NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK

• Province – Nairobi
• Size – 113 sq. kms
• Landscape – Plains and woodlands, highland forest, gorges, rock valleys
• Wildlife – Over 80 species of large mammals including cheetah, rhino, lions, giraffe, hyena, hippo, crocodiles, buffalo and plains animals
• Bird-life – Over 400 different species including the Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Marabou Stork and the Crowned Cane.
• Special features – Easily accessible at only 20 minutes from Nairobi town, greater concentration of animals within a smaller park, numerous exotic picnic sites and nature trails, the Animal Orphanage which is located by the main gate of the park
• Recommended Nairobi hotels – The Nairobi Safari Club, Nairobi Holiday Inn, Safari Park Hotel, Panafric Hotel, The Nairobi Serena Hotel, the Stanely Hotel and the Windsor Golf and County Club, the Norfolk Hotel

SAMBURU, SHABA AND BUFFALO SPRINGS NATIONAL RESERVES

• District - Isiolo
• Landscape – Bush Country, swamps, acacia thickets, springs / marsh
• Animals – Elephants in abundance, cheetah, leopard, crocodiles, lion, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk
• Bird-life – A diverse and abundant bird-life of both African and European species including the Somali Ostrich
• Special Features – 3 parks in one park entrance fee, the scenery of the Koitogor Hill and the Ol Olokwe Mountain, less commercial park, Ewaso Ngiro River, large herds of elephant
• Recommended Lodges – Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp, Samburu Serena, Sarova Shaba Lodge, Samburu Lodge

MAASAI MARA

• District – Narok
• Size – 1675 sq. kms
• Landscape – Grassland with an altitude of 2000 metres above sea-level, savannah plains, acacia trees
• Animals – Lions, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, elephant, hippo, hyena, plains animals, giraffe, jackals, black and white rhino, the rare roan antelope, crocodiles
• Bird-life – Ostrich, predatory birds, an abundance of African and European species
• Special Features – The famous wildebeest migration (between August and October), abundance of wildlife near the Oloololo Escarpment, Musiara Swamps, hot air balloon safaris
• Recommended Lodges – Kichwa Tembo Camp, The Governors Group of Camps, Mara Intrepids Camp, Siana Springs Tented Camp, Mara Safari Club, Mara Simba Lodge, Mara Sopa Lodge, Mara Serena Lodge, Mara Sarova Tented Camp

TSAVO EAST

• District - Taveta
• Landscape – Flat bush, Baobab tree country
• Animals – Elephants, rhino, monitor lizards, plains animals, buffalo, giraffe, striped hyena
• Bird-life – Maribou storks, hundreds of swallows, numerous species of European and African birds
• Special Features – Aruba Dam, Galana River, educational centre at Voi Gate, Kanderi Swamp, Mudanda Rock, Lugard’s Falls, Crocodile Point, Yatta Plateau
• Recommended lodges – Satao Tented Camp, Voi Safari Lodge, Galdessa Tented Camp

TSAVO WEST

• District – Taveta
• Landscape – Tall grass-and-woodland, hills, volcanic cones
• Animals – Lion prides, cheetah, leopard, elephant, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, plains animals, rhino and the lesser kudu
• Bird-life – Maribou storks, hundreds of swallows, numerous species of European and African birds
• Special features – Rhodesian Hill, Ranger’s Lookout, Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary and Ngulia Escarpment, Mzima Springs (2 large pools connected by a series of rapids, surrounded by date and raffia palms. The Springs were made famous by Allan Root’s film Mzima – Portrait of a Spring. The film studies crocodiles and hippos in their underwater lives), the Shetani (meaning devil in Kiswahili) lava flow
• Recommended Lodges – Kilaguni Lodge, Finch Hattons Tented Lodge, Ngulia Safari Lodge, Ziwani Tented Camp

LAKE NAKURU

• Province – Nakuru
• Size – 10 X 25 kms
• Landscape – acacia forest, soda lake and woodlands
• Wildlife – Leopard, black and white rhino, lions, plains animals, buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, baboon, hippo, jackals, striped hyena and massive pythons
• Bird-life – The pink flamingo, pelicans and many other European and African species
• Special features – The park can be toured in just over 3 hours, it is one of the only private rhino sanctuaries in East Africa, contrasting landscape, the flamingos
• Recommended lodges in Nakuru National Park – The Lake Nakuru Lodge, Lion Hill Lodge

ABERDARES NATIONAL PARK

• Province – Nyeri
• Size – 590 sq. kms
• Landscape – Dense rain forest, mountainous, candelabra forests and moorlands.
• Wildlife – Elephant, buffalo, rhino, lions, Colobus monkeys, giant forest hog and the bongo antelope, giant forest hog, leopard
• Bird-life – Abundant bird-life, including species of sunbirds
• Special features – Amazing scenery, waterfalls, rivers, valleys, walking and hiking areas, fishing facilities
• Recommended hotels and lodges in the region / area – The Aberdares County Club, the Ark (tree lodge), Treetops (tree lodge), Outspan Hotel and several Kenya Wildlife Huts and Camps within the park

MERU

• District - Maua
• Landscape – Numerous stream that flow into the Tana River, jungles of tall grass, riverine forest, swamps
• Animals – Elephants, cheetah, white rhino, oryx, buffalo, leopards, plains animals
• Bird-life – Ostrich and an interesting abundance of other species of birds
• Special Features – the doum palms, Adamson’s Falls, Mulika Swamps, Rojewero River
• Recommended Lodges – Elsa’s Kopje Tented Camp

 

MT KENYA NATIONAL PARK

• Fauna – Buffalo, elephant, three-horned chameleon, black panther or melanistic form of the leopard, rodents, antelope, spotted hyena
• Landscape – Bamboo forests, vertical bog, giant heather, coniferous plantations, dense forest, Afro-Alpine moorlands, giant groundsel, giant lobelia, valleys
• Special Features – Teleki Valley, glacial valleys, beautiful scenery, variety of high altitude flora, Nithi Falls, Mugi Hill, Lake Ellis
• Recommended accommodation – Mount Kenya Safari Club, Sweetwaters Tented Camp, the Naro Moru River Lodge

  THE MOUNTAIN

• Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain standing at 5200 metres.

• There are 4 main routes up the mountain: the Naro Moru trail, the Burguret and Sirimon trails and the Chogoria trail.

• There are 3 major peaks: Point Lenana being the lowest of the three, stands at 4986 metres. No specialised camping skills or equipment are necessary to reach this point. The next highest peak is Nelion which stands at 5188 metres and Batian which stands at 5199 metres high. Both these peaks are only accessible to skilled mountaineers and climbing equipment is necessary.