in Kenya for
in Kenya for
The capital is Nairobi. Nairobi means “place of cold water” in the Maasai language. Before the construction of the city, there was a small oasis where slave caravans stopped. Thanks to the British, Nairobi has become a major metropolis and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. On the central square of the city rises a tower with a clock, similar to London’s Big Ben. Nearby is the tomb of the first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta. Around the square are modern skyscrapers made of glass and concrete. Here are first-class hotels, shops, restaurants and an elegant international conference center. In the National Museum in Nairobi, one of the main exhibits is a life-size stone copy of Jomo Kenyatta’s favorite elephant. The president was so attached to his elephant that when he died, he ordered to make a copy of it, perpetuating the memory of his pet. As an exhibit, the claws of a cannibal lion that gobbled up the royal quartermaster Sir Charles Henry Rayal right on the train and killed by the brave hunter Gastello are also on display.
History: Back in the last century, traveling to Kenya was unsafe. The construction of the railway from Mombasa – the former capital of the country to Lake Victoria was crowned with many victims of lions who attacked both Europeans and Africans. Locals claimed that this was the curse of Tsavo – the curse of the spirits of dead sorcerers who were against the idea of ​​the whites – the construction of the railway. However, the road was completed. And the capital was moved from Mombasa to Nairobi. But Kenyans still prefer the car. Who wants to be shaking for 12 hours in the heat if the distance between cities is only 500 km? Yes, and it’s scary. Suddenly, the terrible curse of Tsao is still in effect.
Attractions: Mombasa is an ancient city. It was mentioned in their writings by Diogenes and Ptolemy. Back in the 12th century, Mombasa was an independent city. But its Golden Age came three hundred years later, when it became the most important strategic point on the sea route from Europe to China, India and Persia. In city markets, gold, spices, ivory were exchanged for silk from India, ceramics from Persia and China. Residents of Mombasa wore gold jewelry and lived in two- and three-story houses. The city survived many wars and invasions. Its convenient location haunted the Zimbabweans, the Portuguese and Turks, the Germans and the British. After all, the control of this port meant control over the entire coast of East Africa.
Today Mombasa is a large city with an abundance of beaches. This is a famous world resort with beautiful nature. There are almost no old buildings left. The few houses that have been preserved in the center are designed in the Arabic style: with carved front doors, staircases and balconies. The modern seaport at Mombasa is the second largest African port after Cape Town. Today, all Kenyan exports pass through it: tea, coffee, leather and cotton.
From past battles, several old ship cannons remain, which can be seen not only in Fort Jesus, the main fortress of the city, but also at the gates of prestigious hotels and simply lying at the crossroads. Fort Jesus was built in the 16th century to protect Portuguese ships from Turkish raids. At that time, Kenyan land was controlled by Portugal. For more than 100 years, fierce battles have been fought here. The longest siege lasted almost three years. When the Turks managed to enter the port, everything around was littered with corpses. The last surviving Portuguese soldier lured the enemy to a powder magazine and blew himself up along with two dozen Turks. When a new mistress came to Kenya – Britain, Fort Jesus found a new use. It became a prison for especially dangerous criminals. And only 45 years ago it was declared a national monument.
In the natural oasis of Mzima Springs, formed 500 years ago as a result of the volcanic eruption of Chulu Hills, there are crocodiles and hippos. This is the purest source of drinking water for Mombasa.
The ruins of the city of Gede are lost in the coastal jungle. Once, in the 17th century, the inhabitants left this city for an unknown reason. Perhaps a curse was blowing over the city, perhaps something else. Only the walls of Geda can tell what really happened. For the entire African continent, this is the most mysterious place.
The city of Malindi has seen the greatest people of the last millennium. Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus and Diego Amerigo have been here. The remains of a column that once symbolized the great achievements of the Portuguese navigators have been preserved here. Here is the church, which became the first built in Africa.
Kenya’s national parks with wildlife, underwater springs, soda lakes in the Great Gorge Valley and snowy peaks have made the country famous. Here you can meet herds of elephants and bison, graceful giraffes, lions and tigers, crocodiles and hippos living in their natural surroundings. The variety of exotic birds delights not only travelers, but also ornithologists. Marabou, the secretary bird, white pelicans, herons, pink flamingos and about 400 other species of birds inhabit Lake Nakuru. Black rhinos, which have become a rarity even for Kenya, are also found here. On Lake Victoria – the largest lake in Africa – it is worth renting a motor boat and going fishing.
Excellent bite is guaranteed. Near the Masai Mara reserve, where rhinos, antelopes, gazelles and cheetahs are found, there is a village of the Masai tribe. It will be very interesting to take a tour there. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, descending into the famous Ngorongoro Crater will give you the opportunity to feel like a discoverer of something unusual. The most amazing hippo birds live in the sixteen-kilometer-long Ngorongoro Crater. In addition, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos have found their homes in these places.
Holidays in Kenya: White sand beaches, azure ocean, palm trees and other tropical plants have turned Kenya into an ideal resort area. Luxury hotels on the ocean are very diverse in architecture. In the evenings, the doors of the casino and cabaret open. Among beach activities, tourists prefer underwater fishing, diving, ballooning and windsurfing. The wonderful courses of Kenya are perfectly adapted for playing golf. Promises exotic camel safari. In the menu of restaurants in Kenya, you can always find dishes of both African and European cuisine. The basis of Kenyan recipes is maize porridge and spices. The wine is mostly South African.
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Picturesque and exotic Kenya becomes even safer for our travelers. The country is introducing additional controls at the border, requiring all foreign tourists to have proof of a full course of vaccination against COVID-19. https://tonaton.co.ke/s_62-baby-bassinets
Of course, the coronavirus has significantly limited our ability to travel. But even today, not only Turkey and Egypt are open for travelers, in which many Ukrainians have been more than once. Today we will talk about fabulous Kenya, which I visited in April 2021, thanks to the largest national tour operator TPG.
