Kenya National Parks
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.
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.
Lake Nakuru National Park
The park entrance lies 6km from Nakuru town and the main attraction is Lake
Nakuru, a shallow alkaline soda lake set beneath the high cliffs of the eastern
Rift Valley. It is an ornithologists' paradise offering the spectacular view
of up to 2 million flamingos at one time (during the season) along with hundreds
of other species including birds of prey.
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.
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.
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.
Mt Kenya National Park
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.
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.
Samburu Nature Reserve
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.
Shaba National 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.
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.
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.