Tanzania · Summit
Summiting Kilimanjaro
The climb where my courage felt quiet and steady — one slow breath, one careful step, and a summit I still carry in my bones.
Who Is Maria “Mkay” Kamau ?
Travel is a desire for many. It was mine too. I was born and raised in Kenya a place the world dreams about and I was exposed to travel early: coastal buses, overnight trains, and road trips that turned horizons into classrooms.
My first time abroad came through a high-school exchange in Germany. I loved it. That one trip widened the map for the rest of my life.
Since then I’ve visited 90+ countries across 5 continents and explored all 47 counties of Kenya. Some journeys were solo, many were shared each one taught me something about courage, curiosity, and the quiet joy of being on my own timeline.
Moments I Still Carry
A path of scenes that shaped how I travel.
Why I write
This site is my scrapbook and study notes stories, tips, and tiny details I wish someone had handed me before each trip. The posts are meant to entertain, educate, and nudge you into action so your “maybe one day” becomes dates on a calendar.
What travel taught me
Zambia · Victoria Falls
Leaping at Victoria Falls
For a few seconds I was just a body in the air — heart racing louder than the roar of the falls, and landing with a new kind of bravery.
Egypt · Pyramids & Temples
Wandering through Egypt
Golden light, ancient stone and the strange feeling that my little story was walking beside thousands of years of history.
France · Paris
Slow days in Paris
Side streets, tiny cafés and long walks by the river — a reminder that I’m allowed to take up space, gently and fully.
USA · Grand Canyon
Breathing at the Grand Canyon
Standing on the rim, feeling tiny in the best way — and realising just how much life is still left to explore.
Bungee at Victoria Falls
Diversity of Experiences
From full-adrenaline leaps to softer, slow-paced journeys, your trips don’t have to look like anyone else’s. We design experiences to match your courage, comfort level, and season of life.
- Preparation creates the space where real magic begins to unfold.
- Safety isn’t who you are —it’s a skill you build through awareness and practice.
- Smart trade-offs stretch a budget further than you think.
- The most important item on any itinerary isn’t a place or a plan — it’s why you’re going.
A note from where I am now
I’m 50 today a woman who’s wandered across 90+ countries. If I knew, years ago, what I know now, I would have saved hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars, traveled more days for the same money, and done it with far less stress. That hindsight is why I document what I’ve learned and why I created TravelwithMkay.
Friends still ask, “Mkay, where are you going next?”
My answer is almost always different and it almost always starts with “I’m going to…”
Now it’s your turn. Where are you going next?
If you want company while you figure it out, tell me, we can plan it out over a short call and get you from “someday” to “I’m going.”