Kenya was settled over a period of many years by different tribes. From the south came Khoisan hunters, while from the north came speakers of Bantu, Cushitic and Oromo languages. Along the coast, the African and Arab populations mixed after the establishment of Islam to form the dominant Swahili culture. This group left the interior alone, preferring to live off what was available locally in the tropical climate. 

Things changed in the 1840s, however, when coastal traders decided to cash in on the world’s desire for ivory. They proceeded to push their way westward but were not welcomed by the indigenous tribes whose land they traveled through, and tensions mounted throughout the rest of the 19th century. The anger of the inland dwellers only increased when Britain made Kenya a colony and in the 1880s began sending its own people through their lands to take stock of the area. 

Much of the interior dissolved into a land war from which the fierce, calculating, and well-dispersed Maasai emerged victorious, cashing in on the Swahili and European intruders by charging money to anyone setting foot on their lands. In 1896 the British, hoping to speed colonization along, built a railroad from the coastal town of Mombasa to Lake Victoria in the west. Once that was finished they started thinking about actually producing something to put onto the new trains. 

The tribes of the interior did not grow crops, nor did they have any monetary system, so the British chose not to employ them in farming. Instead Europeans were brought in to work the land, and soon a solid agricultural economy was created that was even more lucrative than the coastal trading. The Kikuyu, whose land all this great farming was being used for, were not happy with the new situation, which led to the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s. But despite the unrest it caused, this new farming gave Kenya enough money to avoid many of the problems that plagued many other African colonies. In 1963 British rule ended and Kenya became a republic. The economy remained healthy, as Kenyans were quick to learn the agricultural techniques from the British. 

An influx of people from India and Pakistan also provided the new country with fresh skills and industrial opportunities that worked to Kenya’s advantage. A fantastic first president, Jomo Kenyatta, helped ease the transition to independence and capitalism. To this day Kenya fares better than much of Africa, both politically and economically, with agriculture and tourism maintaining the relative security that Kenya has enjoyed for much of its recent history.

 There are approximately 30 different African tribes in Kenya, and each maintains its own language and culture. The majority of the tribes (65%) are Bantu, a language group from the Niger-Congo area. Another 30% are Nilotic (speaking a Nilo-Saharan language) and a small 3% are Cushitic, an Afro-Asiatic group from the north. Swahili was born on the coast and is main language used throughout Kenya today. It is a Bantu language that has been mixed with Arabic as well as words from Europe and Asia. Indigenous tribes in Kenya are the Digo, who live along the coast, and the Maasai and Kuria in the interior. 

The largest tribal group in modern Kenya is the Kikuyu, a Bantu-speaking group that relies heavily on cattle. They have successfully modernized without giving up their traditions, and today manage many of the farms once run by European settlers. Kenya’s best-known tribe is the Maasai. A proud tribe of warriors, the Maasai maintain their nomadic way of life despite changes to the location and size of their land. Their subsistence is based around cattle, though they never eat its meat, their diet consisting largely of milk, blood, and various grains.

 The East African nation of Kenya has everything that most people associate with the African landscape within its borders. It is surrounded by Ethiopia and Somalia to the north, Tanzania to the south, Uganda and Lake Victoria to the West, and opens toward the Indian Ocean on its long and beautiful east coast. Though Kenya spans from snowcapped mountains to white sandy beaches, the majority of the country is composed of hot, dry plains with little water and even fewer inhabitants. 

The coast is tropical, watered by seasonal monsoons from the Indian Ocean that come and go throughout the year, but most of the country’s agricultural production takes place on the high plateau formed by volcanic rock through which runs the Great Rift Valley. 

The mountain ranges in the east create the rain that nourishes the green, fertile highlands. Nairobi, the capital, sits at the foot of the Aberdares range. Safaris can be difficult or even brought to a halt completely during the rainy seasons between March and May and October and November. The most popular times to visit are just after the rains, from June to September and December to March.

 Much of classic Kenyan cooking has international origins. Arabs living on the coast brought their own culinary traditions that, like the Arabs themselves, did not reach the interior of the country until very recently. Around the turn of the 16th century, Portuguese ships brought New World crops that would become staples of Kenyan cuisine—corn, bananas, pineapples, sweet potatoes and more. 

New arrivals from Europe brought Old World culinary traditions as well in the form of goats, sheep and cows. Lamb is still a local specialty in the country’s western mountain ranges. The large Indian population brought over to build Kenya’s rail system also built the many curry houses that add spice to the culinary culture. Seafood is always delicious along the coastline, and all the many foods of Kenya can be enjoyed with local beers.

 With all its cultural diversity and interesting historical sites, the number one reason people visit Kenya is to go on safari—whether on foot, by camel, car or private plane. This is not surprising in a country of dazzling landscapes that are home to some of the world’s most exotic and majestic wildlife. The famous Big Five—elephant, lion, rhinoceros, leopard and water buffalo—can be seen in a number of parks around Kenya. Cheetahs stalk their prey in several places, including Amboseli and the Maasai Mara reserve.

But there is much more than predators to be found. The plains of East Africa are teeming with a huge variety of herbivores, from wildebeests, antelopes and gazelles to zebras and giraffes. When exploring Kenya’s waterways look out for hippos, crocodiles, and exotic birds. Populations of blue monkeys, baboons, and vervet monkeys also call Kenya home.

A great way to be a part of Kenya’s natural wonder is through its growing ecotourism industry. In the north, far from the city lights of Nairobi, visitors stay in local ranches and communities, in areas that build with local materials and use income from tourism to fund education and conservation projects. These options give travelers the opportunity to see rural Kenya up close while giving back to the land from which they are gaining so much.

 * The tourism industry in Kenya knows that your safari photos will be priceless, but it also knows that this fact means it can put a (very) high price on film. Save yourself some money by bringing plenty from home. 

* Once you get the film in your camera, always ask before taking someone’s photo.

* When on safari, drink bottled water whenever possible, and boil the rest. Always carry water and sunscreen with you, and use them. And leave style aside when you pack—the red dust that looks so beautiful at sunset will not look as nice when it gets into your favorite shirt. 

* Use the terms mzee (mu-zay) for men and mama for women when addressing adults. It is the equivalent of Mr. or Ms. and carries the same connotations of respect. Children are referred to as toto. 

* When visiting tropical areas precautions should be taken against malaria.

 * Insight Guides: Kenya by Apa Publications.

* Safari: A Chronicle of Adventure by Bartle Bull, 1992.

* Culture and Customs of Kenya by Neal Sobania, 2003.

* The Prehistory of East Africa by Sonia Cole, 1964.

* Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen, 1981. Read the autobiography that led to the classic film.