Kenya has lengthy since been synonymous with world-class wildlife viewing, however a brand new technology of vacationers are extending their journeys past the grassland. For a long time, a safari in Kenya meant early morning sport drives throughout the huge plains of the Masai Mara in quest of leopards, lions and cheetah. But at the moment’s vacationers are redefining the expertise.
Instead of selecting between bush and seashore, folks need each. Combining conventional land safaris with underwater marine safaris in Watamu, off the coast of Kenya, means folks can see the Big Five in addition to a plethora of marine life together with manta rays and, should you’re fortunate, whales. This new pattern is creating wildlife itineraries that span each the land and sea.
Land and Marine Safaris in One Destination
Proximity is a big cause this combo is so interesting. You can actually be on among the finest land safaris within the Masai Mara within the morning and be scuba diving in Watamu on Kenya’s coast within the afternoon. “From a logistics point of view, you only need one visa and go through one immigration check point, thus maximizing your time spent on the ground,” says Daniel Jackson, CEO of The Travel Whisperer, a luxurious journey company with a concentrate on safaris. Vacation time is valuable, vacationers need to spend their time doing actions, not at airports making connections.
Scuba Diving in Watamu Marine National Park
“There’s a number of reasons Watamu is a good diving destination, but two main things that stand out are the ease of access and the variety of biodiversity,” says Jackson. Dive websites are simply offshore, making them very accessible and require little or no journey time to get to and from. From a biodiversity standpoint, as a result of heat waters, Kenya has all the pieces from stunning nudibranchs (colourful small creatures) to huge whale sharks and manta rays, with all the pieces in-between.
Most individuals who go on safari are adventurous and love animals, so seeing the Big Five on land after which experiencing all of the marine life within the ocean is exclusive mixture that satisfies so many various pursuits and passions. “For many, safaris and scuba diving trips are two separate vacations; safari in one country and diving in another. Kenya allows you to combine both in one destination,” says Jackson. It’s perfect for journey lovers that need all of it, it’s nice match for mix-interest {couples}, in addition to for households who’re satisfying a number of pursuits.
“People don’t know that Kenya offers great scuba diving simply because Kenya has a louder reputation for safari,” says Jackson. The Masai Mara dominates the worldwide picture of Kenya, and in order that’s what most individuals concentrate on when touring there.
Kenya’s Under-the-Radar Marine Life
“Kenya is one of our biggest markets,” says Oliver Browne, CEO of luxury adventure travel company True Summit Adventures. “The safari diving vacation is an incredible contrast. To see some of the best wildlife on land and then follow this with really excellent diving, is so unique.” There are only a few locations on this planet that may match East Africa and the Masai Mara specifically for sport viewing. “People know Kenya for its wildlife and its mountains, but it’s diving is definitely an underrated pairing,” says Browne. “Divers usually say that Watamu is likely one of the greatest locations to dive within the Indian Ocean.”
Changing Landscape of the Safari Traveler
“A big change we are seeing in the safari space is that pre-covid we were seeing a lot of older travelers. It was considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience, says Mike Vroom, Chief Operating Officer, Hemingways Collection. “Now we are definitely seeing a much younger traveler, almost like wanting to do the bucket list ahead of time.” These youthful vacationers usually are not one-and-done with the safari expertise, they maintain coming again. So possibly they concentrate on land safari on their first go to, however then after they come again, they’re on the lookout for new issues like scuba diving and doing an underwater safari. “We are seeing people wanting to do more experiential travel, wanting to try and get out, and experience new things.”
The Perception of Kenya as a Destination Is Also Changing
“People’s risk approach is very different,” says Ross Evans, CEO of Hemingways Hospitality Group. Africa shouldn’t be thought of to be as scary because it was once, given all the different drama happening on this planet. Prior to covid, 20-30% of our company would ask you about malaria threat. I do not see any of that anymore. People’s threat appetites modified, so that you get extra numerous vacationers coming.”
