Hooked: the ultimate Kenyan fishing safari

Spend five minutes with me and you’ll know I love fishing. Growing up in Watamu on Kenya's north coast, fishing became a passion at an early age.

Africa is home to some of the world’s best fishing spots and Kenya, in particular, is an angler’s dream. 

Offering a heady mix of ocean, river and lake fishing, Kenya has something for everyone, whether you’re an enthusiastic beginner or die-hard angler. Where else can you combine a billfish fantasy slam with trout fishing on the foothills of Africa's second highest mountain and battling the giant Nile perch on one of the world’s largest desert lakes? Few places beat Kenya’s variety of fish - and the diversity of ways to catch them - all set against a backdrop of extraordinary wildlife, spectacular scenery and adventure.

With Africa Born, you’re guaranteed access to Kenya’s best off-the-beaten-path fishing spots, thanks to a network of trusted local experts and decades of on-the-ground knowledge.

We love it when clients request something a little different, so when a request for an epic Kenya fishing trip landed through our partners &Three, I couldn’t believe my luck. I made sure my calendar was clear to guide this one (sorry Sam!) and this trip was absolutely up there; one of my all-time favourites.

The brief was a 10-day fishing safari - charting a course through Kenya’s most iconic fishing destinations - for a group of fishermen and their wives, who were less interested in casting a line but absolutely keen for a Kenyan adventure.

Here’s a quick look at where we went, what we fished, and everything else we got up to along the way…

Lake Turkana, Kenya’s Northern Frontier

If you’re eager to get off-grid and reach Kenya’s wild rugged Northern Frontier at pace, we recommend a helicopter safari. 

Our route to Lake Turkana took in parts of the Great Rift Valley accessible almost exclusively by chopper. With the freedom to stop where we fancied, we flew over the pristine wildernesses of Suguta Valley, the towering caldera of Mt Silali and Lake Logipi’s thousands of flamingos: an incredible canvas of painted valleys, lush river-beds and giant sand dunes.

Touching down at Lake Turkana, the ‘Jade Sea’ never fails to impress. The vivid waters of this exceptionally beautiful lake really pop against the surrounding arid desert: a harsh otherworldly landscape. 

Lake Turkana is the world’s largest desert lake and home to 60 species of fish including tigerfish, catfish, tilapia and, of course,the legendary prized Nile Perch. It’s the ultimate spot to cast a line and over the course of our stay we landed Nile perch, tigerfish, tilapia and catfish. 

Fishing aside, it’s well worth exploring this extraordinary lake by boat. Widely considered to be one of the cradles of mankind, it is a geological phenomenon with three spectacular National Park islands. With incredible birdlife, crocodiles and other worldly scenery, it is nothing short of remarkable.

Staying at Andrew’s remote South Island fly camp, we ended each day with sundowners, supper over the fire and a night under the stars.

Heading south on our extraordinary helicopter flight back, we stopped at Kitich Forest in the stunningly beautiful Mathews Mountain Range. Few places on earth offer such a dramatic change of scenery: waking up on a remote island in the middle of the world's largest desert lake and finding yourself just a few hours later in a lush ancient forest surrounded by mountains and crystal-clear streams teeming with yellowfish. The rivers here offer remarkably consistent fishing, and these fish are superb fun on the fly and on sight-cast. The unforgettable setting makes it all the more special.

Mount Kenya and Borana Conservancy

Fly fishing on Mount Kenya is another for the bucket list. This extinct volcano has a variety of trout-filled crater lakes, rivers and tarns, offering some seriously remote fly fishing. 

The lakes all hold strong populations of rainbow and brown trout, ranging from an average of 3lbs to an exceptional 12lbs! Mount Kenya’s glacial streams can be tricky to fish but are also home to many brown and rainbow trout, although typically smaller in size. Few things compare to watching a brownie swallow a dry after a perfectly placed cast and we had a great morning on Lake Alice, the largest crater lake on Mount Kenya, catching a bunch of rainbow and brown trout.

