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KENYA
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
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KENYA
Main Contributors Philip Briggs and Lizzie Williams
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
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Managing Editor Aruna Ghose
Editorial Manager Ankita Awasthi
Design Managers Sunita Gahir, Kavita Saha
Project Editor Arundhti Bhanot
Project Designer Mathew Kurien
Editors Sandhya Iyer, Yasmin Rahman
Designers Stuti Tiwari Bhatia, Amisha Gupta
Senior Cartographic Manager Uma Bhattacharya
Cartographer Mohammad Hassan
DTP Designer Azeem Siddiqui
Senior Picture Research Coordinator Taiyaba Khatoon
Picture Researcher Shweta Andrews
Contributors Philip Briggs, Lizzie Williams
Photographers
Demetrio Carrasco, Nigel Hicks, Linda Whitwam
Illustrators Chapel Design and Marketing Ltd, Chinglemba Chingtham,
Arun Pottirayil, T. Gautam Trivedi
Printed and bound in China
First American Edition, 2009
15 16 17 18 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Published in the United States by
DK Publishing, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Reprinted with revisions 2011, 2013, 2015
Copyright © 2009, 2015 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
A Penguin Random House Company
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright
owner and the above publisher of this book.
Published in the UK by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISSN: 1542-1554
ISBN: 978-1-4654-2832-5
Maasai moran (warrior) framed by an Acaciatortilis tree with Mount Kenya behind
The information in this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
At the time of going to print travelers were advised to avoid traveling near the
Somalia border. Please do check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kenya for
up-to-date information. Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as
up to date as possible at the time of going to press. Some details, however, such
as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and
travel information, are liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility
for any consequences arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third-
party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be
a suitable source of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our
readers very highly. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling
Kindersley, 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, UK, or email:
[email protected].
Front cover main image: A Lion in Masai Mara at sunrise
Contents
How to Use this Guide 6
Introducing
Kenya
Discovering
Kenya 10
Putting Kenya
on the Map 16
A Portrait
of Kenya 18
Kenya Through
the Year 42
The History
of Kenya 46
FlamingoesatLakeNakuruNationalPark
Elaborate Swahili wooden door,
Lamu town
The imposing Fort Jesus in Mombasa
Wild Kenya
The Safari Experience 62
Habitats 84
Field Guide 100
Kenya Area
by Area
Kenya at a
Glance 152
Samburu people in their colourful
traditional costume
Nairobi 154
Southeastern
Savannahs 180
Southern Coast 202
Northern Coast 230
Southern Rift Valley and
Masai Mara 256
Western Kenya 288
Shopping in
Kenya 382
Entertainment in
Kenya 388
Outdoor Activities 390
Survival Guide
Practical Information 400
Travel Information 412
General Index 420
Acknowledgments 434
Phrase Book 438
Central Highlands
312
Northern Kenya 338
Travellers’Needs
Where to Stay 360
Where to Eat and Drink
372
Two of the four sculpted giant tusks that
are Mombasa’s leading landmark
Traditional sailing dhow,
Lamu waterfront
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HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Key Facts provides details for each
animal species, including habitat, top
places to see and sighting tips.
2Regional Map
This map shows the road
network and gives an
illustrated overview of the
region. All the sights are
numbered and there are also
useful tips on getting around.
Sights at a Glance lists the
chapter’s sights by category.
Each area of Kenya can
be quickly identified by its
colour coding, shown on
the front flap.
Wild Kenya
The Safari Experience focuses on
the activities on offer while on a
safari and gives tips on locating
and viewing wildlife through the
year. Habitats gives an overview
of the landscapes of Kenya. The
Field Guide is an introduction to
the wildlife of Kenya, from the
Big Five to all the keenly sought
primates, large and small
mammals, reptiles and birdlife.
1Introduction
The landscape, history and
character of each region is
outlined here, showing
how the area has
developed over the
centuries and what it
offers to the visitor today.
