Kelis Kenya is just more than her maiden visit in January 2024. The celebrated American singer/songwriter marked the start of a promising year for celebrity travel to Africa in 2024. Little did she know that she would eventually fall in love with Kenya and settle down here permanently.
The Milkshake hitmaker purchased a 300-acre farm near Lake Naivasha and settled down. She practices mixed farming, wellness and eco-tourism. She farms lots of onions and vegetables, which help her run her luxurious eco-retreat centre at the farm. Her eco-tourism approach features fine dining and luxurious bungalows for visitors. Zebras, giraffes, and elephants often wander on her huge farm.
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Did Kelis Move to Kenya?
The RnB star shared that her admiration for Kenya informed her decision to live here. Kelis Kenya wears many hats as an expatriate living in one of the country’s most scenic places. She is a rancher, farmer, entrepreneur, and wellness therapist. Her land borders Lake Naivasha National Park and has beautiful views of Mt Longonot, a popular hiking destination.
Kelis told Earn Your Leisure podcast that she made a bold move to purchase the land to promote peaceful coexistence between wildlife and the community. Her other motivation is building a wellness centre where people can visit and have a relaxing moment.
Where Did Kelis Visit in Kenya During Her First Visit?
She arrived in Kenya in January, 2024 and had a time of her life touring different places in the country. Born Kelis Rodgers in Harlem, New York, she grew up exposed to the culture of arts in the Big Apple. Her father Kenneth Rodgers was an African-American jazz artist who also doubled up as a professor at Wesleyan University.
He exposed his daughter to the arts at a young age, especially when he performed in concerts and in church, where he also served as a Pentecostal minister. Her mother, Eveliss Rodgers, encouraged a young Kelis to pursue her musical dream as a young girl. Decades later, she finally actualised her dream to visit Africa.
How Kelis Kenyan Visit is so Far
With trending news of Kelis Kenya, the American pop star is enjoying the beauty and scenery of East Africa. She visited the following places during her first visit:
1. Nairobi City
She visited one of the biggest craft markets within the city and shopped for handicrafts such as Maasai beads and bracelets, among other things. But what stunned her about Nairobi’s CBD is its busy nature with fast-moving traffic always keeping her on her feet while crossing different streets.
American singer/chef Kelis in the streets of Nairobi. Poto/Kelis TikTok
“Well, pedestrians here don’t have right of way first of all,” she says in one of her TikTok videos while in the city.
Her presence in Kenya caught the attention of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who appears in one of her TikTok videos touring the country with her.
2. Viewpoint
Viewpoint along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway. Photo/Flickr
The next point after leaving the city for Kelis Kenya was Viewpoint along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway. It is a 45 drive stopover and it is a popular tourist spot due to its stunning scenery. Viewpoint has a 3600 view of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment, which is more than fascinating.
The Great Rift Valley unfolds before you like a work of geological art from Viewpoint which is elevated to a high degree. The escarpment is a massive wall sculpted by millennia of tectonic activity, with its jagged peaks reaching upwards. Its floor, as far as the eye can see is covered by lush valleys which create a beautiful illumination from afar.
This escarpment’s scale is astounding, and it dwarfs everything in its path. Its immense size makes you appreciate the works of nature, especially because it is one of the few remaining active volcanoes in the region. Surprisingly, Kelis’first Kenyan visit was more of an edu-travel because she took her fans through an escarpment master class. The Great Rift Valley stretches through countries like Tanzania, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mozambique and Lebanon.
Governor Sakaja accompanied her to Viewpoint while explaining the interesting details about it.
3. ElementaiThe ta
Elementaita is the basin of Kenya’s Rift Valley. Lake Elementaita is a sight to behold with hundreds of flamingoes on its waters. The abundance of wildlife here is just as beautiful as the avian display. The black and white stripes of the zebras stand out against the emerald embrace of the acacia trees as they dance over the plains. Hippopotamuses, rough keepers of the rivers, snort as they lounge in the mud; giraffes, gentle giants with curious gazes, elongate their necks to graze on leaves.
But the charm of Elementaita is not limited to the living, not even Kelis Kenya. The Sleeping Warrior Hills loom in the distance. The Sleeping Warrior Hills appear in the distance, their sleeping shape acting as an old sentinel watching over the lake. Their emerald and ochre-hued hills whisper stories of long-forgotten tribes and weathered time.
Lake Elementaita in Kenya’s Rift Valley. Photo/Lake Nakuru National Park
4. Soysambu
Soysambu Conservancy. Photo/BookAllSafaris
Soysambu Conservancy is an amazing place for adventure due to its wildlife sights and intentional conservation practices. With more than 12,000 species, Soysambu is home to some of the most recognisable wild animals. Giraffes, lions, elephants, and leopards roam this vast conservancy without much care. Besides, there are more than 400 bird species which keep birdwatchers busy all day, enjoying every sight. Kelis Kenya is a bird enthusiast, and she loved every moment she spent at Spysambu. Incidentally, her Naivasha farm is also a harbour for birds since it borders a national park.
5. Kericho Tea Zone
Kericho Tea Zone in Kericho County. Photo/Africa Facts ZOne
The massive Kericho tea plantations deeply impressed during Kelis Kenya during her maiden visit to the Rift Valley. Kericho is at the heart of the Rift Valley, and it is famous for its production of high-quality tea. Every corner of this county has rich volcanic soils supporting the growth of millions of tea bushes. They create breathtaking sceneries full of verdant green tea bushes.
