Kenya's Parks and Reserves

Nairobi National Park: Only seven kilometers away from Nairobi's city center and a little over 112 square kms, Nairobi National Park is Kenya's oldest park. Its location provides the unique opportunity of being in the midst of wild game and still within sight of the city's skyline. An abundance of game includes lion, cheetah, a variety of antelope, giraffe, wildebeest, rock hyrax, hippo, eland and gazelle.

Masai Mara Game Reserve: Masai Mara National Game Reserve is at times the most densely game-populated place on earth. Lying on the Kenya-Tanzania border, it forms part of the Serengeti ecosystem and hence hosts the annual spectacle of the great migration from July to September. However, animals abound in this park throughout the year. Masai Mara is home to the renowned black-maned lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, along with the black rhino.

Tsavo East & West National Park: With 21,000 square kms of rolling plains and scrubby vegetation, Tsavo is Kenya's largest park. It is home to approximately 60 species of mammals and hundreds of species of birds. Large herds of elephants, lions, Burchell's zebra, the beautiful lesser kudu, a variety of antelope and cheetah can be spotted here. Two other natural attractions are the Shetani lava flow near Kilaguni Lodge and the famous Mzima springs. The northern area of Tsavo west which is the most developed offers great scenery that is best enjoyed at the end of the rainy season when nature has bloomed.

Amboseli National Park: South of Nairobi, Amboseli spreads its 3,225 square kms at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro. Home to the proud and brightly painted Maasai tribe, the acacia woodlands and grasslands of the park attract an abundance of game, including buffalo, lion cheetah, spotted hyenas, zebras and wildebeest. Watching herds of elephants crossing the plains with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the backdrop leaves a lasting impression and Amboseli is the best place for a chance to spot a black rhino.

Aberdare National Park: This park which covers much of the Aberdare (renamed Nyandarua) range of mountains, is predominately forested and spreads over 584 square kms, some of which is moorland. The latter is home to the druiker, rhino, buffalo, eland, elephant, suni and the very rare nocturnal bongo. One of its distinctive feature are the Gura Falls which drop down a full 300 meters.

Marsabit National Park And Reserve: The Marsabit National Park is home to a wide variety of the larger mammals including lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhino, buffalo, wart hog, Grevy's zebra, the reticulated giraffe, hyena and gazelle. However because of the thick forest covering most of its surface, animals are not always easily seen.

Samburu & Shaba National Reserves: Home of the Samburu pastoralists, Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves are characteristic of the environs of northern Kenya. The dry grasslands dotted with volcanic peaks offer a refuge to rarely found species such as the Beisa oryx, blue-necked Somali ostrich, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and gerenuk, all of which have adapted to the arid environment. However, its permanent river insures a wide variety of game and close up sightings of elephants are frequent.

Mount Kenya National Park: Just below the Equator, clad in permanent glaciers, Mt. Kenya is the country's highest mountain. The park covers an area of approximately 492 square kms and rises 5,199 meters above sea level. Dominated by the twin peaks of Batian and Nelion, Mt. Kenya is a dream for trekkers. Its terrain is covered by forest, bamboo, moorlands and glaciers. Though many mammals live there, they are not easily spotted, except at the water hole by the Mountain Lodge tree hotel. However, the breathtaking scenery and the unique flora provide ample attractions to safariers.

Meru National Park: 358 kms from Nairobi lies Meru National Park. Located east of Mt. Kenya, this was home to the lioness Elsa, of Born Free fame. The drier north side of the park with its open plains are home to the oryx, eland, Burchell's and Grevy's zebras, Maasai and reticulated giraffes and even lions. The Tana River and numerous streams are inhabited by hippos and crocodiles and provide a habitat for lesser kudu, gerenuk and cheetah.

THE LAKES

Lake Turkana: Lake Turkana stretches south from the Ethiopian border for some 250 kms. It is Kenya's largest lake and as a result of the Leakeys archaeological digs, is regarded as the "birthplace of humanity". This remote region of Kenya, with its diverse geographical and climatic features, naturally shelters a varied fauna. The Grevy's zebra as well as the reticulated giraffe thrive in this area. Lake Turkana also supports the largest population of Nile crocodiles.

Lake Baringo: The lake supports many different species of aquatic animal and bird life as well as crocodiles and herds of hippos. But the lake, dubbed the "bird-watching center of Kenya" is mainly an ornithologist's dream with some 450 species of birds that fill the trees around its shores. Boat rides on the lake and visits to its islands can also be arranged.

Lake Bogoria: Due to fluctuations in Lake Nakuru’s level, many flamingoes migrate back and forth between Nakuru and Bogoria in search of better feeding grounds. At times around a million of them can be found in Lake Bogoria where they give a pink haze to the horizon. The other attractions of Lake Bogoria are the hot springs and geysers along the lake going south. The land to the west of the lake is a hot and a relatively barren and though animals are few, you can catch sight of small herds of Thompson’s gazelle, greater kudu or impala.

Lake Nakuru: Possibly the Ornithologist's dream come true, Lake Nakuru at times shelters over a million flamingoes as well as nearly 500 species of bird. Though mainly a bird sanctuary, the 202 square kms park is also home to the black rhino, reed buck, hippo, leopard, waterbuck and the introduced Rothschild's giraffe. The park also boasts the greatest concentration of leopard in Kenya.

Lake Naivasha: Naivasha is one of the Rift valley’s freshwater lakes and its ecology is quite different from that of the soda lakes. It is home to an incredible variety of bird species and a focus of conservation efforts in Kenya. The surrounding countryside is a major production area of flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as beef cattle.

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