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Wildebeest Migration Istock 1021615288 Credit 1001Slide
Wildebeest Migration Istock 1021615288 Credit 1001Slide

Top 10 Kenya Activities

What To Do In Kenya?
To conjure an image of Africa – of an endless heaving throng of life migrating across golden plains stretching beneath a burning sunset, or the peaceful grazing of a giraffe under the watchful eye of mighty Kilimanjaro – is to think of Kenya. Yes, it’s an unsurpassed place to see the Big Five and the great migration, but there is so much more to discover with Journeysmiths. We will ensure you can enjoy the best of Africa in the exclusivity of Kenya’s private conservancies where walking, riding and other expertly guided activities enable the richest safari experience.

We’ve compiled a list of our favourite Kenya experiences to inspire your imagination.
  • The Great Migration
  • A Bird’s-Eye View
  • An Immersive Cultural Experience
  • Unique Sleep-outs
  • Beauty of the Kenyan Coastline
  • More Than Just Snaps
  • Conservation in Action
  • Modes of Travel: Safari Style
  • Encounters with Big Tuskers
  • Black Leopards and Big Cats
Wildebeest Migration Istock 683267076 Credit Mantaphoto
1. The Great Migration
Nothing prepares you for the staggering sight of over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by thousands of zebra, giraffe and antelope. The Great Migration is, with no exaggeration, the single greatest wildlife spectacle on the planet. From your sumptuous tented camp you will be absorbed in the romance of a Kenyan safari as you look out across plains, herds in their thousands stretching as far as the eye can see.

But the migration can be a treacherous journey. Heading to the banks of the Mara River, you may catch sight of an infamous river crossing where mounting pressure sees hundreds of wildebeest crash through the crocodile infested waters in search of fresh grass.
Bi Plane And Mount Kenya
2. A Bird’s-Eye View
Get the goggles on and step into a scene from Out Of Africa, flight in the beautiful biplane that was used in the film. The gipsy moth was bought by Jochen Zeitz, owner of the Segera Retreat, and now is available for enthusiasts to experience the grand vistas of Kenya, and the wildlife below, from a piece of aviation history.

For a calmer bird’s eye view, enjoy the silence of a balloon trip over the Masai Mara. From the balloon, you will see undisturbed graceful giraffe browsing the umbrella canopies of acacia trees, and the assembled throngs gathering at water holes.
Cultural Tours Sasaab Samburu
3. An Immersive Cultural Experience
We’re at our best when we connect with our fellow humans, learning about each other and appreciating our similarities despite different traditions, beliefs and ways of life. You’ll love spending time with the Maasai, Samburu and Turkana people of Kenya; all the more so because the fascination will be both ways. You’ll also find that most of your guides come from the local area offering valuable insights into their culture, if you show an interest.

An unforgettable anthropological experience is to travel up into the Mathews Mountain Range to Sarara Camp where you can enjoy the privilege of visiting the Singing Wells: so private is this encounter that guests respectfully agree not even to take photographs.
Hero Sun Set Loisaba Star Beds
4. Unique Sleep-outs
The majesty of the African night sky, the full stretch of the Milky Way and the excitement of the Southern Pleiades are all yours from the comfort of a Star Bed in the Loisaba Conservancy of central Kenya. Your hand-crafted four-poster bed is rolled out onto your deck looking onto the Laikipia Plains all the way to Mount Kenya and the Mathews Mountain Range.

Alternatively, you could spend a night atop Segara Retreat’s Nay Palad Bird Nest; from your deck surrounded by a thick tangle of woven tree branches, you’ll have a truly avian experience of the stars. You’ll also love the option to sleep out in the tree house at Ol Malo, in the heart of Samburuland.
Galu Beach Almanara Kenyan Coast
5. Beauty of the Kenyan Coastline
Snorkelling and swimming amongst a myriad of tropical fishes in the warm Indian Ocean, you will be experiencing a different type of safari from the rest of your Kenyan adventure. From luxury properties including Alfajiri Villas, Kinondo Kwetu and Manda Bay, you can enjoy the variety of water-based pleasures that the Indian Ocean has to offer.

Step aboard a traditional sailing Dhow at sunset, visit fishing communities, experience the thrill of deep-sea fishing or just snooze in a hammock. Turquoise waters, the sounds of the breakers and the feel of white sand between the toes are the ingredients for complete relaxation.
Photography Experiences Angama Amboseli Amboseli
6. More Than Just Snaps
There’s nothing like reliving your safari experience with the help of awesome photographs, and there are plenty of options at Kenyan properties to help you achieve this, from photographic hides, to the loan of professional equipment, to advice from seasoned professionals. With the help of BBC Big Cat Diaries photographer Warren Samuels, you stand the best chance to optimise your photographic memory of the grandeur of Kenyan landscapes and wildlife.

With specialised vehicles, high-spec equipment and insider knowledge of the best locations and times, your album will be perfect. If you like, he can take your photos so that you can concentrate on enjoying your safari whilst appearing in the best shots.
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
7. Conservation in Action
At Journeysmiths we work with properties that take a proactive approach to conservation, including community engagement, and just by visiting these spectacular locations you are contributing to conservation efforts. A stay at Lewa will give you a front-row seat to the running of a modern conservation initiative, including seeing the work of anti-poaching patrols, demonstrations of tracker dogs, and seeing conservation education in local schools.

For those with a particular interest in elephants, spend a day paired with an elephant keeper at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary where you will help to feed and nurture their charges. Looking after orphaned and abandoned elephants, the keepers – all of whom are locally recruited – care for and rehabilitate the young elephants until they can be released back into the wild, where they belong.
Camel Rides Sasaab Samburu
8. Modes of Travel: Safari Style
Adventurers in Africa speak of the Big Five, the most iconic five animal species to view on safari. Here’s a new take on safaris: five (or more) modes of travel. Yes, you could relax in a vehicle, but on the back of a horse or a camel, on foot or even on an all-terrain bike you will get a totally different experience.

You’ll feel the fresh air on your face and the ground under your feet, your senses alive as you engage with the natural world. For the truly adventurous, take to the skies by helicopter above the dramatic northern frontier landscapes, or venture out by quad bike across private wildlife conservancies.
Hero Image Elephant Angama Amboseli Amboseli
9. Encounters with Big Tuskers
A Super Tusker is a bull elephant with tusks that can grow up to 2.5m long and weigh up to 45kg (almost 100lb). Very few populations still carry the gene for these massive tusks as they have been targeted by poachers over the decades, but some remain in the Amboseli region of southern Kenya.

With the backdrop of mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro, a view of a Super Tusker puts you in the land of the giants.
1 Jan Leopard Botswana
10. Black Leopards and Big Cats
To see a leopard can be the highlight of anyone’s safari experience, but how many people ever see a black leopard? These mysterious creatures - black because of a rare genetic mutation - can be found in Laikipia, specifically the Loisaba Conservancy. Here we can arrange for you to go out with the very researchers who have rediscovered them, having not been seen for almost 100 years in Africa.

0The Masai Mara’s private wildlife conservancies are superb for spotting other big cats too, from prides of lion, to leopard sleeping in trees, and stalking cheetah. Human visitor numbers on these private conservancies are low, so there’s little chance that you’ll have to share your long awaited sighting with another vehicle.
Cheetah And Cub In The Mara Istock 173145949 By Wldavies
Your Tailor-made Kenya Safari Awaits
Ready to start planning?
Why Travel with Journeysmiths

We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.

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