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Kenya is famous for its game viewing and many operators offer varied
ways of experiencing this. The Wildebeest migration is one of the most
amazing natural spectacles. Game can be seen year round, but migrates
in May/June, July/August and again in September/October.
MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE
The Maasai Mara is regarded as the most favorite and is definitely
the most popular game reserve in Kenya, having over 140,000 visitors
per year. The reserve lays approx 270km west of Nairobi and covers
an area of approximately 1,510 sq km, bordering with the Serengeti
National Park in Tanzania. The landscape is mostly open Savannah grasslands
and acacia shrub land.
Starting any time from late July the wildebeest follow the rains and
grazing to the wide and open grasslands of what has become known as "the
Mara". They may be late, but they will always make the trip, driven
by dry conditions in the Serengeti and led by the lightning and thunder
to the north. Come November they start the homeward leg, bound again
for the Serengeti.
At this time of the year you will see a large number of lion, hippo,
crocodile and vultures all of which prey on the weak and young migrating
animals. Other game to be found in the Maasai Mara at any time of the
year include; elephants, cheetahs, baboons, gazelles, giraffes, jackals,
cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, water buffalo, ostriches, and a large variety
of antelope and birdlife.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL
PARK
Amboseli National Park, although small, at approx 395 sq km, is one
of Kenya's most popular parks. The views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's
highest peak, coupled with the variety of game to be found, draws the
visitors in. The park which lies approximately 140kms south of Nairobi
on the border with Tanzania, is most famed for its' large herds of
elephants. A combination of drought, increased tourism, and over-grazing
has had a hard-hitting effect on the western side of the park, the
land has become dry, dusty and barren and the animals that were once
there have moved into areas of shrub forest and marshland.
LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
It’s located on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Nakuru
has always been considered a flamingo per excellence. An estimate of
about 2million lesser flamingo and greater flamingo inhabits the lake.
Though Lake Nakuru is considered a birdwatchers paradise it also accommodates
other animals like: Leopard, Black and White Rhino, Roth’s Child
Giraffe, Hippos, Lion, Red –Deer-Size beast, impala, warthog,
Zebra, Dik- Dik, Ostrich, Jackal, Thomson and Grant Gazelles, Hyena,
Reedbuck , bushbuck. The White Rhino was donated by South Africa in
1994.
TSAVO EAST AND TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK
The park makes the biggest of the Kenyan national park and one of the
largest in the word, sprawling 21000squre Kilometer of dry bush country.
A) TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK
The park is located between the Tsavo River and the Mombasa highway.
The attraction includes magnificent landscape and excellent facilities’ not
to mention the vast wildlife population which includes: herds of elephants,
lion, Buffalo, impala gazelle.
Tsavo West National Park has a lot to offer, the main attraction includes;
Mzima Springs
This is the main attraction in the Tsavo national park; locate 48km
from Mtito Andei and close to the kilanguni and kitani bandas. This
stream of crystal clear water was made famous by Alan root’s
1983 film Mzima Springs portrait of a film that follower
hippo and crocodile in their underwater lives.
The spring has two pool one on the broader expense of the water lower
downs (crocodile pool) and the upper pool which is the hippo favored
wallows
Mzima springs has two nature trail which are of greater interest if
you are a botanist, this gives you a better chance to spend a couple
of hours.
Lava flow
The lava purifies Mzima waters and can be seen in black outcrop all
round this part of Tsavo. The shetani lava flow is a spectacular example.
There are caves here that are worth investigation, one of the caves
has a ladder on a trail of identification plagues by the bones of the
luckless animal victims who stabbed down. Chaimu crater is fun to walk
but also doggy. The lava is brittle honey combed and unstable.
B) TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK
This is the center for the tourist attraction; this is an interrupted
plain of bush dotted with crazy shape of Baobab tree. The park has
five gates Mtito Andei, Buchuma, Sala and Manyani gate. The animal
we expect you to find includes stripped hyena elephant, Rhino, buffalo,
the gazelle family and the Tsavo lion “The man eaters of Tsavo”.
One of the ornithological wonder of world is the Yatta Plateau, Stretching
from Mtito Andei towards the Galana River along the eastern side of
the Athi River. It stands among the world largest lava flow. It’s
visited by birds migrating from Malawi, Oman, and Iran and as far as
Germany and Russia.
Aruba Dam gives an excellent site for animal watching. Galana River
is unmistakable with its Fringing cordon of branching doum palms.
