Accommodation within the Masai Mara National Reserve ranges anywhere from basic stone built lodges, to luxurious permanent tented camps, many in the private concessions owned by the local Maasai tribes who work hand & hand with the tourism operators & allows the tribes to supplement income of what has been for centuries, traditional cattle & goat herding.

Masai Mara National Reserve :
Distance from Nairobi: 275 kms
Size: 1510 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 1950m or 5000 ft.
Accommodation: 4 tented camps , two mid-range lodges
Activities: Game drives in 4 x 4 safari vehicles & guided game walks

The word Amboseli in Maasai translates as ‘ the place of water ‘ & despite the seasonal dry, dusty & parched appearance Amboseli conveys to many visitors, it derives a supply of year round, almost endless underground waters from the snow melt that exudes down from Kilimanjaro, which towers above Amboseli’s sprawling flatlands.

Amboseli is most known for the herds of elephants who have dwelled within its borders since time immemorial. Here, the old bulls, most all of them solitary & somewhat recluse, sport amazing ivory tusks, certainly the largest to be seen in Kenya. Like the Masai Mara, tourism operators & the Kenya Wildlife Community Service work hand in hand to develop sustainable eco-tourism opportunities & attractions where the financial reward flows back to the local community while at the same time, heightens awareness so as to protect the fragile nature of the eco-system.

Game viewing in Amboseli is not confined to elephant herds – there is a wealth of bird life (many varieties of aquatic species such as kingfishers, pelicans, resident & migratory bee-eaters, all manner of raptors including fish eagles, martial eagles, pygmy falcons & the inevitable carrion species of vultures & storks.

Amboseli National Park :
Distance from Nairobi: 135 km
Size: 392 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 1520 –1755 m or 3950 – 4500ft
Accommodation: Offering a wide range of accommodation inside & outside the Park from basic lodges, to upper echelon Camps

Located in the shadow of towering 5460 m mountain peaks & deep V-shaped valleys, cascading waterfalls & verdant areas of forest, Aberdare is definitely for nature lovers & those who appreciate stark contrasting landscapes. From this catchment region, the entire area of Nairobi sources its water. For the lovers of rare species, the bamboo forest is home to the Bongo, an elusive & very shy antelope.

As the landscape rises sharply above the 3900m mark, the bamboo cover gives way to moorlands & with it, the large antelope species, eland can be found. Here too, many smaller predator hunter cats such as the spotted & melanistic serval. These moorlands are somewhat similar to Scottish Highlands & ideal for walkers with a myriad of hiking trails.

Many of Kenya’s larger species of animals abide in the forest regions – elephant, buffalo, the giant forest pig & black rhino. This entire forest region is currently being fenced to protect the animal species & habitat. Monies are collected via the Rhino Ark Trust fund which is building the fence.

Primate species are also in residence with both Black & White Colobus monkeys & Skyes monkeys present. For bird fanciers, it is a feast with over 250 species making the Aberdare National Park their home. Many of the small raptors – goshawks, sparrow hawks & eagles reside as they have such an abundance of prey.

Aberdare National Park :
Distance from Nairobi: 185 kms
Size: 767 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 2730 m – 5460 m or 7000 – 14000 ft
Accommodation: A wide range of accommodation is available – noted are Treetops Lodge & The Ark both provide illuminated Waterholes for night game viewing. In addition, three self-help banda sites & eight special camps.

Lake Narkuru was created as a National Park to protect the stunning flocks of lesser flamingo which, in their thousands upon thousands, turn the shoreline & the shallows bright pink. This special place is a major draw card for ornithologists, wild-life film makers & amateur nature lovers from the world over. It has a wide range of habitat eco-systems, from wooded areas, to bush, grasslands & the lake itself.

