Game Parks
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is located on the border with Tanzania, Kajiado District, South Kenya; Covers 392km2.Amboseli lies immediately North West of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. The Park covers 392 km2, and forms part of the much larger 3,000 Km2 Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular tourist destination. It is surrounded by 6 communally owned group ranches. The National Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland) and covers part of a pleistocene lake basin, now dry. Within this basin is a temporary lake, Lake Amboseli, those floods during years of heavy rainfall. Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty – the landscape is dominated by Mt. Kilimanjaro. The climate is mainly hot and dry. Amboseli is in the rain shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The maximum average temperature of the warmest month is 33°C during the day, while that of the coldest is 27-28°C.
Accessibility
By road, the main road into the Park is from Nairobi via Namanga (240 km) on the Nairobi – Arusha Road, via Meshanani Gate. The road is tarmac up to Namanga but is badly corrugated and potholed in places from Namanga to Meshanani Gate (75km). The other road is via Emali (228 km) on the Nairobi – Mombasa Road. The road is tarmac up to Emali and murram from Emali to Remito Gate (64 km). Access from Mombasa is mainly through Tsavo West via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate. The park has a single airstrip for light aircraft at Empusel gate. Other airstrips exist at Kilimanjaro Buffalo lodge and Namanga town.
Major Attractions
Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Mt. Meru. Observation Hill which allows an overall view of the whole park especially the swamps and elephants. Contemporary
Masai culture and indigenous lifestyle.
Lodges:
Oltukai Lodge;
Amboseli Serena Lodge;
Kimana Lodge;
Tortilis Tented Lodge.
Nairushari Special; Olgulului Public Campsite; Abercrombie & Kent Tented Camp; Ker & Downy Tented Camp; Chyulu Tented Camp; Kimbla Campsite; Cottar’s Tented Camp; Leopard Tented Camp; Tortilis Tented Camp.
Nairobi National Park
Located only about 7 km from the city centre, the park is easily accessible on tarmac roads, mainly through Langata Road. The 117 km2 Nairobi National Park is unique by being the only protected area in the world with a variety of animals and birds close to a capital city. As expected, the park is a principal attraction for visitors to Nairobi. The park also serves many residents and citizens living in the city and has a diversity of environments with characteristic fauna and flora. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush are predominant.
The western side has a highland dry forest and a permanent river with a riverine forest in the south. In addition, there are stretches of broken bush country and deep, rocky valleys and gorges with scrub and long grass. Man-made dams have also added a further habitat, favorable to certain species of birds and other aquatic biota (life forms). The dams also attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season. The park has a rich/diverse birdlife with 400 species recorded. However all species are not always present and some are seasonal. Northern migrants pass through the park primarily during late March through April. Nairobi National Park is one of the most successful of Kenya’s rhino sanctuaries that is already generating a stock for reintroduction in the species former range and other upcoming sanctuaries. Due to this success, it is one of the few parks where a visitor can be certain of seeing a black rhino in its natural habitat. To the south of the park is the Athi-Kapiti Plains and Kitengela Migration and dispersal area. These are vital areas for herbivores dispersal during the rains and concentrate in the park in the dry season.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Annual wildebeest and zebra migration in July/August Black rhinoceros Diverse birdlife Large predators- lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah. Aggregations of large herbivores- eland, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest Ivory Burning Site Monument Walking trails at hippo pools Nairobi Safari Walk & the Orphanage. Spacious accomodating picnic sites FACILITIES There are no accommodation facilities in the park. But a wide range of well developed accommodation facilities are available in the city. Further, there is also the Masai Safari Lodge near the park. Impala Observation Tower; Ivory Burning Site; King Fisher Gorge; Leopard Cliffs; Mokoiyet; Hippo Pool;
Lake Nakuru National Park
The park is located in Central Kenya, 140km north-west of Nairobi, in Nakuru District of the Rift Valley Province. It covers an area of 188 km2. Lake Nakuru is a very shallow strongly alkaline lake 62 km2 in extent. It is set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland next to Nakuru town. The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest on the eastern perimeter. Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968. A northern extension was added to the park in 1974 and the lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990. The foundation of the parks food chains is the cyanophyte spirulina platensis which can support huge numbers of lesser flamingo. Climate ranges from Cold, Hot and Humid, Hot and Dry. Annual rainfall is 965mm.
Accessibility the Park has a tarmac road connection with Nairobi, a distance of 156 km North West of Nairobi on the main A104 road. The most commonly used route into the park is via the main gate, 4 km from Nakuru Town Centre. It is also possible to enter the park from the main Nairobi Nakuru road at Lanet Gate. The Nderit Gate is used by people accessing the park from Masai Mara or Elementaita. The Naishi airstrip services the park for tourists. Major Attractions Flamingo (Greater and Lesser) and other water birds including a variety of terrestrial birds numbering about 450 species in total. Mammals: 56 different species including white rhinos. View-points: Lion hill, Baboon cliff and Out of Africa Hills: Enasoit, Honeymoon, Lion hill ridge etc. Waterfalls: Makalia Unique vegetation: About 550 different plant species including the unique and biggest euphorbia forest in Africa, Picturesque landscape and yellow acacia woodlands. Game viewing, Bird watching
Mount Kenya National Park
Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The mountain has two main peaks – Batian (5200m) and Nelion (5188m). The mountains slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high central peaks to rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and is also a Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 km2, and includes the Peaks consisting of all the ground above 3200m with two small salient’s extending lower down to 2450m along the Sirimon and Naro Moru tracks.
Accessibility: Lies175 kms from Nairobi, the park can be reached on Nanyuki-Isiolo road via Sirimon Track or Nyeri-Nanyuki road near Naro Moru. The park is also reachable via Chogoria on the Embu – Meru road, about 150km north of Nairobi. The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki. Major Attractions Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty, geological variety, forest, mineral springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High altitude adapted plains game, Unique montane and alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.
Hells gate National Park
Hell’s Gate National Park is particularly impressive with soaring red cliffs, isolated volcanic plugs, spreading grasslands dotted with game and a deep gorge where visitors can walk. Fischer’s Tower is a challenging rock climb. This park is excellent for succulents, birds of prey and other bird species. There is a geothermal project at the far end of the park Hell’s Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 km2 is situated in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from Nairobi.
The park is situated 14 km after the turnoff from the old Nairobi-Naivasha highway. The park is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. It is an important home of the lammergeyer the climate is warm and dry and the vegetation is mainly grasslands and scrublands with the latter being dominated by Leleshwa and several species of acacia. The gorge and cliffs and breeding sites for several species of raptors and swifts. 103 species of birds have been recorded in the park
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
• Game viewing
• Raptor nesng in cliffs
• Spectecular Gorge walk
• Hot springs
• The Olkaria Geothermal Staon
• The Mervyn Carnelley Raptor Hide
• Fischer’s Tower
• Tourist circuits, nature trails and picnic sites
WILDLIFE:
• Buffalo, zebra, eland, hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle and giraffe, babooms, serval cat and klipspringer antelopes
• Prolific birdlife features 103 species.
Camping Facilies
• Oldubai campsite( on the cliff top south of Fischer’s Tower)
• Nairburta campsite
• Endchata campsite (across the gorge on the northern cliffs)
ACTIVITY OPTIONS
• Hiking
• Camping.
• Rock climbing
• Biking
• Bird watching
• Wildlife viewing