Kenya has an international reputation for its classic and dramatic East African beauty. The country has savannas, deserts, highlands and beaches that contain a rich and varied wildlife population. The presence of a colorful diversity of culture is also one of Kenya’s greatest attractions. Over thirty tribes inhabit Kenya. The five largest and best known are the Masai (or Maasai), the Samburu, the Tugen, the Turkana and the Kikuyu. These groups come from a semi-nomadic, pastoral tradition, and each has a unique and rich culture. Kenya’s hospitable people, fascinating cultures, great tourist destinations and, especially, stunning scenery and wildlife make it a popular and unique destination.

CLIMATE
Kenya lies on the equator, yet is mostly semi-desert., It is dry with warm days and cool nights. Altitude and winds affect local climates. The highlands near Mount Kenya have the coolest average temperatures, while the northern desert country is the warmest region. The "long rains" fall in April and May, while the "short rains" come in November. These rains only affect certain itineraries.

NAIROBI
Nairobi is the largest city of East Africa, with over 800,000 inhabitants and steady growth. It has developed into one of the great commercial centers of the world. Nicknamed the "City of Flowers", Nairobi’s high altitude, warm climate and fertile soil promote the growth of both tropical and temperate plants all over the area. Jacaranda trees gracefully shade the city’s streets, and bougainvillea brightens the avenues it lines. Nairobi also has a national park only five miles from its center. There is a wide choice of hotels and lodges in and around the city.

MOUNT KENYA REGION
The striking and snowcapped Mount Kenya is the second highest point in Africa at 17,058 ft. The mountain is a beautiful and challenging destination for trekkers and climbers. The summit and a second peak are for advanced climbers, but a third peak, Lenana, is more accessible. The volcanic peak dominates the surrounding slopes, valleys and gorges. Mountain elephant, black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, antelope and Giant Forest Hog roam the foothills in the 228 sq. mi. national park. The landscape is covered in unusual high-altitude equatorial vegetation like tussock grass, giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. This vegetation gives Kenya’s slopes an alpine desert appearance and an otherworldly feel.

The Lewa Downs Game Ranch covers 40,000 acres of savanna beneath the northwestern slopes of Mount Kenya and carries game and cattle in balance and harmony. Lewa Downs provides a safe refuge to plenty of African wildlife, including Black and White rhino. Access to this area is exclusive.

Not far from Mount Kenya National Park is the Aberdare National Park, a landscape of high alpine moors and primeval forests. The Aberdares are known for an abundance of wildlife, including a number of rhino, and the Karuru waterfalls, the highest in Kenya. It is also home to the world-famous Treetops Lodge and several other beautiful lodges.

Also close by is the luxurious Sweetwaters Tented Camp, which is in the heart of the game reserve of the same name. It has magnificent views of the peak. Accommodations overlook a water hole, and wildlife around the camp includes giraffe, zebra, elephant and buffalo. Some of the activities offered are night game drives, bird and nature walks, and visits to a chimpanzee sanctuary and even camel riding.

MERU
Meru National Park, north of Mount Kenya, offers a great range of mountain landscapes and wildlife habitats. Its lowland plains contain forest, swamp, savanna and rivers. Abundant rainfall and permanent streams support some luxuriant vegetation. Meru also has huge numbers of wildlife, including all of the Big Five – elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard. The unique species of Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra are found here. Meru is also known as the home of Joy and George Adamson and their "Born Free" lions. The area was once badly damaged by poachers, but has since been better protected. Meru is now a beautiful and relatively unused park. The inclusion of Meru into your itinerary may depend on the season. At times it can present superb wildlife opportunities without many tourists.

SAMBURU
The Samburu National Reserve is found in the arid countryside north of Mount Kenya and is the traditional home to the Samburu people. Samburu is a haven for rare wildlife such as the Grevy’s Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, the Somali Ostrich and the long-necked antelope, Gerenuk. Samburu has also its share of predators including lion, cheetah and leopard. The arid landscape is made up of grasslands and desert dotted with acacia and rocky hills. Doum palms line the Uaso Nyiro River, which lures animals from across the desert. The vistas and landscape provide fabulous scenery to accent the plentiful game. Samburu is adjacent to the Buffalo Springs Reserve, which has less thornscrub and more acacia trees and savanna grass. Buffalo Springs has abundant game and several quality accommodations.

