Kenya is still the main destination of all adventure travel in Africa.
It is one of the finest and most famous safari destination in the world.
Safari, however, is by no means the only reason to visit Kenya,
for the attractions of its rich culture and diverse environments are
considerable.
Kenya is situated right along the equator, on the eastern coast of the African
continent.
Its coastal region is on the southeast, and to the east lies Somalia.
Ethiopia is to the north, the Sudan to the northwest, and Uganda directly to
the west.
The southwestern border of the country is marked by Lake Victoria, and
southward lies Tanzania.
Kenya's geography is marvelously varied. While much of northeastern Kenya is a
flat,
bush-covered plain, the remainder of the country encompasses pristine
beaches,
scenic highlands and lake regions, the Great Rift Valley, and the magnificent
Mount Kenya.
Although Kenya's varied environments experience a wide variety of climate
conditions,
the temperature remains comfortably warm year-round.
Much of Kenya experiences heavy rainfall from March through May and,
to a lesser extent, from October through December.
The best time for most outdoor acitivities (including
safari and mountain climbing)
is during the dry season (June-September).
Kenya has known the presence of man since the very earliest development of
our species.
Moreover, the region has long been a migratory path,
passed through by wave upon
wave of peoples from all over Africa and, later, from the Middle East as well.
By the 10th century or so, the region had developed its own lingua franca,
Swahili, which is a Bantu language heavily overlaid with Arabic.
Among other familiar words, safari is Swahili, meaning simply travel.
With the arrival of the Portuguese at the end of the 15th century, the East
African
coastal region was for a time dominated by the Europeans.
However, in 1729 the Portuguese were expelled, to be replaced by two Arab
dynasties.
Arab rule lasted until the end of the 18th century, when Kenya passed into the
British sphere of influence.
The country became independent in 1963. Although it has experienced its share
of
internal and external strife, Kenya has in recent years been moving toward a
more stable,
multi-party political system.
Kenya's population is overwhelmingly (97%) comprised of people of African
descent,
though that group is composed of over 70 different tribal groups.
Among the most significant are the Kikuyu, Kamba, Gusii, Luhya, and Luo.
Kenya's primary languages are English and Swahili, though regional tribal
languages abound.
For a more detailed map click here
These maps are big, so be
patient.
Parts of this text were borrowed from other sources.
