Maasai Mara National Reserve is the most famous and most visited wild reserve in Kenya. Since it is protected as a reserve and not as a national park, Maasai Mara National Reserve is not managed by Kenya Wildlife Service but by the local authorities, namely District Councils.
The protection of this area, among other factors, favored re-population of the territory by the Maasai tribes, who by virtue of the reserve status were put in charge of the reserve’s management through the District Councils.
Maasai Mara National Reserve offers breathtaking views, an extraordinary density of animals including the “Big Five” and a variety of plains game.
Gazetted in 1961, it is located west of the Great Rift Valley and is a natural extension of the Serengeti plains of Tanzania.
The Mara river traverses north to south heading westbound into lake Victoria, through the Tanzanian park. In the hills and plains, grasslands are scattered with acacia woods and bush.
The riverbanks of the Mara and of the multiple tributary streams are bordered by dense riverine forests. Maasai Mara National Reserve location and altitude, above 1,500 m, yield a climate which is milder and damper than in other regions.
Species. The list of mammals includes elephants, leopards, Black Rhinos, buffaloes, plains zebras, roan antelopes in small numbers, white-bearded gnu, Oribis, warthogs, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, hartebeests and the big cats.
The rivers are home to hippos and crocodiles. Maasai Mara National Reserve has the largest population of lions.
There are 450 bird species, including red-winged Schalow’s turaco, white-tipped crests, ross turacos, orange buff pel’s fishing owl, wary guinea fowls.
The open plains birds include Jackson’s bustard and the black-bellied Hartlaub’s bustard. 53 species of birds of prey have been recorded. Secretary birds are common.
Maasai Mara national park
Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya
Activities. From July to October, Maasai Mara is at its peak, with the seasonal visitors populating the vast grasslands for a very good experience of game drives.
Amboseli National Park Tour Kenya Wildlife Safari
Amboseli National Park lies immediately North West of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. Amboseli National Park was established as a reserve in 1968 and gazetted as a National Park in 1974. The Park covers 392 km and forms part of the much larger 3,000 Kms Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular tourist destination.
Amboseli National Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats: open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland. The Amboseli territory belongs to the Maasai people. Despite the first impression of dusty and arid land, actually Amboseli is overflowing with water all year-round, but under the ground. The Snows of Kilimanjaro melt and flow downhill, soaking the porous subsoil layers of volcanic rocks. Waters converge into various underground streams, that rise in two clear water springs in the center of the park.
Species to see in Amboseli National Park.
Many species of mammals are recorded in Amboseli, like buffaloes, lions, cheetahs, gazelles, wildebeest, hyenas, jackals, warthogs, Masai giraffes, zebras and baboons. In the swamps of Enkongo Narok and Olokenya, there is a large herd of elephants.
Activities to do in Amboseli National Park.
Amboseli National Park is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty, the landscape dominated by Mt. Kilimanjaro. The park has five gates, Kelunyiet, lremito, Ilmeshanan, Kitirua, and Airstrip. At the western part rises the Observation Hill, the only height in the park, a smooth hill to be climbed on foot that displays a magnificent view of the whole park and beyond. Southward, the layers of volcanic rocks expelled by Kilimanjaro some hundreds of years back rise to the surface, giving the landscape a lunar aspect.
Samburu National Reserve Kenya
Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs and Shaba are the most remote and inaccessible among the popular reserves located in Northern Kenya along the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro river. Shaba, the less visited of the three, is also the largest, with a total extension of 239 km. Samburu national reserve and Buffalo Springs are similar in surface area, 165 km and 128 km respectively.
The area has been traditionally inhabited by the Samburu people, a nomad paranilotic tribe closely related to the Maasai. The dusty plains are broken by smooth hills, outstanding the Koitogorr uplift in Samburu national reserve (1,245 m) and, lying far beyond, the flat head of the reddish Ol Olokwe mountain.
The extreme heat, in spite of the altitude above 1,000 m, and the landscape desolation, are ingredients of the less hospitable Africa. Beyond Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo Springs, the river heads on licking Shaba’s north border. This place takes its name from a volcanic cone that rises upon the plain.
Species to see in Samburu National Reserve:
Samburu National Reserve is famous for hosting some rare species which cannot be found elsewhere in Kenya. Among them are long-necked gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, elephants, crocodiles, gazelles, reticulated giraffes, and Beisa Oryx. The leopard is a frequent passer-by.
Activities done in Samburu National Reserve:
The bulk of wildlife gathers around the scarce wet areas, mainly the forested banks of the Ewaso Nyiro, which brings the Aberdare water. and the crystal clear Buffalo Springs, at the eastern side of this reserve, formed by the rise of underground streams coming from Mount Kenya.
