10 Top Tourist Attractions in Kenya

Kenya is a country of such diversity that it can be hard to narrow down the options. While many tourists follow the well worn path from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara, you are really limiting yourself if this is all you see of Kenya. Here are 10 top tourist attractions in Kenya, as voted for by top travel bloggers.

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Maasai Mara National Park

Dani from Diapers in Paradise

No list of top tourist attractions in Kenya would be complete without a game drive through the Maasai Mara, one of Africa’s greatest wildlife conservation areas.

The Maasai Mara is a world-famous safari destination, and as such is well developed for game drives. The roads are maintained, vehicles are limited daily, and rangers patrol the area to prevent poaching and enhance viewing.

You can stay within the National Park, or at one of many lodges or camps outside of the border. There are many fantastic tours to choose from, as tourism has been a part of this park for decades.

Wildlife lovers would be hard-pressed to find a better place than the Maasai Mara. You can spot all of the “Big Five” here: leopard, lion, black and white rhino, buffalo, and elephants. Additionally, you’re sure to see plenty of wildebeest, hippos, crocodiles, gazelle, zebras, giraffes… the list goes on.

In addition to all of the incredible wildlife that you can view year-round, the Maasai Mara is home to the Great Migration, which takes place every year. If you time your visit right in July or August, you can witness the treacherous crossing of the rivers by 1.7 million wildebeest. It is an unforgettable sight.

Along with game drives, other popular activities in Maasai Mara National Park include hot air balloon rides and cultural visits to the local Maasai towns.

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Where to stay in the Maasai Mara?

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Watamu Beach

If you want to know where the locals head when they go to the beach then look no further than Watamu. Watamu wont make most lists of top tourist attractions in Kenya as most folk head off to Diani, but you are missing out. Watamu has miles of white sand beaches, an aquamarine sea dotted with coral islands and one of the best marine parks on the planet.

Watamu is a teeny town with an abundance of quality restaurants thanks to the Italian settlers whose influence can be seen in top notch pizza and plentiful supply of prosseco. Take a sunset dhow over the still waters of Watamu’s mesmerising Mida Creek, kite surf at Garoda beach or island hop at Papa Remo Beach.

Watamu is home to the Local Ocean Conservation centre, a turtle hospital where you can meet turtles who are being rehabilitated, to the snake park – East Africa’s foremost collection of snakes and the ancient 14th century Gede Ruins. For such a small place Watamu certainly packs a punch.

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Where to stay in Watamu?

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Tsavo National Park

Steph & Lewis from Book It Let’s Go!

Tsavo National Park is the largest protected area in Kenya and is an underrated gem, making it one of the best destinations in Kenya. Tsavo is budget friendly and easy to cover on a 3-day Tsavo safari making it family friendly. The best time to visit Tsavo National Park is from July to September, which is dry season in Kenya, there is a vast range of safari accommodation in Tsavo from budget camping to luxury lodges. Tsavo is split into Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park with each side offering something different. 

Tsavo East National Park has expansive savannah plains where you can spot elephants, lions, cheetah, giraffes, cape buffalo, wild boars and zebra. Along with a great variety of birds over 500 species to be precise including ostrich, many birds of prey and blue vulturine guineafowl.

Tsavo West National Park has a more volcanic terrain interspersed with rivers and lakes meaning you will likely encounter leopards, hippopotamus and crocodiles. Tsavo West is also home to the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, a protected area of the national park that is under 24-hour surveillance to protect the 80 black rhinos that live here and deter poachers. You can drive through the sanctuary around the tracks to the watering holes, but the black rhinos are elusive so you may not see any. 

Tsavo is the perfect destination in Kenya to see ‘The Big 5’ and tick an African safari off your bucketlist.

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Where to stay in Tsavo National Park?

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Nairobi National Park

Vicki from MakeTimeToSeeTheWorld 

Did you know that after landing at Jomo Kenyatta Airport, you can be inside a National Park in as little as 15 minutes?! (If you get a good run with the traffic that is!)

