MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Mara is derived from a Maasai word which means spotted because of the various inselbergs, it covers a total area of 1510km². It was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary. Maasai Mara is located on South western circuit, its considered as Kenya’s prime wildlife area. Animals like wildebeest, topi, zebra and thomson’s gazelle migrate into and occupy the Mara reserve, from July to October or later they migrate from Tanzania(Serengeti ) to Kenya(Maasai Mara) it happens at Mara river which is full of crocodiles. In this park you will see all members of the “big five” (lion,leopard, elephant,buffalo and rhinoceros). Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but are still reasonably common, you will also find over 470 species of birds like hawks, falcons, vultures, storks, bustard and sun birds. It is also known for its black- manned lions. Over 450 species of animals has been recorded here. It is also popular because of the Baloon safaris
LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
Nakuru National Park is located in rift valley part of kenya, Its name is derived from Nakuru meaning scraped bare, its size is 188km². Its known for being a bird sanctuary with over 400 bird species and millions of flamingos nesting along the shores and other water birds in the lake. It is a bird lover’s paradise. The park contains a sanctuary for the conservation of the white rhino and black rhino while species like Cape Buffalo and Waterbuck, leopard, cheetahs, hippopotamus can be seen near the shoreline. The park also has large sized pythons that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees. The park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic and game drives.
LAKE NAIVASHA NATIONAL PARK
Lake Naivasha national park is located in rift valley part of kenya, Its name was derived from Naipasha meaning rough waters, it covers 200km². Its known for its world class birding, the park was named for its pair of massive red tinged cliffs framing a geothermically active of steam vents and bubbling spring, in this national park you can do a boat ride where you will see hippopotamus at a close range , you will feed birds with small fish from the palm of your hand, you can have a walk or bike ride at the cresent islands where you will see animals like Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Zebra and Gazelle, animals like giraffe who were born here return to give birth in the island, Crescent island is famous due to the fact that the film ‘Out of Africa’ was done here.
HELL’S GATE
The park is located to the south of Lake Naivasha, it covers 68km². Its mainly comprised of savannah ecosystem. Its Spectacular scenery include the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam make it one of the most atmospheric Parks in Africa. The park has historically been an important home for the rare lammergeyer vultures. Over 103 species of birds in the park, including vultures, verreaux’s eagles, augur buzzard and swifts, hyraxes, buffalos, zebras, eland, hartebeest, thomson’s gazelle, hyena and baboons are also common. Some of the adventure activities in the park involve Game watching, walking, bicycle riding, Raptor nesting in cliffs, Spectacular Gorge walk, Hot springs, the Olkaria Geothermal Station, Fischer’s Tower, nature trails and picnic sites.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Derived from Maasai word “Empusel” meaning mirage. Some books write it means ‘salty dust’ or ‘barren place’. The Park is in the southern circuit and coveres 3200km². It lies about 30km from mt. Kilimanjaro and near Kenya-Tanzania border
Amboseli National park its renowned for its herds of elephantsn and awesome view of Mt Kilimanjaro and it is situated at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro. It Amboseli offers some of the best opportunities to see African animals which Includes the big 5 and other plain game namely: Wildbeaste , Cheetah , Giraffe, Zebra, Elephants, Rhinos, Baboon, Buffalo, Lion , leopard, Plenty of elephants; Roughly 800 elephants. There is also a host of Kenya birds, both large and small. It has
SAMBURU NATIONAL PARK
Samburu National Park is in the northen circuit, it covers 165km squared, it has a spectacular scenic beauty, rivers and forests. It is an area where the local people have a rich and colorful heritage. Samburu is inhabited by abundance in rare northern specialist game adapted to the semi arid conditions.
Samburu National park is Known for the special 5, namely: Gerenuk, Gravy Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich and the Beisa Oryx. The park is a semi desert with a rugged hilly terrain, with great rocky kopjes and it have numerous permanent springs supporting the abundant wildlife. It was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made famous in the best selling book and award winning movie ‘Born free’. It is also a home of Kamunyak, a lioness famous for adopting Oryx).This park has also 450 species of birds like African Darter, Great Egret, White-headed Vulture, Martial Eagle and the Yellow-billed Ox-pecker among others.
TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK
Tsavo East National Park is in the coastal circuit, its one of Kenya’s oldest and largest National Parks in Kenya at the eastern edge of the inland plateau. Here you find bushy grasslands and rocky open plains alternating with semi-arid acacia scrub and woodland, with the Galana River cutting a green swathe across the park. The seasonal Voi and Tiva rivers are important to the northern and southern portions of the park, as there is little other surface water. Mudanda Rock is a great spectacle of this park as this outcrop is a water catchment area which feeds a natural dam where hundreds of elephants come to drink and bathe during the dry season. Views are exceptional and it is a good place to sit and watch game. Ancient volcanic activity is evident at the Yatta Plateau a long flat-topped lava ridge on the western border of Tsavo East. In this park there are special elephant called red elephant which you cannot find in other parks and different species of birds. You will see other animals like Lions, Giraffes, Zebras, Gazelles, Buffaloes, Waterbucks, Impalas among others.
TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK
Tsavo West National park is in the southern circuit, its current size is 9065km², the name Tsavo means Slaughter in Kamba language.
This parks offers tremendous views and diverse habitats ranging from mountains, river forests, plains, lakes and wooded grassland there are varieties of landscapes, from swamps and natural springs to rocky peaks, extinct volcanic cones, to rolling plains and sharp reddish outcrops. It is especially attractive at the end of the rains when the countryside turns green. Mzima Springs is pool of natural spring water that attracts a lot of game and there is even an underwater hippo-viewing hide.
Tsavo west national park is also known for its ‘Roaring Rocks’, which if climbed gives good view to see eagles and buzzards that whirl around these cliffs. It has also volcanic formations (Shetani Lava Flow) Mzima Springs where Hippos, Fish and Crocodiles are seen from the underwater hide, there is the Rhino Sanctuary. You will spot Elephants, Giraffes, variety bird life, and of course the Rhino and beautiful mountains. This park is known for its maneater lions who ate the labourers who were building the iron bridge across the river (next to the highway between Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park).
ABERDARES NATIONAL PARK
Aberdare national park is in the central circuit, it was named aberdares by Joseph Thomson who was an explorer in honor of Lord aberdare who at that time was the president of Royal geographical society
It is a high altitude national park created to protect the slopes and moorland of the Aberdare Mountains. This park is a perfect location for topography enthusiasts and for viewing Kenya’s animals and birds. It is a home for elephants, black rhinos, leopards, spotted hyenas, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, buffalos, warthogs and bushbucks among others. It homes 250 bird species like Jackson’s Francolin, Sparrow hawks, goshawks, eagles, sunbirds and plovers etc. In this park there are different attractions like beautiful mountain scenery is one of the highlights of a visit to this National Park, the park has several picturesque waterfall, Rare animals – Black Serval, Black Leopard (seldom seen) and the Eastern Bongo (a huge forest Antelope), Watching animals come to the waterhole at the famous Treetops Lodge and The Ark Hotel gives an excellent game viewing at night over the watering hole. Trout fishing and Hiking also done here.
OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY
This park is situated at the foothill of cental Nanyuki and Aberdares. It is a home for largest black rhino in East africa also houses remaining northern white rhino in the world which were moved here from Dvurkralove Zoo. It holds the big five game among large selection of African animals. Sweetwaters chimpanzee conservation is still situated here the only place in Kenya where this highly endangered and remarkably intelligent species can be seen. Other rare animals that can be found here are Africa wild dog, oryx, jackson’s hartebeest, grevy’s zebra, serval, cheetah and bat-eared fox. The common African wildlife can be found here are giraffes, vervet monkeys, baboon hippopotamus, impala, eland, giant’s gazel.
SWEETWATERS CONSERVANCY
This Sanctuary provides a haven for orphaned, abandoned and rescued chimpanzees. It is the only place in Kenya where these great apes can be seen. It receives and provide life, long refuge to orphaned and abused chimpanzees from west and central Africa. At the Sweetwaters Sanctuary, chimpanzees are nursed back to health, taken care of and enjoy the rest of their days in the safety of a vast natural enclosure.
MERU NATIONAL PARK
Meru National Park is wild and beautiful. Straddling the equator and bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain-fed streams, it is an especially beautiful area of Kenya. It has diverse scenery from woodlands wide open plains with meandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms. In this park you will see lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard black rhino, zebra, gazelle, oryx and some of the rarer antelope, Lesser Kudu and duiker, also the more common Dik Dik, one of Africa’s smallest antelope. Large prides of lion can be seen and some of Kenya’s largest herds of buffalo. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile, and over 300 species of birds have been recorded here, including: Red-necked falcon, Heuglins courser, brown-backed woodpecker, sunbirds Peter’s Finfoot, inhabiting the Murera and Ura Rivers; Pel’s Fishing Owl, kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and weavers.This Park is most famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free”, the story of the Adamson’s life and research amongst lion and cheetah. “Elsa” the lioness was the most well-known and her grave is marked here.
