Interesting Facts About Kenya
· KaribuDiscover Kenya
Interesting Facts About Kenya: People, Customs, and Safaris in the Country Where the Word «Safari» Simply Means “Journey.”.
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Landscapes
A single country, everyone the landscapes of Africa
Savanna, desert, glaciers, flamingo-filled lakes, and white-sand beaches on the Indian Ocean. And in Nanyuki, you can set foot in both hemispheres.
- Mount Kenya, 5,199 m. The mountain that gives the country its name, sacred to the Kikuyu.
- Great Rift Valley. A scar on the Earth dotted with lakes.
- Lake Turkana. The world's largest desert lake, «the Jade Sea.».
- The Swahili Coast. 500 km of the Indian Ocean coastline with reefs, Diani, Watamu, and Lamu.
In Swahili, safari It doesn't mean seeing animals. It means journey.Pole pole · take it easy—the Kenyan way of life
Its people
More from 40 towns under one banner
Every ethnic group has its own language, traditions, and way of understanding the world. Here are some of the most surprising ones.
Kikuyu
HighlandsThe largest ethnic group. They believe that their god, Ngai, lives on the summit of Mount Kenya.
Kalenjin
Rift ValleyThe birthplace of the world's best long-distance runners. Their names start with "Kip" if they're boys and "Chep" if they're girls.
Luo
Lake VictoriaTheir names indicate what time you were born: Otieno at night, Omondi at dawn.
Kamba
This one from NairobiMaster carvers: Many of the animal figures found in the markets are crafted by their hands.
Samburu
The north«Cousins» of the Maasai, wearing beaded necklaces that are true works of art.
Swahili
The coastA culture born of trade between Africa, Arabia, and India, featuring carved doors in Lamu.
Photo · Tanzania Safari Experience / UnsplashIn detail
The Maasai, guardians from the savanna
- They measure their wealth in livestock: they believe that their god, Enkai, gave them all the cows in the world.
- The red of his shuka It symbolizes strength and, according to tradition, wards off lions.
- In dance adumu, the young warriors compete to see who can jump the highest.
- It is the women who build the houses, using branches, mud, and manure.
- Spitting can be a blessing when greeting an elderly person or a baby.
Language and Customs
Eight words that will will open doors
Hover your cursor over or tap each card to discover its meaning.
Did you know that…?
In Kenya, 7 a.m. is «the first hour»
The Swahili hour begins at sunrise. Thus, 7:00 is saa moja and noon is saa sita, «six o’clock.».
The greeting is sacred
First, he asks about health, family, and the trip. Then, everything else.
Mzee
This is a respectful term used to refer to an older man: an elderly and wise man.
The Right Hand
To eat, to give, and to receive. Always.
Harambee
«Let's all chip in»: the national motto and the tradition of everyone pitching in to help pay for a wedding or an education.
Kitchen
Simple flavors, rich in history
African traditions, Indian heritage, and Arab spices from the coast. And almost everything is eaten with your hands.
Ugali
Cornmeal dough. Roll it into a small ball with your hand and dip it into the stew.
Sukuma wiki
Sautéed curly kale. It's inexpensive and helps make ends meet—hence its name.
Mursik
Fermented milk in a smoked gourd, with which the Kalenjin welcome their medalists.
Mayai chips
An omelet with French fries inside. Addictive.
Mandazi and chai
Slightly sweet fritters and tea brewed with milk, sugar, and spices.
Samaki wa kupaka
Fish in a coconut and spice sauce, a legacy of the Indian Ocean trade.
Nyama choma is sold by weight. You choose the raw meat at the butcher shop on the premises; they grill it over an open flame and serve it to you on a cutting board with kachumbari: tomato, onion, and chili pepper.
Tea and Coffee
You've probably already taken Kenyan tea without realizing it
The tea
- It arrived in 1903, and today Kenya is one of the world's largest exporters of black tea.
- It grows at elevations between 1,500 and 2,700 meters and is harvested by hand year-round.
- Much of the bagged tea we drink in Europe contains Kenyan tea leaves.
- Kenya created purple tea, which is rich in antioxidants like blueberries.
The coffee
- High-altitude Arabica grown in volcanic soil, with notes of black currant and grapefruit.
- AA beans are the largest and most highly prized.
- Its flagship varieties, SL28 and SL34, were developed in a laboratory in Nairobi.
- Interestingly, Kenyans drink much more tea than coffee.
Wildlife and Parks
The birthplace of the safari modern
More than 50 parks and reserves. Kenya banned sport hunting in 1977 and has taken the protection of its wildlife very seriously ever since.
Where is the herd each month?
More than 1.5 million wildebeests migrate in a circle through the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara. Choose a month.
From the Pink of Nakuru Tsavo red
Kingdom of Cats
The Great Migration and the Series' Setting Big Cat Diary from the BBC.
Elephants and Kilimanjaro
Scientists have been studying its elephants since 1972.
Safari with Skyscrapers
Giraffes and lions just 7 km from the center of the capital.
The Pink Shore
Thousands of flamingos and a rhino sanctuary since 1987.
Red Elephants
One of the largest parks in Africa. Its elephants are covered in the reddish dust of the earth.
The Five Specials
Grévy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx, Somali ostrich, and gerenuk.
Safaris
Eight Ways to living the savanna
In a 4x4
With the top down, at sunrise and sunset.
By hot air balloon
A ride on the Mara at dawn, with breakfast in the savanna.
On foot
With Maasai guides, reading tracks and plants.
Nocturnal
On the trail of leopards and hyenas in private conservancies.
By bike
Among zebras and giraffes at Hell's Gate.
By boat
Among hippos on Lake Naivasha.
On horseback
Or by camel, across the plains of Laikipia.
Sundowner
A drink as the sun sets over the savanna.
Interesting facts
Interesting Facts About Kenya That they don't come out in documentaries
The year M-Pesa was launched: People in Kenya have been paying with their cell phones for much longer than in Europe.
Most of its electricity comes from renewable sources, primarily geothermal energy from the Rift Valley.
Eliud Kipchoge was the first person to run a marathon in under two hours.
Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, for planting more than 50 million trees.
Many of the ones sold in Europe grow along Lake Naivasha.
An island with hardly any cars, where donkeys are the main mode of transportation.
Travel with África Salvaje
Can you imagine watching it? In person?
Kenya and Tanzania in a single trip, with the SunZen touch: we're with you before, during, and after your safari.
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