As we saw in our last blog, Kenya is a popular East African nation and the hub for much of the missionary work that takes place in the region. The Kenyan capital of Nairobi is one of Ministry Travel’s most requested destinations, along with Entebbe and Lusaka. In our last blog we looked at Nairobi, one of the three top places to visit while in Kenya. Today we’ll focus on Mombasa and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Mombasa
The coastal city of Mombasa has long been lauded for its beautiful beaches, diverse marine life and world-class hotels. It is actually an island connected to the mainland by three bridges, yet it is the second-largest city in the country.
To the eastern end of the island is the Old Town, whose elegant historical buildings date back to the 18th century, and are a mixture of Arabic, Portuguese and African architecture. It is best to explore the Old Town on foot to take it all in, and to buy souvenirs from the countless curio shops that line its narrow streets. Old Town is presently nominated for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Not far from the Old Town is Fort Jesus, another of Mombasa’s famous tourist attractions. It was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and is now a museum housing artifacts from the slave trade era. Its interior is comprised of prison cells where slaves were kept in captivity before being traded. Its exterior is adorned with the very same canons that the Portuguese used to protect their interests in the Kenyan coast. Fort Jesus was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Another must-see attraction is the Gedi Ruins, situated on the Mombasa-Malindi road. These are the ruins of a 15th century Swahili town. They are so well preserved that the foundations and walls of most of the buildings are still discernable.
Maasai Mara Game Reserve
In the southwestern corner of the country lies the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, which borders Tanzania’s Serengeti. The Mara is undoubtedly Kenya’s finest game reserve. It is approximately 170 miles from Nairobi, which is about a five hours’ drive. There are also twice daily flights from Nairobi to the Mara.
The Mara is famous for the great migration–the annual migration of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles from the Serengeti in search of water and greener pastures. The migration occurs between July and September.
All of the “big cats” inhabit the Maasai Mara, along with many other wild animals. The coexistence of all these animals in the extensive 580 square miles of the Mara is breathtaking. It is no wonder that in 2006 the Mara was declared one of the new Seventh Wonders of the World.
Despite the post-election violence that broke out in the country in December 2007, Kenyans are a very friendly people. Traveling to Kenya is an unforgettable experience. Hopefully if you do go, you will have time to visit Nairobi, Mombasa, the Maasai Mara and some of Kenya’s other great sites.
Ministry Travel offers great airfares to East Africa through our partnership with Kenyan Airways and other airlines.