Located in East Africa, Kenya is a land of contrasts and diversity, from the snow- capped slopes of Mt. Kenya in the cool central highlands, to the sunny white tropical beaches, the rain forests, plains and the Savannah grasslands. Kenya is bordered by the Indian Ocean on the eastern side which has the important historical ports of Mombasa and Malindi where goods from Arabian and Asian traders entered the continent for many centuries. Together with Lamu, the three historic centres have made a great contribution to Kenya’s musical and culinary heritage. Some of the finest beaches in Africa are also found along Kenya’s coastline, including Diani in  the South Coast, to the North Coast’s Kilifi, Watamu and Malindi. Inland, there are populous highlands famed for both tea and coffee plantations, and a variety of wild animal species. The western counties of Kenya are marked by lakes and  rivers, some are forested, while a small portion of the north is made up of desert and semi-desert.

Kenya is also known as the cradle of mankind, where recent fossil evidence suggests that man took his first steps in Kenya’s Rift Valley. The country also has a rich cultural heritage, with 45 ethnic groups, each with its own language, traditional cuisines, clothing, traditional arts and crafts, architecture, oral literature and socio-economic activities. This mix includes the world renown Maasai people, often clad in bright red robes, and long, red ochre-stained hair and the coastal Swahili, with a unique blend of African, Arab, Persian, Turk, Indian, Portuguese and British cultures brought about by centuries of trade in ivory, slaves and spices. Renowned for their hospitality, Kenyan people gladly share their culture and way of living with tourists.

Tourism has therefore become an important contributor to Kenya’s economy with its wildlife and panoramic geography drawing large numbers of visitors from North
America, Asia and Europe.

Kenya is Africa’s original safari destination, attracting explorers, travelers and adventurers for centuries. It has an amazing variety of game, consisting of the big 5, i.e. the lion, the elephant, the rhino, the leopard and the Buffalo, as well as the Special 5, i.e the Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx and the Gerenuk. The country’s national parks, game reserves and other wildlife protection areas are host to some of the most well recognized species globally, including, cheetahs, giraffes and hippopotamus, hence the reason why Kenya is known as the home of the safari. The animals’ habitats consist of unique landscapes, geographical features and flora.

A key attraction for visitors to Kenya is the annual wildebeest migration in the famous Masai Mara National Park which takes place between mid-August and late October and has become known as the eighth wonder of the world. It is truly a spectacle to behold as hundreds of thousands of herbivores, primarily wildebeests, but also zebras, elands, Thomson’s gazelles, and topi cross the Mara river, where they are awaited by a variety of carnivores, including lions and crocodiles and run thegauntlet.

1. One of the key ingredients for any successful conference is location. Kenya offers something new for conference planners and organizers. The country has more options than you could ever imagine for a conference with a real difference. Many of the top-class hotels, safari lodges, beach resorts, and even tented bush camps offer world class conference facilities. These include conference halls and private meeting rooms, audio visual and multimedia services and internet connectivity. These facilities, combined with comfortable surroundings, well-appointed accommodation and fine cuisine, means that a professional, effective conference can be held in the wild. Outside of the conference room, time can be spent taking game drives, hiking, or exploring the wilderness, or visiting local villages, thus providing the perfect combination of work and play. Adventure safaris such as rock climbing, game tracking and other activities are all available and compliment meetings with team building and strategy. Concluding your day’s meetings and discussions with a classic safari sundowner is the perfect end to the day. Your group can gather for drinks around a campfire, as day gives way to night and the air rings with the calls of the wild. In this magical atmosphere, minds are opened more, increasing creativity and focus. When you are planning this year’s conference, consider Kenya.

• Magical Kenya;    www.magicalkenya.com.
• Kenya Tourism Directory; kenya-tourism-directory
• Kenya Forest Service; www.kenyaforestservice.org
• The Kenya Tourist Development Corporation; www.ktdc.co.ke
• Brand Kenya Board; www.brandkenya.co.ke
• Eco-Tourism Society of Kenya; www.ecotourismkenya.org