Tana River: Travel Planning and Regional Orientation

Tana River is the specific destination for your accommodation search. When planning your trip, it is worth considering the Tana Delta as a distinct point of reference in the wider region: the information on getting there and experiences relates to the delta, not generally to every place in Tana River. This lets you distinguish a regional point of reference from a specific place to stay. When searching for hotels, decide separately on your preferred base and the focus of your trip.

Tana Delta: Getting There and Water-Based Experiences

From Malindi, the best way to reach the Tana Delta is by road; the drive takes three hours. The delta also has an airstrip for private charter flights. The three-hour journey time is based on Malindi as the starting point and on traveling by road, so do not apply this time to other starting points.

Two different water-based experiences are described for the Tana Delta: a morning canoe trip on a river with hippos and crocodiles, and swimming in the Indian Ocean in the afternoon. The two experiences have different focuses: the river and wildlife in the morning, and the sea and swimming in the afternoon. This helps you sort out your interests without treating the activities as interchangeable options.

Kenya: Cultural and Ecological Perspectives

In the broader context of Kenya, the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests also offer a distinct cultural point of reference. They comprise ten separate forest areas extending for around 200 kilometers along the coast—a network of several areas rather than a single forest. The forests contain the remains of fortified Mijikenda villages; these villages are called Kayas. The Kayas were established from the 16th century onward and abandoned by the 1940s. At the same time, they are regarded as sacred places and ancestral homes, and are cared for by councils of elders. The Kayas thus combine a history of settlement with enduring religious and community significance.

Another focus in Kenya is the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley. It is the world’s most important feeding site for lesser flamingos; around 1.5 million birds move between the lakes. The approximate number and movement between the lakes draw attention to the system as a whole rather than a single body of water. The system also provides the most important nesting and breeding grounds for pink-backed pelicans in the Great Rift Valley. This brings two ecological functions together: feeding grounds for lesser flamingos and nesting and breeding grounds for pink-backed pelicans.

The Lake Turkana National Parks comprise Sibiloi National Park and the national parks on South Island and Central Island.

Discover more destinations: Bura, Koito, Machakos District, Kilifi District, Nandi District, Kitui County, Makueni District, Elgeyo Marakwet

For the main travel overview: Kenya.