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One of the richest resources of
Kenya is the abundance of wildlife and the biodiversity. Conservation
efforts have therefore been undertaken to capture this rich essence
and make it available to both the local people and to visitors.
Numerous game sanctuaries have been established to protect and
care for this heritage and the result has been the parks shown
here although this does not exhaust the National Parks and concession
areas that are in Kenya, it is a show case of the most popular
and the most visited wildlife sanctuaries.
Amboseli
National Park
Amboseli means ‘the place of water’ in Maasai language.
The park has an endless supply of water which is filtered through
thousands of metres of volcanic rock from Mount Kilimanjaro. Animal
species seen include elephant, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, impala
and leopard. The birdlife seen here includes pelican, bee eater,
kingfisher, African fish eagle and pygmy falcon. Amboseli is one
of the most popular parks and offers excellent accommodation facilities.
There are five lodges and two campsites inside the park. Kilimanjaro
forms the backdrop of this game sanctuary and it is a sight to
see and marvel at. The nomadic richly decorated Maasai who are
deeply steeped in Maasai culture entertain visitors with enchanting
dances of ageless Africa.
Aberdares and Mt. Kenya
National Parks
These parks are part of the most fascinating
sanctuaries in terms of scenic spread out and the great variety
of wildlife found here. Mount Kenya National Park lies at an altitude
of 3,400 to 5,199m. It offers excellent mountain climbing and
scenery that includes glaciers, tarns and ice caves, as well as
mineral springs. According to local folklore, Kenya owes its name
to this mountain which is the second highest in Africa after Mt.
Kilimanjaro. Part of the mountain’s attraction is the variation
in flora and fauna found at different attitudes. Dry upland forest
covers the lower slopes while true mountain forest begins at 2,000
meters and comprises of cedar, Meru oak and podo trees. At 2,500
meters a belt of bamboo that merges with smaller trees interspersed
with glades begins. The forest is home to a variety of animals
and rare plant species. The mountain also features in the local
people folklore as being the home of the Supreme Being ‘Ngai’
(God). It is therefore treated as a holy shrine. The “wildlife
in the park includes colobus monkey, sykes monkey, bushbuck, buffalo,
elephant, olive baboon, waterbuck, black rhino, leopard, giant
forest hog, genet cat, hyena and the elusive bongo. There is one
game lodge within the park, seven mountain climbers’ huts
as well as self help bandas.
The Aberdares ranges lie at an
altitude of 2,134 to 4,268 metres. It is home to the first tree
hotel in Africa and harbors significant memories in world history.
In 1952, Queen Elizabeth II learnt of her accession to the British
throne while she was a guest at Treetops lodge following the death
of her father, King George II. It is also at the nearby town of
Nyeri that lie the remains and tomb of Lord Baden Powell, the
founder of the worldwide Boy Scouts movement. There are two lodges,
self help bandas and several campsites within the park.
Lakes Baringo and Bogoria
The two lakes lie on the floor of the Great
Rift Valley and are an ornithologist’s paradise. Bogoria
is a salt water lake and contains flamingoes while there are hot
springs and geysers, evidencing the area’s volcanic origin.
At Baringo, over 350 species of birds have been recorded of both
migratory and resident composition. A boat ride on the lake is
a worthwhile complement to your visit.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru is a shallow alkaline lake on
the edges of Nakuru town and lies a distance of 160 kilometers
from Nairobi. The lake is world famous as home to millions of
flamingoes. The number of flamingoes depends on the water level
which determines the quantity of algae on which the birds feed.
Flamingoes are known to migrate to other Rift Valley lakes whenever
the water level is low. The National Park surrounds the lake and
was gazetted to protect the colony of flamingoes as well as provide
sanctuary for endangered species such as the rhino. There are
about 25 white and black rhinos, one of the largest concentrations
in the country. Predators are also residents to this park while
Rothschild’s giraffe have been trans-located into the park
for safety. Accommodation includes two lodges, a KWS guest house,
campsites, self help bandas and two picnic sites.
Mount Longonot and Hell’s
Gate National Park
Mount Longonot National Park is only ninety
kilometers from Nairobi and lies at an altitude of 1,900m to 2,800m.
It is a young volcano which rises to 2,776m above sea level and
is a captivating sight for visitors wishing to view the Naivasha
basin, the volcano and crater, as well as the Great Rift Valley.
Hell’s Gate is an ideal get-away for a day trip from Nairobi
as well as a stop over enroute to Lake Nakuru. It is famous for
natural hot springs, as well as eagle and vulture breeding grounds.
Special locations for viewing include Fischer’s Tower, Central
Tower and Njorowa Gorges.
The game that can be viewed includes
buffalo, giraffe, eland, coke’s hartebeest, lion, leopard
and cheetah. About 103 species of birds have been recorded here.
Accommodation is available in hotels, lodges and home- stays around
Lake Naivasha.
Maasai Mara Game Reserve
The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is arguably
Kenya’s most popular game sanctuary. It is the most famous
and most visited game reserve in Kenya. The film ‘Out of
Africa’ was made to a great extent in this reserve. Virtually
every type of wildlife can be seen at the Mara. A spectacle worth
seeing is the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebra
and gazelle from Serengeti plains across the Tanzania border and
the Mara River to reach Masai Mara grazing fields from late June.
The dramatic crossing of the river and the preying on the migrants
by predators can be viewed from early July to August. The reserve
abounds with birdlife since dose to about 452 species have been
recorded. Hot air balloon safaris are readily available in this
park. Accommodation is plentiful in Masai Mara and ranges from
five star lodges to luxury tented camps and campsites within the
reserve.
