Travel destinations in Kenya are a glorious medley of glossy cities, sprawling beach towns and off the beaten track Kenyan idylls. It’s 2024, travel has changed. People who travel to Africa are increasingly seeking hidden gems and unique places rather than the traditional big-ticket, high-end places in the Maasai Mara or Diani Beach. Some of the best Kenya destinations are known only to those who live here. And many of them don’t cost a lot to visit.
Off the Beaten Track Destinations in Kenya
Lake Turkana
Located in Kenya’s remote northwestern region, Lake Turkana is the world’s largest permanent desert lake and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Accessing Lake Turkana can be an adventure, typically requiring a combination of road and air travel due to its remote location. You can fly into Lodwar, the nearest town, and then hire a vehicle or join an organised tour to reach the lake. The journey is well worth it. Lake Turkana offers stunning landscapes, unique geological formations like Central Island, and the opportunity to interact with the Turkana tribe. The lake’s vibrant bird life and archaeological sites, including fossil deposits at Koobi Fora, add to its allure.
Many people drive up to Lake Turkana and spend time camping in the wilderness (although watch out for crocs near the lake).
Places to Stay Near Lake Turkana
Meru National Park
I visited Meru National Park a few years ago, so jump over to my blog for details on visiting or camping in Meru. Situated northeast of Mount Kenya and with stunning views of Kenya’s tallest mountain, Meru is a rugged and untamed destination in Kenya, crossed by the Tana River. It’s home to all the Big Five, with a large rhino population within a protected sanctuary.
Visit Adamson Falls and Elsa Kopje (home to a gorgeous hotel), named after the lion, Elsa, from Joy Adamson’s book Born Free.
Where to Stay in Meru National Park
Meru is a great place to camp, with some campsites being truly wild and others having toilets and even swimming pools.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Check out my blog on camping at Ol Pejeta for more details of this fabulous conservancy, which commands stunning views of Mount Kenya. Ol Pejeta isn’t exactly a secret; it is one of the biggest success stories in Kenya. Still, I wanted to include it as it is the home of the world’s last two remaining white rhinos, has Kenya’s only chimpanzee sanctuary, and boasts one of the highest predator densities in Kenya. Consider lion tracking, night game drives, and horse riding amongst the rhinos.
Places to Stay in Ol Pejeta
Ol Pejeta is near Nanyuki. Read my blog for a comprehensive list of the best places to stay in Nanyuki.
Campsites and accommodation can be booked directly through Ol Pejeta.
Ngare Ndare Forest
Ngare Ndare is an indigenous forest near Timau on Mount Kenya’s foothills. A true off the beaten track destination in Kenya, Ngare Ndare is a wondrous, fertile place where you can hike waterfalls, swim in azure pools and do the longest canopy walk in East Africa. Ngare Ndare is famed for its forest elephants.
Where to Stay Near Ngare Ndare
The only place near the forest is the public campsite; for hotels and lodges, head to Nanyuki.
Aberdare National Park
The evergreen Aberdare National Park is a haven for nature lovers seeking tranquillity and breathtaking scenery. The range of mountains has everything from lush forests to bamboo groves and moorlands and a vast array of wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rare species such as the bongo antelope. Streams and rushing rivers crisscross the mountains, and there are several fishing lodges where you can catch trout. Cool and green even in the heat of summer, the Aberdares are a magical place. Book a log cabin and huddle in front of a fire, or stay on the lower slopes and visit the pea green tea farms.
Places to Stay in the Aberdares.
Kakamega Forest
The Kakamega Forest is the last remnant of the ancient Guineo-Congolian rainforest that once stretched across Africa. Kakamega Forest is renowned for its rich biodiversity, including over 400 bird species and various primates, such as black-and-white colobus monkeys and De Brazza’s monkeys. The best way to explore is to book a nature walk to discover towering trees, cascading waterfalls, and hidden clearings teeming with life, with plenty of changes for birdwatching and butterfly spotting. There is a chance to experience cultural immersion with the local Luhya community.
Where to Stay in the Kakamega Forest.
There are a number of basic bandas and campsites available on the KWS site. Which is what I would use.
I won’t lie; this is one place I’ve not been, so I have no personal recommendations on where to stay. I always rely on Trip Advisor for reviews and pick one of the better reviewed places. This is especially important in Kenya, where accommodation, even on sites like Airbnb, isn’t always what it seems.
Mount Elgon
A proper off the beaten track destination in Kenya, and sharing a border with Uganda, is the extinct shield volcano, Mount Elgon. The eighth-highest mountain in Africa, it is renowned for its natural beauty with abundant caves, waterfalls, hot springs and forests. Mount Elgon has a mammoth caldera measuring 8 kilometres wide, making it one of the largest intact calderas in the world. As expected for such a remote location, there is a hugely diverse area of wildlife, and the floor of the caldera has its unique ecosystem.
