The Creme de la Creme of the Tourist Attractions in Kenya

Tourist attractions in Kenya are innumerable owing to the country's breathtakingly diverse landscapes and captivating culture. And they are part of the reason I fell in love with this country.

From powder-soft secluded beaches, national parks teeming with millions of wildlife (including the much sought-after "Big Cats" and "Big Five") to lakes brimming with fish and birds as well as mountains, cities and museums, Kenya truly has it all.

Here then are my top Kenya tourist destinations by each of the above categories.

Wildlife Parks

You can get unedited glimpses into the lives of Kenya animals at the following spots:

• Masai Mara is Kenya's (and the world's) original "lion country." It is famed for its surreal annual wildebeest migration and an up-close encounter with Masai Warriors.

• Amboseli National Park offers unbelievable concentrations of elephants and breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

• Tsavo National Park, administered as 2 units of Tsavo East and Tsavo West, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the country.

• While Lake Nakuru National Park is home to considerable populations of Kenya animals, it is more famous for its millions of flamingoes whose plumes turns Lake Nakuru into a sea of pink

• Nairobi National Park offers an unbelievable wilderness experience in the heart of the capital of Kenya. Equally astounding is that it is home to all the 'Big Five' except the mighty elephant.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

• The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust runs an orphanage for elephants and rhinos. Here we get nerve-tingly close to some adorable orphaned baby elephants.

• When we want to see a giraffe close up, we visit the Giraffe Center to pose with and feed the world's tallest mammals

• The Nairobi Safari Walk, a family favorite, is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kenya and is great for anyone craving a quasi-wild experience

• The Mamba Villages in Mombasa and Nairobi offer you an opportunity to witness Nile crocodiles jostling for meat at feeding time.

• Haller Park sits on a disused cement quarry in Mombasa. It is a fascinating lesson in reclamation. Haller Park was the site of an unusual friendship between a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-year old male tortoise!

Tourist Attractions in Kenya: Beaches

The best places to laze on the Kenya beaches, reputed to be some of the finest in Africa are:

• Mombasa, the gateway to the Kenyan coast, is home to some secluded, dazzling white and powder-soft beaches.

• Lamu, an island town famous for using donkeys and dhows as the main modes of transport and its laid back attitude

• Malindi, the water sports and deep sea fishing capital of Kenya

• Watamu, home to some of the best coral reefs in the world. It therefore offers some great snorkeling and diving opportunities.

Lakes and Rivers

• Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water lake in the world. It is great for Nile Perch fishing and unwinding.

• Lake Naivasha is a fresh water lake located in Naivasha town, about an hour's drive from Nairobi.

• Lake Baringo is located in the Great Rift Valley.

• Lake Bogoria is a saline lake located in Kenya's Rift Valley that is famous for its geysers and hot springs

• Lake Turkana, formerly referred to as Lake Rudolf, is located in Northeastern Kenya. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake. It is home to crocodiles, vipers and even scorpions

• The crocodile-infested Tana River is the country's longest and hosts the country's largest Hydro electric power stations.

Tourist Attractions in Kenya: Mountains

• Mount Kenya is the highest of the mountains in Kenya. Its jagged edges offer a lifetime adventure for those with a knack for high altitudes.

• Mount Elgon straddles the Kenya-Uganda border. It has 5 major peaks, the highest of which is Wagagai located in Uganda

• It is often said that although the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro is located in neighboring Tanzania, the best views of it are in fact in Kenya

Museums

• Nairobi National Museum displays some impressive archeological exhibits such as those of Mary and Louis Leakey which confirmed Kenya as "the cradle of humankind"

• Karen Blixen Museum is the former house occupied by Karen Blixen, the Danish author of the bestselling Out of Africa novel.

• Fort Jesus was built the sixteenth century and was the scene of several gruesome battles between the Portuguese and Omani Arabs

• Kisumu Museum's notable displays include hissing snakes, crocodiles, a Luo homestead and traditional artifacts from the Luo community

• Gedi Ruins are the remains of a Swahili town constructed in the twelfth century. It is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kenya and is highly recommended for archeologically inquisitive minds.

Kenya Cities

The other notable Kenya tourist attractions are the cities. Each of the 3 Kenya cities offers the exotic sights and sounds of nature and the conveniences of modern life. These cities are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu...

• Nairobi isn't just the capital of Kenya, it is the world's safari capital. And, the Nairobi hotels cater for both the business and leisure traveler.
• The coastal city of Mombasa lays claims to several distinctions - the country's most historic city, a port city and a popular beach getaway.
• The Lake Victoria city of Kisumu is home to some of the most rewarding tourist attractions in Kenya - freshwater fishing and golden sunsets.

To savor these stunning attractions, you'd, of course, have to get to Kenya first.

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