Samburu, Shaba and Buffalo
Springs Reserves
The highlights of these reserves are the
spectacular scenic beauty, rivers and forests. It is an area where
the local people have a rich and colourful heritage. The reserves
have numerous permanent springs and a wealth of wildlife which
includes leopard, hippo, elephant, lion, reticulated giraffe,
grevy’s zebra and crocodile in the Ewaso Nyiro river. Over
365 species of birds have been identified in the sanctuaries.
There are lodges and campsites managed by mobile tented camp operators.
Shaba National Reserve is home
to the monument of Joy Adamson who, together with her husband
George, contributed greatly to Kenya’s wildlife as an author,
conservationist and artist. The film ‘Born Free’ is
based on Joy’s book of the same title. Shaba was the setting
for the film ‘Sheena Queen of the Jungle’. Shaba reserve
is home to the rare blue-shanked Somali Ostrich.
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is the oldest of
Kenya’s National Parks and Game Reserves. It was gazetted
in 1946. This game sanctuary is a stretch of Savannah that is
set against the dramatic skyline of Nairobi. Its main entrances
are merely a stone’s throw away from the city’s outskirts,
making Nairobi the only city in the world that borders a natural
game protection area. The park contains over 100 species of mammals,
mainly plains game. The big five are also found here except the
elephant. The park’s advantage is that visitors do not have
to travel far to view game in its natural habitat. The Animal
Orphanage and Safari walk at the main gate should not be missed.
The orphanage is home to injured and orphaned animals. Here they
are nursed back to health before being released to the wild. The
park is also ideal for ornithological safaris.
Tsavo East, Tsavo West
and Chyulu Hills
Tsavo National Park is the largest game
sanctuary comprising Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Chyulu Hills.
It is over 21,000km2 and is located halfway between Mombasa and
Nairobi. Its awe inspiring landscape and proximity to Kenya’s
coast makes the park a popular safari destination. The park is
one of the world’s leading bio-diversity areas. It is ideal
for photography on account of it’s unlimited sunlight and
the expanse of the Yatta plateau, the world’s larges lava
flow. One of the outstanding features of this sanctuary is its
huge population of red elephants which derive their red coloring
from the rich red earth of the park. Other species seen include
buffaloes, rhinos, lions, hippos, leopards, crocodiles, waterbucks,
kudus, gerenuks, zebras, hartebeests and the hirola antelope that
has been trans-located to Tsavo East. Tsavo occupies its place
in the frontier folklore as a place where two lions killed and
ate close to 40 engineers and their crew who were constructing
the Kenya-Uganda railway in the early 1900’s. The man -
eaters of Tsavo nearly brought the construction work to a halt.
The park has over 500 species of birds which include ostrich,
buzzards and migratory Kestrel. Chyulu Hills and Mt. Kilimanjaro
can be viewed from the park in clear weather. Other outstanding
features include cave and geological formations, Shaitani lava
flows and Mzima springs underwater observatory. Accommodation
in Tsavo is available in a variety of game lodges, tented camps,
campsites and self services bandas.
Mount Elgon and Saiwa
Swamp National Parks
Mt. Elgon lies 2,500m to 4,200m above sea
level and is 470 km from Nairobi. The National Park here is one
of the most beautiful and truly wild sanctuaries. The park provides
a home to numerous elephants, buffalos, Columbus and blue monkeys,
giant forest hog and other types of antelopes. Over 240 species
of birds have been recorded here. There are four explorable caves
which are popular meeting places for elephants that go to lick
the mineral content in the caves. There is a lodge, two hotels,
campsites and one picnic site. The Saiwa Swamp National Park completes
the Western Tourist Circuit and was opened to provide a home to
the rare semi-aquatic Sitatunga antelope.
Meru National Park
Meru National Park lies at an attitude of
305m to 1,036m and covers an area of 870km2. It is 348km from
Nairobi and was opened in 1968. Meru National Park is one of the
best watered sanctuaries and is situated on the slopes of Nyambene
mountain ranges, north east of Mt. Kenya. The park teems with
a variety of wildlife that includes lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard,
lesser kudu, duiker as well as large herds of buffalo. The park
has over 300 species of birds and was the setting of Joy Adamson’s
book ‘Born Free’ that chronicles and in depth study
of lions and cheetahs. Accommodation is available in lodges, tented
camps and campsites.
Sibiloi National Park
Sibiloi National Park covers 1570 Km2 of wilderness scenic landscape
on the shores of Lake Turkana. The park was partially established
through the initiative of National Museums of Kenya to protect
unique prehistoric and archeological sites some of which are linked
to the origin of man. The fossils include a crocodile Euthecodon
brumpti giant tortoile Petusios broadleyi, elephant Elephas recki
and the petrified forest. The terrain is lake shore, dry semi
desert bush and near desert country. The park is waterless apart
from the alkaline waters of the lake.
Major Attractions
• Origins of Man: Koobi Fora Museum & Research Base
• Thousands of Fossils including Giant Tortoise, Behemoth,
45ft long Crocodile
• Lake Turkana Scenery
• Birdwatching: Flamingoes, Pellicans, Ducks
• Shoreline Game viewing: Hippo, Crocodile, Zebra, Giraffe
Activities
Archeological safaris, game viewing.
Common Vegetation
The vegetation is primarily grassy plains with yellow spear grass
and doum palms.
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