Don’t worry, it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. But when you visit Kenya you may enjoy a visit to the Gedi Ruins, which are located near the town of Melindi. Sometimes also called the Ruins of Gedi, this area is quite unlike anything you may previously have seen or thought about Kenya. Harking back to the 16th century and beyond, this village was once an amazingly busy place. To walk through it today is an amazing experience.

You can expect to see many other people while you are here. This is a tourist attraction and the area surrounding the ruins (and of course including them) has been turned into a National Park. It is quite surprising to see the condition of the ruins – quite a lot is still left from what were obviously buildings and other structures. You can see what is left of a building that was once a Grand Mosque too.

Where there are gaps in the buildings and areas where rubble now sits, your imagination will take charge to fill in the gaps. Think back to the 13th century, as back then the condition of the area was very different. Even though it sees many tourists today, it would have been even busier all those centuries ago.

Steps, doorways, archways and even drainage systems are all still there to be seen. Various artefacts were found in the ruins some years ago, giving some further insight into what life may have been like for the people who lived there. Indeed some of the items were found to have come from far flung places around the globe. Evidently much trading was seen to have taken place in Gedi centuries before the present day.

No one is quite sure why the village was eventually abandoned and left to go to ruin. No doubt your imagination will come up with some ideas and suggestions when you see the ruins for yourself. But whatever you think happened, you will certainly enjoy the experience of seeing the remnants of an ancient village with your own eyes. It may be more complex than you think for those times.

If you want to see a wide range of stunning animals there is no better place to go than Kenya. With the Big Five waiting to be seen on some of the country’s safari trips, this is just the beginning of an amazing journey to Kenya that can give you one of the best experiences of your life.

The Haller Wildlife Park is another area you may want to include on any itinerary you may have in mind. It is something of a phoenix of sorts, because it was once a quarry. But the quarry fell into disuse for some time, only to be rescued by an initiative to bring it back to life again. This initiative has been rewarded by a resounding success, and it is well worth going to see what has happened there if you should be nearby during your holiday to Kenya.

You will find the park in Mombasa, located in Momburi, so if you are heading out there with the specific intent of getting better acquainted with the wildlife, this would be an excellent venue to visit.

Turning the old quarry into the delightful place it is today has been nothing short of a momentous task. You will see the fruits of the initiative’s labours to bring it back to life though, as you take in the various sights and discover the new life that is here. It is certainly an exceptionally popular spot for tourists to visit, although locals also pay it many visits during the year. This should tell you something about how popular the area is.

There is a fish farm here, alongside many different types of animals and plants. All together they join up to make an amazing area where once there was nothing but a business making cement. It seems impossible that such an amazing place could result from a past like this, but as you will see it has not only happened, it has flourished as well.

Haller Park is looking better by the day, and it is wonderful to think that so many animals now call it home.

If you have ever been to Kenya before you probably won’t need much convincing that it is a sensational place to go to on holiday. Many people decide to head there on honeymoon after they have got married, but people of all ages like this country for its safari destinations and attractions.

It should come as no surprise then to discover that ‘Travel and Cuisine’ magazine has seen fit to bestow a top award on Kenya this year. The 2010 Travel and Leisure Awards may not immediately ring a bell but in reality they are major awards to win. With just five categories up for contention and not every one eligible to have a country nominated for the prize, it really says a lot about Kenya that it should win one of the five awards.

It came top in the category of New Desired Destination of 2010. Needless to say this should help to promote tourism in the country even more. With so much to offer to everyone who decides to make Kenya their holiday destination, this award is surely only going to make the country even more popular than it is now.

If you are considering a holiday in the country you should know you have an amazing array of choices to opt for. There are safaris galore and the chance to see the Big Five animals as they roam freely in the countryside. But there are big cities here too that offer just as impressive an experience, so make sure you do your research before booking your own once in a lifetime holiday here.

When it comes to walking on the wild side, surely Kenya must be at the top of the places you could visit. Certainly the people at ‘Travel and Cuisine’ magazine thought so, along with plenty of other experienced travel experts whose word counts for a lot.

If you have never visited Kenya before, take the chance to do just that right now. You certainly won’t regret it and it could be the holiday you remember above all others as well.

When you think of national parks, Kenya is probably one of the first countries that come to mind. But there is more to Kenya than the huge and sprawling national parks. Sometimes you will find something a little more intriguing. Such is the case with the Hell’s Gate National Park.

With a name like this it certainly gets your attention, but it isn’t hell on earth to be sure. Instead it offers a rather unique experience in a Kenyan national park, because you can explore it yourself instead of having to be taken on a guided tour. For those who love cycling it could be the ideal way to explore some of the natural scenery in Kenya.

There is wildlife here too of course, but although lions and leopards will be sharing your time here, you probably won’t see them. The real delights of this park are in the freedom it gives you to explore, and the ability to set up camp here as well.

