10 Best Sights in Kenya

This 20-km (12-mile) stretch of picture-postcard-perfect white sand backed by coconut palms is 30 km (19 miles) south of Mombasa. It is the most developed part of the southern coast and where most holidaymakers head. Apart from the gorgeous location and climate, one reason that it's so popular is that the coral reef filters out the seaweed, so the beach is truly pristine, and it protects the swimming areas from offshore swells. There are numerous resorts, but fortunately most have been built sensitively in traditional style with low buildings and thatched roofs and are hidden in clumps of coastal forest. Much of this forest is home to vervet monkeys, troops of baboons, and endangered Angolan black-and-white colobus monkeys, as well as butterflies and birds. Diani Beach Road runs behind the beach and is dotted with good restaurants and shops, and if you stay in one of the private cottages, local fishermen will take your order and deliver lobsters and other delicacies of the deep to your door. All along Diani is a busy lineup of water sports on offer, such as windsurfing, parasailing, snorkeling, and scuba diving for some fun in the sun, or you could simply kick back with your feet in the sand at one of the beach bars. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; walking; windsurfing.

Established by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), this unique giraffe sanctuary is a wonderful excursion for children and adults alike. Located in Nairobi's western suburb of Langata, it has greatly contributed to boosting Kenya's population of rare Rothschild's giraffes—after being born and raised at this center, many have been relocated to the game parks and reserves. The original house of the founders is now the very impressive Giraffe Manor hotel. You can climb a giraffe-height tower for an eye-to-eye view and it's not unheard of for a giraffe to give a friendly and grateful lick as you feed them—great for photos. There's a café and a short nature trail where you might also spot warthogs, as well as a souvenir shop.

Take the morning excursion at 11, which you can book through your tour guide or hotel concierge, to this amazing elephant rescue center and orphanage on the edge of Nairobi National Park. It was set up by Dame Daphne Sheldrick after the death of her husband, David, who was famous for his anti-poaching activities in Tsavo East National Park. You'll be able to watch baby elephants at play or having a bath, knowing that one day when they're old enough they will be successfully reintroduced into the wild. It's an absolutely unmissable and heartwarming experience. Make a donation, however small, or go for gold and adopt your own baby elephant.

The center is only open 11 am–noon. If you miss the 11 tour, you won't be able to visit until the following day.

An array of well-priced jewelry made from recycled materials such as brass and soda cans, wood carvings, colorful fabrics, leather and canvas handbags, and more, all made by people with various physical disabilities, fill the shelves. The organization was set up to offer them employment in a society where they were traditionally stigmatized. Stop by to shop, watch the artisans work, tour the cultural center with traditional homesteads which provide great insight into the history and culture of the indigenous communities in this region, watch traditional dances, and more. Getting here shouldn't be a problem as most taxi and tuk tuk drivers will know the place.

Located on the south coast off Shimoni, and south of Wasini Island, this marine reserve is known for its beautiful coral gardens. More than 250 species of fish can be spotted feeding around the reef including barracuda, groupers, emperors, angelfish, parrotfish, lionfish, moray eels, and stingrays. Green and hawksbill turtles and humpback, bottlenose, and spinner dolphins are a common sight. The shallow water can be easily reached by boat arranged from the jetty at Shimoni. However, the easiest way to visit is on the popular Wasini Island day trip that can be organized at any of the south coast resorts—from US$135 including park fees. The day typically includes a transfer to Shimoni where you board a dhow to explore Kisite Mpunguti and go snorkeling. This is followed by a seafood lunch at one of the restaurants on the tiny Wasini Island with time to explore before the return dhow trip. Near Wasini village you'll find the ruins of 18th- and 19th-century houses and a Muslim pillar tomb inset with Chinese porcelain.

Named after Kenya's very first First Lady, this popular ocean front stretch of road popularly known as Mama Ngina Drive was renovated and reopened in 2019 to reveal landscaped grounds, paved and palm tree–lined walkways, a jetty, amphitheater, and cultural center. Drive, jog, skate, stroll, or simply find a spot to relax and watch ships sail by. You can buy souvenirs and street snacks such as deep-fried cassava crisps, or viazi karai (battered and fried potatoes). There's also a nightclub and a restaurant nearby.

Explore Africa's largest crocodile farm; if you're lucky you might get to hold a baby. Stop by around 5 pm particularly on Friday when the crocs get fed to watch them chow down and marvel at how powerful their jaws are. The oldest, called Big Daddy because of its massive size, is well over 100 years old. A guide will show you around and share more about their farming and conservation efforts. At the snake farm, you can hold or wear a python around your neck like a scarf, if you so dare. Horse riding and nature walks are also available; then, after having worked up an appetite, stop by the on-site restaurant where crocodile meat is listed on the menu.

Established to preserve relics and records of East African railways and harbors, this museum is enormous fun for rail enthusiasts and children of all ages. You can see the rhino catcher that Teddy Roosevelt rode during his 1908 safari and climb into the carriage where Charles Ryall, a British railroad builder, was dragged out a window by a hungry lion. There are great photos and posters, plus silver service from the more elegant days of the overnight train to Mombasa. You can clamber over the British-built locomotives in the old rail yard.

Eight giraffes were first translocated here in 2004, and the population now stands at 20; some are a cross of the Rothschild and Masai giraffe species. You can come as close as 2 meters (6½ feet) away at the enclosure where the handler does the feeding. You will also find elands and tortoises, and though once a haven for ostriches, the numbers have since dwindled. The giraffe enclosure is about 1½ km (about a mile) from the gate, and your taxi or tuk tuk is allowed to drop you there without an extra car charge, or you can walk. The road leading to the gate is really rough, and almost impassable when it rains. You can also hike or hire a bike and cycle through the woodlands and wetlands of what was once an uninhabitable wasteland, and spot up to 250 species of birds.

Set in the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, Olorgesailie is one of Kenya's best-known archaeological sites. Discovered in 1919 by geologist J. W. Gregory, the area was excavated by Louis and Mary Leakey in the 1940s. They discovered tools thought to have been made by residents of the region more than a half million years ago. A small museum shows some of the axes and other tools found nearby. The journey here is unforgettable. As you drive south on Magadi Road, you'll find that past the town of Kiserian the route climbs over the southern end of the Ngong Hills, affording fine views of the entire valley. Volcanic hills rise out of the plains as the road drops into dry country where the Maasai people graze their herds. There's a campsite should you wish to spend the night, and this area boasts the largest population of migratory birds in the country.