Kenya is pretty much the land of the safari. The very word and concept was born here. Needless to say most visitors to Kenya have safaris (and perhaps the fabulous Indian Ocean beaches) at the top of their minds when their plane touches down in Nairobi. This is certainly no bad thing, and a couple of weeks in parks such as Tsavo, Amboseli and the Masai Mara will likely allow them to tick off a veritable Noah’s Ark worth of large mammals.

But what it might not do is give much of a feel for the Kenya that most Kenyans live in. This is where western Kenya comes a-knocking. Wet, forested, fertile, farmed, green – very green – and muddy. This is a region of Wellington boots, smoky tea shops, hectic market towns and locals who welcome rare tourists with big grins and open arms.

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