Borana Conservancy is the perfect base for fishing Mount Kenya. This 32,000 acre conservation area is nestled between an arid landscape to the north and ancient indigenous forests to the south. Home to the “original” Pride Rock from The Lion King, it’s no surprise that the producers of this Disney classic were so inspired by their time at Borana.

We spent three nights at Fuzz’s Camp - the family home and tented camp of Fuzz and Bimbi Dyer, third generation Kenyans and wonderful hosts. The Dyers love to welcome guests into their home, and we enjoyed exclusive use of their camp and all that Borana has to offer.

Borana’s wildlife is second to none - a Big Five destination that is also home to a wide variety of endangered species, including African hunting dogs and both black and white rhino. Together with Lewa Conservancy, Borana offers the largest contiguous rhino habitat in East Africa, with over 200 rhinos - of which we saw many.

For those in the group that didn’t fancy fishing, Borana provided no shortage of adventure: incredible game drives with Fuzz, riding Bimbi’s horses, walking safaris to some of Fuzz’s favourite secret spots, sundowners on Pride Rock and quite simply just soaking up Borana’s spectacular scenery.

Lamu archipelago aboard Tustriri Dhow  

No Kenyan fishing safari is complete without some time at the coast. The warm Indian Ocean waters, thriving coral reefs and deep offshore channels combine to create some of the finest big-game fishing in Africa. 

Lamu’s mythical archipelago of beautiful, historic islands was the ideal choice for this trip: perfect for those keen to fish and also those keen simply to explore.

As for the fishing, this stretch of Kenya’s northern coast offers some of the most productive in Africa, with the chance to hook everything from sailfish and marlin to giant trevally and tuna. 

As befits any great fishing adventure, we spent one night aboard Tusitiri Dhow, a meticulously-restored traditional wooden sailing boat originally handcrafted as a trading vessel to carry exotic spices and goods along the Indian Ocean trade routes.

The anglers spent their days deep-sea and creek fishing, while the rest of the party snorkelled the coral reefs, paddleboarded the lagoons and mangroves and relaxed on deck. By night, we tucked into the chef’s incredible seafood before our beds were rolled out on deck and we slept under the stars.

Lamu Old Town, Shela and Manda Island 

Our final days were spent back on dry land exploring Lamu Old Town, Shela Village and Manda Island. 

Lamu’s unique blend of Swahili traditions, vibrant markets, and the gentle lapping of the Indian Ocean waves charms all who set foot in this quiet corner of Kenya. We explored the narrow streets and sites of UNESCO-listed Lamu Old Town and Shela Village and spent lazy afternoons picnicking on Lamu’s eight-mile stretch of deserted beach.

Our base for the final three nights was Manda Bay: private island retreat where bush meets beach on the northern tip of Manda Island in Kenya’s Lamu archipelago. 

This secluded boutique hotel has a laid-back barefoot vibe: the ideal spot to wind down at the end of an action-packed fishing adventure. Their spa, yoga and wellness offering is enough to tempt even the most committed angler, but not this group! We headed out for a full day’s deep sea fishing, catching a variety of fish including sailfish, dorado, wahoo, bonito and barracuda, narrowly missing a shot at a whopping 500lb blue marlin!

A few days unwinding at the coast gave everyone the opportunity to recharge. We left with tired arms, memories of epic catches, full camera rolls, and a renewed appreciation for just how much Kenya has to offer.

This trip gave me a renewed appreciation for Kenya’s extraordinary mix of adventure, wildlife and culture, not to mention its world-class fishing: a lifelong passion that still has me setting alarms before dawn!

Where next?

Needless to say, this group isn't hanging up their rods anytime soon. Fortunately, Africa offers no shortage of waters worth exploring and we’re already plotting the next adventure. I’ve just come back from tiger fishing in Tanzania - these hard-fighting razor-toothed fish are one of Africa’s most sought-after freshwater game fish. Watch this space: it could well be the makings of our next expedition.