5 REASONS WHY KENYA IS A TOP HIKING DESTINATION FOR ADVENTURE SEEKERS
Kenya has been the leading hiking and tourist destination in Africa over the years. We are known for our rich and diverse culture, wildlife, landscapes, lakes, rivers, indigenous forests, and beautiful waterfalls. Apart from the physical things to see, we are known for our warm welcome to tourists and accommodating nature.
We have 42 tribes in Kenya with different cultural traditions to showcase. Each tribe has its own traditional attire, dishes, customs, and rites. If you are an explorer looking forward to studying different cultural diversity, Kenya is the best place.
Related: 5 Best Hiking Trails In Kenya For Forest Lovers 2025
1. Kenya’s Diverse and Stunning Landscapes
Are you looking for a tourist destination with beautiful views of peaks, forests, waterfalls, and savannahs? We got you. Kenya is rich in mountains for hiking. The most challenging hiking destination is Mount Kenya. Mount Kenya is the second highest mountain in Africa, standing at 5199 meters above sea level after Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is the highest mountain in Africa.
Mount Kenya’s surroundings are cold, but the views are stunning. Other peaks are Mount Longonot, a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya; Mount Suswa, a shield volcano located between Narok and Nairobi in the Great Rift Valley; and Mount Kilimambogo, located in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park in the Thika-Garissa highway, just a few to mention.
Apart from the mountains, we are rich in lust forests like the Aberdare Forest, which occupies more than three counties: Kiambu, Nyandarua, and Lakipia Counties. Aberdare Forest, being a big forest, is home to other forests like Ragia Forest, which also has a waterfall, Ragia waterfall, Kereita Forest, and Gatamaiyu Forest in the central province of Kenya, a few kilometers from Kimende town. The Aberdare Forest is also rich in waterfalls like Karuru Falls, which is one of the highest waterfalls in Kenya, and Gura Falls.
We have other forests like Kakamega tropical rainforest in Kakamega, Ngare Ndare Forest at the foot of Mount Kenya, Karura Forest near Nairobi city, Oloolua Forest, and many others.
2. Kenya Geographical Diversity
In Kenya, we have a diverse geographical diversity. We have the coastal region near the Indian Ocean and offers sites like Diani Beach, which offers water sports; Watamu and Turtle Bay, which have a beautiful view of the coral reef; and Lamu, which has the best vocational experience. From the coastal region, there are the highlands in the central province of Kenya, which house mountains and forests.
The Great Rift Valley is rich in beautiful landscapes, lakes, mountains, and hills. Most of the features in the Great Rift Valley are a result of volcanic eruptions that happened many years ago. For example, the Menengai Crater, Mount Longonot, Mount Suswa, and The Sleeping Warriors Hill, among other features.
When it comes to nature and beautiful landscapes, Kenya has a lot to offer; the list is endless. If you are planning a vacation to explore nature and beautiful landscapes, let Kenya be your destination.
Conservation Measures
Most forests practice the agroforestry method. This is a method where the people plant crops in between the tree seedlings to look after the tree seedlings as they grow their crops. This way the seedlings are protected from being eaten by animals. Doing this, they involve the residents around the forest in forest conservation.
It is also a way of giving back to the people living around the forest, where they benefit from the crops they harvest.
Visitors are not allowed to feed the wild animals or get close to them without permission. If you are hiking or cycling near wild animals, you are encouraged to give the animals their space. Littering is also not allowed in the hiking destination. People are encouraged to carry water in reusable water bottles and to take with them all snack wraps.
3. Wildlife In Kenya
When they talk about Safari in Africa, Kenya is the first country that comes to mind. Africa Is known for its rich wildlife variety. Kenya is the leading Safari destination. We have the famous Big Five: leopards, buffalos, lions, rhinos, and elephants. They are found in our different wildlife reserves and national parks, for example, Tsavo National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Nairobi National Park, Maasai Mara National Park, Aberdare Ranges National Park, Lewa Conservancy, and Mount Kenya National Park.
You can see the animals while hiking in our hiking destination. For example, Mount Longonot’s savannah has zebras, impala, elands, giraffes, and buffaloes grazing. The black and white colobus and syke monkeys can be seen in all our hiking destinations with indigenous trees.
Animal And Bird Migration In Kenya
This migration takes place from July to October. You can experience the famous Wildebeest migration, which is always anticipated by many. There are also zebras, gazelles, lions, hyenas, and elephant migration.