The lake attracts its share of mammals, with hippo & clawless otters being most noteworthy. Black & white rhino range within the Park, with the black rhino staging somewhat of a micro-managed comeback after having been reduced down to two in 1987 when poaching was rampant. Here too, reedbuck, zebra, bushbuck & waterbuck are frequently seen. In the more dense regions of the bush steinbok, the graceful eland, impala, dik-dik, rock hyrax & klipspringer reside in the cliffs & more inaccessible terrain. With the antelope species, come the predators – lion & leopard particularly as this is ideal leopard territory.

Lake Nakuru National Park:
Distance from Nairobi: 157 kms
Size: 188 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 1560 – 2250m or 4000 – 5765 feet
Accommodation: Two Lodges, K.W.S Guesthouse, five campsites & a self help banda

Buffalo Springs lays claim to having recorded sightings of in excess of 350 species of birds. The mix of eco-systems ranging from wooded & grassland, riverine forest & wet swamp marshland is excellent to encourage this diversity. Throughout the Reserve game viewing is considered brilliant.

Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, elephant. oryx, somali ostrich, gerenuk, buffalo, lion, cheetah. Leopard & hyena are all fairly common sightings.

Samburu & Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Distance from Nairobi: 343 kms
Size: 104 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 975 m – 1560 m or 2500 – 4000 ft
Accommodation: Three Lodges in Samburu plus a number of mobile camp operator special campsites

Tsavo East is one of Kenya’s oldest & largest National Parks comprising almost 40% of the entire National Park & Reserves combined in the country. The location, stunning landscape & proximity to the beach region make it a haven for visitors as well as a popular safari destination.

Tsavo East is a haunt for photographers, renowned for excellent settings, light & unbelievable vistas, particularly of note being the Mudanda Rock & Yatta Plateau, which is this planets largest surface lava flow. Here too, the Galana River is remarkable for the water worn rock formations, crocodile & elephant. Game viewing is excellent all year round with lion, leopard, waterbuck, kudu, gerenuk, hartebeest & zebra in strong numbers.

In excess of 500 bird species are accredited as having been sighted in the Park including many migratory species who use this region as a staging point on their southward migration such as kestrels & buzzards.

To the north of Tsavo lies South Kitui National Reserve – 1833sq kms dedicated in September 1979 particularly noted for primate species.

Tsavo East National Park :
Distance from Nairobi: 333kms
Size: 11747 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 195 – 1560 m or 500 – 4000 ft
Accommodation: One large 105 bed Lodge & four tented camps with additional campsites & lodges planned.

Tsavo West gained notoriety in the early 1900 when two man-eating lions preyed on the railway linesmen building the great Uganda Railway. The events have been depicted in a major motion picture starring Michael Douglas & Val Kilmer & the carriage from which they pulled a traveler is on display at the Railway Museum in Nairobi.

It is easy to reach Tsavo West, located directly off the main Mombasa – Nairobi highway. Noted for stunning vistas, diverse habitat ranging from mountains, river forest, lakes, grassy plains & woodlands. Its plains border the Southern Serengeti & game viewing is excellent with leopard, cheetah, lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino, giraffe, zebra, hyrax, dik-dik & an abundance of lesser plains game, crocodile. Visitors are also likely to encounter mongoose in abundance as well as perhaps porcupine on spotlighting evening game drives.

Whilst the animal populations are strong, it is also a great region for guided walking as it offers a number of nature trails & the opportunity to explore the Chaimu volcanic crater with a guide. Mzima Springs are an attraction - pools of natural spring waters & underwater viewing ‘hides’ constructed for observing hippo in their natural habitat.

Chyulu Hills National Park is an extension of Tsavo West. Opened in 1983 the Chyulus are a range of volcanic cones & barren lava flows of which, the best known is Shetani, which translates as ‘ devil’ in Swahili language. Game here includes buffalo, zebra, giraffe, oryx, lion leopard & many species of birds.

Tsavo West National Park :
Distance from Nairobi: 240 kms
Size: 9065 sq kms
Altitude above sea level: 195m – 2340 m or 500 - 6000 ft
Accommodation: Three lodges, four tented lodges, three self help bandas