There are a total of three campsites to choose from while you are staying there. Since the park only covers about twenty six square miles you can spend your whole holiday there and move between the three if you like. It small size is one of the reasons why some people like it so much – it provides a rare breath of fresh air compared to the hugeness of the other main parks in Kenya.

Hell’s Gate could also be an appropriate name due to the volcanic nature of the park. Its scenery was formed as the result of a volcanic eruption from a nearby volcano a century ago. Nowadays there is still plenty to see and appreciate when it comes to the volcanic side of the park; there is a geothermal station here that is popular with visitors as well. It gives you the chance to appreciate that it isn’t just wildlife making the most of the area.

So if you want a respite from the major parks of Kenya, head off to Hell’s Gate for a weekend or so. You might be amazed at the difference it can show you.

Think of Kenya and you think of safaris and locations that are firmly inland. But this isn’t all that’s on offer. One key location that is well worth taking a closer look at is Malindi, and you’ll find it on the eastern coast of Kenya.

There is one fact about this town that will give you every reason to want to explore it in more detail. This is the fact that its biggest source of revenue is tourism. People from all over the world come here to see another side of Kenya, and whether you build a safari into your holiday or not, you should definitely make time to see Malindi as well.

One of the biggest attractions (as you’d guess from its position next to the Indian Ocean) is its beach. It lazily meanders along more than four miles of the coastline, giving you no end of spots to set down your beach towel for the day. Indeed if you are looking for some accommodation in Malindi you won’t be short of options near the beach, as this is where all the best hotels are. Not only are they very desirable to stay in, they also mean you won’t have far to travel to reach the sands every day.

The other piece of good news about Malindi is that it is still quite close to many other good destinations to visit in Kenya. If you want to visit Mombasa for example you’re just a couple of hours away from it. The Arabuko Sokoke Forest is also reasonably close, so you could go there and explore for the day as well.

As you can see, Malindi has much to offer as a base for your Kenyan holiday. It is also ideal if you want to get into the water and try out a spot of scuba diving or snorkelling. There is much to see and do here although the best activity by far – arguably anyway – is to sit back and relax and make sure you enjoy the peaceful and simultaneously vibrant surroundings that Malindi offers you.

Lots of people think the main activity of choice in Kenya is going on safari. This may well be true, but it doesn’t mean it is the only thing you can do there. For a country that is known for its safaris, it also offers exploring in other ways.

There is arguably no better place to go for this than Mount Kenya. The mountain itself can be found in the National Park of the same name, and indeed you may want to base your holiday here if you love walking and want to explore. There are dedicated walking trails in the park that will take you across much of the landscape there. More than fifteen thousand people visit the park on an annual basis, so as you can see there must be plenty to attract them.

Indeed just seeing Mount Kenya is an experience worth having. It is actually a volcano, which should make you look at the area through different eyes. There are glaciers to explore here as well, but since you are most likely to go on a guided tour you will be able to see them safely.

The best idea is to allocate a few days of your holiday at least to the Mount Kenya National Park. This is particularly advisable if you are going to climb part of the mountain. Even if you are an experienced walker you will have high altitudes to bear in mind here. Besides, there is plenty to grab your attention here – meaning you can look forward to enjoying all the park has to offer.

Be sure to check out the various forms of accommodation close to the park as well. There are no hotels or lodgings within the park but there are plenty close by, so make sure you are prepared to travel the distance to get there.

As you can see, if you want to spend part of your Kenyan holiday in this National Park, it pays to put the research in beforehand. Booking a guided tour is often the best way to ensure you get the most of out your trip.

Think of Kenya and you will doubtless think of safaris and similar activities as well. But while the Masai Mara might be one of the most popular and familiar spots to many people, there are other areas of Kenya that should also be included on any itinerary you plan for your holiday there.

Since we are talking about a lake you can expect to see many different types of wildlife here. This is a soda lake too, and it forms part of the Rift Valley group of lakes. These lakes are extremely old and therefore attract a lot of attention when it comes to preserving the area for the future as well.

But since this is Kenya you can expect a National Park built around the lake as well. If you visit the park you will be able to witness one of the most spectacular sights it has to offer – namely the collection of flamingos that call the lake home. You may have seen a few flamingos at local zoos and such like in the past, but nothing will prepare you for the sight of thousands upon thousands of them at the Lake Nakuru National Park. Some say that you cannot even see the lake at all on occasion, because there are simply so many of them sharing the space.

It isn’t just about flamingos though, although they are certainly among the most famous residents of the park. You can see rhinos here as well, both black and white, and numerous other animals that you would expect to see on a Kenyan safari. Lions, leopards and many other big predators also call this park home, so you will get just as good an experience here as you would at the likes of the Masai Mara et al.

Of course if you have time you’ll visit them both. It is certainly hard to resist the pull of the flamingos here at the Lake Nakuru National Park. There is nothing quite like them and as a protected area the lake itself will be home to them for many long years to come as well.