Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 square km and is situated in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from Nairobi. The park is 14 km after the turnoff from the old Nairobi-Naivasha highway.

It is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. It is an important home of the lammergeyer (The Bearded Vulture).

Hell’s Gate has two gates that are used by visitors – the main Elsa Gate and the Olkaria Gate. The latter also serves the Olkaria Geothermal Station that is located inside the National Park.

Snow in Kenya?! Check this out

Heavy rains experienced in Kenya this week, but who would have thought this would happen too?

Lamu Old Town

The World Heritage Committee inscribed Lamu Old Town on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001

The town of Lamu began life as a 14th century Swahili settlement, but the island 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, and in the markets and squares around the fort life moves at the same pace as it always has.

There are no vehicles on this island, and the donkey and the dhow remain the dominant form of transport.

The people of Lamu are great believers in tradition and custom, and this is a strong society built on a respect for the past.

For the traveller, Lamu is a hypnotically exotic experience, made even more enjoyable by the relaxed and welcoming attitudes of the locals.

To visit Lamu is to enter another world, and the visitor finds themselves becoming a part of this world. Life slows down, and long days are spent strolling along the waterfront, exploring the town or relaxing on the beaches.

Mijikenda Kaya Forests

The Mijikenda Kaya Forests consist of 11 separate forest sites spread over some 200 km along the coast containing the remains of numerous fortified villages, known as kayas, of the Mijikenda people.

The kayas, created as of the 16th century but abandoned by the 1940s, are now regarded as the

abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained as by councils of elders.

The site is inscribed as bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link to a living tradition.

The World Heritage Committee inscribed Mount Kenya National Park on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997

Ol Pejeta Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Ol Pejeta Ranch has created a sanctuary for Chimpanzees, working in close conjunction with the Jane Goodall Institute. While Chimpanzees are not native to Kenya, small endangered populations are found in the rainforests of neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda, and throughout Central and West

 

Africa.

The refuge at Ol Pejeta has been designed as a safe haven for Chimps from Central Africa, rescued from the bush meat and pet trade.

All of the Chimps at Ol Pejeta were rescued from these kinds of conditions. They now roam free on a large island at the centre of the ranch where they have formed a large social group, and interact and breed freely.

Nyali Golf & Country Club

The Nyali Golf and Country Club is the only eighteen-hole golf course on the north Coast. Monty Lowry was the golfer behind the course’s design.

160 acres of land were set aside for its construction, and in 1956 the first nine holes were

completed, with the second nine completed in 1980.

This particular course is said to be challenging as the winds influence playing conditions. The club also prides in its restaurant notably the II Duetto which specializes in Italian cuisine.

Sky Diving

There are many ways to see Kenya on safari, but how about from 14,000 feet above the ground, falling earthwards at 120 miles per hour? For adrenaline junkies, the Kenyan coast has become the latest hot spot for aerial adventure- where the equatorial atmosphere at sea level can give skydivers more than a minute of full freefall over the beautiful blue Indian Ocean, before touching down on pure white sands on one of the world’s best beaches.

Tandem Jumps, Diani Beach

This is the perfect place for a sky-diving at sea level, it is possible to experience a full one minute accelerated free fall from 14,000 feet. Best of all, divers land directly on the beach outside their hotel, and after a short rest, can climb back aboard their plane at Ukunda airstrip, just 10 minutes away. Novices are welcome to experience the thrill of tandem dives, or to participate in a full skydive course. This is the nearest experience possible to flying free as a bird – freedom at its most pure and simple. Tandem jumps are the best way to discover skydiving. Physically attached to an instructor, you jump together, giving you all the thrill of a skydive, with none of the stress of managing your descent and parachute along the way.

These jumps are extremely popular- and straightforward. A tandem jump is an unforgettable experience, but for many- it is not a “once in a lifetime” thrill. After this introductory taste of the pure adrenaline and freefall, plenty of jumpers- even those who may have felt some apprehension at throwing themselves out of plane- can’t wait to do it again.

So when you are planning your safari to Kenya, look beyond the usual, and take to the skies for a very different perspective on paradise.