With its lush landscape reminiscent of the Kenyan countryside, sweeping tea plantations, hiking trails, and unforgettable tourist attractions in Kenyan national parks. National parks in Kenya manage to entice families, culture lovers, and travelers from all around the world. Kenya, being the home of the “Big Five” has awesome beautiful national parks with savannah grasslands, majestic animals, unique plants, and the most picturesque views. For landscape photographers, or those seeking the next destination to satisfy their outdoor taste, we have sieved through the Kenyan national parks and cherry-picked the top 10 you should visit.
Visiting the Kenyan parks could not be complete without walking through the “World’s only Wildlife Capital”. One of the best national parks in Kenya. Known for its proximity to Nairobi central business district, Nairobi National Park is characterized by wide-open grass plains and backdrop of the city scrapers, scattered acacia bush play host to a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and a diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.
Visitors can enjoy the park’s picnic sites, three campsites, and the walking trails for hikers. You can visit Nairobi national park all year round, just remember to take some useful items like binoculars, a camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, guidebook, drinking water, and any other picnic items. Nairobi national park is located 10 km South of Nairobi city center.
Wildlife
Picnic facilities
For corporate events, bush dinners, weddings, picnics, team building sessions, video and film production:
Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Nairobi National Park. Check out KWS fees for Nairobi National Park.
Rising from the floor of the Great Rift Valley like a monolith is the extinct volcano of Mount Longonot. A unique feature is a thick forest that lies within the crater of the mountain. The crater rim also provides great scenic views across the beautiful Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha. Major wildlife attractions at Mount Longonot include buffaloes, elands, lions, leopards, bushbucks, common zebra, giraffe, and Grant’s gazelles making it one of the best national parks in Kenya. You can visit Mount Longonot national park all year round, just remember to take some useful items like binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, guidebook, drinking water, and any other picnic items. The park is accessible via tarmac road and its located 90km from Nairobi city.
Attractions
Activities
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Mt. Longonot National Park. Check out KWS fees for Mt. Longonot National Park.
Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, the Amboseli National Parks is one of Kenya’s most popular parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust”, and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulfur springs, the savannah, and woodlands. They can also visit the local Maasai community who live around the park and experience their authentic culture thus it one of the best national parks in Kenya.
Access
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Wildlife
Amboseli National Park has over 80 different mammals to be found ranging from the tiny (and rarely seen) spectacled elephant shrew to the huge bulk of the African elephant. Few visitors will go home without superb elephant pictures with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. There are also over 400 bird species.
Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Amboseli National Park. Check out KWS fees for Amboseli National Park.
Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Kenya- Africa. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grassland. Wildlife tends to be most concentrated on the reserve’s western escarpment. The Masai Mara is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeest migration alone involves over 1.5 million animals arriving in July and departing in November. There have been some 95 species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles and over 400 bird species recorded on the reserve thus its one of the best national parks in Kenya.
Access
The Mara Triangle is serviced by two all-weather airstrips – Mara Serena and Kichwa Tembo. The main road access into the Triangle is through Narok and Sekenani Gate.
Wildlife
Nowhere in Africa is more wildlife abundant. The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in the world, with an excellent chance of seeing the big five, cheetah, serval, hyena, bat-eared foxes, black-backed and side-striped jackals, hippo, crocodile, baboons, warthog, topi, eland, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, impala, waterbuck, oribi, reed-buck and zebra.
Climatic conditions
Altitude 5,300 feet (1,600 metres). Rainy season from November through May, with peak rainfall in December-January and April-May. The dry season from June-November. Often sunny mornings with cloud build-up in the afternoons – during the rains this develops into thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Max temperatures up to 30°C and min temperatures around 20°C.
Activities
Game viewing, camping, night game drives, visits to Masai cultural villages, ballooning, bush dinner, lunch, and breakfast. Masai Mara makes for a spot for a destination wedding photographer to engage different scenes with clients.
Best time to visit
Peak season is between July and October, during the migration. Early November and February can also offer excellent game viewing.
Accomodation
Mara Serena (150 beds that have luxury bedding and cozy pillows) and Little Governors’ Camp (36 beds luxury bedding and cozy pillows) are the only two lodges situated in the Triangle. Kichwa Tembo, Mpata Club, Olonana, Mara Siria, and Kilima Camp are situated on the periphery but use the Triangle.
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Maasai Mara National Park. Check out KWS fees for Maasai Mara National Park.
On the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, lies the beautiful Lake Nakuru National Park nicknamed “The beautiful wildlife haven”. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic, and game drives.
Access
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Park roads:
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Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Lake Nakuru National Park. Check out KWS fees for Lake Nakuru National Park.
Named for the intense geothermal activity within its boundaries, the Hell’s Gate National Park is a remarkable quarter of the Great Rift Valley. Spectacular scenery including 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. Hell’s Gate is an ideal venue for a day trip from Nairobi where, in addition to the bio-diversity that includes raptors, visitors can enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, and a natural spa.
Hell’s Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 square km and is situated in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from Nairobi. The park is 14 km after the turnoff from the old Nairobi-Naivasha highway. It is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. It is an important home of the lammergeyer (The Bearded Vulture). Hell’s Gate can be accessed through two main gates: the main Elsa Gate and the Olkaria Gate. The latter also serves the Olkaria Geothermal Station that is located inside the National Park.
Access
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Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Hell’s Gate National Park. Check out KWS fees for Hells’s Gate National Park.
