Located in the south-east of the country, Chyulu Hills is a frequently overlooked area of Kenya – most guests flock to the Maasai Mara. But to skip Chyulu is to miss out on horseback treks through plains of tall, green grass, bush dinners around the campfire and flashes of leopard in the dense cloud forest. There may be more wildlife in Mara, but so, too, are there more travellers.

Since its inception in 1983, Lewa has been a haven for endangered black rhinos, and now counts 248 of the beasts in its bounds, a remarkable increase from the initial 15. A significant proportion of its revenue is also invested into local community projects. Lewa is a private reserve, meaning guests have exclusive access to spotting the rhinos, lions, zebras and elephants that call the conservancy home, and can bed down in elegant lodges with breathtaking views of the powder-pink sunsets that bloom over the plains.

Bordering Tanzania in Kenya’s southwest, Masai Mara is named after its ancestral inhabitants and the dotted appearance of its acacia-studded plains. Its golden savannahs, riverine forests, low-lying mountains and sheer cliff are best known for hosting one of the most extraordinary events on the globe: the Great Migration, in which over two million wildebeest and zebra arrive from the southern Serengeti between June and November. Year-round, though, the reserve supports a range of wildlife from hippos, crocs, lions and hyena to elephants and eagles. 

Few cities can claim to be home to endangered black rhinos, lions, giraffes and zebras, but Nairobi National Park is just half an hour from the center of this fun, fast-growing capital. Not only can travellers take a safari with a backdrop of skyscrapers and find the history of these creatures in Nairobi National Museum, but there’s also a thriving community of artists, musicians, party-starters and trend-setters that populate the independent shops and DJ booths around town.