Kenya's cities and towns range from the famous beach and safari capital Nairobi with its hustle and bustle over busy trading centres and ports like Mombasa to small remote settlements.

Fresh fruit and vegetable markets invite visitors to have a look. Cultural highlights like meeting the Samburu people or purchasing local baskets and Maasai handcraft draw people to Kenya's towns. Trips to the tea plantations around Kericho and a stop over at the Equator line or at National Parks like Meru are other attractive possibilities.

1. Eldoret

Is the principal city in Western Kenya. Originally founded by Afrikaners in 1903. It is best known as being the heart of Kenyan running, it lies at an altitude of 7000 ft on a plateau above the Rift Valley. Eldoret is the largest town in the area and has all the modern conveniences. It is a good place to gather everything needed for explorations in the Western Highlands.

2. Isiolo

A very good place to get petrol and see to any banking, as there is nothing until Maralal or Marsabit, this frontier town is the gateway to the north-east, land of mountains, desert scrub and Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs, Mathews Mountains and Lake Turkana. Fresh fruit and vegetables can be purchased at the market and other food supplies can be found in the town.

3. Kakamega

This town is in Western Kenya located 30 Km north of the equator. It is close to the Kakamega Forest, and a good place to purchase groceries and see to any banking or postal requirements.

4. Kericho

A delightful place to stop in the heart of Kenya's tea plantations, Kericho is characterised by endless green hills, with neat rows of tea bushes. The plants absolutely love the climate here, thriving in the rains which fall every afternoon. Named after a Maasai Chief, Kericho boasts a war memorial, Holy Trinity Church and a village green. The Tea Hotel, built in the 1950s has a charming colonial atmosphere, it is here that a tour of the tea plantations can be organised and also trout fishing.

5. Kilifi

This pretty little seaside town is situated along the banks of the Kilifi Creek, on the North Kenyan coast, where an artistic and yachting community have settled in, the Mnarani Ruins are located nearby.

6. Kisumu

One of the main cities on the shores of Lake Victoria in the western highlands and third largest in Kenya. In the past it once held an important position connecting the coast to Uganda and Western Tanganyika.

7. Kitale

Kitale is a good base for visitors going to Saiwa Swamp National Park, Mount Elgon and South Turkana National Reserve. This Kenyan town has fertile soil and has long been an agricultural centre it was once a slave-trading centre back in the 19th century. There are good facilities such as banks, a post office, a museum and a bustling market.

8. Loiyangalani

Known as “the place of many trees” in the Samburu language, Loiyangalani has palm trees lining the lakeshore of Lake Turkana. New roads are being invested in due to the development of the Lake Turkana Wind Power project which started in 2013 and should be completed by 2018. Those venturing this way need to be completely self-sufficient as petrol and mechanical help is seldom available. There is an airstrip, post office, a lodge and a couple of campsites. Taking pictures of the local Turkana people is allowed but permission is needed first and a fee will usually be requested. Enquiries on bandit activity should be made before heading this way from Maralal.

9. Machakos

A small town just 63 km from Nairobi, off the Nairobi-Mombasa Road, Machakos is pleasant and may be the best place to purchase locally made baskets.

10. Malindi

Malindi, on the Kenyan North Coast, it seems to have always been popular; it was an important Swahili centre by the 14th century and soon after the Portuguese came with the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in 1499. Many visitors now come to enjoy the long stretches of beach and the holiday atmosphere that still has an African feel about it. Malindi has good amenities including restaurants, hotels, a post office and cafes. The Malindi Marine National Park has excellent diving and snorkelling, also surfing and game fishing.

11. Maralal

Maralal is a small hillside market town in Northern Kenya. It's a lively place to stop and there are plenty of people coming and going, mostly due to it being the administrative headquarters of Samburu County. Maralal has good banks, fresh vegetable markets and a large hospital.

12. Marsabit

Really the last stop on the edge of the huge desert in northern Kenya, it is well served by shops, restaurants, lodges, a bank and a post office, there is also an airport amongst other services. This Kenyan town and its colourful mix of people is actually located on an extinct volcano that stands tall over the Marsabit National Park and Reserve and surrounding desert.

The summit is almost a kilometre high and the views are spectacular looking out over craters and other extinct volcanoes, thickly forested hills and then desert. The road between Marsabit and Isiolo is in good condition, however, visitors should travel in convoy and be completely self-sufficient and carry everything they need. An enquiry at the local police station should be made as to possible bandit activity in the area prior to setting off on this road.

13. Meru

This busy centre in the Central Province is the gateway to Meru National Park. It is located on the upper reaches of Mount Kenya and it's often cloudy, but on a clear day, there are great views of the richly cultivated fields, forest and sweeping plains.

14. Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and a major hub for vacationers. This is the United States Domestic Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), the United States' major global airport. Most excursions start in the capital. The capital is home to several Kenyan organizations and over 100 major companies and organizations around the world. The capital is home to many attractions, including Nairobi National Park, Kirin Center, Bomas, Kenya, monuments, museums, natural parks and vibrant nightlife. Mombasa is Kenya's second-largest city and is the centre of local culture and finance. With the famous port (Kilindini Harbor) and the world-famous airport (Moi International Airport), it is an important local tourist centre. Tourist attractions include Mombasa Old Town, Fort Jesus, and the north and south coasts of Mombasa Island.

15. Kisumu

Kisumu is the third-largest city in Kenya and the capital of western Kenya. A port city on the shores of Lake Victoria, the port is used to deliver goods to Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tourist attractions include the Kisumu Museum, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Hippo Point and Ndere Island National Park.

16. Nakuru

Nacle is the third-largest city in the United States. Agriculture, manufacturing and tourism are the backbones of Nakul's financial system. The city is also an important academic centre. Tourist attractions include Lake Nakuru, which is part of Lake Nakuru National Park, Menengai Crater, the second most preserved volcanic crater in the world, and Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Sites.

17. Eldoret

Eldoret is Kenya's fifth largest town south of the Cherangani Hills. Major industries in the region include textiles, wheat, pyrethrum and corn. Eldoret has several legendary Kenyan athletes who have mastered middle- and long-distance races.

18. Kitale

Kitale is an agricultural town between Mount Elgon and the Cherangani Hills. The main coin plants cultivated in this area are sunflower, tea, coffee, pyrethrum, corn and beans. Kitale is a nearby agricultural market town, well known for its Kitale Museum (National Museum in Western Kenya) and the centre of agroforestry. Saiwa Swamp National Park is the smallest state-wide park in the United States, home to the notable aquatic antelope Sitatunga, and near the city.

19. Ramou

Lamb is one of Kenya's oldest inhabited cities. Founded in the 14th century, there are many great examples of Swahili architecture. There are few electric cars, and donkeys are used to hold things. The city of Lamb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kenyan Cities – Population Kenyan Cities, Towns, Cities.