. This has lead to most resort owners facing a drastic drop in occupancy levels. The Mara region where most resorts usually witness an occupancy of nearly a hundred percent saw occupancy levels dropping to as low as 15 percent.

However, most parts of Kenya have remained peaceful with business returning to normal. According to Kenya Tourism Board officials, only certain parts of the country such as Western Kenya have been affected by the tensions, while tourist destinations such as Nairobi, Mombasa and the national parks have remained unaffected. The deal signed between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga agreeing to form a coalition government has helped ease the tension in the country. Many countries like Austria, Finland, Switzerland and France have revised their travel advisories.

The Kenya Tourist Board is undertaking various promotional activities to revive tourism in the country. Having realised the potential that emerging markets such as India have, the KTB are focusing a lot of their promotional activities on these markets.