Are you game?

Last week I saw a Facebook post that showed a restaurant notice saying, “we don’t have Wi-Fi. Talk to each other or leave.” What a wonderful idea!  Simple conversations and the joy of doing nothing seem to be a lost art in our super-busy lives these days. We work very hard and spend packed days at work and then we take equally busy holidays. We go on a holiday to spend time with our family and yet very often we ensure that there is Wi-Fi, television and a host of other modern facilities in the hotel so that the children can be occupied and we nurse a compulsive need to cover all the attractions in that destination even if it means we are completely tired at the end of the holiday!

There are some destinations, however, which come across like a breath of fresh air. Literally! They have enough activities to keep us busy and yet make sure that we return from our holiday completely relaxed and refreshed. If you are looking for a unique holiday to see and do things with your loved ones in the lap of luxury and yet feel like you are in sync with the environment, there’s no better place than Kenya. The birthplace of humanity, Africa is no doubt a region that reminds us to be thankful to nature. Kenya’s tremendous topographical diversity, including glaciated mountains with snow-capped peaks, the Rift Valley with its scarps and volcanoes, ancient granitic hills, flat desert landscapes and coral reefs and islets and the sheer diversity of its flora and fauna are reason enough to visit this beautiful country time and again. With a six-hour direct flight connection and a visa on arrival facility, what more could you ask for?

It is often said that Kenya is a cold country with a hot sun, as the blend of high altitudes and tropical sun make for a unique and variable climate. You can visit Kenya throughout the year. In the rains from March through May this beautiful country dons a fresh green appearance and the rest of the year is mostly dry with shorter grasses making it easier to spot the animals. In the months of July and August you can witness the most spectacular show on earth as huge herds of   wildebeest, zebra and antelope sweep in from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya's Masai Mara. They are tracked by the large predators that pick off the weak, the stragglers and the young. As the herds cross the Mara River, pushing, shoving and fantastically noisy, just waiting for the first animal to cross so that they can all follow. However, crocodiles lie in wait, sluggishly cruising the waters, fully prepared for their best meal of the year. The Great Migration is a sight not be missed and more spectacular than any manmade show on earth!

A visit to the Masai Mara in Kenya is complemented with the cool locale of Mount Kenya national park, where the twin high peaks of extinct volcano Mount Kenya, Batian at 5199m and Nelion at 5188m, are the only places on the equator to boast permanent snow. Where else in the world can you stand on the equator and look at snow-capped mountains together?  Kenya is also one of the best places to see the birdlife in all its glory! Lake Nakuru National park is home to thousands of Flamingos which turn the lake a beautiful rosy pink when they are present in full numbers. Lake Nakuru is also famous for the rare black rhino.  Those with time on their hands can also consider the highest national park in the world, Aberdare, all above 7,000 feet. The scenery here is stunning with dramatic waterfalls and matched by the equally wonderful indigenous wildlife. You can choose to drive or simply fly from one place to the other. It is quite amazing that we can experience the most luxurious stay in the wildest of places in Kenya. It is in Kenya that after an authentic bush experience, we come back to rooms or tents, which have all the little luxuries that make it comfortable. After an evening game drive, your tent attendant ensures your safari showers are filled with hot water to wash away the dust of the African savannah. The luxury camps in Kenya offer a high quality safari experience with excellent guiding and tasty home cooked meals freshly prepared.  For an unforgettable family holiday go on full day game drives with picnic lunches in the wild, relax in the swimming pool and spend the evenings around campfires, as the guides enthral the children with interesting stories and educational entertainment programs.  And if you are planning a honeymoon or a romantic holiday, Kenya should be on top of your mind. Start the day with a hot air balloon ride with your beloved as you float across the Mara or challenge your spirit as you sky dive together or simply relax with a couples massage in the wild. For an unforgettable holiday choose to sleep under the stars. Spend a night on a starbed in the open as you gaze at the vast open skies of Kenya and wakeup to the sound of a birdcall. A Kenya Holiday stays with you forever!