Lake Nakuru National Park Kenya
Lake Nakuru nattional park is a very strong alkaline lake 62 km in extent. Since its gazetting in 1968 as a national park, both authorities and conservation organizations have kept on winning the battle to private property and human settlings, further broadening the park limits in 1968 and 1974 to its current extension of 188 km.
The Lake Nakuru National Park is easily accessible, since Nakuru is the fourth city in the country and the head town of the Rift Valley.
The Lake Nakuru National Park covers the lake and a land strip around the northern, eastern and western shores, whereas southward the grounds extend farther to Makalia Falls, which define the south limit.
The shores are surrounded by swamps, that during the driest seasons disappear to give rise to huge white salt crusts. The riverine forest opens up southward in a bush and acacia tree savannah.
Species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park.
Lake Nakuru National Park is a fantastic bird sanctuary as its shores are populated at times by more than one million flamingoes. There are 450 bird species recorded.
The famous ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson defined it as “the greatest bird spectacle on earth“. It is also home for 56 species of mammals, including carnivores such as lions and leopards, then buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks, Thompson’s gazelle.
In 1987 Lake Nakuru National Park was declared a sanctuary for the protection of the endangered Rhinos, allowing the re-introduction of specimens of both species, black and white.
Here the visitor can easily find two of the five rhino species surviving in the world. About 550 different plant species are recorded including the unique and biggest euphorbia forest in Africa.
Activities to do in lake Nakuru National Park. Game drives are organized and view-points are Lion hill, Baboon cliff, and Out of Africa. Visit Makalia waterfalls.
Mount Kenya National Park
Mountain Kenya located in Mount Kenya National Park is an imposing extinct volcano dominating the landscape of the Kenyan Central Highlands, east of the Rift.
Mount Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The mountain has two main snow-covered peaks, Batian (5199m) 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.
Mount 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 sq. km.
Surrounding the park is Mount Kenya National Reserve with an area of approximately 2.095 km.
Species to See in Mount Kenya National Park.
The park includes a variety of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo, alpine moorlands, glaciers, tarns, and glacial moraines.
Mammals include elephants, buffalos, rhinos and waterbucks. Mount Kenya is home to some fascinating high-altitude alpine vegetation including giant groundsels and lobelias.
In the lower-altitude forest zone, trekkers may come across some rather large African wildlife tour such as elephants and buffaloes, lions, leopards, rock hyrax, various antelope species occur in the park.
Wildlife in the Mount Kenya National Park
The national park includes mountain Kenya which is basically a forest reserve where animals reside. These animals include; Elephants, Tree hyrax, Mongoose, Mole rats, Bushbucks, Waterbucks, Duikers, Buffaloes, Black rhinos, Leopards and many other plant-loving animals.
Mount Kenya has montane Avifauna which definitely attracts birds to this national park. The birds found in this park include the following; Mountain Buzzard, Violet-backed Starling, Olive Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon and Oriole Finch, Meyer’s Parrots, African Green Pigeon, Black-and-white Mannikin and Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-fronted Parrot, Jackson’s Francolin, Moorland Chat, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Montane White-eye, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Hunter’s Cisticola, Moorland Francolin and many other birds.
Activities to do in Mount Kenya National Park.
Mountain climbing, trekking and game viewing. There are at least seven routes up the mountain. The easiest is the Naro Moru (four days), then the Sirimon and Chogoria, and the Summit Circuit path.
Point Lenana (4.895m), the third peak, is easily accessible by all trekkers. The full trekking can last one week up to 10 days Kenya Safari.
The best period for climbing is from mid-January to February and from late August to September, when the season is dry.
Game drive
This activity is mandatory while at the national park. Whether it is an early morning game drive or an evening game drive, you are guaranteed that you will be able to see a variety of animals such as Elephants, Buffalos, antelopes, Mangoose as well as other fascinating animals
Hiking up mountain Kenya
A climb to the top of the Mountain Kenya will give the tourists a breath-taking moment. You will be able to see glaciers, Lakes, birds as well as a variety of animals and plants. The challenge is worth undergoing and extremely fascinating.
Shipton’s caves and camping
On the Mountain, there is a point where one can camp in the beauty of the Mountains as well as visit the caves near the camping site. This is truly a serene point to experience the park.
Bird watching
The fact that the park has a variety of birds, it makes it the perfect birders paradise. The birds can be seen on lakes as well as slopes of the mountain.
Mount Kenya national park Kenya
Accommodation in Mount Kenya national park
While visiting this peaceful place, your stay will be catered for at the following lodges; Hotel Fairmount Mount Kenya safari club, Naro Muro river lodge, Serena mountain lodge, Shipton’s Mountain hut, Old Moses mountain hut, Mackinder’s campsite, Sirimon cottage and many other lodges