Five great places to sample Kenyan history

With its reputation as the home of safari and its idyllic beaches, you’d be forgiven for overlooking another fascinating aspect to Kenya – its rich and variegated history. From intriguing prehistoric sites that turned up evidence about the origin of modern humans, to magnificent ancient military structures, to stunning architecture signalling its varied cultural influences, Kenya is a treasure trove of historical interest. Here are five great spots that showcase the country’s colourful past:

Olorgesailie
Located 70km from Nairobi, this pre-historic site offers a rare insight into early human life. Discovered and excavated in 1942, the area has revealed one of the world’s highest concentrations of stone age tools, including hand axes, and an early human fossil. An accompanying museum presents exhibits and explains the significance of the site’s findings.


Lamu Town Fort

Lamu Town
This ancient town is found of the main island in the Lamu archipelago off the east coast of Kenya. The town dates from at least as far back as the 14th century and hosts a rich collection of fascinating heritage. Lamu reveals an eclectic social history, which features Swahili, Arabic and Portuguese influences. With no vehicles on the island, enchanting squares and narrow streets, and charming architecture, Lamu Town takes you back in time and provides a living slice of African history.

Gedi Ruins
This is a magical lost Swahili city near Malindi which was mysteriously deserted in the 17th century. Gedi became hidden by a forest but was rediscovered in the 1920s. A visit to the city today reveals palaces, houses and tombs dating as far back as the 13th century, with the Great Mosque being a highlight.

Fort Jesus
This coastal fortress in Mombasa was built in the 1590s by the Portuguese. It is considered a superb example of Renaissance architecture with its geometric harmony and man-shaped layout when seen from above. Testament to the importance of Fort Jesus is the fact it has been assigned as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The unique Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor
For accommodation with a historical essence, Giraffe Manor in Nairobi is hard to beat. With a lovingly restored art deco interior and classic 1930s architecture, this small boutique hotel is highly evocative of Kenya’s colonial days. With the added twist of several resident Rothschild giraffes, which like to pay a visit to guests at breakfast, this charming manor combines a unique wildlife experience with a rich historical viewpoint.

Flamingo exodus

Lake Nakuru in Kenya, near the home of Africa House Safaris, is probably best known for its huge population of flamingos. But the lake has been looking rather different in recent months as the vast majority of these elegant birds have flown north in favour of Lake Bogoria, about 100km away.


The reason for this mass exodus is thought to be the dramatic recent rise in the water level at Lake Nakuru. This is attributable to a combination of increasing human population, drainage issues caused by land use changes, and climatic factors, including unusually heavy rain. The increase in water volume has reduced the lake’s salt concentration, which in turn has meant less of the algae on which the flamingos depend for food.

One upside of this development is that wildlife seekers visiting Nakuru are finding that a wider variety of birdlife is now far more visible at the lake. With the usual sea of pink absent, guests can now spot pelicans, storks, gulls and an abundance of migratory birds – as well as the reduced number of flamingos that have remained here. Hippos that wallow in the lake are also now easier to spot. Plus, the higher water levels have flooded much of the grassland in the vicinity, making it easier to sight mammals such as buffaloes, baboons and impala on land.

This switch of habitats for the flamingos is expected to be only a temporary phenomenon. When the water levels at Lake Nakuru subside and more typical environmental conditions resume, we look forward to welcoming back the million-plus flock of flamingos to their usual home.

Gorilla births celebrated

The annual naming ceremony for newly born gorillas in Rwanda took place on 16 June. The event, called Kwitz Izina, attracted an audience of thousands, with senior government officials, including the Rwandan Prime Minister, and leading conservationists present.

Over the last twelve months, nineteen baby gorillas have been born in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, one of the few places on Earth where the endangered species still lives. The new arrivals were given names that include Ijabo, meaning ‘dignity’ and Icyeza, which means ‘beauty’.


A baby gorilla with its mother
at Volcanoes National Park

The naming event is a celebration of the considerable achievements that have been made in protecting the few remaining wild mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The event also provides an opportunity to draw attention to the plight the animals face and to encourage a greater understanding of the species.

The staging of this ceremony is an indication of the importance attached to the protection of mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The huge tourist interest in these creatures has contributed strongly to the impetus for conservation. Fortunately, Rwanda’s tourism authorities have pursued a sensitive approach to allowing access to the gorillas’ habitat, issuing strictly limited daily permits.

This green approach to tourism has been a win-win for everyone involved – the gorillas are protected by determined conservation efforts, the Rwandan people benefit from community investment from a share of the permit proceeds, and guests on holiday get to savour the incredible experience of a close, wild encounter with gorillas.

Hopefully, the coming year will bring cause for a whole new list of names to be dreamt up by next June.

Five facts about the wildebeest migration

1. The great wildebeest migration is an annual clockwise movement of wildebeest around the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. Each year, around 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle, travel in unison on the journey, which can exceed a thousand miles, driven by the search for fresh grasses and drinking water brought by variations in rainfall around East Africa.

2. The wildebeest stop in the Serengeti for their calving season during February and March. Each year, around 400,000 wildebeest are born in a remarkably condensed time-frame. The calves are capable of standing and running with their mothers within minutes of entering the world.

The masses of wildebeest on the move

3. Wildebeest are one of the few types of antelope to have increased their number and range in East Africa during recent years. In fact, their population has grown six-fold from a quarter of a million in the 1960s to 1.5 million today – disease had diminished the number of wildebeest in the late nineteenth century but an inoculation programme had allowed the population to skyrocket in more recent years. This population increase revived the great migration to the form it currently takes, as competition for food and water intensified.