HELLS GATE NATIONAL PARK AND LAKE NAIVASHA
Lake Naivasha
Naivasha is a corruption of local Maasai word meaning heaving water.
The lake was discovered by Joseph Thomson in 1884. The lake is a fresh
water lake on the floor of the Rift valley which is believed to have
un underground outlet.
The most and immediate visible is the lake wildlife, especially its
protected hippo population. This lake region has extra ordinary birdlife.
Other attractions includes:
The crescent island
The crescent is the outer rim of the volcanic crater from a deep bay,
the deepest part of the lake. The island is bravely 2squre kilometer
in size. The island is home to hundred species of birds and as well
as gazelle, giraffe, waterbuck, this is one of the few parks we have
where there are no predators thus giving you chance to wonder in the
sanctuary.
The Green Crater Lake
The lake has a game sanctuary that has been set around; there is an
exclusive lodge that has been set up in the sanctuary. The brilliant
jade lake is quite breath taking.
The Hell’s Gate National Park
It’s a spectacular and an exciting area that was the outlet of
the prehistoric fresh water lake that stretched from here to Nakuru.
This was believed to have supported the early community. This is one
of the few places in Kenya where you can walk among the herds of plain
game without to go a long way off the beaten track.
Buffalo, zebra, eland, hartebeest, Thomson gazelle, and baboons are
all seen. Lion and leopards hardly ever but you might just see a cheetah,
and you will certainly come across their footprint if you scan the
trail.
Activities in this region includes
Bird watching
- Boat ride
- Mountain biking
- Lake side nature walk
LAKE BARINGO
AND LAKE BOGORIA
LAKE BOGORIA NATIONAL RESERVE
This is a sliver of saline water unbelievably four-tasting-entrenched
beneath towering hills. It’s located 60 kilometer north of Nakuru.
This has become the adopted feeding ground of ten of thousand of flamingo.
The lake shore is one of the few places where Greater Kudu antelope
can easily be seen. On the western shore this is where a series of
furious hot springs erupts.
Lake Baringo
This lake region is rich in birdlife and with a captivating character
of its own. The water is heavily silted with the red topsoil of the
region and they run through a whole range of color every day from yellow
to coral to purple according to the sky and the sun position.
The lake is a fresh water lake, the bird often seen includes fish eagle,
pelican, cormorants and herons, as well as a quite a sizeable crocodile
population hippo are common
Activities in this region includes:
- Boat trip to island camp
- A visit to the local village.
- Bird watching
- Fishing
- Game viewing
SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE AND BUFFALO SPRINGS NATIONAL RESERVE
It’s located in the northern part of the country; the region
is hot and arid lowlands beneath Mount Kenya. The reserve was sat up
in 1960s a track of country around the richest stretch of Ewaso Ngiro
River.
The wildlife spectacle doesn’t always match that of the southern
parks. The place and the scenic beauty of Samburu are unquestionable,
and in the kind of mood swing which only an equatorial region can produce.
MT KENYA NATIONAL PARK
This is one of the most beautiful geological features in the world
and it’s the second highest mountain in Africa. The mountain
is located directly at the equator, so the visit gives a chance to
experience equatorial snow. It has two highest peaks, Batian (5199m),
and Nelion (5188m) offers challenging climb to those who are experiencing
technical climb as well as ice climb. The mountain third highest peak
Lenana (4895m) is accessible for any fit person.
This mountain is surrounded by lush tropical forest that gives way
to massive distinctive vegetation zone. All contain a wide variety
of animal, birds and unique plant species. The exceptional high scenic,
geological and botanical appeal of the area ensures it a place of interest
for a wide range of visitors due to its unique environment. Mt. Kenya
has been declared a world biosphere site by UN.
Besides a beautiful flora the rainforest offers a large variety of
animals. You can see elephants, buffaloes, diverse antelopes and monkeys.
Also rhinos and lions live here but they are seldom seen. In the open
woodland and moorland, you will mainly find antelopes like the diver,
elk and zebra. Also leopards are seen even at height of 4500 meters.
LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY AND ILNGWESI GROUP RANCH
Its located in Laikipia East, Lewa conservancy was formally a cattle
ranch. It incorporates the former Ngare Sergoi Rhino sanctuary which
currently containing 40 black rhino and 36 white rhino and some five
hundred Grevy’s zebra accounting for the tenth of the world remaining
population.
II Ngwesi Group Ranch a 145km square scrub of wilderness adjoins Lewa
to the north and is bounded by the Ngare Ndare and Twiga River to the
East and North and the dramatic hills of Mukogodo forest to the west.