RIFT VALLEY AND LAKES
The Great Rift Valley is a stunning and impressive landmark that cuts through the Kenyan landscape northeast of Nairobi. The giant chasm was formed by a massive fracture line and is so deep and defined that it can be seen from space. In Kenya, the Rift is about 50 km wide and as deep as 3000 m. The prehistoric landscape has the seven great lakes of Kenya within its dramatic scenery.

Two picturesque lakes found in the Rift Valley are home to a huge population of brilliant flamingos. Lake Naivasha, the world's highest freshwater lake, is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake whose surrounding area provides a sanctuary for Black and White rhinos and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe. The lake itself boasts a spectacular display of flamingos. On the small lake, barely four by six miles,  one or two million of the flame-pink birds can be seen. Another lake in the valley, Elmenteita, has luxury accommodations, notably the Delamere Tented Camp. The lake is home to plentiful flamingos as well as Kenya's only breeding population of Great White pelicans.

AMBOSELI
With the majestic view of Mount Kilimanjaro ever present, Amboseli offers some of Kenya’s best displays of wildlife. Ernest Hemingway wrote of Amboseli as being the essence of Africa. Elephant live in the foothill forests and swamplands, plains animals graze the grasslands and leopard can be seen prowling the salt flats. Tree savannas have impala and many other antelope. Amboseli also has giraffe, rhino, Vervet monkeys, baboons and kudu. The park was first established in 1948, and was later turned over to tribal control in 1961. Amboseli is in the heart of Masai land, containing many of the proud, nomadic people’s manyatta villages.

MASAI MARA
The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of East Africa’s top game reserves and is located adjacent to Tanzania’s famous Serengeti Park. The Reserve has plentiful wildlife, with large populations of gazelle, antelope (especially topi) and predators. This park is the only place in Kenya to see the Roan antelope. The Mara is famous for its prides of black-maned lions, and has cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and even the elusive leopard. The annual migration of wildebeest and zebra from July to September provides one of Africa’s most dramatic scenes as millions of animals cross the Mara River into the Masai Mara. The stately presence of the Masai people greatly enhances the experience.

TSAVO
Tsavo is among the world’s largest animal sanctuaries, covering 20,000 sq. km, and has an incredible diversity of wildlife and scenery. The park is split into East and West Tsavo by the Nairobi/Mombasa highway. Tsavo is known for the so-called "red" elephants who cover themselves in the rich red earth of the area. Tsavo West has an odd, otherworldly landscape and is a Black rhino sanctuary. The western side also contains Mzima springs with hippo and crocodile, which can be seen from an underwater viewing tank. Tsavo’s wildlife also includes many lions, possibly descended from the famous "Man-Eaters of Tsavo". Other animals found in Tsavo include leopard, cheetah, Lesser Kudu, Eland, waterbuck, oryx, Coke’s Hartebeest and gerenuk. The sunsets can be striking as the expansive sky is painted in rich color. The national park is located between Nairobi and the coast city of Mombasa.

THE COAST
The Kenyan coastline is one of the most beautiful in Africa. Its climate is tropical and the beaches are fringed with palms. A spectacular coral reef runs along the coastline and boasts beautiful marine life. Lagoons, mangrove forests and cliffs host overwhelming birdlife. The coastal region offers many popular attractions and activities including swimming, sunbathing and birdwatching. The gateway to the region is Mombasa, which has a long, rich history. The seaport has been a trading post since 200 AD, bringing foreign luxuries to the colorful bazaars. Lamu is another bustling community on the northern coast that is still visited by Arab trading dhows.

Camps and Lodges in Kenya
Next Adventure is an agent for camps, lodges and hotels throughout Africa and arranges custom tours with flights and overland transfers between these properties.  A few luxury camps and lodges are listed below of special note for the privacy they offer. Many of these are used in the custom and scheduled tours in Kenya.

