Kenya: the cradle of mal d’Afrique

It is impossible not to be overcome by mal d’Afrique when you go to Kenya, a feeling familiar to Karen Blixen and Ernest Hemingway, who fell in love with this marvellous land where safaris were born.

From the exotic coasts of the Indian Ocean to the summit of Mount Kenya, and from the Maasai warriors to the thriving artistic activity of the capital city of Nairobi, Kenya represents one of Africa’s most fascinating combinations of culture, tradition and landscapes.

On the low, sandy coast with unspoilt beaches like Mombasa and Diani, you almost feel like you’re in a different country: mosques and medieval Islamic towns, such as those on Lamu Island, weave an atmosphere reminiscent of “the thousand and one nights”.

The Great Rift Valley, which crosses the country from north to south, Lake Turkana and other crystal-clear saltwater and freshwater lakes, such as Naivasha, Baringo and Bogoria, are stunning natural spectacles. The colonies of pink flamingos, which come to the latter to reproduce, are a sight you won’t want to miss.

In Kenya there is a huge choice of national parks and reserves where you can observe protected flora and fauna: from the legendary Amboseli National Park, where on clear days you can see the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, in neighbouring Tanzania, in the distance, to the vast Maasai Mara, where the fascinating phenomenon of migration can be observed. Tsavo National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Meru National Park, with their varied scenarios, offer unforgettable views and African fauna can be observed first-hand. Although part of the coastline has been exploited by tourism, Kenya still boasts vast unspoilt and remote areas that are marvellous to explore.