Mount Elgon is a popular destination for hikers and climbers, with several routes leading to its summit. The most popular route is the Sasa Trail, which starts from Budadiri in Uganda and takes about four to five days to reach the summit and return.
Where to Stay Near Mount Elgon
There is one banda (cottage) and a few campsites via the KWS Mount Elgon page.
Arabuko-Sokoke National Park
Arabuko-Sokoke National Park is a unique and biodiverse protected area located on Kenya’s coast, near Malindi. Arabuko-Sokoke is the largest remaining tract of coastal forest in East Africa, home to various rare plants and animal species, including rare and endemic ones. It has over 270 bird species recorded, including the endangered Sokoke scops owl and the globally threatened Clarke’s weaver. Walk on the aerial boardwalk to experience the forest canopy from a unique perspective. I highly recommend you take a guided nature walk; otherwise, you will just be stamping your way through a sweltering forest. Rangers will teach you about the ecosystem’s ecology and are usually far better at spotting wildlife than you will be.
Gede Ruins
I never go to Watamu without a trip to the Gede Ruins; they are just the most magical Indiana Jones-esque places for kids (and me, too). Gede Ruins is an ancient city hidden in a forest. Spookily abandoned for no reason in the 14th century and believed to be guarded by evil spirits. The ruins are huge and surprisingly intact. Constructed with lime, sand, and coral stones, the Swahili city has a mosque, houses, streets and secret treasure stores.
Places to stay near Arabuko-Sokoke National Park & The Gede Ruins
Both the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and the Gede Ruins are near the glorious coastal town of Watamu. You will find many blogs on Watamu on The Expat Mummy, as it’s practically my second home. My favourite places to stay in Watamu are:
Chyulu Hill
Hemingway’s ‘Green Hills of Africa’ are telly tubby humps just south of Amboseli and Tsavo National Park. The Chyulu Hills are the prettiest range of volcanic hills that have forests, caves, and lava tubes, with the most incredible views across to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Chyulu has lots of game including buffalo, antelope, elephant, leopard, wildebeest and zebra, and the birdwatchers’ haven, Lake Jipe is in the reserve. The Chyulu Hills are a fabulous family destination in Kenya for hiking, horseback riding, and birdwatching. You can wild camp on the top of the hills.
Where to Stay Near Chuylu Hills
It’s camping or bust in the Chyulu’s but nearby Tsavo has the following options
Lake Magadi
It has been some years since I visited Lake Magadi, but I’ll never forget its candyfloss-pink, mirrored landscape. Burning hot, despite being just a few hours south of Nairobi, it’s an otherworldly destination in Kenya with surreal landscapes. The vast soda lake reflects the blue sky, while its high alkalinity gives it a pink wash. There isn’t loads to do out here. There are a few, fairly unremarkable hot springs, but you can camp down at the Ewaso Ngiro River, where leopards lounge and the Maasai come to water their cows. Or camp near the lake and just wonder at the beauty of this majestic country. This is truly an off the beaten track place in Kenya.
Where to Stay Near Lake Magadi.
Shompole Wilderness – this gorgeous private camp is some distance south of Lake Magadi.
Lentorre Lodge in the Olkirimatian Conservancy
Further Reading on Destinations in Kenya
https://theexpatmummy.com/adventure-tourism-in-kenya/
https://theexpatmummy.com/solo-travel-kenya-your-complete-guide/
https://theexpatmummy.com/the-ultimate-10-days-in-kenya-itinerary/
https://theexpatmummy.com/15-best-day-trips-from-nairobi/
Book Your Kenya Trip – Insider Tips
Find everything you need for visiting Kenya on my TRAVEL RESOURCES page.
Find everything you need for moving to Kenya in my THE EXPAT GUIDE TO LIVING IN NAIROBI book.
- Kenya Accommodation: Booking.com has the cheapest rates for hotels and guest houses in Kenya.
- Accommodation Reviews: TripAdvisor is my go-to portal for checking reviews on accommodation/restaurants in the local area. I never book without checking TripAdvisor first.
- ESIM: Airalo allows you to access the Internet from virtually any country without paying roaming charges
- Car Rental: Rental Cars is managed by Booking.com – guaranteed reliable.
- Tours and Guides in Kenya : Check out Get Your Guide and Viator – reputable companies that do tours within Kenya and East Africa.
- Travel Insurance: Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I recommend Visitors Coverage, which covers you for East Africa and offers ‘special insurance’ for safaris and adventure sports:
- Visitors Coverage
- Compensair – if you have a cancelled or delayed flight, you may get a refund.
