Stunning shores: discover the bucket-list beaches and secret islands of Kenya

‘If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa,’ penned Hemingway after an eye-opening three-month safari through Africa’s varied landscapes. From untrodden beaches and mountain-fringed national parks to iridescent lakes and wildlife-filled savannahs, Kenya is home to some of the most spectacular African terrains and has plenty to offer the curious traveller. Here’s where to go and what to do for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Kenya.

Islands of Lake Turkana and Sibiloi National Park

The islands of Lake Turkana sit on the northwestern edge of Kenya along the boundary of Turkana and Marsabit. It’s here you’ll find the largest alkaline lake in the world, Lake Turkana, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and otherwise known as the Jade Sea because of its bright, incandescent colouring. The lake’s three islands are a breeding site for hippos and crocodiles and a stopover for Palearctic bird colonies, including flocks of flamingos, pelicans and storks. You can also catch a boat out to Central Island, the breeding ground of more than 120,000 Nile crocodiles annually. It’s particularly special to visit after the wet seasons peak in April and November and the scenery springs to life.

Right next to Lake Turkana, straddling the Ethiopian border, you’ll find the magnificent Sibiloi National Park, an excellent destination for travellers who yearn for the road less travelled and those with a keen interest in palaeontology. This volcanic park is known for its…