|
ABERDARE NATIONAL
PARK
The Park is part of the Aberdare Mountain Range which forms
the steep eastern edge of the Rift Valley. It lies approx 180kms north of
Nairobi and has an altitude of 7,000 to 14,000 ft. The scenery in this region
is spectacular and impressive as is the range of wildlife. Due to the dense
forest vegetation, you will need to do some searching for the wildlife, but
there are also many purposes built game viewing lodges. Game to be found in the
park includes; elephant, lion, black rhino, waterbuck, gazelle, giant forest
hog, genet cats, leopard, buffalo and the rare spiral-horned antelope known as
the bongo.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Amboseli National Park, although small, at approx 395 sq km, is one of
Kenya's most popular parks. The views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest
peak, coupled with the variety of game to be found, draws the visitors in. The
park which lies approximately 140kms south of Nairobi on the border with
Tanzania, is most famed for its' large herds of elephants. A combination of
drought, increased tourism, and over-grazing has had a hard-hitting effect on
the western side of the park, the land has become dry, dusty and barren and the
animals that were once there have moved into areas of shrub forest and
marshland
MASAI MARA GAME
RESERVE
The Masai Mara is regarded as the most favorite and is
definitely the most popular game reserve in Kenya, having over 140,000 visitors
per year. The reserve lies approx 270km west of Nairobi and covers an area of
approximately 1,510 sq km, bordering with the Serengeti National Park in
Tanzania. The landscaped is mostly open Savannah grasslands and acacia
shrubland. Starting any time from late July the wildebeest follow the rains and
grazing to the wide and open grasslands of what has become known as "the Mara".
They may be late, but they will always make the trip, driven by dry conditions
in the Serengeti and led by the lightning and thunder to the north. Come
November they start the homeward leg, bound again for the Serengeti. At this
time of the year you will see a large number of lion, hippo, crocodile and
vultures all of which prey on the weak and young migrating animals. Other game
to be found in the Masai Mara at any time of the year include; elephants,
cheetahs, baboons, gazelles, giraffes, jackals, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas,
water buffalo, ostriches, and a large variety of antelope and
birdlife.
MARSABIT NATIONAL
PARK
The Marsabit National Reserve lies in northern Kenya in a
densely forested mountain park, being home two beautiful crater lakes. The park
was once famous for it's large tusker elephants but that was before the
poachers slaughtered most the large ones. Elephants are still in abundance
along with large herbs of kudu and many birds of prey.
MERU NATIONAL PARK
The park is situated
approximately 360km northeast of Nairobi and covers an area of 870 sq kms. This
park was the setting for Joy Adamson's book "Born Free" and it remains one of
Kenya's most unspoilt parks. The scenery is varied, wild and beautiful, from
woodlands at 3,000 ft on the slope of Nyambeni Mountain Range to wide open
plaints with many rivers running through. Game found here includes; lion,
cheetah, leopard, elephant, antelopes, and buffalo. In the many rivers hippo
and crocodile are found in abundance. You may be lucky to spot Kenya only
colony of the rare white rhino. There are several other parks which can be
visited from here within a day, they include Bisandi National Reserve, Kora
National Park, Rahole National Reserve and Mwingi National
Reserve.
MOUNT KENYA
The National
Park lies approximately 176kms northeast of Nairobi and covers an area of
approximately 700 sq kms, with a landscape consisting mainly of forest and bare
rock. Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano straddled across the equator, and is
Africa's second highest peak. The altitude ranges from between 11,000 to
17,058ft, with the highest peaks being Batian at 17,058ft and Nelion at
17,022ft. These are regularly climbed by experienced climbers though very few
actually make it to the top. The more popular peak for climbers is the easier
Lenana which reaches a height of 16,354ft. and can be climbed without the use
of specialist equipment. Climbers are often accompanied by a guide, with ports
being available. There are climbers huts is rest up in, but plenty of food and
warm clothes should be taken with you. The best time of the year for climbing
is from mid-January to late February and from late August through September The
scenery is stunning and quite breathtaking. It is also a botanist's paradise,
with a wide variation in flora as the altitude changes. The region is home to a
variety of wildlife including some unique species, such as Black and White
colobus and Sykes monkeys, bushbuck, buffalo, elephant, Olive baboon,
waterbuck, black rhino, leopard, hyena, bongo and at high altitudes zebra and
eland can be found.
NAIROBI NATIONAL
PARK
Nairobi National Park is only 20 minutes drive from the city
and is ideal if you only have a stopover in the city and want to experience
some of Africa's game. Because of it's location, there are many visitors, both
tourists and residents but you are guaranteed to see an abundance of game,
seemingly unaware and unafraid of humans. The elephant is the only one of the
'big five' not found here, but leopard, lion, buffalo, rhino, giraffe, hippo,
crocodile, antelope, wildebeest, eland, zebra and Thompson's gazelle as well as
many other species are here in abundance. At the western end of the park is an
Animal Orphanage, dedicated to young animals who are injured or deserted in the
wild. Here they are studied and cared for until they can be returned to the
reserve.
SAMBURA & BUFFALO
SPRINGS
The Samburu and Buffalo
Springs National Reserves lie northeast of Nairobi halfway to Lake Turkana and
cover an area of approximately 300 sq kms. The area is arid and largely
semi-desert, but has a large concentration of game including some species not
found elsewhere; such as the oryx,, gerenuk, Reticulated giraffe and grevy's
Zebra. Other game includes ostriches, elephants and leopards who are lured into
the lodges with bait, so the tourists can get a glimpse.
SHABA GAME
RESERVE
Situated 314 km from Nairobi in Central Kenya, off the
Uaso Nyiro River, being a semi-desert. It is the natural habitat for the Grevy
Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, and Gerenuk, only found in this part of Kenva.
There are also herds of Elephants, plenty of Lions, Cheetah, Crocodile,
hundreds of species of birds and other game.
SIBILOI NATIONAL PARK
This is Kenya's most remote
national park, lying right in the north of the country bordering with Lake
Turkana. The region is hot, dry and windswept, but surprising has a large
variety of wildlife and birds. These include Grevy's zebra, ostrich, gerenuk,
oryx, tiang and a large population of Nile crocodile in the lake. The park's
petrified forest is proof that this region was once lush and densely forested.
TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK
This is
one of Kenya's oldest and largest parks, but huge areas, mainly to the north of
the Galana River, are completely closed to the public. The southern accessible
area of the park includes the Kanderi Swamp and the Aruba Dam on the Voi river
and has large concentrations of game including hippo, giant crocodiles lion,
leopard, waterbuck, kudu, zebra and ostrich. It is also home to the largest
herds of elephant in Kenya, usually covered in red dust. The park provides for
excellent photography with it's spectacular views such as Mudanda Rock and
Yatta Plateau.
TSAVO WEST NATIONAL
PARK
The park is located approx 230kms from Nairobi off the main
Mombasa-Nairobi road and has three rivers flowing through it; the Galana, the
Athi and the Tsavo attracting large concentrations of game including buffalo,
rhino, giraffe, zebra, lion, leopard, cheetah crocodile and many varieties of
antelope. In the northwestern corner of the park is Shetani Lava Flow, a
massive lava bed created by an eruption in the Chyulu Hills where the raw cone
at the centre can still be seen. Rain falling in these hills is purified as it
soaks through the porous volcanic ash , running underground for 50km,
resurfacing at the lush Mzimba Springs, which is one of the parks main
attractions. This is haven to crocodiles and hippo and a waterhole for a large
variety of other game. |
