Karibu Kenya

The Middle East outbound market is waking up to the joy of stunning Kenya

Sat astride the equator on the eastern coast of Africa, Kenya's attraction to tourists is no secret and the Middle East market is taking it to its heart.

Noting a 36% rise in visitor figures from the Middle East in 2008 compared to 2007, the interest in the African nation is clear.

Kenya is an easy sell with the right tools at your disposal and with options to up-sell on safaris, adventure activities, cultural tours, luxury accommodation to name a few, it is something you won't regret.

Let the spirit of Kenya fill your soul as you sell the destination to your clients. It is a place like no other and you will earn, not only the fantastic commission available, but the hearts of your clients.

The next time a client asks for something special, remember this guide and lead them through the endless opportunities that await them in a true African diamond.

What your clients can expect in Kenya

There are seven different safaris through our beautiful, magical country which your clients can't afford to miss during their visit to Kenya. Wildlife Safaris

Kenya has 59 national parks and reserves - a total of 8% of our entire land space, and unlike many other countries, this protected area is still expanding.

More private and community-managed game sanctuaries and ranches are opening each year, a trend that is increasing the diversity of wildlife visitors can experience.

The wilderness areas cover a remarkable range of habitats and landscapes, whether it's savannah to mountain, desert to alpine meadow or rainforest to coral reef.

Nairobi National Park

As you jet into the country, the world's only city centre Park-Nairobi National Park welcomes you. It is a 20- minute drive from the town centre and the desire to get your first glimpse of the wealth of wildlife is partially quenched by the sight of rhino, lion and zebra that live free and wild within view of the city skyline.

The big five

No visit will be complete to Kenya without sightings of the famed ‘Big Five' game;

• Lion

• Cape buffalo

• Leopard

• Elephant

• Rhinoceros

Maasai Mara game reserve one-stop-shop for the big five

The game reserve is widely considered Africa's greatest wildlife park. It comprises 200miles² of open plains, woodlands and riverside forest. The vast grassland plains also have scattered herds of zebra, zebra, giraffe, gazelle and topi.

The acacia forests abound with bird life and monkeys, and the Mara and Talek rivers brim with hippos and crocodiles.

Mara also plays host to the world's greatest natural spectacle, the great wildebeest migration from the Serengeti.

When is the wildebeest migration?

From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life-giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million wildebeest together, forming a massive herd.

It pours across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance - a surging column of life that stretches to the horizon.

How to get to Mara from Nairobi

Road access to this region is via Narok, a three-hour drive from Nairobi. There are regular buses and matatus (minibus) to Narok from Nairobi and other destinations.

Some people choose to fly to the Mara, which is serviced by two airstrips.

There are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi and private charters also use these airstrips.

Most visitors come to Maasai Mara as part of a safari package from Nairobi or in a hire car.

The park has well established internal roads and tracks.

Several safari operators can arrange specialised tours, treks or hikes in this area.

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli is known as a land of giants with wide dry plains and a horizon that seems to go on forever. Lush swamplands draw the large herds of elephants, including some impressively tusked bulls. Its giant status is bolstered by the heavy foot of Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa's largest mountain lying on the border with Tanzania, but most impressive is the view of its snow-capped peak.

The early light of dawn turns the mountain a dark hue of purple and its snows into an ethereal pink. The sight of Kilimanjaro high above herds of elephant crossing the plains of Amboseli is a timeless African image a visitor cannot miss.

A home to many Maasai communities, Amboseli National Park is also a home to herds of wildebeest, zebra and impala who graze on the open plains.

There are areas of acacia forest that make for good birding and are home to many small mammals. Cheetahs are also often sighted here.

Getting to Amboseli

Amboseli is a four-hour drive from Nairobi. The nearest town is Namanga, on the Kenya/ Tanzania border. There are regular buses and matatus to Namanga from Nairobi and other destinations in the area.

There are also regular private shuttles from Nairobi to Arusha in Tanzania, which pass by Namanga. Amboseli has a central airstrip that private charters also use.

Accessing Amboseli National Park is difficult without private transport. Most visitors come as part of a safari package from Nairobi or by hire car.

Tsavo National Park - the largest wilderness reserve

Tsavo East and West National Park is one of Africa's largest wilderness reserves. This national park is larger than the island of Jamaica.

Tsavo consists of 10 million acres of pure wilderness, incorporating savannah, ranges and hills, acacia and montane forest, and an extensive river system.

The vast plains of Tsavo are crossed by the main Nairobi-Mombassa railroad. This historic railway was the scene of one of Africa's greatest adventure stories in 1899, ‘The man eaters of Tsavo'.

The legend of man eaters began when two large lions preyed on railway workers who were building a bridge over the Tsavo River, claiming more than 120 victims.

The lions evaded hunters for more than a year and ‘The legend of the Man eaters of Tsavo' was born.

Tsavo is a birdwatcher's paradise boasting:

• Weavers

• Hornbills

• Sunbirds

• Rollers

• Raptors

One of Tsavo's most interesting geographical features is the Lugard Falls, where white water rages dramatically through a series of spectacular rock formations.

Large herds of elephant, their hides often a luminous red with dust, can be spotted, as well as lion, buffalo, eland, giraffe, impala, kudu and rhinoceros.

Laikipia

This spectacular region is considered the gateway to Kenya's wild Northern frontier country. Wild and sparsely populated, much of Laikipia is covered by large privately-owned ranches. These ranches cover a wide range of landscapes, with high plains and low, forested valleys.

Community ranches

Sanctuaries, created by local communities, combine small-scale farms and grazing land into larger group ranches. Significantly, they are conserving more than just wildlife - they are maintaining a way of life.

These ranches have bolstered a sense of local identity and strengthened community ties. They are the best place in Kenya to learn more about traditional cultures and their role in the modern world.

The result is an area of beautiful wilderness, where protected game roams freely and safely.

It is a sanctuary for elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and a wealth of plains game, including many endemic northern species.

Laikipia has become a focus for many conservation efforts and some of the ranches have become breeding sanctuaries for rhinoceros.

One Ol Pejeta, a refuge for chimpanzees rescued from the pet and bush meat trade, has also been established, but the real attraction of Laikipia is a wonderful sense of freedom.

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