Kenya is located in East Africa and is a leading
travel destination in the
world, due to its scenery,
magnificent wildlife and plesant year round climate.
Safaris actually
first started off in Kenya.
You may see below some basic facts about Kenya
related to travel.
Most
of Kenya’s wildlife is contained and protected in vast National Parks and Game Reserves, in a natural, undisturbed state.
The most important of these parks and reserves have been briefly described
below.
This
highland forest park created in 1950, is known for its montane
vegetation, scenic views, waterfalls and the rare Bongo in addition
to other wildlife such as Elephant, Leopard and Buffalo. Accommodation
is in elevated mountain lodges which are built near watering holes
or saltlicks to allow sighting of animals. The typically highland
weather is known for its unpredictability and is generally quite
cool.
Quick
facts:Area: 770 sq. kms Alt: 1825-3995m
Special Feautures: Montane vegetation and scenic views
Famous
for the stunning scenery, with the 19,450 feet Mount Kilimanjaro
dominating the view, this park, located on the Kenya -Tanzania
border, is also known for its wildlife, especially the prolific
elephant herds. The vegetation is varied but dominated by savannah
which allows for viewing of the plains game, ranging from lions,
leopards and giraffe.
Quick
facts:Area: 3810 sq. kms Alt:
1150m Special Feautures: Offers views of Mount Kilimanjaro, clouds permitting + prolific Elephant population
Lake Bogoria National
Reserve is one of the little visited parks in Kenya. Its attractions
include its bird population (over 1.0 million) in addition
to hot springs & geysers. The park is surrounded by dramatic, semi arid
landscapes. Wildlife is limited in terms of variety and though you will be able to see the greater kudu, thompsons gazelle, zebra and other herbivores, the Big Cats or most of ther big Nine are not present in this park.
Quick
facts:Area: 107 sq.kms Alt: 1000-1600m
Special Feautures: Furiously erupting hot springs
This
park is joined to the north western part of Tsavo West National
Park. Here there is a beautiful rolling ridge of volcano dating
back four to five centuries and mountains which are great for
cave exploration and trekking. The park is also home to the worlds
longest lava tube and to a variety of animal life including giraffes,
elephants, lions, monkeys, buffalo and crocodiles at Umanyi Springs.
It also hosts a rich variety of birdlife.
Quick
facts:Area: 471 sq. kms Alt:
2250-2440m Special Feautures: Beautiful rolling volcanic
ridge
Located
on the slopes of Mount Elgon (4300m), Mount Elgon National Park
is an area of unspoiled mountain forest with a wide variety of
game
from
the elephant, buffalo and colobus
monkey to the giant forest hog, water buck and leopard. The area
is also an ornithologists haven owing to the over 240 bird species
to be located there. Other areas of interest include
the four explorable caves (Ngwarisha, Makinyen, Kitum and Chepnyalil).
Kitum extends 656ft into the mountain located near the
Kenya border.
Surrounded
by looming cliffs, the Hells Gate National Park is home to a wide
variety of birds & animal species and is one of only 3 parks
in Kenya where walking is allowed. Within the park you can see
the zebra, thompsons gazelle, baboon and even at times the cheetah
and leopard. The park, home to more than 300
bird species is an ideal for an exciting and adventurous foot
safari.
Quick
facts:Area: 68.5sq. kms Alt: 2777m
Special Feautures: Gorge lined with towering red cliffs
One
of the most scenic parks in Kenya and East Africa, this bird and
rhino sanctuary is home to a wide range of animals including lion,
leopard, buffalo, giraffe, waterbuck and rhino, the only notable
exception being the elephant. The park is also a bird watcher’s
paradise, with 400 known species having being spotted here.Vegetation
ranges from savannah to various indigenous forests. A world heritage
site, Lake Nakuru is most famous for its million-plus grand pink
flamingo population.
Quick
facts:Area: 188 sq.kms Alt: 1750-2075m
Special Feautures: World Heritage site for 1m plus flamingoes
This
two parks are located in an area established in 1979 and declared
a "biosphere" : one of the four biospheres in Kenya.
Located 199km from Mombasa city and on the Malindi-Watamu coastline,
the parks have hundreads of fish species including huge groupers
and rock cod with other varieties not yet identified. In Watamu
Marine Park there is a coral reef that lies about 2km offshore.
To get here you may hire a glass bottomed boat which allows you
to see part of the reef. The parks have numerous categories of
fauna and flora and three main types of coral.
Quick
facts:Area: 199km (123mi.) from Mombasa
Special Feautures: Hundreds of fish species, coral reef
Marsabit
National Park and Reserve is situated south of Nairobi and is
home to a wide variety of wildlife species such as the lion, leopard,
big tusk elephants, cheetah, rhino, buffalo and other game species.
It was also home to the famous Ahmed - a big tusker and his replacement
Mohammed whose tusks were estimated to weigh 45kg each. The area
is wild and dense owing to the thick forest cover and has two
idylically beautiful crater lakes.
Travel to this park is strictly for
adventurous tourists.
Quick
facts:Area: 360sq. kms Alt:
1000-1500m Special Feautures: Game variety including
the elephant
Probably
the most famous wildlife reserve in the Kenya and the world, the
"Mara", as it is popularly known, is the best place
to see a range of game, from the big cats to the grazers and river
game.The Mara also hosts the spectacular and primal wildebeest
migration, which occurs annually as the wildebeest and other animals
migrate south across the Mara River. Vegetation is dominated by
savannah with isolated forests.
Quick
facts:Area: 1800sq. kms Alt: 1500-2200m Special
Feautures: The world famous wildebeest migration
Lying
North East of Mount Kenya, this park is known for its remote location
and is therefore less frequented by tourists. Although generally
semi-arid, several streams flowing off the mountain have led to
the proliferation of rich forests and marshes which sustain the
usual wildlife in addition to several species best spotted here,
such as the Gerenuk and Lesser Kudu.