LAKE BARINGO
It is a lake in west-central Kenya, one of the two fresh water lake in Riftvalley, it is a freshwater lake with no visible outlet, its waters seep into lavas at its northern end, where a rocky shore contrasts with the alluvial flat on its southern border. A great variety of birds inhabit the lake, which is also home to hippopotamuses and the Lake is also well populated with Crocodile. The lake itself is truly beautiful, surrounded by volcanic ranges that stretch as far as the eye can see. There are a number of small islands to visit in Lake Baringo, which can be reached by motor boat from the mainland. One definitely worth a visit is Ol Kokwe Island, which has natural hot springs. In this lake you will have a boat ride to see birds and ancient caves
LAKE BOGORIA
Lake Bogoria National Reserve is a beautiful place with the pink cloud of flamingoes and the geysers bubbling with the most spectacular hot water volcanic springs. Much more is the fascinating phenomenon of the hot springs, an indication that molten rock does not lie far below the earth’s surface. The lake has around 200 hot springs in total but has some large of these on one side of the lake. By the time it spurts off the ground, the water has reached over 94 degrees after circulating at great depth in the rock fractures. It is hot enough to boil an egg. Animals like The greater Kudu (king of the antelopes) can be seen across the woodlands or spotted resting under acacia trees. The Burchell’s Zebra, impalas, gazelles warthogs can be seen on the plains. Vervet monkeys and olive baboons can be seen around the hot springs and campsites and the predators such as leopard, spotted hyenas and mongooses are hosts of the reserve too. Birds like The grey crowned crane is most elegant of birds . Common ostrich are plentiful on the lake shores, around the swamps are the black-headed herons, sacred ibis and hadada. Few water birds are at the lake because it is highly saline. Millions of lesser flamingos are found here.
NAIROBI
It is Kenya’s capital city and largest city in kenya, Its name came from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to “cool water”, a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. This town quickly grew to replace Machakos as the capital of Kenya in 1907, it became the capital city of Kenya after independent in 1963, it has Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve known for breeding endangered black rhinos and home to giraffes, zebras and lions. Next to it is a well-regarded elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Nairobi is also often used as a jumping-off point for safari trips elsewhere in Kenya. This city has not lost its sense of the past, with an excellent museum and the historical home of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa open to visitors. You can visit The Bomas of Kenya where you will see wonderful diversity of cultures that make up this fascinating country and learn about different living styles, crafts, music and dancing from different tribes of Kenya, visit Kenya International Conference Center where you will view Nairobi city from the top of the building.
LEWA CONSERVACY
It is also known as Lewa Downs located in northern Kenya, formed in 1995. It is a wildlife sanctuary. The Conservancy is home to a wide variety of wildlife include the rare and endangered black rhinos, grevy’s zebras and sitatungas. It is a home for the big five lion, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes. It holds over 12% of Kenya’s eastern black rhinos population and the largest single population of Grevy’s zebras in the world (350 individuals). It serves as a safe refuge for endangered wildlife animals. The Conservancy is also home to more than 400 species of birds.
SOLIO RANCH
It is named after Solio who was a great Maasai chief. Solio Ranch or Solio Game Reserve is a privately owned wildlife conservancy located in Kenya’s Central Province. The ranch is a fenced, privately owned protected area geared toward rhino conservation, it plays a major part in the protection and breeding black rhinos in Kenya The rhino is a member of the ‘Big-Five’, which are a key tourist attraction. This ranch is recognized as one of the most successful private rhino breeding reserves in Kenya. The animals live in harmony with other wildlife, including the buffalo, zebra, giraffe and eland, oryx, impala, waterbuck, thompson’s gazelle and warthog.
KAKAMEGA FOREST
This Forest is a tropical rainforest situated in the Kakamega and Kisumu Counties of Kenya, and nears to the border with Uganda. It is Kenya’s only tropical rainforest and is said to be Kenya’s last remnant of the ancient Guineo-Congolian rainforest. This Beautiful forest homes various mammals including bush pigs, giant forest hedgehogs, colobus monkeys, Debrazzar monkeys and pottos. Some of the birds to be seen here include the Blue Headed Bee Eater, Black Billed Turaco, Turner’s Eremomela and Grey Parrots. Bird watching, hiking and rock climbing can be enjoyed here in the serenity of the forest that time forgot. The sheer abundance of birdlife here is overwhelming. It is an important primate reserves, and the forest is full of monkeys of many species. Beautiful Chameleons are often seen in the undergrowth. At night the forest is a different world, the air filled with bats and ringing with the sounds of frogs, night birds and the booming call of the giant forest squirrel.