ABERDARES NATIONAL PARK
The Aberdare range, which peaks at 4001m, is a habitat of leopard,
Bongo, antelope and some other six thousand elephant. Lion and other
open country animals roam the cloudy moorland that’s above 3500m.
The park is split into two different environments. The high moorland
and the peaks that forms the park’s main body and the lower salient
to the east where the vegetation is dense rain forest and there is
considerable more wildlife.
The high moorlands have exceptional walking and include three peaks
Satima (Highest) in the north Kinagop in the south and Kipipili isolated
corner outside the park above the Wanjohi Valley in the west.
THE COASTAL REGION
The coastal of Kenya is a premiere travel destination, with a series
of beaches stretching from Tanzania to the Somali border. Most obviously
the beach are the launch pad for one of the most beautiful coral reef
in the world, rated in the top three by experienced divers, along with
the Australia’s Barrier Reef and Red Sea.
The three most spectacular zones enclosed in Marine National Parks
are far to the south off Wasini Island, the area between Watamu and
Malindi and in the extreme north off Kiwayu Island.
The region has a string of Islands that runs up the coast. This includes
Wasini, Funzi, Chale, Mombasa, Lamu, Manda, Pate, and Kwanzu all are
worth of visit. Apart from their ocean and beach attraction, most of
them have archeological interest which is also a constant theme on
the main land.
The whole of the coastal region is littered with ruins of forts, mosque,
tombs and even whole town.
MOMBASA
This is an Island on the Kenyan coast connected to the main land by
bridges and ferries. This is the second largest city in Kenya which
has major port and an international airport. Mombasa is famous for
its exotic beaches, diverse marine life, world class hotels and friendly
people.
LAMU
This is the oldest and the best preserved Swahili settlement in East
Africa. There is hardly another town in the world as utterly unthreatening
as Lamu town, leaving your room for a breath of air and you can stroll
up a hushed Harambee avenue or tread up the darkest of alleys where
you need fear absolutely northing.
Lamu is perhaps surprisingly for so laid back a corner of Kenya and
there is no shortage of things to do here. Lamu town is a UNESCO world
heritage site, its unendingly fascinating to stroll through with few
monuments but hundred of ancient houses arresting street scene and
cool corners to sit and rest. This makes Lamu an exhilarating experience.
Places of interest:
Lamu museum
The museum was built in 1891 on the ocean front and serving as the
residence of the British colonial governors before the independence.
Inside the museum there are exhibitions of Swahili culture, architecture,
boats and boat building, domestic life are displayed. Two magnificent
ceremonial Siwa horns, one in ivory from pate, and the other one from
Lamu itself in brass are the prize exhibits probably the oldest surviving
musical instrument in black Africa. The pate Siwa is slightly
more ancient, dates from between 1690 and 1700.
MALINDI
This is one of the coastal towns north of Mombasa. Just like Lamu Malindi
is a two in one city, an historic Swahili town dating back to the 14th
centaury and a modern tourist center with resorts, shopping and sandy
beaches.
Malindi was a landing site of Vasco De Gama’s fleet in 1498,
after he was allowed into the Mombasa harbor. Malindi became the Portuguese
base on the East African coast and remained so for over 100yrs. Only
after the fort Jesus was completed did the Portuguese leave Malindi.
The friendliness and a welcoming altitude among other is a charm that
cannot be rivaled any other tourist destination the world over.
Places of interest
- Beaches
Malindi has 155 kilometers of coastline with idyllic silver beaches
fringed with swaying palm trees, Casuarinas and frangipani. The beaches
are extensive and provide panoramic views of the ocean. The beaches
are a paradise of sun and sand and protected from the sea marauders
by wall of fringing reef.
- Malindi and Watamu Marine Park
Its locate 199km from Mombasa city on the Watamu- Malindi coastal
line covering area of 229km². This is a home to a number
of fish species around 600 have been recorded, 110 species of stony
coral and countless invertebrates, crustacean and mulluscs.
- The Gedi ruins
The Gedi ruin is located in the north of Malindi town in the Arabuko
Sokoke forest. The ruins were declared a museum in 1948. The forest
has invaded the place since the town was deserted in the last 3 century.
Baobab and magnificent buttress rooted tree tower over the dim lit
wall and arches.
The display of pottery shards from all over the world from the small
museum is an indication that the town have been actively trading with
the overseas merchants. Yet 5km from the sea and 2km from the creek;
the coastline had probably moved inland over the centaury, so it might
previously have been further away still.