Quick
facts:Area: 870 sq. kms Alt: 1035-3040m
Special Feautures: Rich forests and several game species
Located
on the outskirts of Nairobi, the park offers spotting of Lions,
Leopard, Rhino and other plains game with the exception of Elephant.Vegetation
is primarily savannah with isolated stretches of riverine forests.
Several hundred species of birds can also be spotted here. This
park is excellent for a day visit from Nairobi. No accommodation/lodges
available inside the park
Quick
facts:Area: 117 sq. kms Alt: 1530-1760m Special Feautures: Lions, leopard, rhino & bird
species
The
name of this park established in 1967, Ol Donyo, means 'mountain
of the buffalo'. It is situated 85km north of Nairobi and
has an excellent and clear view of Nairobi and other lowlands.
Wildlife species that can be spotted here include buffalo, colobus
monkeys, baboons, bushbuck, impala and dukier. The area also boasts
of abudant birdlife.
Quick
facts:Area: 207sq. kms Alt: 5000
-7000ft Special Feautures: Excellent view of Nairobi &
lowlands
This
is a small park on the northern side of Kitale Town, home to the
'sitatunga' antelope. During recent years, there has been a depletion
of the parks exotic and hardwood trees. But
now, the locals are becoming more involved in the protection of
the park, which has now begun to florish again. Wildife species
to be found here include the blue, vervet and de brazza's monkeys,
black and white
colobus, crowned crane and over 370 species of birds.
Quick
facts:Area: 8 sq. kms Alt: 1880m Special Feautures: Blue, vervet and de brazza's monkeys
Located
in the homeland of the nomadic and colorful Samburu people, this
semi-arid region is a popular stop for game watchers. Home to
unique local species of giraffe and zebra, the reserve is also
famous for leopard, river game, including crocodiles and hippos
as well as the usual plains wildlife.The reserve
offers scenic panoramic views of the vast rugged, Kenya landscape
for which Africa is famous.
Quick
facts:Area: 165 sq. kms Alt:
800-1220m Special Feautures: Leopard, river game and hippos
Established
in 1968 at Isiolo and Neighbouring Samburu Reserve, Shaba is smaller
with a greater occurrence of riverine forests with acacia trees,
doum palms and a dramatic landscape. Although Shaba is greener
than Samburu, it offers a lower frequency of game spotting than
Samburu of species such as giraffes, zebras and plains game.
A
scenic park located just inland from the coast, South of Mombasa.
The closeness of this park to the beaches of Mombasa makes it
an ideal excursion for beach holiday makers who can experience
the excitement of a Kenya Safari. The wildlife includes Elephant,
Waterbuck, Antelope and Warthog. The big cats and other plains
game can be spotted here.Vegetation ranges
from savannah to coastal rain forest.
Quick
facts:Area: 192 sq. kms Alt:
120-450m Special Feautures: Wide variety of animal species
Sibiloi
Park is located on the north eastern side of Lake Turkana and
is close to the Ethiopian border. The park, one of the most remote
and managed by Kenya Wildlife Service, is within an arid region
on the eastern shores of Lake Turkana. The central island has
a crocodile population of over 12,000 and is commonly refered
to as having the largest crocodile population in the world. It
also hosts
hippos. The area is known to be one of the places in the world
to have unlocked man's early origins.
Quick
facts:Area: 1570sq. kms Alt: 200-1000m Special
Feautures: Largest crocodile population
Tsavo East and West National Park
The
largest park in Kenya, is known for its diverse and striking landscapes
as well as its roving wildlife, especially the large animals such
as Elephant, Rhino, Hippos, Eland, and Antelope. Tsavo is also
known for the fierce man-eating lions of the 1900's. Vegetation
is mainly arid savannah while the region is generally hot and
dry most of the year.
Quick
facts:Area: 21,288 sq.kms Alt: 2250-2440m Special
Feautures: Largest park, 'Big Five', good landscape
Nairobi
City
The
largest city in East Africa, with a population of over 1 million,
Nairobi started life as a Railways depot in 1899. Today, the city
skyline is dominated by modern high rise buildings, and is the headquarters
of several United Nations agencies.It is a vibrant city with a mix
of races and cultures and provides the visitor with several diverse
sightseeing options, ranging from historic sites and museums to
golf courses and posh night clubs. PleaseClick
here for more information on Nairobi including places of
interest, accomodation, climate, eating spots and a map
of Nairobi City.
Tourist
Attractions
•Nairobi National Park. Click
here for more information.
•Giraffe
Centre: Here the visitor can see the giraffes eye to eye and even feed
them in the relaxing setting of a country house •Karen Blixen Museum: The historic house
of the famous dutch woman, Karen Blixen, on whom the movie ‘Out of
Africa’ was based.
•
Nairobi National Park
Mombasa City
Mombasa
has a long, rich history dating back over 1500 years when it started
as a trading port. The Portugese explorer, Vasco Da Gama, landed
here in 1498 and established a Portugese colony at the coast.
Arabs from Oman later took over the city, leaving their mark on
the region. Mombasa
has a vibrant Swahili culture. There are a range of hotels to
the north and south of Mombasa, known as the North and South coast
respectively...More
Tourist
Attractions
•
Fort Jesus: Fort
Jesus is a monumental piece of architecture built in the 16th century
by the Portuguese....More •Mamba Village: Situated
in Nyali, The Mamba Village is East Africa’s largest crocodile
farm with over 10,000 crocodiles....More •Bamburi Nature Trail: The largest animal sanctuary
in Mombasa, Bamburi Nature Trail boasts of an large variety of animals
...More