GOVERNOR’S GROUP
The Governor’s Group has three camps in the Mara; Governor’s, Little Governor’s and the small and exclusive Il Moran - ‘a camp for those who want that extra bit of luxury’. They also have Mfangano Island Camp on Lake Victoria and Loldia House on Lake Naivasha. All properties are often used in Next Adventure programs.

THE SERENA HOTELS & LODGES
A luxury chain of lodges located in Samburu, Amboseli, Mount Kenya and the Masai Mara with luxury hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa. All the Serena properties are beautifully located and the standard of service, accommodation and meals is very high. Serena also has properties in Tanzania. All are used in Next Adventure programs.

LONRHO HOTELS & LODGES
The Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, Aberdare Country Club, The Ark, Mount Kenya Safari Club and Sweetwater’s Tented Camp are their most well-known properties that Next Adventure often uses in programs.

CHELI & PEACOCK CAMPS
A first class chain of camps located in Amboseli {Tortilis}, Masai Mara, Meru {Elsa’s Kopje} and Lamu on the coast {Kiwayu}. Often used in Next Adventure programs.

LEWA DOWNS CAMP
Lewa Downs is a 40,000-acre ranch, home to the Craig Family since 1924. It is also home to a diverse array of wildlife in some of Kenya's most spectacular scenery. The snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya dominate the views to the south where the southern boundary rises to an altitude of some 6,500 ft above sea level. To the north, the terrain drops away rapidly with breathtaking views of Samburu, Ololokwe and the Matthew's Range beyond. The ranch has two options for accommodation: the tented Lewa Downs Safari Camp and the original colonial ranch house called Wilderness Trails.

CONSERVATION CORPORATION OF AFRICA {CCA}
Luxury camps of Kichwa Tembo and Bateleur are located in the Masai Mara. Also camps in Tanzania and southern Africa region. Afro Ventures is a subsidiary of CCA that has scheduled overland safaris in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

COTTARS 1920's - In the Masai Mara
Since 1919 Cottars has been recognized as one of Africa's premier safari camps. It is located on a private concession within the Masai Mara and offers game drives in open land rovers, walking safaris and night game drives. Camp owners Calvin Cottar and Louise Seaman reside at the camp. We suggest a five night stay to take advantage of all the wildlife activities and to capture a sense of the safaris of the 1920s. Can be reached by scheduled flights from Nairobi into Keekorok Airstrip or overland. 

BORANA RANCH - Slopes of Mount Kenya
Borana is a luxurious house in an extraordinary setting on 35,000 acres at 6500' on the north slopes of Mount Kenya. Borders on the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy with a wide variety of animals. Reached by overland or charter flight from Nairobi. Elegant rooms and dining. Own stable of horses for riding and a magnificent swimming pool with pool house and bar overlooking the plains below.

OL MALO – A Bush Home
Ol Malo, meaning 'the place of the Greater Kudu' is the stunning home of Colin and Rocky Francombe. Tastefully built out of natural rock and olive-wood and situated on the edge of an escarpment, guests enjoy an indescribable view of the Northern Frontier deserts and Mt Kenya. With only four guest cottages, the hospitality at Ol Malo is outstanding. The Francombes offer their guests a very personal and exclusive experience in this peaceful wilderness. Day and night game drives are available, plus game walks, camel and horse rides and visits to the neighboring Samburu manyattas.

OL DONYO WUAS
Located in the Chula Range that runs between Amboseli and Tsavo National Park, the rolling hills consist of wooded grassland capped by mist forests. Perhaps the greatest charm, however, lies in the vast and mainly uninhabited panoramas dominated by the snow capped peak of Kilimanjaro. A camp operated by Richard Bonham as with Sand River in the Selous of Tanzania.

RUSINGA ISLAND LODGE - Lake Victoria
A perfect two or three day extension from your trip to the Mara. Reached by a charter flight from the Mara into their own airstrip on Rusinga Island. Fishing for Nile Perch is a specialty of the lodge.