LAKE ELEMENTAITA
It is a soda lake. Its name was derived from the Masaai word muteita meaning “dust place”, a reference to the dryness and dustyness of the area, especially between January and March It homes over 400 bird species, there are 13 globally-threatened and 8 regionally-threatened species that live there. Both Greater and Lesser Flamingo varieties are attracted to Lake Elmenteita by the insect larvae, crustaceans, and blue-green algae. This lake is the only breeding colony in East Africa for Great White Pelicans with over 8000 breeding pairs. There are over 100 species of migratory birds, including the African Spoonbill, Black-Necked Grebe, Yellow Billed Stork, Gull Billed Tern, Pied Avocet, Black Winged Stilt, and Grey-Headed Gull. These lands have an important role along the African-Eurasian flyway system, where billions of birds travel from northern breeding grounds to African spots in the winter months.
MOUNT. LONGONOT NATIONAL PARK
The Mount is a strato volcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Africa. It last erupted in the 1860s. This name was derived from the Maasai word Oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges”. It has a unique feature which is the thick forest that lies within the crater of the mountain. The crater rim also provides great scenic views across the beautiful Rift Valley all the way to Lake Naivasha. It host wildlife attractions at Mount Longonot include buffaloes, elands, lion, leopard, bushbucks, common zebra, giraffe and Grant’s gazelles.
MOUNT. KENYA NATIONAL PARK
The park is within the mountain itself, is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. Mt Kenya national park host animals like Elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animals rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog .Over 130 bird species have been recorded. The scenery surrounding this designated World Heritage Site is breath-taking. It is pristine wilderness with lakes, tarns, glaciers, dense forest, mineral springs and a selection of rare and endangered species of animals, high altitude adapted plains game and unique montane and alpine vegetation. Visitors can enjoy mountain climbing, camping and caving with the mountain’s rugged glacier-clad peaks providing the perfect backdrop. The mountain is a significant source of water in Kenya.
MAU MAU CAVE
The cave is located near Nanyuki North East of Nairobi, the Mau Mar Cave was used as a hide-out by Kenyan Freedom Fighters during the Mau Mau Uprising of 1952 to 1960. It is located approximately 18 km south of the equator inside the thick Mount Kenya National Park. The walk to the Mau Mau caves is through a forest and over a swaying bridge from where you can view the rapids and the waterfall over the caves. The caves were formed as a result of volcanic activity in Mt. Kenya which resulted in the cooling of lava to form rock sediments.
LUMO CONSERVACY
Wildlife Sanctuary that covers 657 sq km and was formed from three community-owned ranches in 1996, It is located near Mwatate in Taita-Taveta county,but only opened to the public in 2003. Partly funded by the EU and involves local people at every stage of the project, from the park rangers to senior management. Big cats and elephants are regular highlights and the accommodation superb, making it a terrific all-round package. This sanctuary was formed by the Lualenyi, Mramba Communal Grazing Area, and Oza Group Ranch, hence the acronym, it is adjacent toTsavo West National Park and Taita Hills and serves as a vital wildlife corridor between Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks It is a home to cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, masai lion, masai giraffe, zebra, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, Thomson’s gazelle, lesser kudu, dik-dik, and other smaller animals, including a great diversity of birdlife.
LOITA HILL
This are one of Kenya’s last remaining true wilderness areas. The low-lying mountain range is located south of Nairobi and northeast of the Masai Mara. This area is rarely visited and as a result it is widely believed that the most traditional Maasai culture exists here. They are little-known and spellbindingly beautiful Loita Hills. When accessing them from the Mara area, the hills start out dry and unimpressive, but if you bounce along for enough hours, things start to change. The vegetation becomes greener and much more luxuriant, eventually turning into a tangled jungle. The mountains also grow ever bigger, peaking at a respectable 2150m. There are pockets of remote forests, wide open plains surrounded by the stunning hillsides and dotted with roaming wildlife. This isn’t an area for viewing big game but more somewhere to enjoy the scenery, walk with the local Maasai and learn more about their culture and communities. A wonderfully peaceful place to begin or end a safari trip in Kenya. This is the most traditional corner of Maasai land and change, though it’s coming, is way behind many other parts of the country, also an area of unexpected wildlife – colobus monkeys swing through the trees, turacos light the skies with colour and huge numbers of buffaloes, forest pigs and bushbucks move through the shadows. What makes this area so extraordinary is that it’s not covered by any official protection and yet the forests remain fairly untouched. The reason is that there are many places in the forests sacred to the Maasai and the elders tightly control the felling of trees and grazing of cattle. It’s a brilliant example of how traditional cultures can thrive alongside wildlife without outside aid.
LAKE SONACHI
This lake is located near Lake Naivasha in Kenya, this lake is also known as Crater Lake in Naivasha is a crater lake of volcanic origin known for its bright green color and large flamingo population. It is cut deep in a crater basin with high walls where the lake was carved into the
