Top notch safari destination in the world

Famous for her sweeping plains, spectacular mountains, inviting coastal waters and beaches, abundant wildlife and unique cultures, Kenya has reaffirmed her position as world leading safari destination.

At the 20^th World travel Awards (WTA) grand finale in Doha, Qatar, Kenya scooped The World’s Leading Safari Destination Award. The award endorsed Kenya as the home to authentic safari.

Kenya got the most votes from travel agents across worldwide at the international event held on 30^th November, 2013 to beat other competing destinations.

The award came barely a month after the country’s tourism marketing agency Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) was voted Africa’s Leading Tourism board in Africa by WTA during the Africa chapter held in Kenya in October.

The coveted award aside, Kenya is indeed the original must safari destination. A Kenyan safari is guaranteed to leave a lifetime memory.

With its exceptional tropical coastline of warm waters, coral reefs and powdery golden sand palm- fringed beaches, Kenya is the perfect place to make that lifetime safari.

The spectacular Rift-Valley and its lakes is a sight to behold. Also sitting at the heart of the Rift-valley is Itein, the home of world track stars. Many international athletes have been training at the camps in the Rift-Valley which has got a high attitude suitable for sprinting. The camping facilities offer more than just training. There are safari tours to Lake Baringo, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and many other small water bodies and resorts. Visitors also get to joy treats of the cultural tours to the local communities which they mingle with the local folk and get a taste of the traditional dishes and enjoy a sip of mursik(yoghurt) prepared the traditional way.

Other unique attractions such as the annual wildebeest migration are one the memorable Kenya safari experiences that has continued to put Kenya on the international map as a wildlife safari destination.

Each June, around 1.3 million wildebeest gather in the Serengeti to calve. They slowly mass into a huge single herd, until the dry season withers their supply of fresh grass. The scent of rain to the north begins ignites a spectacular migration to the north throughout July, which is a breathtaking sight to behold. The phenomenon is such an awesome sight that it has earned the tag of the Eighth Wonder of the modern World.

This is one of the remarkable wildlife attraction’s that make’s Kenya one of the best wildlife destinations in the world. Kenya’s most popular attraction, the Mara was awarded its title for the sheer volume and variety of game. The Maasai Mara Reserve has been lauded as a total sensory experience holiday. The thrill of leaving camp at dawn, in search of the big cats is an experience that is not available anywhere else.

There is no better time to visit the Mara than during the Great Migration. The sound of the approaching herd is a deep, primal rumbling of thundering hooves and low grunts. The sight of the wildebeest is a staggering- a continuous charging mass that stretches from one horizon to the other making it an endless grey river of life that is mottled with black and white as zebras join the throng.

The Kenyan coastal line is rich in islands, beaches, hotels, safari lodges and resorts. The inviting slow-paced Lamu is a peaceful tropical island where life is lived at its own relaxed rhythm. The Island is a beautiful place of rolling dunes and endless beaches, where tiny villages nestle among coconut and mango plantations and lateen sailed dhows ply the waters.

But Lamu’s real attraction is its Old Town which has seen many visitors and influences, including Portuguese explorers, Turkish traders and the Omani Arabs. All left their mark, but Lamu developed its own particular culture, which has ultimately endured.

Lamu’s narrow streets remain unchanged, an in the markets and squares around the fort life moves at the same pace as it always has since time immemorial.

To visit Lamu is to enter another world. Life slows down, and long days are spent strolling along the waterfront, exploring the town or relaxing in the beaches.

This idyllic island speaks to the heart and soul, ad trip to Lamu is a romantic experience that can bring a lifetime affair. Other spectacular destinations in Kenya include the Kisumu-Impala Sanctuary, Western Kenya resorts, Turkana – The cradle of mankind, Maralal and Laikipia.

Every day in Kenya, a new travel destination is rediscovered. In fact the Kenya’s 47 counties are home to tourism sites and destinations that have a blend of their local cultures comprising the rich and diverse different communities. This rich blend of cultures, wildlife, spectacular sites and climate makes Kenya a safari destination of choice.