Kenya Area by Area
In this book Kenya has been
divided into eight regions, each of
which has a separate chapter. The
most interesting places to visit have
been numbered on a Regional Map
at the beginning of each chapter.
6 H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E
Cheetahs communicate with a wide repertoire of
sounds such as growling, hissing and spitting
Cheetahs regularly sharpen
their claws, which are only
partly retractable.
The black“tear marks” that
run down a cheetah’s face help
differentiate it from a leopard.
Cheetah cubs are very playful but
also wary, and will often flee into a
burrow when disturbed.
A short high-speed chase, generally
over open grassland, is the hallmark
of the cheetah’s hunting strategy.
Cheetahs often ascend
trunks or termite mounds to
scan the area for rivals and prey.
The world’s fastest runner, the cheetah can reach 115 kmph
(71 mph) in short bursts, accelerating from a standstill in four
seconds. It is anatomically distinct from true big cats, with a
greyhound-like build, disproportionately small head and unique
semi-retractable claws catering to its specialist pursuit of sprinting.
Once widespread in Asia, Arabia and Africa, it has suffered a
massive range retraction in recent times, and is now practically
endemic to sub-Saharan Africa.
Cheetah
The king cheetah, a rare
mutant, has a striped coat.
Prone to unusual colour morphs,
cheetahs have included all-black
and all-white individuals, as well
as those with unspotted golden
coats or tawny or blue-grey
spots on a creamy coat.
Cubs often stay together after
they are abandoned by their
mother, honing their hunting skills
as a pack before they eventually
separate to fend for themselves.
Devouring a freshly killed gazelle,
while keeping an eye out
for predators
Family and Breeding
Though not as sociable as lions, cheetahs are less solitary
than most cats. The highly territorial adult male is
generally solitary, although coalitions of two to three
brothers are often seen. Females are solitary except when
rearing cubs, and related females often have overlapping
territories. The cheetah follows a protracted courtship
ritual, which leads to the female coming into oestrus
after 1–2 weeks. Mortal fights between competing
males are common during this period. Litters consist
of four to five cubs, born blind and hidden away for the
first few months of their life. Even so, the cub mortality
rate is high, partly due to the harsh habitat, and partly
because the mother is unable to ward off predators.
The surviving cubs stay with the mother for about 18
months, and are unique among felids in that they
need to be taught how to hunt.
What You Might See
Almost always associated with open
country, cheetahs have a more restless
temperament than other large
predators.They are most often seen
trotting through the grass with a distinct
air of determination, breaking step only
to climb on a tree trunk or termite
mound that presents itself as a lookout
post.They are also more likely to be seen
hunting in daylight than other cats.
KEY FACTS
Acinonyx Jubatus
Kiswahili: Duma
Size Shoulder height:
80 cm (31 inches); Weight:
41–60 kg (90–130 lb).
Lifespan 6–12 years in
the wild.
Population in Kenya
Below 1,000.
Conservation Status VU.
Gestation period 3 months.
Reproduction Females
reach sexual maturity at
around two years and give
birth to up to five cubs a
year thereafter.
Habitat Thinly vegetated
plains and open or broken
grassland.
Top Places to See
Masai Mara GR (seepp266–9),
Tsavo NP (see pp186–91),
Nairobi NP (see pp166–9),
Ol Pejeta (see p324).
Sighting Tips
If a cheetah on the hunt
is sighted, maintain some
distance – guides often
drive too close and chase
off the intended prey.
Friends and Foes
Easily intimidated, a cheetah
will wolf down a kill before
it can be chased off by scav-
engers, consuming up to
10 kg (22 lb) in 15 minutes.
Facts andTrivia
Striped cheetahs were
thought to be a local super-
stition until 1926, when
British zoologist R I Pocock
was shown the pelt of one.
