Kenya

With its centuries-old Swahili settlements, a couple of gorgeous beaches, and culture and architecture distinctive from what you encounter elsewhere along the Kenyan coast, Lamu is beguiling. Whether you're looking to lose yourself in the fragrant labyrinth of tiny streets in Lamu Town and spend hours admiring carved Omani and Swahili doorways, or whether you're looking for a peaceful beachfront stay replete with yoga, art and fusion food in Shela village, Lamu has something to satisfy most travellers.

The Arabs called them the ‘Seven Isles of Eryaya’, while sailors called them a welcome port of call when en route to, or from, India. Hundreds of expats who've fallen irrevocably in love with these islands call them home, as do the Swahili, who trace the deepest roots of their culture to here.

Mbita and Rusinga Island (connected by a causeway) are delightful and great places to draw near to Lake Victoria. Tiny, languid and rarely visited, they offer a glimpse of an older Africa – an Africa that moves to the gentle sway of the seasons rather than the ticking of a clock. This is the sort of place where schoolchildren abandon their classes to watch you pass by and old women burst into song at your arrival.

With a flawless, long stretch of white-sand beach hugged by lush forest and kissed by surfable waves, it's no wonder Diani Beach is so popular. This resort town scores points with a diverse crowd: party people, families, honeymooners, backpackers and water-sports enthusiasts.

Mitt framför oss tar de en buffel. Parar sig. Eller bara slappar. Lejonen i Masai Mara tycks knappt notera vår närvaro. Men när bosättningarna kommer närmare ökar konflikterna – mellan människa och rovdjur.

Laid-back little Watamu looks out over the Indian Ocean and enjoys a blinding white-sand beach and a soft breeze coming off the water. It's a gorgeous slice of coastline and one that includes its own marine national park. As well as its natural endowments, great dining scene and relaxed village vibe, Watamu makes an excellent base from which to explore the nearby Gede ruins, Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve and the mangrove-fringed waterways of Mida Creek.

Lake Nakuru is among Kenya's finest national parks. Flanked by rocky escarpments, pockets of acacia forest and at least one waterfall, the park is gorgeous year-round and is home to both black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, hippos and endangered Rothschild's giraffes. Rising water levels in 2014 forced the park's famous flamingos to flee (although a small number had returned at the time of research), and the lake is now hauntingly surrounded by drowned trees.

A passionate group of Kenyans and expats have transformed Kilifi from a sweet but soporific town into a stunning place renowned for its eco-projects and clean, green, joyful living.

Calling all explorers! We dare you to challenge yourself against some of the most exciting wilderness in Africa. Step forward only if you’re able to withstand appalling roads, searing heat, clouds of dust torn by relentless winds, primitive food and accommodation, vast distances and more than a hint of danger.

It's difficult to believe that the geological force that almost broke Africa in two instead created such serene landscapes. But this slice of Africa's Great Rift Valley is, for the most part, cool and calm, swathed in forest and watered by moody mineral lakes that blanch and blush with the movement of pelicans and flamingos. Pretty Naivasha and Elmenteita with its forest halo are the most popular and greenest of the lakes. The altitude peaks and dips all the way from Nairobi to Nakuru, home to one of Kenya's premier wildlife parks, and ensuring pleasant weather almost year-round. Lake Baringo, with its hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles, is a place apart, while Lake Magadi, parched and salty, and its surrounds give strong hints of the drama that created this extraordinary corner of the continent.