Not to miss

Amboseli National Park

At 392 sq km, Amboseli has huge herds of elephants, and to see a herd of them making their way sedately across the grassy plains, with Tanzania's Mt Kilimanjaro in the background, may be a real African cliche but it's an experience that certainly leaves a lasting impression.

Nairobi

Kenya's capital is cosmopolitan, lively, interesting and pleasantly landscaped. Its central business district is handily compact and it's a great place to tune into modern urban African life. Unfortunately, it's also a great place to get mugged. Security, especially at night, is a definite concern.

Originally little more than a swampy watering hole for Maasai tribes, Nairobi grew with the advent of the railway and had became a substantial town by 1900. Five years later it succeeded Mombasa as the capital of the British protectorate. Today it's the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg.

Kakamega Forest Reserve

This superb small slab of virgin tropical rainforest is home to a huge variety of birds and animals and is becoming particularly popular with independent travellers. The wildlife is a major attraction, especially the birdlife, with more than 330 species recorded. Tribal practices in the forest, such as circumcision rituals, persist.

Official guides, trained by the Kakamega Biodiversity Conservation and Tour Operators Association, are well worth the money. Not only do they prevent you from getting lost (many of the trail signs are missing), but most are excellent naturalists who can recognise birds by call alone and provide information about numerous animals.

Gede Ruins

The Gede ruins are one of the principal historical monuments on the Kenyan coast. Hidden away in the forest, the ruins are a vast complex of houses, palaces and mosques, made all the more mysterious by the fact that there are no records of Gede's existence in any historical texts.

Excavations have uncovered Ming Chinese porcelain and glass, and glazed earthenware from Persia, indicating not only trade links, but a taste for luxury among Gede's Swahili elite. Within the compound are ruins of ornate tombs and mosques including the regal ruins of a Swahili palace.

Hell's Gate National Park

Hell's Gate is an experience indeed. The park is truly unique, as it allows you to walk or cycle unguided across its breadth. Sure you can still drive, but why would you? Senses are heightened tenfold when you're face to face with grazing zebras, towering giraffes, galloping gazelles and massive eland antelopes.

There's a 22km (13mi) round trip that can be done by car, bike or foot in a day, or you can hike off the beaten track along the Buffalo Circuit. Camping is highly recommended.