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East Africa Game Parks, Kenya National
Parks, Tanzania National Parks
KAKAMEGA FOREST RESERVE
Kakamega Forest is a superb slab of
virgin tropical rainforest the heart of an intensely cultivated
agricultural area. It is the home to a huge variety of birds and
animals and it is real a must see. Here you will find exotic species
like the rare De Brazza’s monkey, other forest primates include
the red-tailed monkey the colobus and blue monkey. In the night
you will see the hammer-headed fruit bat or a flying squirrel. The
biggest attraction to this reserve is the abundant bird life the
best months being June, August and October when many migrant species
arrive. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded, you are
most likely to see black and white casqued horn bill, Ross’s
Turaco, greater Turaco. Wild flowers and butterflies are wonderful
in October.
This is an excellent place for walking,
trails are the best way to appreciate the forest and there are established
trails. Places to stay in Kakamega include the Rondo Retread, which
was opened recently to visitors, 3km from the main road. This is
a church group owned place and they mainly use it for their missionaries
in the initial stages but now it has become popular and it is a
wonderful top end accommodation in self-contained bungalows. The
gardens are very beautiful just the place to go for solitude away
from it all.
There are also some bandas operated
by KWS and a campsite at Buyangu or one could hope to stay in town
hotels.
LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
Lake Nakuru National Park lies in
the heart of Rift Valley. The Park was gazetted in 1967 as the first
bird sanctuary in Africa. Lake Nakuru has been described as a “bird
watchers’ paradise”, and is acknowledged to be the greatest
ornithological spectacle on earth. Millions of flamingoes flock
here throughout the year and transform the shores of the lake to
a pink ‘carpet’ over 300,000 birds can be seen at one
sighting. Besides the flamingoes, Lake Nakuru National Park provides
habitat for over 400 bird species.
Lake Nakuru National Park, which surrounds
the Lake, was established to protect the colony of Flamingoes as
well as to provide a sanctuary for such endangered species as the
White Rhino and the Rothschild Giraffe. The animals have been placed
behind an electrical fence for their safety and surveillance. The
Park abounds with other wildlife, notably; Buffalos, Hippos, Giraffes,
Zebras, Primates, and many species of Antelope.
SAMBURU AND SHABA
NATIONAL RESERVES
Samburu
and Shaba National Reserves, situated in the sparsely populated
semi-desert region of Kenya,
form one of the most interesting game viewing areas in the country.
Samburu National Reserve adjoins the Buffalo Springs National Reserve
in the South and Shaba National Reserve to the East. The Game Reserve
is traversed by the gentle Ewaso Nyiro river, which meanders, slowly
between numerous acacia trees, providing life support to the dry-land
animals and a home to many crocodiles and Hippos. The two National
Reserves are the exclusive home of some unique wildlife that include
the reticulated Giraffe, the Gravy’s Zebra and the Beisa Oryx. It
is only in these game sanctuaries that you will find the graceful
Gerenuk (sometimes called Giraffe Gazelle), a long-necked Gazelle
that stands on its hind legs to nibble on high bushes leaves, and
the rare blue-necked Somali Ostrich.
Other animals
commonly seen in Samburu and Shaba National Reserves include the
Leopard, Cheetah, Elephant, Eland and a small number of lions. There
are over 100 species of birds. Large flocks of Guinea fowls are
a common sight. Shaba was the home of Joy Adamson, the world-renowned
author, conservationist and artist, together with her lioness Elsa.
In Samburu National Reserve lives Larsen, the strange lioness who
has, completely out of character, attempted several times to adopt
antelope babies.
LAKE BOGORIA AND LAKE BARINGO NATIONAL
RESERVES
About 125 km North of Nakuru town
lies Lake Bogoria, one of the most beautiful and
spectacular of the Rift Valley lakes. It is a shallow soda lake
and one ideal for the production of blue-green algae, the stable
food for the flamingoes migrate to this lake from Lake Nakuru and elsewhere for breeding.
But perhaps
more interesting is the breath-taking view of stem jets with boiling
geysers which bubble out of natural underground rock. It is a geological
wonder one cannot afford to miss. These springs are hot enough to
boil an egg within minutes!
About 50km
in the North is Lake Baringo, a fresh water lake without a
surface outlet. Lake Baringo has over 400 bird species. Boat
rides past schools of Hippo and a visit to islands on the Lake
are popular activities.
MOUNT KENYA AND THE ABERDARES
NATIONAL PARKS
Mount Kenya
(5,199m) is the second highest mountain in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mount Kenya National Park was established in 1949 to protect the
mountain forests and bamboo thickets with their varied wildlife,
the alpine moorlands, and the glaciers. The park includes all the
mountains area above the tree line. Mount Kenya National Park offers
game viewing, mountain climbing, and beautiful scenery with interesting
variations of flora and fauna at different altitudes. Wildlife found
in this Game Park include Buffalos, Elephants, Rhinos, Leopards,
Primates and many species of Antelope,. Sightings of albino Zebras
have been recorded in this sanctuary.