The Aberdares are the third highest range of mountains in Kenya, reaching a summit of just over 4000m. This massive range is well known for its thick salient forests, and their prolific game. These high altitude forests are broken by moorlands and plains, and through the abundant tree cover, there are sensational views of the Rift Valley and the peak of Mt Kenya. The forest is a hidden world of wildlife.
The thick vegetation provides the perfect cover for countless species. Very large herds of Elephant and Buffalo move almost silently through the undergrowth, while overhead noisome birds and colobus monkeys dominate the canopy. At night the forest comes alive, the cries of hyrax and the distinctive rasping growl of leopard echoing among the trees. The Aberdares has two ‘Tree Hotels’, unique safari lodges set high in the canopy above waterholes and natural salt licks.
Night sees an unending procession of game emerge from the forests to visit these clearings. This is an ideal opportunity for guests to unobtrusively observe the game at length. A night in the Aberdares is unforgettable. Elephant herds surround the waterholes, drink and then fade away into the forest. Buffalo bulls fight over territory in spectacular battles. Sleek Genet cats descend from the trees and slip through the halls of the lodge.
Occasionally a Rhino or the elusive Bongo antelope appear and visit the waterhole. The Aberdares can also be explored by vehicle, or on foot. There are trekking trails throughout the forests, and across the moorlands. A few days spent here is one of Kenya’s best forest treks. The foothills of the Aberdares are ideal for exploring on horseback and there are crystal clear mountain streams that abound with Trout. The Aberdares are a great place for waterfalls.
There are a series of spectacular falls along with the range, and at Nyahururu, Thompson’s Falls has become a popular rest stop for travelers. Picturesque, steep forested ravines and open moorland characterize the Aberdare National Park. The park provides a habitat for elephants, black rhinos, leopards, spotted hyenas, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, buffalos, warthogs, and bushbucks among others.
Rare sightings include those of the Giant Forest hog, bongo, golden cat, serval cat, African wild cat, African civet cat, and the blue duiker. Visitors can indulge in picnics, trout fishing in the rivers, and camping in the moorlands. Bird viewing is rewarding, with over 250 species of birds in the park, including the Jackson’s Francolin, Sparrow hawks, goshawks, eagles, sunbirds, and plovers.
Access
Main road access to the Aberdares is via Mweiga or Nyeri, both easily accessed from Nairobi by bus/matatu or private transport. You’ll need your transport, or to be part of a safari, to get to the forest. Many trekking companies can organize transfers from Nairobi to Mt Kenya. The forest lodges also have daily transfers. There are good roads within the park, though a 4WD vehicle is needed during the rainy season. The lodges and hotels here organize game drives. There are hiking trails through the Aberdares. A ranger guide is compulsory.
Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Aberdare National Park. Check out KWS fees for Aberdare 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 at 3,400ft (1,036m) on the slopes of Nyambeni Mountain Range, northeast of Mt. Kenya, to wide open plains with meandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms.
Game to view includes 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. A large pride of lion can be seen and some of Kenya’s largest herds of buffalo. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile, fishing for barbus and catfish is permitted at campsites and along the Tana River.
Over 300 species of birds have been recorded, 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. The Park is most famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free”, the story of Adamson’s life and research amongst lion and cheetah. “Elsa” the lioness was the most well-known and her grave is marked here.
Brilliant on a magnificent scale, the Meru and Kora sister parks feature luxuriant jungle, coursing rivers, verdant swamp, khaki grasslands, and gaunt termite cathedrals all under the sky’s great blue bowl. Little visited and utterly unspoiled, few places are comparable to the remote and rugged atmosphere found here. Visitors can see Grevy’s zebras, elephants, Bohor reedbucks, hartebeests, pythons, puff adders, cobras, and buffalos.
Access
There are two routes to Meru National Park from Nairobi. The first is the main road via Nyeri, Nanyuki, and Meru, the second is via Embu-Meru road. It offers the best approach via the Ura gate. The dry weather route from Meru is through Mathara and Kangeta towards Maua turning left on the Kinna road leading to the National park gate. There are airstrips and leopard rock or Meru Mulika lodge.
Attractions
Accomodation
There is one lodge (132 beds) and two tented camps. 8 special campsites must be pre-booked, one public campsite; Elsa camp, KWS self-help bandas, and Leopard Rock bands.
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Meru National Park. Check out KWS fees for Meru National Park.
The sight of dust-red elephants wallowing, rolling, and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of the palm-shaded Galana River is one of the most evocative images in Africa. This, along with the 300 kms long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, make for an adventure unlike any other in the Tsavo East. The park forms the largest protected area in Kenya and is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust – red elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk, and the prolific birdlife features 500 recorded species.
Access
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Wildlife
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Tsavo East National Park. Check out KWS fees for Tsavo East National Park.
From the sight of fifty million gallons of crystal clear water gushing out of from the under parched lava rock that is the Mzima Springs to the Shetani lava flows, Tsavo West is a beautiful, rugged wilderness. The savannah ecosystem comprises open grasslands, scrublands, and Acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation, and rocky ridges including the Poacher’s. Lookout where visitors can see the teeming herds in the plains below. Tsavo West offers some of the most magnificent game viewing in the world and attractions include elephant, rhino, hippos, lions, cheetah, leopards, buffalos, diverse plant and bird species including the threatened corncrake and near threatened Basra Reed Warbler.
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Attractions
Fees
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) sets fees for citizens, residents and non-residents, as regards to the Tsavo West National Park. Check out KWS fees for Tsavo West National Park.
Victor Mochere is an award winning blogger, social media influencer, literati savant, altruistic, and a netpreneur creating and marketing digital content.
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Copyright © 2021 Victor Mochere. All rights reserved.