A country situated on the Indian Ocean, the nation has been in the media limelight for some time due to internal war, suffering up to $1 billion in losses in the tourism sector due to the bloody turmoil following President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election on Dec. 27, 2007. Unfortunately, Kenya's beauty has fallen under the shadow of the recent turmoil; however, this nation is truly unique in terms of its landscape and wildlife.
With its population of 31 million, Kenya is one of Africa's most important countries. It is a former British colony but gained its independence in 1963. Uhuru Gardens serve as Nairobi's freedom square. There are statues of Jomo Kenyatta, who was elected Kenya's first state president in 1964, all over this city. Some of the world's finest athletes are Kenyan.
Kenya could be called East Africa's locomotive. Its coastline runs along the Indian Ocean and the equator cuts across the country, meaning that half of Kenya lies in the northern hemisphere and the other half in the southern hemisphere. Kenya's neighbors are Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. The country also boasts Africa's second-highest peak (after Mt. Kilimanjaro), Mt. Kenya, which reaches 5,199 meters.
Ethnically, Kenya has a panorama of 42 different ethnic groups, each with their own distinct dances and traditions. You can sense the differences between these tribes in the way they dress, the instruments they use and even the melodies and songs they sing. Perhaps the best known of all these tribes are the Kikuyu.
The Swahili language, spoken across Kenya, is a mixture of Bantu and Arabic. This is in fact Kenya's national language, while English remains its official language. Swahili is not just a language, but also a culture for East Africans.
The Kenyan capital, Nairobi, is one of Africa's most developed cities. With modern buildings and skyscrapers, it stands apart from many other African cities and also acts as the heart of business and culture not just for Kenya, but also for many neighboring countries. In the Masai language, "Nairobi" means the "place of cool waters." Throughout the year, whether summer or winter, the weather here is neither hot nor cold. This nation truly has one of the best, most temperate climates in the world. There are no signs of the chimneys or heaters that you grow so accustomed to seeing in other nations. And during the summertime here, you don't need air conditioning.
The Trans-African highway, which starts in South Africa and goes all the way up to Cairo, cuts straight through the center of Nairobi. This is Africa's longest roadway and its Kenyan section is called the "Uhuru Highway," the freedom highway.
In Nairobi's Giraffe Park, you can feed giraffes with a special mix of wheat and minerals. These animals are surely deserving of the "graceful" adjective often used to describe them. Interestingly, giraffes live about 15-20 years and can weigh up to a tremendous 750 kilos. They generally live in groups of about 12-15 animals and each group has an adult male leader.
Rift Valley
The world-famous Rift Valley starts in the north at the Red Sea and goes all the way down to southern Mozambique. It lays 2,666 meters above sea level, cutting East Africa in a north-south direction. The valley is the result of the collision of tectonic plates. Some astronauts have commented that one of the sights they were most affected by while viewing the Earth from space was of this chasm running through East Africa.
The Kalanjun tribe in the Kenyan mountains is known for producing some of the best athletes in Kenya. Athletes from this tribe train at mountain heights of 2,500 meters and despite rainy weather. They do not have the proper training equipment or easy conditions, but they continue to put train skilled Kenyan athletes year after year.
Kenya's Sinyalu Kakameyga region is populated by people from the Luya tribe, known for organizing bull-wrestling matches to mark circumcision rites and other important cultural days. For these matches, each group first brings forward a bull to represent them in the match. They are of course bulls that have been specially prepared for this event and as such have not been allowed to come into contact with other animals before the match. Some of the viewers arrange safe spots for themselves in surrounding trees to make sure they don't receive blows from the bulls' horns. These tribe members know what to expect from a bull-wrestling match, and take precautions.
Tea and coffee
Kenya is also a nation famous for its tea and its tea gardens. In fact, there are tea gardens everywhere you look in this country. Because of its temperate climate and equatorial position, Kenya is the perfect spot for growing tea. Strangely enough, the thousands of hectares of tea grown here are almost all British-owned; only a few belong to the Kenyan government. It is a rich country with fertile land, but the tea gardens seem to belong to the whites, not the blacks. While Kenya has most certainly won its independence, there are still distinct traces of colonialism here.
It is relevant at this point to note that in addition to its tea, Kenya is also an important producer and exporter of coffee. A great opportunity to see Kenyan traditions is at the Masai open market. This open market is set up on Fridays and Sundays and features many wares, including lots of bead jewelry and craftwork. Be forewarned that initially offered prices will be around five times their normal level; you need to be patient and work to bargain goods down.
The Jamia Mosque is one of Kenya's most beautiful mosques. Hearing the call to prayer in Nairobi fills us with emotion. Around 20 percent of Kenyans are Muslim.
The city of Mombasa has a higher proportion of Muslims than Nairobi. This is due in part to the number of Muslims traders from various regions who visited this port city over the years, forming trade relations with local residents.
Visas: You can receive a Kenyan visa at the border; the cost is $50. It used to be that Kenya did not require visas from Turkish citizens, but this also changed in 2004.
How to go: Until last June, one was able to reach Nairobi from İstanbul directly with Kenya Air. But since Kenya Air cancelled these flights, you can only travel there indirectly. There are Emirates flights everyday from Istanbul through Dubai to Nairobi.
Where to stay: You should have no trouble finding hotels, especially in Nairobi. There are many clean, appropriate hotels for every budget.
Cuisine: You might have some trouble finding food that you'll like. Try to avoid food sold on the street, even if you just want to try it. You can always find restaurants with international selections in five-star hotels, though.
Things to pay attention to: Do not drink water from the tap; always drink bottled water only. Also, don't drink the "bagged water" found so often in Africa, mostly because the taste is terrible, especially if it has been sitting under the sun. Before going, make sure you get your Hepatitis A and B vaccinations as well as a yellow fever vaccination. Try to avoid contact with mosquitoes, as malaria is still a rampant problem. Also, Nairobi is not necessarily a safe city in terms of security. Make sure you know where you are staying and walking and what elements you need to look out for. Mombasa, Kenya's second-largest city, is much safer.
When to go: Both January and February are great months to visit Kenya and are when most of the tourists come though. For a less crowded time in Kenya, try June and September, which are the driest months. Even though Nairobi is temperate and not too muggy, Mombasa has a much moister climate due to its coastline position.
[QUICK FACTS]
Capital: Nairobi
Official languages: English, Swahili
Government: Republic
President: Mwai Kibaki
Vice president: Kalonzo Musyoka
Area: 580,367 square kilometers
Population: 34,707,817*
Gross domestic product (GDP): $48.33 billion**
Main religions: Christianity (70 percent), Islam (20 percent), traditional religions (10 percent)
*July 2005 estimate **2005 estimate
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