Feeding
Where most feline predators combine hunting with
scavenging, cheetahs feed solely on fresh meat. A diurnal
and crepuscular hunter, the cheetah usually creeps to
within 15–31 m (50–100 ft) of its prey before opening
chase at immense speed, eventually knocking down its
victim and suffocating it with its mouth. High tourist
concentrations can adversely
affect a cheetah’s hunting
habits – safari vehicles often
alert prey to its presence –
although some individuals
have turned the tables by using
parked vehicles as cover to
stalk gazelles and other prey.
Communication and Voice
The cheetah differs from true big cats such
as the leopard and lion in several respects,
one of which is that the cheetah lacks the
ability to roar. The most common vocaliza-
tion, often made by a mother looking for
her cubs, is a peculiar high-pitched twitter
called yipping, which sounds more like a
small bird or bat than a large carnivore. In
common with other cats, a cheetah will
purr when content or when it meets a
familiar individual, and will growl, hiss and
yelp when threatened or annoyed.
1 0 8 W I L D K E N Y A F I E L D G U I D E 1 0 9
IUCN status VU: Vulnerable
K E N Y A A R E A B Y A R E A 2 3 1
Interred within the humid depths of
the Northern Coast’s forests are the
crumbling mosques and palace walls of
the Gedi Ruins, Kenya’s very own lost city.
Abandoned in the 16th century, these
medieval relics of a once-wealthy trading
port, whose name has been lost in the
mists of time, stand witness to the
2,000-year-old Swahili coastal culture.
A far less enduring, though still notable,
presence on the Northern Coast came in
the form of the Portuguese empire. Vasco
da Gama stopped off at Malindi in 1498
on his way to India, paving the way for
the Portuguese invasion of 1505.
Following their loss of Fort Jesus at
Mombasa, in 1729, the Portuguese
abandoned the area entirely in favour
of present-day Mozambique.
More recently, popular holiday resort
destinations have developed at Malindi
and Watamu, which lie along a lovely
stretch of Indian Ocean coastline
notable for its fantastic coral outcrops.
Sun-worshippers are catered for by
a seemingly endless succession of
bone-white beaches scattered with
great beach resorts that offer a
broadly comparable experience to
the south coast, while the offshore reefs
offer superlative diving and snorkelling.
The open sea off Watamu has also
retained its charm as a game fishing
destination, first popularized by the
American author Ernest Hemingway.
Despite its development as a resort
destination, this region still holds on
to traditional Islamic values.
Culturally, the undoubted travel
highlight of the Northern Coast is the
Lamu Archipelago, which boasts superb
sightseeing opportunities and some
beautiful beaches. This is where the
various strands of the Swahili coast, past
and present, intertwine to form a satisfying
whole, epitomized by the lovely laid-back
authenticity that permeates the alleys of
Lamu town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
NORTHERN COAST
Running from the picturesque Kilifi Creek to the remote Somali
border, Kenya’s Northern Coast is a stretch of palm-lined beaches
and atmospheric ruins, and with some exceptions, is refreshingly
unspoiled by urbanisation. The area is profoundly Swahili in
character. Life in this coastal haven unfolds at a reassuringly slow
pace and visitors are made to feel at home by the local hospitality.