One interesting
establishment close but outside the Game
Park is the world renowned Mount
Kenya Safari Club whose attractions include a game breeding ranch
and the William Holden wildlife Education center. About 95 km to
the west of Mount to the West of Mount Kenya lies the Aberdares National Park. The park was set up for the protection and preservation
of the indigenous forests as a water catchments area, the prolific
wildlife, the moorlands, and for mountain climbing adventures.
The most
common wildlife in Aberdares National Park include the Elephant,
Buffalo, Leopard, Giant Forest Hog, Spotted Hyena, Eland, and Bush
Duiker. The rare and beautiful forest antelope, the Bongo, inhabits
the higher bamboo zone.
The most
common wildlife in Aberdares National Park includes the Elephant, Buffalo, leopard, Giant Forest Hog, Spotted Hyena, Eland, and Bush
Duiker. The rare and beautiful forest antelope, the Bongo, inhabits
the higher zone.
The Aberdares’
two famous lodges-The Ark and the Treetops- are specifically designed
to enable the residents view the animals after dark, both offer
floodlit saltlick and ponds that can be observed from some secure
areas in the lodges. It was while a guest at the Treetops that Queen
Elizabeth 11 of England ascended to the British throne. It is also
at the nearby town of Nyeri that lie the remains of Lord Baden Powell,
the founder of the boys Scouts movement.
MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Masai Mara
National Reserve is undisputed the richest and most popular game
sanctuary in Kenya. It is widely believed
to be the greatest concentration of wildlife in the world. There
is a profusion of all types of game in Masai Mara. There are large
herds of Elephants, Buffalos, Zebras and Giraffes. Also found in
great numbers are cheetahs, Hyenas, Warthogs, Primates and many
species of Antelope. The Game Reserve is particularly known for
having a large population of the black manned lions. Luck is however
essential for spotting the shy and elusive leopard and hostile rhino.
Masai Mara also abounds with birdlife; about 450 odd species have
been recorded.
A spectacle
to behold is the annual migration and the crossing of the Mara river
by over one million wildebeests together with approximately 200,000
Zebras and large Antelopes. This dramatic event takes place during
the months of July and August. The animals, with unshakable resolve
to reach the sweet grass across, plunge into the swollen river to
face a flotilla of crocodiles. It is unique and memorable experience.
Some have described it as one of the most awe-inspiring sights on
earth. Accommodation facilities in Masai Mara are plentiful and
range from luxurious 5-star lodges to Spartan tented camps. Hot
air balloon excursions are available in the Game Reserve.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Amboseli National park is one of the
most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Kenya. It is situated close
to Kenya. It is situated close to Kenya- Tanzania border, The Park
lies at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa
(5,896m) whose snow-capped summit presents a splendid view on clear
d ays.
Amboseli National Park is often referred
to as “The home of Elephants’ some of the largest Elephant
herds are found here. The Game Park also contains vast groups of
Zebras, Wildebeests, Giraffes, Buffalos, Hippos and Antelopes. Also
to be found in Amboseli are lions, leopards, Cheetahs, Rhinos and
many species of plain game.
TSAVO EAST AND TSAVO
WEST NATIONAL
PARKS
Tsavo lies
mid-way between Nairobi and Mombasa. Tsavo National Park,
measuring approximately 22,000sq kms, is believed to be the largest
game sanctuary in the world. For administrative purposes, the game
park has been split into Tsavo East National Park contains the Yatta
plateau, one of the world’s largest lava flows, and the lugard Falls,
a favorable haunt for the sunbathing Nile Crocodiles. Outstanding
features in Tsavo West National Park include the 8km long Shetani
(devil) lava flow and the fabulous Mzima springs, an oasis that
has no comparison. Here, a subterranean river of crystal-clear water
from Kilimanjaro melting snow gushes out of the ground. The water
is so clear and cool that you watch teeming tropical fish, hippo
and the crocodile eyeball to eyeball while sitting in the safety
of an underwater glass window observatory. There is also Chyulu
Hills beneath which lies one of the biggest cave system in the world.
The fascinating
physical landscape and its proximity to Kenya’s
coast makes Tsavo a popular safari destination. On account of it’s
size this National Park does not have the traffic experienced in
other game sanctuaries. Tsavo accommodates a huge population of
“red Elephant”-red coming from the rich red earth of the park. Also
of great attraction are the maneless Tsavo lions, descendants from
the infamous “Man Eaters of Tsavo”-lions that wrecked havoc in the
work campus of coolies building the Kenya-Uganda railway at the
beginning of the 20th century. Other animals to be found
in Tsavo include Buffalos, Rhinos, Leopards, Hippos, Zebras, Giraffes,
Primates and Antelopes.
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