Sports and Outdoor activities in Kenya

Kenya has huge untapped potential for outdoor activities, with hiking and climbing particularly good inland and diving and snorkelling the outstanding coastal activities. Walking, running, cycling, horseriding, fishing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, rafting and golf also have strong local followings and are easy for visitors to take part in.

Walking and running

If you have plenty of time, walking is highly recommended and gives you unparalleled contact with local people. In isolated parts, it’s often preferable to waiting for a lift, while in the Aberdare, Mau and Cherangani ranges, and on mounts Kenya and Elgon, it’s the only practical way of moving away from the main tracks. You will sometimes come across animals out in the bush, but buffaloes and elephants (the most likely dangers) usually move off unless they are solitary or with young. Don’t ignore the dangers, however, and stay alert. You’ll need to carry several litres of water much of the time. You might prefer to go on an organized walking safari, at least as a starter. Such trips are offered by a number of companies in Nairobi and by most of the smaller lodges and camps in the private game sanctuaries and conservancies, especially in Laikipia.

Popular parks where lions are normally absent and you can hike include Hell’s Gate and Lake Bogoria. Parks inhabited by lions, but in which you can generally hike, include Aberdare and Mount Kenya.

Kenya produces some of the world’s top long-distance runners, and jogging and running are popular. If you’re a marathon runner, there are several events to tie your trip in with, which usually offer fun runs and half-marathons too. The Safaricom marathon is the best known, on account of its location, in the prestigious Lewa Wildlife Conservancy north of Mount Kenya, and altitude (an average of more than 1600m), both of which make for a tough and exciting race. Marshals ensure your safety in the wildlife areas, but you’ll be running on dirt tracks through the bush. It usually takes place in June. The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon takes place in October, starts and finishes at Nyayo National Stadium, and runs on roads in a circuit around the city.

Climbing

Apart from Mount Kenya, there are climbing opportunities of all grades in the Aberdare, Cherangani and Mathews ranges, in Hell’s Gate National Park and on the Rift Valley volcanoes, including Longonot and Suswa. If you intend to do any serious climbing in the country, you should make contact with the Mountain Club of Kenya,which has its clubhouse at the Nairobi Sailing and Sub Aqua Club, behind Langata Shopping Centre, Langata Road, near Wilson Airport. A good source of advice and contacts, they usually hold club meetings on the second and last Tuesdays of each month. Safari companies in Nairobi offer everything from simple hikes to technical ascents of Mount Kenya.

Cycling

Cycling is more popular in Kenya than you might expect, given the often steep terrain, and you will even see hardy road riders and mountain bikers – both locals and expats – braving the traffic-clogged streets of Nairobi. But the real joy of cycling in Kenya is out in the bush, on quiet roads in the Rift Valley or Laikipia, or on the coast. Hell’s Gate National Park is a popular place to cycle with the wildlife. One or two companies sometimes offer tours and you can usually rent bikes at several places on the coast, notably in Diani Beach, Malindi and Watamu; some visitors even bring their own.

Caving

Kenya’s big attractions for cavers are its unusual lava tube caves, created when molten lava flowing downhill solidified on the surface while still flowing beneath. Holes in the surface layer allowed air to enter behind the lava flow, forming the caves. Lava tubes in Kenya include the Suswa caves near Narok, and Leviathan cave in the Chyulu Hills, one of the world’s biggest lava tube systems, with more than 11km of underground passages. For more information, contact the Cave Exploration Group of East Africa (CEGEA) or one of the lodges in the Chyulu area.

Riding

There are good opportunities for horseriding in the Central Highlands and Laikipia, and active equestrian communities in Nairobi and scattered throughout the country. Bush & Beyond, Safaris Unlimited and Safari & Conservation Company offer riding safaris in the Amboseli area, the Chyulu Hills and the Mara conservancies, and Offbeat Safaris do horseback safaris on the Mara conservancies and on their Deloraine ranch in the Rift Valley. The African Horse Safari Association is a useful resource. Camel safaris are popular too.

Fishing

Some of the highlands’ streams are still stocked with trout, imported early in the twentieth century by British settlers. A few local fishing associations are still active, including the Kenya Fly Fishers Club. The most logical place for visitors to Kenya to try their hand is in the foothills of Mount Kenya where several lodges offer fly-fishing; so too do those on the Laikipia plateau. For lake fishing, it’s possible to rent rods and boats at lakes Baringo, Naivasha and Turkana (Loiyangalani), and there are luxury fishing lodges on Rusinga and Mfangano islands on Lake Victoria.

Kenya’s superb offshore coral reef, with its deep-water drop-offs and predictable northerly currents, is home to many species of large game fish such as tuna, marlin, sailfish and varieties of shark and is very popular for deep-sea fishing. The main centres, where fully equipped guided excursions can be arranged, are Shimoni, Kilifi, Watamu and Malindi. The ocean fishing season is usually from August to March.

Diving and snorkelling

Kenya’s coastal waters are warm all year round so it’s possible to dive without a wetsuit and have a rewarding dip under the waves almost anywhere, though the best period is October to April with October, November and March ideal. Most of the dive bases located at Malindi, Watamu, the coast north of Mombasa or Diani Beach, will provide training from a beginner’s dive to PADI leader level. For underwater photographers, in particular, the immense coral reef is a major draw. The undersea landscape is spectacularly varied, with shallow coral gardens and blue-water drop-offs sinking as deep as 200m, and as there are few rivers to bring down sediment, visibility is generally excellent. There are some useful guidebooks and, if you plan to do a fair bit of snorkelling, it makes sense to bring your own mask and snorkel, though they can always be rented.

Windsurfing and kitesurfing

Windsurfing has been a feature of the Kenya coast since the 1970s, while Diani Beach and Che Shale north of Malindi are increasingly popular among kitesurfing enthusiasts. Several schools along the coast offer lessons in both disciplines and rent out equipment to experienced surfers. The coast has excellent conditions from December to February, with the northeast monsoon tending to get up in the afternoon, blowing between 16 and 22 knots (Force 4 to 5 Beaufort), which is ideal for both beginners and experienced riders. While the southeast monsoon, blowing from June through to September, isn’t as reliable as the northeasterly, it can offer some exceptional conditions.

Rafting

Both the Tana and Athi rivers have sections that can be rafted when they’re in spate. Approximate dates are early November to mid-March, and mid-April to the end of August. Savage Wilderness Safaris is the main operator, and offers single- and multi-day trips.

Golf

Kenya has almost forty golf clubs, notably around the old colonial centres of Nairobi, Naivasha, Thika, Nanyuki and Nyeri in the central highlands, and Kisumu and Kitale in western Kenya. There are also several courses on the coast, and – the most bizarre – on the scorched moonscape shore of Lake Magadi. Green fees vary widely, usually from about $30/person per day. Details for all of these can be had from the Kenya Golf Union. For organized upmarket golfing safaris, contact Tobs Golf Safaris Ltd.