Traditional sailing dhows lining the picturesque Lamu waterfront
A garden with coral walls and views of the Indian Ocean atWatamu, Kilifi County
Nyeri
Eldoret
Kisii
Nairobi
Lake
Baringo
Lake
Bogoria
Lake
Nakuru
Itar
e
Lelge
l
Moto
W
as
eg
esOlAra
be
l
Gi
lgi
Si
ape
l
Ngusui
Kamurar
Am
ala
Ma
ra
Talek
Kanulole
K
ipson
oi
M
ara
Sand
EwasoNgiro
Esoit Oloololo
Escarpm
ent
Loita Plains
Lo
ita
Hill
s
Lebetero
Hills
Olposimoru
Forest
Mara
Forest
Southwestern
Mau Forest
Chepalungu
Forest
Mount Londiani
Forest
La
ik
ip
ia
Es
ca
rp
men
t
Eastern
Forest
Limute
2,565 m
Londiani
3,010 m
Mau
3,124 m
Opuru
2,865 mMelili
3,098 m
Longonot
2,777 m
Susua
2,357 m
Subugo
2,642 m
Lolua
2,249 m
Eregero
2,273 m
Moita
2,037 m
Ngelesha
2,273 m
Ntimaru
Lolgorien
Kilgoris
Monianku
Nyangusu
Keroka
Masimba Ndanai
Gorgor
Kaboson
Aitong
Talek
Lemek
Ngorengore
Ololungu
Maji Moto
Bakitabu
Narosura
Morijo
Ewaso
Ngiro
Entasekera
Olmesutye
Ongata
Naado
Noolpopong
Ntulelei
Nairagie
Ngare
Seyabei
Kedowa
Sorget
Equator
Mogotio
Ngubreti
Emening
Saos
Ol Punyata
Bogoini
Mau Narok
Kongoni
Sulmac
Dukas
Kapkimowa
Longisa
Bomet
Tenwek
Yaganek
Koiwa
Litein
Chemosit
Kiptunga
Olenguruone
Enangiperi
Kamwosor
Tenges
Ratat
Kaptim
Marigat
Nosoguro
Kampi Ya
Samaki
Loruk
Limuru
Londiani
Ol KalouMolo
Elburgon
Gilgil
NjoroM
A
U
ESCARPMENT
LAKESBOGORIAANDBARINGO
M
ASA
I M
ARA
NATIO
NAL RESE
RVE
NAIVASHA
NAROK
MENENGAI
CRATER
MOUNT LONGONOT
NATIONAL PARK
LAKE
ELMENTEITA
KARIANDUSI
PREHISTORIC SITE
KIGIO WILDLIFE
CONSERVANCY
HYRAX HILL
PREHISTORIC
SITE
THE NAIVASHA
ROAD
NAKURU
LAKE NAKURU
NATIONAL PARK
LAKE
NAIVASHA
HELL’S GATE
NATIONAL PARK
Exploring Southern Rift Valley
and Masai Mara
Apart from the great draw of the wildlife-rich Masai Mara
National Reserve, this region is most popular for its lakes,
in particular Naivasha and Nakuru. The former has superb
birdlife and offers the exciting opportunity to hike or cycle
unguided through the spectacular plains at Hell’s Gate, while
the latter is famous for its large flocks of flamingoes and the
near certainty of close-up encounters with rhinos. Lakes
Bogoria and Baringo are equally popular for their relaxed
atmosphere and varied birdlife. Located near the scenic
Naivasha Road, Mount Longonot National Park is pedestrian-
friendly and offers a unique perspective on the region’s
turbulent geological past. Further north, excavated sites at
Hyrax Hill and Kariandusi offer a glimpse of hominid history.
2 6 2 K E N Y A A R E A B Y A R E A S O U T H E R N R I F T V A L L E Y A N D M A S A I M A R A 2 6 3
Sights at a Glance
Towns
1 Narok
6 Naivasha
w Nakuru
Parks and Reserves
2 Masai Mara National Reserve
pp266–9
5 Mount Longonot National Park
8 Hell’s Gate National Park
pp274–5
9 Kigio Wildlife Conservancy
t Lake Nakuru National Park
pp280–83
Areas of Natural Beauty
3 Mau Escarpment
4 The Naivasha Road
7 Lake Naivasha pp270–73
q Lake Elmenteita
r Menengai Crater
y Lakes Bogoria and Baringo
pp284–7
Archaeological Sites
0 Kariandusi Prehistoric Site
e Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site
Getting Around
The main road through the
Southern Rift Valley is the A104,
which connects Nairobi to Nakuru
via Naivasha. It is well served by
buses and matatus, but the little-
used railway service has been
discontinued. From Nakuru, the
B4 is a good surfaced road running
north to Baringo, with sufficient
public transport. The B3/C12 to
Masai Mara via Narok runs south
from the A104. Given that it is one
of the busiest tourist routes in the
country, this road is appallingly
corrugated in parts, and flying is a
better option. Public transport to
Masai Mara extends along the B3
up to Narok, from where private
transport is required to complete
the last leg of the journey.
