Africa Game
Parks, East Africa National Parks, Kenya Game Parks
Kenya National Parks and Game 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
meters 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 meters. 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 Maasai 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 Maasai 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 colorful 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. Th e
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 its 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 caves that can be explored 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.
Northern Parks, Maralal, Sibiloi, Lake Turkana and Marsabit Game
Reserves
The northern circuit includes Maralal, Sibiloi, Lake Turkana and
Marsabit. The circuit is ideal for the adventure loving visitors as
it includes some of the most challenging terrain. Sibiloi is
credited as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ as the proof of mans origin has
been unearthed in this area. The park was established to protect
these unique prehistoric and archeological sites. Lake Turkana is
home to the world’s largest surviving colony of crocodiles. The
safari trips available emphasize observing the desert landscape and
the nomadic tribes that inhabit the northern part of Kenya. |