Nairobi National Park sits at the edge of the capital city and is home to 4 of the Big 5 Safari Animals (Lion, Leopard, Buffalo + Black and White Rhino, but no Elephants). 

Its location makes it is the perfect spot to head to if you’ve only got a short time in Nairobi before heading to your next destination, or have a spare day at the end of your trip and are trying to squeeze in one last half-day Safari. And lots of tour companies offer airport collection or drop off to help make this a reality.
With excellent tour guides, a good concentration of, and variety of animals, it’s a great safari destination – and for convenience – it’s one of the top tourist attractions in Kenya.

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Where to stay in Nairobi City?

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Samburu National Reserve

Heather from Conversant Traveller

Kenya is internationally renowned as the birthplace of safari, so if you’re keen to see lions and elephants roaming the wilderness landscapes of iconic national parks, then this is the place to come. Yet if you want to experience something a little more unusual, then head north to Samburu National Reserve, where the arid plains are punctuated by rocky peaks with views as far as the eye can see. It’s here where you’ll find the ‘Samburu Special Five’, trundling along the plains or hiding out on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River. These five unique species are rare endemics found only in this part of northern Kenya, and include a giraffe, oryx, zebra, ostrich and gerenuk – an antelope that stands on its hind legs to feed. Samburu is a great place for spotting leopards too, whilst impressive herds of elephants are often encountered out on game drives.

The best place to stay in the area is Saruni Samburu, a luxury lodge perched high on an escarpment with incredible panoramas, two infinity pools and intimate private villas with wraparound verandas so you can watch wildlife from your bed. As well as game drives, there are bush walks, sacred mountain hikes and romantic dinners on the cards, and there’s a hide not far from the lodge where visitors can enjoy sundowners whilst watching elephants at the watering hole. A Kenya attraction that should be added to your bucket list.

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Where to stay in Samburu National Reserve?

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David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Paul from the Two That Do

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant and rhino sanctuary is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kenya. Not just because it is a fabulous place for all the family but by visiting you are helping support their invaluable protection, rehabilitation and conservation programmes.

Located in Nairobi National Park less than 20 km south of central Nairobi the Trust is open to the public between 11.00am and midday every day of the year except Christmas Day.

As you watch the orphan elephants frolicking in the mud, feeding and playing together it is impossible not to smile. Their youthful energy and mischievous behaviour clear evidence of both the importance and success of the Trust’s efforts.

A visit here though is not just about watching these glorious animals but also an all important education. The keepers provide information on how they raise the orphans and also their programmes to protect them in their natural environment through anti-poacher teams and aerial surveillance.

To aid these essential efforts entry to the sanctuary costs 500 Kenyan Shillings per person equivalent to around £3.50 or $5.00. Accepted in cash only you’ll no doubt agree that this a small price to pay for both an incredible experience and to help the Trust’s conservation efforts. A gift shop is also available on site for additional donations and it is also possible to adopt one of the orphans yourself.

An hour spent at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is not only one of Kenya’s best destinations but also one of its most essential.

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Where to stay near the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust?

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Lamu Island

From Kesi at Kesi to and Fro

Lamu, Kenya truly stole my heart because this small island embodies a wonderful soul and atmosphere. I visited in March, which is low season, yet the weather was great the entire week, so not sure why it’s low season. It felt like I had a private beach all to myself, and it was perfect. 

If you are looking for a honeymoon spot, then go to Lamu island because you get privacy, beauty, good vibes, sailing, fresh seafood, and more. This island should be more popular! Popular activities include going on a dhow trip, eating freshly caught fish grilled on the beach, or exploring the old town. Most people stay on Shela beach, where there are beautiful residences and hotels. The old town is less luxurious than Shela beach and is the heart of Lamu. Hanging out in oldtown, it’s common to run into familiar faces. Many locals hang out for hours on the main street and are open to hang out with foreigners. Accommodation prices are also lower in the old town.

Lamu Island has a mixture of Arab and east African cultures, which is also reflected in the food. Make sure to try Swahili cuisine or even sign up for a cooking class.  Lamu is easy to fall in love with and it’s not hard to see why it’s one of Kenya’s attractions.