One of the towering cliffs of Hell’s Gate National Park
Flamingoes feeding beside an erupting geyser, Lake Bogoria
A tusker on the eastern plains of
the Masai Mara
Key
Major road
Minor road
Untarred major road
Untarred minor road
4WD track
Major railway
Minor railway
International border
Peak
For hotels and restaurants see pp367–9 and p380 For keys to symbols see back flap
0 km
0 miles
20
20
and includes practical information on parks
and reserves. KenyaAreabyAreadescribes
important sights, with maps, photographs
and illustrations. Restaurant and hotel
recommendations can be found in Travellers’
Needs.The SurvivalGuide has tips on
everything from transport to using the
telephone system.
This travel guide helps you to get the most
from your visit to Kenya. It provides both
detailed practical information and expert
recommendations. IntroducingKenyamaps
the country, sets it in its historical and
cultural context, and describes events
through the entire year. WildKenyais an
extensive guide to wildlife viewing in Kenya
A suggested route for a
walk is shown in red.
3Street-by-Street Map
This gives a bird’s-eye view of
the key area in each chapter.
Directory boxes give contact
information for services and venues
mentioned in the text.
The information block provides
the details needed to visit each sight.
Map references locate the sights on
the Road Map of Kenya on the inside
back cover.
5Kenya’s Top Sights
These are given two or more full pages.
Historic buildings are dissected to reveal
their interiors; national parks have maps
showing facilities and trails; museums
have colour-coded floorplans to help
locate interesting exhibits.
Features explore themes specific
to the region.
4Detailed Information
All the important sights in
Kenya are described
individually. They are listed
in order following the
numbering on the Regional
Map at the start of the chapter.
Stars indicate the sights that
no visitor should miss.
6Travellers’ Needs and
Survival Guide
These sections cover areas such
as shopping, entertainment,
activities, health, security,
communications, banking and
currency and travel.
H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E 7
Street-by-Street: Old Town
The compact maze of narrow OldTown alleys lends itself to casual
exploration. Most of its buildings date from 1870 to 1930, and
the architecture combines British colonial influences with more
ornate Indian flourishes.This historic area possesses a tangible
sense of community, and while it may be less overtly Swahili than
old Lamu, many of its predominantly Islamic residents can trace
family roots back to the 19th century.Today, the OldTown carries
an aura of rejuvenation, due to the efforts of conservationists and
to the tourist boom that prompted the reinvention of many old
houses as boutiques, galleries or craft shops.
2 1 0 K E N Y A A R E A B Y A R E A S O U T H E R N C O A S T 2 1 1
For hotels and restaurants see pp366–7 and pp378–9
. Fort Jesus
The most important historic landmark
in Mombasa, Fort Jesus resisted and
succumbed to many lengthy sieges
over the three centuries following its
construction by the Portuguese in
1593 (see pp212–13).
Basheikh Mosque
Claimed locally to have been
founded in the 13th century,
Basheikh Mosque is probably
Mombasa’s oldest, and is topped
by a plain but appealingly tall and
curvaceous whitewashed minaret.
The White House was built by an
Indian trader. Occupied by the ladies
of the Church Missionary Society in
the 1890s, it became Kenya’s first
American Consulate in 1915.
AnatmosphericOldTownhouseby the
Mbarak Hinawy Road
. Ndia Kuu Road
Originally known as Main Road, Ndia
Kuu is flanked by 19th-century
homesteads notable for their fret-
work balconies and wooden Zanzibari
doors, many still recognizable from
Victorian-era photographs.
Leven Steps
Built by Lieutenant James Emery in
1824, when Mombasa was briefly a
British protectorate, these steps offer
a good view across the old dhow
harbour to the Krapf Memorial.
Old Police Station and Mombasa Club
The open square in front of Fort Jesus is lined
with early colonial buildings, including ...