“The Masai Mara is obviously incredibly well known, so it’s our job to educated travelers about the untrodden parts of Kenya,” says Evans. “I think we, the tourism sector, have a responsibility to try and support and promote other areas withing the country. We’ve all seen the effects of over tourism in different parts of the world and it’s good to encourage people to visit less well-known places within a country.”
Scuba diving off the coast of Kenya might be a tremendous expertise, however vacationers could not understand it exists.
Land and Marine Safari in One Trip
So how do vacationers mix a land and underwater safari trip? One possibility is combining two properties like Hemingways Ol Seki Mara positioned in Naibosho Conservancy with Hemingways Watamu which is positioned off the coast of Kenya. Ol Seki Mara is a conventional luxurious tented safari expertise with ten tents in complete (eight tents, plus two non-public villa tents).
They provide totally different actions together with sport drives at daybreak and nightfall, strolling safaris, bush breakfasts and dinners within the wild, and Masai cultural village visits. The tents are perched on high of escarpment with views of the TK under.
“Post-covid we noticed people are more interested in slower travel,” says Hanna Wigart, Camp Manager.
For folks touring to Kenya, there’s numerous versatility in what you see. People need to see the massive cats within the Masai Mara, for positive, however there’s additionally a number of different sport to see.” Instead of simply specializing in the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo, folks need to see different animals together with wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, hippos, and over 500 species of birds.
Also Ol Seki is positioned on a conservancy not a nationwide park. What does this imply? National parks are authorities managed and publicly-owned lands with strict guidelines (for instance, autos should keep on designated roads). Conservancies, by contract, are community-owned or privately leased lands that concentrate on unique, low-impact tourism. A safari in a conservancy means versatile off street sport drives, evening safari, and strolling safari.
Ol Seki combines eco-friendliness with sustainability. “Travelers like that most of the people in the camp are Masai,” says Wigart. “They are hired from the community.” The camp additionally helps the MAA Trust, a non-profit group that helps girls and youngsters although social financial empowerment and schooling. Ol Seki arranges visits to the MAA belief, so vacationers can study extra concerning the initiative, meet the native girls who’re making it successful, and purchase crafts and beaded work to assist assist the area people.
“Many travelers who visit this area are surprised by just how rich the Mara region is, in terms of the connection to nature, the interaction with the Masai community, the expansiveness of the landscape, the proximity to animals, and the unique wildlife encounters they experience,” says Wigart. “That’s what makes a trip here so eye-opening, emotional and life-changing.”
From Land Animals to Marine Life
Hemingways Watamu
Hemingways
Just a number of hours from Ol Seki is their sister property Hemingways Watamu. Going from land actions to water actions could be a good stability for vacationers. In addition to scuba diving, the property can ararnage whale watching excursions, kite browsing, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding and mangrove excursions in Midi Creek.
“When people think of Kenya, they don’t think about underwater safari, like diving,” says Erastus Mulewa Kalandi, Activities Manager at Hemingways Watamu. “Kenya has the great wildebeest migration on land and we also have the whale migration off the coast.”
There are many stunning dive websites all over the world, so what makes Kenya particular? “If you go to the Maldives, the diving is good, but the it’s just beach and diving, but if you go to Kenya, you have some of the best land safari experiences in the world combined with amazing diving,” says dive Instructor Harry Scholz proprietor of Turtle Dive and Watersport Center in Watamu Kenya. “If you’re lucky you can even see dolphins under water.” There are few different locations on this planet that mix the extent of land safari encounters with the optimum circumstances of diving.
“What makes diving in Watamu so special is that there’s no mass tourism here,” says Scholz. People exit in small dive boats and have a really intimate expertise. The conservation angle can also be actually necessary. Watamu Marine National Park space has each an inside and outdoors reef system. “We dive half the year outside the reef and when the waves are too high, we dive half the year inside the reef, so the reef can completely recover when not in use,” says Scholz.
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