Kenya

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.

The Maasai originally referred to this area as eldore (stony river) after the nearby Sosiani River. Today, Eldoret is a thriving service town straddling the Kenya–Uganda highway. It’s the principal economic hub of western Kenya. The highlight is a visit to the Doinyo Lessos Creameries Cheese Factory to stock up on any one of 20 different varieties of cheese. It's also a gateway to Iten, the home of long-distance Kenyan running.

For many travellers, the magic of western Kenya is summed up in two poetic words: Masai Mara. Few places on earth support such high concentrations of animals, and the Mara’s wildebeest-spotted savannahs, where drama unfolds on a daily basis, are undeniably the region’s star attraction. The Maasai bring cachet to their lands and your encounters with this ancient people are likely to be the soulful highlight of your journey.

Set against the backdrop of Mt Kenya, the Laikipia plateau extends over 9500 sq km of semi-arid plains, dramatic gouges and acacia-thicket-covered hills. This patchwork of privately owned ranches, wildlife conservancies and small-scale farms has become one of the most important areas for biodiversity in the country, boasting wildlife densities second only to those found in the Masai Mara. It's the last refuge of Kenya’s African wild dogs and it's here that some of the most effective conservation work in the country is being done. Indeed, these vast plains are home to some of Kenya’s highest populations of endangered species, including half of the country’s black rhinos and half of the world’s Grevy’s zebras.

From the hypnotic port city of Mombasa south to the border with Tanzania, this stretch of Kenyan coast is anything but ordinary. Where else can you see snow-white beaches framed by kayas (sacred forests), soft-sailed dhows and elephant watering holes, all in one day, returning by night to your digs along one of the most beautiful beaches in Africa?

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.

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.

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.

Vasco da Gama's fleet landed here in 1498 and Malindi has had its fair share of fortune hunters ever since. It's a bustling town that doesn't quite have the architecture of Lamu or the easy-going charm of Watamu, but it makes up for it with several worthwhile historical sights, its own marine national park and some fantastic stretches of beach. Beloved by Italians – many of whom have been settled here for years – Malindi has been feeling the pinch lately, with economic depression in Europe impacting on much of its visitor market. Still, it remains a melting pot of local cultures with a rich and fascinating history. Wander through the alleys of the atmospheric old town, dine on terrific Italian food beside the Indian Ocean or take a plunge into the crystal-clear waters of the national park, and you'll discover for yourself that Malindi is quite the charmer.

Hugged by grassy banks and shingled with cacti and sand olive trees, the Rift Valley's highest lake (at 1884m above sea level) extends like a vast, sunlit sea. But there's more to this spot than the lovely blue lake. You can ride among giraffes and zebras, sip on a glass of Rift Valley red, look for hippos on the lake and relax in the garden at Elsamere, the former home of late Born Free personality Joy Adamson. Although it's just a short drive from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha is a world away from the capital's choked arteries, although it can get overrun with visitors from the capital on weekends.