Folks who have never been there tend to think of Kenya as a one-trick pony – an awesome safari destination and little more.
But East Africa’s No. 1 travel destination (nearly 1.5 million international visitors in 2017) is actually a multifaceted place with a wide variety of adventures both rural and urban.
While wildlife remains the lodestone, Kenya also offers awesome Indian Ocean beaches, world-class mountain trekking, surprisingly good nightlife, an eclectic cultural heritage and interesting ways to get around (from ancient sailing craft to a spanking brand new railway line).
Check out our list of 20 of the best things to do in Kenya:
1. Summit Mount Kenya
Rising to just over 17,000 feet (3,800 meters), Mount Kenya is the continent’s second highest peak. But the summit trails are far less crowded than its snowy counterpart (Kilimanjaro) across the border in Tanzania.
You’ll likely have the mountain all to your own during a trek that normally spans five days from start to finish (with four overnights on the mountain). True to its name, Mount Kenya Safaris offers guided trips via any of the three main routes to the top.
2. Watch the Great Migration in Masai Mara
Arriving from the neighboring Serengeti Plains, millions of wildebeest, antelope and zebra – and the predators that follow them – thunder through Masai Mara National Reserve between July and October during the Great Migration.
The spectacle can be viewed on game drives, airplane or hot-air balloon flights, walking or horseback safaris.