The holidays are over for most Kenyan children, and like most of us did during our Primary school days, a majority of them will soon have to write compositions of how they passed their month long break. I recall being very fascinated by stories from classmates who were fortunate enough to travel to exquisite destinations such as Mombasa, Zanzibar, South Africa, France and so on.
Picture this, a blanket of pink that laces the edges of the warm and blue-green alkaline waters, some damp stench interrupts the crisp air of the forest, a gang of Buffalo graze over the lush green plains, a lone white Rhino is alerted by the call of an exotic bright colored bird ringing from within the plush flora and fauna, on a high hill, a troop of Baboons and Monkeys are playfully swinging from tree to tree, from this vantage point, they are able to see any activity over the entire expanse of the Lake Nakuru National Park as the golden sunrise warms up the wild plains.
Now that is definitely a hot vacation indeed as compared to my boring rural village tales.
A trip to the rural village is what many Kenyans assume to be a holiday retreat, which is vital, but doesn’t have to remain as that monotonous family ritual. Every Kenyan family can and should absolutely take a trip to at least one local destination, once every year to share colorful memories and have that front seat view that shapes the juicy stories shared about our country’s natural beauty.
Sharing your pictures and experiences to all and sundry makes you a Kenyan brand ambassador in your own right which is a beautiful thing for our economy through the tourism sector. We often save up to meet many of our life goals, well taking a family tour to a destination other than ‘ushago’ should definitely be on the list too because as locals we shouldn’t be hearing and reading narratives of our own land from foreign tourists, instead our family albums and social media pages should.
“Isn’t it too expensive?” “Ai! Those are things only foreigners do!” That is the sound of a little red devil whispering in your ear all the silly reasons why you shouldn’t consider a local tour. Shut it out! When you prepare a meal for your guests, don’t you taste it first to ensure that it’s perfect before serving? Similarly, in order to appreciate and preserve our God given heritage, we must first understand it as custodians through interacting with it. Challenges of cost can be overcome by proper research and planning and sometimes the help of a seasoned tour guide. In addition, many hotels and parks offer family friendly, customized packages for locals at fairly subsidized rates as required by law.
Here are 9 great reasons to visit Kenya. So start writing those plans and packing those bags for that local dream family tour during the next holiday season a great family holiday where you can discover Kenya and bond with your family. After the break I’m sure the kids will be itching to write their creatively inspired narratives of the big five at the Mara, swimming with Dolphins in Watamu, myriad birds in Rusinga Island, white water rafting at Sagana and other such intrigues.
Read 9 ways to save money on your next holiday for tips on how to plan for a cheap holiday.
Life is about enriching your soul and yourself; Maina Kageni on Travel #TembeaKenya
