Kenya - Destinations

Nairobi National Park is Kenya’s capital wildlife park situated south of the Nairobi capital and at times referred to as the world’s wildlife capital. Nairobi National Park is situated just about 16km away from the Nairobi capital on an approximate drive time of 30 minutes.

The very short distance from the bustling business capital makes the park very unique and worth being referred to as the world’s wildlife capital.

Its diversity and open grass plains has given a unique backdrop to the city scrapers. The park was officially opened in 1946, and was the first national park established in Kenya.

The city close Nairobi National Park is fenced on three sides. However, the southern boundary is open allowing migratory wildlife to move between the park and the adjacent Kitengela plains.

Despite its relatively small size (covers an area of 117.21 square kilometers/45.26 sq. mi), Nairobi National Park hosts various wildlife populations and is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries. In altitude, the park ranges between 1,533 and 1,760 m (5,030 and 5,774 ft.) therefore making it easy to visit.

Maasai Mara National Reserve is situated in the southwest of Kenya along the Great Rift Valley area in Norok county Kenya adjacent to Serengeti National Park of Tanzania.

Maasai Mara national reserve was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary and currently covers 1510sqkm. The park is bordered by Siria escarpment in the west, Serengeti in the south, and Maasai pastoral ranches on the north, east, and west. The park has the Maasai Mara River and Talek River as key draining rivers. The vegetation of the park is mostly opened savannah grassland with seasonal rivulets, doted acacia trees.

The park is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve, it has an incredible and most spectacular ecosystem and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing eco-system. All the big five can be viewed from Maasai Mara which is Elephants, Leopards, Lions, Buffalos, and Rhinos with the highest number of black Rhinos in Africa. Maasai Mara National Park is approximately 270km from Nairobi city and it takes 4-5hours by road and 40-45 minutes by flight.

The best time to visit Maasai Mara is in July – October which is a dry season. This time allows incredible movement of animals and the big cats. To get the utmost incredible safari in Maasai Mara, it’s recommended that you take a 3 to 4 days safari. This period allows you to explore the park to its maximum and for photography lovers, the longer you stay, the more chance of getting the ultimate photo.

Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Kenya. Park covers 13,747 square kilometers and it was opened in April 1948.The Park is situated in a semi-arid area previously known as the Taru Desert, near the town of Voi in the Taita-Taveta County of the former coast province. The park is half of the large Tsavo national park, the other section is referred to as the Tsavo East National Park.

The park is named after the Tsavo river which flows from west to east of the park. Within the park is a place that is referred to as one of the world’s biodiversity strongholds where the Tsavo Rivers converge to form the Galana River. The Tsavo East National Park is generally flat and with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Mostly the park consists of semi-arid grasslands and savanna.

The park forms the largest protected area in Kenya and hosts most of the larger mammals and a prolific birdlife. With its vastness, the park feels undiscovered with its vast open spaces. The park is good to visit because of the good wildlife viewing and present big five, excellent birding opportunities, great wilderness appeal and the beautiful landscape.

Amboseli National Park is one of the wildlife viewing destinations in the magical Kenya and sometimes referred to as “home of the African Elephant”. Its name is derived from a Maasai word that means “salty dust”.

The park is often called “Land of Giants” because of the impressive elephants that roam the park, best for up close viewing. Amboseli was home to Echo, who is probably the most researched elephant and the subject of many books and documentaries. Echo died in 2009 when she was about 60 years old.

Amboseli is excellent for wildlife viewing, four of the Big Five (excluding rhinos) can be spotted, there are outstanding elephant sightings, clear views of Kilimanjaro on clear days, excellent birding opportunities as well as a good range of accommodation types.

Best time of the year to visit Amboseli National Park is during the months of June to September and January to February because it’s during these months when the rain totals are low and therefore the park is drier.

It is during these months when animals gather around water holes and therefore easy to spot. The roads in the park have loose surface of volcanic soil that is dusty in the dry season and impassable in the wet season.

To access the park, tourists can reach either by road or air as there is a small airport in the park.

Lake Naivasha National Park is commonly known as “sheer adventure” is located northwest of the capital city of Kenya. (Nairobi)
The name Naivasha came from a Maasai word Naiposha meaning “rough waters” and was named by the locals. The National park was established in 1995 covering an area of 140 square kilometers.

Lake Naivasha National Park is surrounded by two lakes that is L. Oloidien and L. Sonachi and also has a unique feature – an extinct volcano called Mount Longonot and a thick forest that’s found along the cratered mountain.

Lake Naivasha National park is dominated by acacia trees that are mostly found on the banks of the lake and is also habitant to over 350 bird species especially along the shores of the lakes and nearby Hells gate National Park.

The national park has got beautiful attraction features like Crescent Island where animals freely roam around and are easily accessible by either boat or 4*4 vehicle passing through the muddy swampy roads.

Lake Naivasha is a major attraction site for bird lovers for it harbors over 350 species of birds especially during the rainy seasons. The thick papyrus at the lake is home to weaver birds, African fish eagles, gonolek, Palearctic, oxyura, red knobbed coot, flamingo, African spoonbill, porzana pusilla, etc.

The park also harbors animals like Leopards, Lions, Hippos, Giraffes, Zebras, and Buffaloes, etc.

Activities conducted at the park include boat cruising on the Naivasha Lake, Hike Longonot mount, horse riding, Birding and Game viewing, etc.