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Where to stay on Lamu Island?

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Amboseli National Park

Amboseli is one of the top places to visit in Kenya for a profound and awe inspiring safari.

Amboseli National Park is land of the elephants. Over 1000 elephants reside in the park in great herds of up to 50. Amboseli is notable for the large numbers of Big Tuskers – elephants with tusks so large they often drag on the ground. Sadly these elephants are highly prized by poachers for their giant tusks, as a result many of them are guarded 27/7.

Amboseli is overseen by Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. It sits in Tanzania but is seen best from Kenya . Kili is so close that its solitary presence seems a falsehood, a photoshopped backdrop to safari, a monolith that is perpetually popping in and out of its stately crown of clouds.

Amboseli National Park has a diverse habitat: savannah, forest, desert and swamp lands and is home to lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, and of course the many many elephants. Of safari’s Big 5 only rhino is missing, hunted to extinction in the park.

Amboseli is one of the most beautiful safari destinations in Kenya – a personal favorite. And without a doubt one of the best places in Africa to see wild elephant.

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Where to stay in Amboseli National Park?

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Diani Beach

Esther from The Adventurous Feet

The cool breeze, the white soft sand, the palm trees, and the food are what make Diani Beach a perfect beach getaway in Kenya. It’s actually this immense beauty that made it to be named the best beach destination in Africa for 5 consecutive times.

Located just 20 km away from Mombasa, another Kenya’s second largest city, Diani beach has become a hotspot for both locals and tourists who want to get away from it all as they laze away and unwind. 

And no, it’s not just lazing on the soft sand with your feet in the water, there are so many things to do in this paradise.

If you’re an adrenaline junkie that has always had skydiving on your African bucket list, brave yourself as Diani beach offers the best skydiving in Africa. It also has some of the best diving and snorkelling on the continent, so head underwater to admire all the aquatic life.

If you get tired of the water spots and strolling the beautiful coastline, spend some time at a spa to relax your mind, explore the Diani Beach art gallery, buy some souvenirs from a local craft market or his one of the beachside restaurants.

Day trips from Diani include Fort Jesus, a UNESCO world heritage site which is located in Mombasa, and Shimba Hills National Reserve where you can see some of Kenya’s coastal safari animals while on a mini-game drive.

It’s not hard to see why Diani beach is one of the top attractions in Kenya.

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Where to stay in Diani Beach?

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Nairobi by Foot

Matt from The Travel Blogs

If you are visiting Kenya, you will most likely be passing through Nairobi at some point. While most people simply use it to enter the country and move on, it was actually the city itself that was one of the highlights of my visit to Kenya. I had about 36 hours in total in Nairobi, one evening in a hotel before catching the overnight train through to Mombasa. So I had until 7pm  on my first full day in Africa and decided to do a walking tour of the city.

By chance, I bumped into a tour guide while I tried to track down a map and organised an impromptu walking tour of Nairobi with him. We walked to the National Museum, Uhuru Park, ate in a real locals restaurant and he even helped me to the train station later that evening. While the sites themselves were great to visit and the museum, in particular, a highlight, it was the time spent with Charles that will always stay with me. The stories he told me about growing up in Kenya, his family, how he fondly remembers the pope visiting and the horrors of the violence surrounding independent elections was something that no amount of reading could ever teach me. 

If you have one day in Nairobi, I highly recommend tracking down a local guide and spending the day with them walking the streets, seeing the real city, and sharing stories. Nairobi is often missed off the list of top tourist attractions in Kenya, but there is much to be seen beneath its frenetic surface.

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The Top Tourist Attractions in Kenya – how to get there?

Fly in to Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi or second largest city at Mombasa, they both have international airports.

Kenya operates a safe and cheap network of local flights between larger destinations. Jambojet is the biggest and most reliable. You can fly to safari destinations on smaller planes, Safarilink would be my preference.

You can also travel across Kenya by the SGR train which runs from Nairobi to Mombasa and stops at various stations en route. Or by private car or tour guide. Long distance buses or Matatus are available very cheaply but they are low quality and the drivers are a law unto themselves.

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