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Planning a short visit? Check out 48HourVisit.com, your online guide for short stays and weekend getaways.

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The Dark Continent showcases many landscapes - deserts, valleys, forests, savannahs and hills. There are few places where you can taste Wild Africa in relative safety. Be it flora, fauna or natural phenomena - Kenya offers it all. It is placed on the eastern side of the continent with Indian Ocean lapping its feet in the south. Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania border it in an anti-clockwise fashion. The geography is mainly open prairie with two huge lakes in the western half. There are picturesque highlands topped by Mt. Kenya in the central part.

The Great Rift Valley between two Lakes - Rudolf and Victoria - is the site of discovery of the earliest human remains. It is claimed to be the earliest cradle of human habitation. Of late, Kenya continues to prosper after gaining independence from British rule in 1963. It has emerged as one of the dynamic economies in Africa.

Blessed by nature with expanses of open grasslands and plenty of life-supporting features, such as rivers and lakes, Kenya has a pulsating wildlife resource. These can be seen in their idyllic natural abode in any of the numerous national parks. The safari tours have become a popular engagement to view carnivores and huge animals up close. Lions, elephants and giraffes are as accessible as huge herds of wildebeests and zebras. The annual migration by the wildebeest herds reaffirms a naturalist's faith that the world still belongs to creatures and not machines. The trip from Masai Mara reserve to Serengeti across rivers, ravines and grass realms is a sight. A balloon safari is the best way to have that.

The Kenyan coast is dotted with some of the most beautiful beaches on earth. Those interested in beach holidays and jungle trips at one go, should start booking tickets for Nairobi. There is a growing inclination among golf enthusiasts to visit Kenya for its smooth courses. Once in the cities, you can give your tongue the treat of its tenure on earth. The best of world can be had in the many types of restaurants. At Nairobi, a meal at Mandhari and The Carnivore are highly recommended. A range of fresh fruit juices can be had at the Diamond Plaza in Highridge. Those of sugarcane, tangerine and mango are worth a try.

The range of accommodation is wide. From posh five-star hotels like the Norfolk Hotel to famous chains like Serena and Sarova, ones with a heavy purse can choose. The budget-class globetrotter can spend nights at affordable yet comfortable options like YMCA, Intl Youth Hostel and warm home stays. Villas and campsites are places to straighten your back after a tour of the bush, unless you venture for a night safari.

User blogs:

I wish I was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt

Some first encounters are ireplaceable, they can happen once and the impact is something you can't replicate afterwards, Imagine yourself being swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (why do they have to have such complicated names? whats wrong with just Van Dam??), Johann was an explorer and toured the middle east/african region back in the 18th century, GPS was still an expensive gadget for young ... Read full Blog post

Moving to Manila

It was about a year ago, when I received phone call from my hubby asking me what do I think about Manila. I wasn't sure, I said I've been there before, memories rush to the surface of my mind. Crowded roads of jeepneys, the smell of exhaust, constant horning, traffic jams, YMCA's hotel, people selling food from small carts....I stayed only a day in Manila before heading down to Boracay about 12 years ... Read full Blog post

Volunteering for typhoon Ketsana victims

“There’s nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer,” says a general in the movie Pearl Harbor. True enough, typhoon Ondoy (internationally nicknamed Ketsana) may have proven its might by destroying hundreds of lives and hundreds more in houses and properties, yet this monster-of-a-calamity did not win in devastating the faith and Good Samaritan-spirit of thousands of men and ... Read full Blog post

Traveling back to my 2009 trips

Watching travelers in an airport coffee shop while waiting for my flight, I couldn't help but wonder what 2010 has for me when it comes to traveling.   Of course, 2009 was a good one. I have covered almost 20,000 miles, visited four countries, and enjoyed several beaches and landmarks. It was my first time to cross the Pacific, expanding my journeys beyond Asia, and to travel during my birthday.   Looking ... Read full Blog post