These spectacular migrations happen from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. The most interesting factor about this migration is how the animals fight for their lives from predators like crocodiles in the Mara River as they cross over.
You can have a beautiful view of the migration in Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. Come equipped with cameras to capture animals in our national parks and learn more about them and their habitats.
The bird migration happens from November to April; during this time, the birds migrate from North Africa and Europe to Kenya. This is in the wet season, a period when the birds are nesting. If you are a bird lover and would love to take pictures of different varieties of bird species, this is the best time.
Lake Nakuru in Kenya is known for flamingoes. They form a carpet-like site on the surface of the lake. A beautiful view to capture.
4. Hiking Trails
Do you love hiking and are looking for a destination that will offer different levels of hiking experience, from hard to easy hiking areas? We got you here in Kenya. We have a variety of hiking destinations just for you.
Are you a novice hiker looking forward to growing your hiking career? We got you. We have different hiking destinations. If you are a novice hiker, you can start your hiking experience in Karura Forest, Arboretum Nature Walk, and Ngong Hills. They are beginner-friendly and offer a beautiful view of nature and fresh air to enjoy and relax. The first two are a short hike, not challenging at all. Ngong Hills is challenging but manageable and very scenic.
If you are a seasonal hiker, you can go to Mount Suswa, Mount Longonot, Mount Ole Sekut, Mount Kalembwani, The Sleeping Warriors Hills, and Menengai Crater; they give a challenge and help you practice your stamina and fitness.
If you are in for the big challenge and want to hike to a destination that will get you out of your comfort zone, we got you. This is for the experienced hikers. We have Mount Kenya, Mount Satima, Mount Kinagop, and the Elephant Hills. These three are the peaks of the Aberdare Ranges. These are hiking destinations that you have to plan a few days to hike; you can’t conquer them in a day.
They are difficult and require fitness and stamina. The view here is beautiful, with different vegetation zones that vary from indigenous forest, bamboo forest, hearth, and moorland. The landscape from the summits of these mountains and hills is amazing.
Looking forward to a great hiking experience that will help you to exercise, enjoy the beautiful view of the landscape, and have a chance to bond with people, our hiking destination will offer you that and more.
All hiking destinations have armed tour guides who are there to go with you through your hike for safety at a fee. In some of the hiking destinations, you can come across wild animals. For safety reasons, go hiking as a group. You can tag along a traveling company; this will cut you the cost, give you company along the hike, and give you a team-building experience.
5. Unique Cultural And Historical Experiences In Kenya
Apart from the beautiful views, we offer cultural and historical destinations just for you. Kenya is rich in history. Most of the historical items and features are preserved in museums like the Nairobi National Museum and the Hyrax Hills Historical Site, among others.
Hiking destinations like Mount Suswa and Mount Ole Sekut are owned and managed by the Maasai Community. When you visit these destinations, you will have a chance to explore the rich cultural heritage of the Maasai community. Kakamega Forest National Reserve also presents the rich cultural heritage of the Luhya community and their dishes.
Kenya is rich in cultural heritage from our different tribes.
6. Year-round Hiking Climate In Kenya
You can visit Kenya any season, all year round. Some destinations are challenging to visit during the rainy season. You will experience challenges on the trails. Some are muddy and slippery. But the landscapes are beautiful during the wet seasons.
You will have a beautiful carpet-like, green vegetation cover. The destinations are also not crowded during the wet seasons. The wet seasons are from April to June, the long rains, and November to mid-December, the short rains.
For destinations like Mount Ole Sekut, Mathew Hill, Mount Kalembwani, and Mount Suswa, the best time to visit is during the wet seasons from November to December. During this period the sun is not very hot, therefore easy to hike. The landscape has a beautiful green vegetation cover.
Destinations like Mount Kenya, Mount Satima, Mount Kinangop, and Elephant Hills experience rainy seasons throughout the year. The surroundings are also cold. The best time to visit these destinations is during the short rains from January to February and July to October.
Conclusion
Kenya has a lot to offer from landscapes, wildlife, birds, forests, hills, mountains, and waterfalls. These destinations also offer an opportunity to camp in the beautiful nature and enjoy a one- or two-day hike. If you are looking for an experience like no other, look no further Kenya has all you are looking for.
Our places to explore list is endless, making sure your vocation is packed to the maximum. Search no more and grab the chance to explore Kenya and create memories to dwell on forever.