- Arabuko Sokoke
This is the largest indigenous coastal forest in East Africa. At one
time covers hinterland behind the shoreline settlement part of the
ancient forest belt which stretched from Mozambique to Somalia. The
forest covers an area of around 400km².
The wildlife in the forest includes; elephant, Sykes monkey and yellow
baboon. The forest shelters two rare animal species the 35-centimeter-tre-high
Aders or (Zanzibar). Duiker is a tiny shy antelope, usually living
in pair and extra ordinary golden- ramped elephant shrew which have
been adopted by the forest.
- The Kipepeo project
The park is located by the entrance of the Gedi ruin and it’s
the first working farm (Kipepeo). This is a community based project
and helps the residents’ upkeep and contribution to the conservation
of critical natural heritage for future generation. The butterfly is
hunted by the residents in the forest with nets and the female are
placed in plant species that are fed by the caterpillar which encourage
them to lay eggs. The farm gives you a chance to see butterfly
at all stages of development.
THE NORTH
Kenya is really thought of in terms of desert but the north –over
half of the country in area is exclusively arid land, burned out for
more than ten months of the year. Despite being dangerous area in Kenya,
with cattle rustling, ethnical feuding, apart from that the Old Northern
Frontier District remain one of the most exciting and adventurous parts
of Africa for travel. A vast tract of territory, crisscrossed by ancient
migration routes, and still tramped by the nomadic Samburu, Borana,
Rendille, Gabbra, Turkana, and Somalia herders.
The target for most travelers is the wonderful jade splash of Lake
Turkana, very remote in feel and highly unpredictable in nature.
Places of interest:
- Lake Turkana
- Sibiloi National Park
- Sibiloi National park and The Koobi Flora museum
- Central Island national Park
- South island National Park
- Maralal
Lake Turkana
The lake was discovered in 1888 by the Austrian Teleki and Von Hohnel.
From Ethiopia border the lake starches 250km south down through Kenyan
arid lands, bisecting the rocky desert like a turquoise sickle. This
is the biggest permanent desert lake in the world, with the shoreline
bigger than the Kenyan coast line. It’s hemmed in by sandy
waste and black and brown volcanic ranges and the lake scene changes
constantly. The water, glassy, milky blue one minute, can become
slate- grey and choppy or glaring emerald green, sometimes even jade.
Wildlife- This mammoth inland sea fed the headwaters of the
Nile which accounts for the presence of the enormous Nile perch and African
biggest population of Nile crocodile between 10000 and 22000 of them. There
is profusion of birdlife, too including the European migrants seen most spectacularly
on their way home between March and May, and hippos widely hunted and starved
from many of their former lake shore haunts through luck of grazing still manage
to hang on in fairly large numbers.
Central Island National Park
This is one of the two island national park on the lake. This is a
unique triple volcano pocking gauntly out of water. The island just
covers five squire kilometer most of which is covered by two crater
lakes. One of the lakes is the only known habitat of ancient species
of tilapia. The island is the nesting place for the big colonies of
water birds, crocodile breeds in the largest concentration in Africa.
Sibiloi National Park and Koobi Flora Museum
The national park provides a powerful temptation to go further north,
even for jumping ship if you are up to Lake Turkana by safari tour. The park
is more than 600km² of rocky desert and arid bush, is an exceptional
source because of the many fossils are found on the surface, Blown clean by
the nerve ending wind.
Sibiloi was create to protect the site of numerous remarkable
hominids fossils find that have been made since 1968 by Richard Leakey’s
and latterly by Kamoya Kimeu’s, team from University of Nairobi.
Sibiloi was declared a national park in 1973, a year later after the
discovery of “1470” the skull of a Homo Habilis over 2million
years old believed to be a direct ancestor of the modern Homo Sapience.
More and more discoveries have been made hear and currently there are
more than 200 discoveries.
Koobi Flora is a national museum in the park where some of the fossils
are displayed, including a one and a half million years old elephant
skull. Sibiloi has a wealth of wildlife though is not guaranteed you
will see much. Animals includes; elephant, lion, cheetah, hyena, burchell’s
and gravy’s zebra, giraffe, ostrich, giants gazelle, topi, kudu,
and gerenuk all occur here hippos and crocodile are numerous.
Maralal
Before the British administrators had made this their district capital,
Maralal have been a spiritual focused for the Samburu people and despite
some dithering the colonial administration didn’t accede to settler
demand. This is the place where you can get to know the Samburu community.
This is the last place to change money and fuel car as you are heading
to the north.
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