Kenya Just Took Home ‘Friendliest Country in the world’… in the world folks!!! Not really surprising to us, though.
Condé Nast Traveller readers have spoken — Kenya has been crowned the friendliest country in the world.
If you’ve ever been here, you already knew that. From the first smile to the last goodbye, strangers don’t stay strangers for long.
If you’ve ever been to Kenya, whether staying in a 5* luxury lodge or stopping with a puncture in the middle of but-nowhere, whether you’re visiting a local market or in a private charter plane, you’ll know what they mean. Here, smiles are instinctive, conversations happen easily — often while someone’s helping with your bags, offering you a G&T, or showing your kids the difference between elephant & hippo dung.
It’s the little things
From our family adventures on A Family Safari Blog, we’ve met countless people who’ve turned ordinary days into stories we’ll tell for life.
It was on our travels around Laikipia when the kids were littler, louder, more mischievous, and just as unpredictable that we realised, the lodges they favoured were those whose team were interactive … nothing about the thread count, the views, or even the wildlife quite frankly, it was all about their ‘new friends’ who they beaded bracelets with, played football with, threw spears with, watched dung beetles, found tortoises with, climbed hills with and if they were really lucky, drunk a ‘soda’ with!
One moment that always comes to mind is the afternoon we spent sitting in the small, mud-walled home of a woman we’d only just met — no furniture, no possessions to speak of, just warmth, laughter, and a sense of peace that is often hard to come by. In that simple moment, surrounded by nothing but kindness, we were reminded how happiness has very little to do with what you own, and everything to do with how you treat yourself and those around you.
That’s Kenya — genuinely kind, caring and willing to lend a hand. Imagine that.
What makes Kenya so special?
When I was at boarding school & uni in the UK for 14 years and just coming home three times a year … it was the below that made me tear up with happiness, knowing I was ‘home’ and still to this day, over 30 years later, when I fly back home from overseas, it’s the same.
- The loud, chaotic friendliness of the airport … and the drive home — just the way we like it.
- The smells – of warmth, food cooking, crops growing, taka taka (rubbish). Other countries don’t seem to smell like home.
- It’s the boda boda (motorbike) driver who stops to help change your tyre.
- It’s the woman in the market who throws an extra tomato into your basket because you smiled at her, the man who gives you a Lychee to taste.
- It’s the laughter that follows you through every part of this country — from Nairobi’s chaos to the coast’s calm and through my home, the Great Rift Valley.
The world is catching on…
We’re thrilled that Condé Nast Traveller readers have seen what we’ve always known. But it’s not just an accolade — it’s a truth we live every day. Kenya’s friendliness isn’t a tourist feature; it’s part of who we are. So, whether you’re planning your first visit or your fiftieth safari, expect the landscapes to take your breath away — and the people to take your heart. Because in Kenya, you don’t just visit. You arrive as a stranger, and you leave as part of the family!
Read more of our adventures and everyday encounters with Kenya’s wonderful people on A Family Safari Blog.
And if you missed it, see the Condé Nast Traveller feature that crowned Kenya the friendliest country in the world. Read here.
Why Book a Safari With Us?
At The SAFARI Company, we’ve been perfecting the art of safaris for decades. As a family-run business, we understand that each guest has unique needs – and let’s face it, some of those needs include a bit of privacy, a bit of adventure, and not being a ‘tourist’! We specialise in crafting award-winning, authentic, family-friendly safaris that allow you to experience the wild beauty of Kenya while enjoying the comfort, privacy, and luxury that only a private villa can offer. Want to know more? Check out our website.
What sets us apart? It’s our understanding of children, our love of fun, and our dedication to sustainable travel, ensuring that every safari we organise benefits the local communities and the environment. We take you to stunning, unforgettable places – far away from the crowds – and let you experience Kenya’s incredible wildlife in its purest, most undisturbed form.
