National Parks of Kenya
Author: Content AdminDate: Fri Jan,2024
National parks and game reserves in Kenya rate among the best in Africa. The wildlife, marine species, landscapes, and activities in these protected areas make going on a safari one of the best Kenyan experiences. If you’re looking for an enduring memory from your safari, make sure to visit one of the following top national parks and reserves.
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is one of the few game parks in the world, that’s literally inside a city. Situated less than 20 minutes from the city center, it’s an ideal place to get your first safari experience and a feel of what Kenya has in store.
It’s also a great park to visit for travelers who do not have time to explore other parks like the Masai Mara, Tsavo, and Samburu. In the park, you can expect to see wild animals like lions, giraffes, buffalos, white rhinos, and zebras.
Besides wildlife, there are other attractions in the park, like the ivory burning site, picnic, and camping sites.
Amboseli National Park
There is possibly no better safari experience in Kenya than watching elephants at the Amboseli National Park.
This scene is made more appealing by the view of Africa’s highest Mountain, Kilimanjaro, which lurks in the background. Amboseli is located about 4 hours away and makes for a great day trip outside Nairobi City.
Hells Gate National Park
It’s one thing to watch wildlife from the safety of your safari van, quite another to do so on a bicycle or foot. Hell’s Gate National Park may not be home to predators, but watching other wild animals like giraffes in close range is certainly experiential.
The park also has beautiful landscapes like steep rock cliffs, canyons, and gorges.
Besides rock climbing and exploring rock outcrops, Hell’s Gate National Park is a chance to cycle or walk through wildlife areas.
Bikes are available for a small fee at the parks, and travelers can hire a local guide for a better experience.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National park is one of the best parks to visit in Kenya. Game drives and animal viewing at the park are possible throughout the year. You can expect to see black and white rhinos, tree-climbing lions, and gazelles, among other wild animals.
Other activities include bird watching, camping, picnic, and lake viewing from Baboon Cliff and Lion Hill.
Tsavo East National Park
Tsavo National Park is the Largest Park in Kenya. The park is divided into two – Tsavo East and Tsavo West, separated by the Nairobi-Mombasa Road and railway.
Tsavo East National Park is located about 232 kilometers south of Nairobi, and it’s the most popular of the two among tourists.
Some of the attractions in the park include wildlife, striking landscapes, and natural features. Travelers can expect to spot herds of elephants, see the Mudanda rock, chase the Lugard falls and explore the Yatta Plateau.
Masai Mara National Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is probably Kenya’s most famous tourist destination. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grassland.
Consequently, wildlife tends to concentrate most on the reserve’s western escarpment. However, the eastern side is closest to Nairobi and easier to access by visitors.
The Great Migration starts in July each year when thousands of wildebeests and large numbers of gazelles and zebras migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to fresh pastures on the Kenyan side.
Masai Mara is the ideal safari destination for first-timers in Kenya because it has a little bit of everything, including wildlife, plenty of accommodation options, and activities like sunrise balloon flights.
Samburu National Reserve
Just a short hop from Nairobi, yet a world away in every other respect, is the Samburu National Reserve. Although less visited, the reserve is strong in luxury accommodation in a wild setting.
Along with Buffalo Springs and Shaba, it forms a continuous park separated only by the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Together, these reserves provide an opportunity to view five wildlife species found almost nowhere else in Kenya: the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, the Beisa oryx, gerenuk, and Grevy’s zebra.
Tourist activities include game drives, bird watching, bush breakfast, nature walks, and the Samburu cultural experience.
Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park
Hiding like a secret jewel off the south coast of Kenya is the Magical Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park. The park is about 6 kilometers off Shimoni, south of Wasini island, near the Tanzanian border.
The marine area comprises four small islands surrounded by coral reefs. Coral platforms around the raised central portion are exposed at low tide.
Also, the surrounding waters have well-developed coral gardens and a large variety of fish.
Due to the presence of coral reefs, the park is a popular destination for watersport activities like snorkeling, sailing, diving, and swimming.
Meru National Park
Although less visited than Nairobi and Masai Mara, Meru National Park is a pristine park located in the Mt. Kenya region. This park is home to rhinos, lions, cheetahs, and elephants, among other wild animals.
Also, it was once the home of Joy and George Adamson, of ‘Born Free’ fame.
Besides wildlife, visitors can expect beautiful landscapes like hills, forests, and natural streams.
Malindi Marine National Park & Reserve
Malindi Marine Park and Reserve is located near Malindi town and extends to Mida creek in Watamu. It’s enveloped by a national reserve and a strip of coastal land starting from the Vasco-da-Gama pillar to Watamu.
The park has magnificent resources such as fringing reefs, coral, sea grass, mangroves, mudflats, high fish diversity, marine mammals, and turtles.
The fringing reef is close to shore and exposed during low tide but drops gradually to a seagrass bed that descends precipitously to the deep Barracuda Channel.
North Reef has developed offshore and is the main tourist center. Visitors flock to the park all year round for water sports like surfing, diving, and snorkeling.
