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The Best National Parks
Nairobi National Park (Nairobi; tel. 020/500-622; www.kws.org): Against a backdrop of skyscrapers and only short drive from the city center, this park is the closest place to Nairobi to see a good range of animals. The open grass plains scattered with acacia bushes are home to zebras, antelope, cheetahs, and all of the Big Five except for elephants, though you can see baby elephants at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage at the edge of the park. At the entrance to the park is the Safari Walk, which is the revamped original animal orphanage that now has spacious enclosures for the animals that visitors can see from an elevated boardwalk. You'll be well rewarded on a half-day game-viewing trip here and are almost guaranteed to spot rhino.
Lake Nakuru National Park (Nakuru; www.kws.org): Situated just a stone's throw from Nakuru town, this attractive park surrounds Lake Nakuru, which is a haven for the pink lesser flamingo as well as hippos and the clawless otter. Other species include various antelope, giraffes, zebras, lions, and plenty of rhinos, and unusually leopards can be spotted during daylight hours in the arms of the giant yellow acacia trees near the entrance. There are great views from the park's rocky escarpments and ridges, and accommodation can be found at several lodges and campsites.
Tsavo National Park (main gates near Voi on the Nairobi-Mombasa road; www.kws.org): One of Kenya's oldest and largest national parks, its proximity to the coast make it a popular safari excursion for visitors on beach vacations. The park is split by the Nairobi-Mombasa road and railway and is administered as Tsavo East and Tsavo West; its southern plains meet those in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The diverse range of habitats -- mountains, river forest, lakes, and grassland -- are home to rhinos, lions, leopards, crocodiles, waterbucks, kudu, gerenuk, hartebeest, and zebras, as well as some of the largest herds of elephants in Kenya. There are also about 500 species of birds, including ostriches and migratory birds like kestrels and buzzards. There are plenty of isolated lodges and campsites to choose from.
Amboseli National Park (main gate accessed from the Nairobi-Namanga road; www.kws.org): At the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, only 40km (25 miles) away over the border in Tanzania, Amboseli is the place famous for its wonderful image of elephants on the grassy plains against a backdrop of Kilimanjaro's snow-covered peaks. Plentiful game includes zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, impalas, lions, and leopards, and bird-watchers may spot pelicans, African fish eagles, and pygmy falcons. The Masai, who live around the perimeter of the park, manage several wildlife conservation projects to protect the animals that migrate over the park's boundaries. As one of Kenya's most popular parks, there's a full range of accommodation.
Masai Mara National Reserve (near the town of Narok): Simply dubbed the Mara, this is easily Kenya's most famous park with an extraordinary density of animals including the Big Five. It's also the scene of the great wildebeest migration: During July and August many hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, plus smaller numbers of zebras and antelope, arrive in the Mara in search of fresh grazing from Tanzania's Serengeti National Park to the south. The predators follow the herds and this is the best time to get plenty of animal action, especially if you get the opportunity to see the wildebeest cross the Mara River where they have to dodge crocodiles, too. There are dozens of places to stay, from hotel-style lodges to tented camps.
Aberdares National Park (Central Highlands; www.kws.org): Part of the Aberdare Mountain range, this park is unusual in that it lies above 2,100m (7,000 ft.), so it has a more alpine feel with mountains, streams, valleys, and moorland. But it's still home to game such as elephants, buffalo, lions, and rhinos, and the entire park is in the process of being fenced for added protection of the animals. The two principle lodges are Treetops, where Princess Elizabeth was staying in 1952 on the night her father died and she became queen, and the Ark, built in the shape of Noah's ark.
Mount Kenya National Park (Central Highlands): At 5,117m (17,058 ft.), Mount Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. Although not as popular as Kilimanjaro and a little more technical, it can be climbed by novices on organized 4-day tours. The vegetation and scenery naturally varies depending on the elevation; hardwood forests are found on the lower slopes, while the upper reaches give way to bamboo forest and moorland.
Kakamega Forest National Reserve (Western Kenya; www.kws.org): Kakamega is the only natural tropical rainforest left in Kenya, which was once long ago joined to the equatorial rainforests of West Africa. It's an extraordinarily beautiful and dense forest of towering trees and tangled vines, which in turn attract an array of birds and butterflies, and you may spot monkeys bounding through the trees overhead. Trails criss-cross the park and visitors are accompanied by knowledgeable local guides. The best time to visit is during the rainy season from April to July, when the flowers bloom.
Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves (Archer's Post, north of Isiolo): These adjoining reserves are usually visited as part of a tour to northern Kenya, and there are four lodges in the Samburu section overlooking the Ewaso Ng'iro River, where most of the game is concentrated. Animals include giraffes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, and over 365 species of birds. Species here not seen further south are Grevy's zebras, Somali ostriches, and gerenuk, an unusual antelope that can reach up to trees on its hind legs.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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