4. The migrating herd of wildebeest is understandably a huge attraction for predators. Their progress is watched closely by lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and crocodiles – with vultures awaiting any leftovers of an attack. The considerable strength of wildebeest, combined with ‘swarm intelligence’, makes captures surprisingly difficult for attackers, and protects the young and weak. Even so, around 250,000 wildebeest are estimated to meet their end during each annual cycle.

5. The most formidable challenges for the animals during the migration come when they are forced to cross rivers, especially the Grumeti in Tanzania and the Mara River in Kenya. Crocodiles await their chance to strike, and the tired wildebeest wrestle against the current. As the wildebeest concentrate in bottlenecks at crossing points, these attempts to get across the rivers are a dramatic highlight for anyone visiting the region at the crucial time.

The perfect spot for migration spectacle

There are few greater wildlife spectacles on Earth than the great annual wildebeest migration. And with the colossal herd just starting to arrive in Kenya now, there are few better places to witness the event than at the perfectly positioned Sala’s Camp.

Preparing for dinner at Sala's Camp

Located on the very southern edge of the Masai Mara, Sala’s Camp has the privilege of being the very first camp in the game reserve to observe the arrival of the wildebeest from the Serengeti. The camp is just a short drive away from the river which the animals must cross as they arrive on Kenyan soil. This allows guests to get a sensational view of the high-drama struggle of thousands upon thousands of wildebeest making the crossing. Predators, which are numerous in this area, stalk the travelling herds, awaiting their opportunity to attack. As well as the numerous big cats found here, there are leopards, zebras and a plethora of other wildlife, making it a dream for wildlife-lovers.

Despite being set in the world famous Masai Mara reserve, Sala’s Camp enjoys a surprisingly remote location with the magical Sand River providing a beautiful feature. This makes for a true African wilderness experience, and a tranquil and serene stay – aside, of course, from those countless thousands of hooves which are passing through around now!

Sala's Camp at night

In addition to its remarkable location, Sala’s offers world-class hospitality. The hosts are warm and welcoming, and have a knack for making guests feel special with their great food, attentive service, and activities to enthral kids. And although this is simple tented accommodation, the camp is stylish, with a distinct feel of cosy African homeliness.

Sala’s Camp would be an enticing prospect at any time, but with the migration converging here, the camp also becomes a front row seat for one of the most breathtaking scenes in nature’s great theatre. The latest news on this year’s migration is that the wildebeest have been slow to make the passage across from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara but that the move is now underway, led by a herd of zebras, the wildebeest’s travelling companions – so guests at Sala’s Camp can expect an incredible show.

The future's green

Think of Kenya and you’ll probably picture the classic safari landscape of wide open plains and muted, burnt shades of the savannah. But the country possesses a whole other range of natural settings, among which is lush tropical forest – and it’s this particular environment that a current project by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is setting out to protect.

The KFS, which is responsible for ensuring the sustainable management of forestry resources across Kenya, has set in motion an ambitious tree-planting project to replenish the Mount Kenya and Aberdare Forests. Both of these forests were depleted by recent wildfires. Forested areas have been under threat more generally across East Africa by illegal logging for many years.

The planting project is part of a wider aim to increase the coverage of forest in Kenya from the current level of less than four percent to ten percent. Protecting and enhancing Kenya’s forests is an important for the safeguarding these ecosystems’ rich biodiversity and also because of the vital contribution forest resources make to people’s livelihoods and the Kenyan economy.

As well as engaging in planting tree seedlings itself, the KFS has set aside three million tree seedlings for distribution to various community groups, including schools and hospitals, to carry out their own planting projects.

Seven fascinating facts about the majestic Maasai

1. The Maasai, who live across Kenya and northern Tanzania, are Probably Africa’s best-known tribe, and are the embodiment of a quintessentially traditional way of life in East Africa. They have become a symbol of African culture because of their strong identity and the preservation of their unique lifestyle but are by no means one of the biggest tribes in the region. In fact, the Kikuyu and Luhya tribes are among the most populous of the 40–70 tribes living in Kenya, this total count varying according to how the groups are classified.

2. Cattle have always been at the centre of the Maasai way of life. Cattle-herding remains the primary occupation for many Maasai and the tribe shares a religious belief that all cattle were given to the Maasai by their god. Some Maasai people’s diets consist entirely of meat, blood and milk provided by their cattle.

The Maasai in their bright and intricate dress

3. The Maasai are a multilingual society. As well as speaking their own language, called Maa, the tribe speak English and Swahili, the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania. The rich tribal diversity and assortment of historical influences in East Africa have endowed the countries with a plethora of languages and dialects.

4. Their brightly coloured clothing is one of the most striking and distinguishing features of the Maasai. The loosely wrapped robes worn by both men and women are called shuka and are usually a vivid red, a colour the tribe associates with power – although other colours are worn too, with orange, blue and black being popular. The Maasai’s look is usually completed with beautiful and intricate jewellery, which includes multi-coloured beaded necklaces and wood bracelets.

5. The ‘jumping dance’ for which the Maasai are famous the world over is called adamu. The men of the community form a line or circle and take turns to jump in the centre, the height of the leaps denoting their strength as tribal warriors. The music of the Maasai is traditionally performed with the human voice alone, the harmonic chanting providing the rhythm while one singer performs the melody. The dance and music of the Maasai are one of the most memorable and life-affirming things to experience when visiting East Africa.

6. The Maasai continue to live a semi-nomadic life, despite pressures to settle in one spot. They travel with their beloved cattle, and other livestock such as goats and sheep, moving the animals seasonally to supply them with fresh pastures. When they’re not on the move, the Maasai live in inkajijik, houses built from earth, sticks, grass, and the dung and urine of cows.

7. The Maasai are renowned for the warm welcome they extend to guests and love to talk and to share ideas. Arranging a cultural encounter with the Maasai tribe as part of a safari allows you an unforgettable insight into the lives of these vibrant and inspiring people.