The Aberdares National Park is part of the Aberdares mountain ranges; the mountain range slopes on the western side of the wall, adjacent to the Rift Valley, are steep compared to the eastern slopes. The eastern slopes, due to its contour and altitude make it favorable to the wildlife habitat. The Aberdares Mountain ranges peak at a height of 4000 meters above sea level. Aberdares mountain ranges are part of Kenya's well-known mountains. Some others are Mount Kenya, Mount Meru, Mount Longonot, and Mount Elgon. This area was put on the tourist map in 1950 when Princess Elizabeth became Queen of England while she was on safari in the Aberdares.
Amboseli is renowned for its elephant populations and large herds, including some impressively tusked bulls are drawn to a series of large, lush swamplands. Africa’s largest mountain Mt. Kilimanjaro lies just over the border in Tanzania, but the most impressive views of its snow-capped peak are to be found in Amboseli. The early light of dawn turns the mountain a dark hue of purple, and its snows into an ethereal pink.
The sight of Kilimanjaro high above herds of elephant crossing the plains of Amboseli is a timeless African image.
The National Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland) and covers part of a pleistocene lake basin, now dry. Within this basin is a temporary lake, Lake Amboseli, that floods during years of heavy rainfall.
Kenya's culture is both varied and fragmented. Nowhere else in Africa is there such a large number of ancient cultures, all alive and well in no hurry to change. Kenya is bestowed with well over 40 different tribes with different languages and dialects, customs, beliefs and lifestyles. Unique of all tribes is the Elmolo, Kenya's smallest group which is a surviving tribe just emerging from the stone age standard of living usually described as the race that has stood the test of time.
The well known Maasai , famous for their warriorship, have a strong practical lifestyle which is basically seen to represent Kenya's traditions by foreigners. The Maasai land incorporates many of the National Parks like Amboseli, Mara, Tsavo and Nairobi National Park is now involved in the wildlife conservation projects to encourage eco-tourism.
This enables the Maasai tribe to make a living from conservation and is an important factor in the preservation of wildlife habitats outside the Parks. Visitors can experience a unique holiday leaving about their culture, wildlife and ecosystem of this fascinating tribal people.
Kenya is famous for its game viewing and many operators offer varied ways of experiencing this. There are over 30 parks and reserves in Kenya, all are worthy of a visit, here we have selected just a few of the most popular. Many parks have lodges or tented camps that may be used as bases.
The highest of the Rift Valley lakes, Naivasha lies at about 1880 m.Lake Naivasha's main attraction is the prolific bird life. This lake is also a birdwatchers fantasy. There are over 450 species in the immediate area including the highland escarpments which surround the lake to the south and west. Many species including fish eating birds such as pelicans, herons, storks and kingfishers are resident throughout the year. However if there is one bird which characterises Lake Naivasha, it would have to be the African Fish Eagle.
Lake Naivasha is the focus of activity. There's fishing, a hippo cruise, Crescent Island, a walking safari, sunset cruise, bird walks, air tour, day trips to Elsemere and Hells Gate National Park.
Naivasha has the highest concentration of Fish Eagle in the world. There are also a number of flower farms around the lake.
Kenya's fourth largest town and the capital of the Rift Valley province, Nakuru is a cheerful agricultural town with a great vegetable market. But other than this it is mainly of interest to tourists because of the nearby Lake Nakuru National Park, Menengai Crater and Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site.
Lake Nakuru's birdlife is world renowned: a beacon for leading ornithologists, scientists and wildlife film-makers. Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968.The park spans an attractive range of wooded and bush grassland around the lake offering wide ecological diversity, from lake water, woodland to the rocky escarpments and ridges.
Notable game within the lake includes hippo and clawless otters. On the shores roam waterbuck, Bohor's Reedbuck and zebra. The woodlands and forest are now home to both black and white rhino.
The rare Rothschild's giraffe can be found in this park.
The second largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Victoria geographically dominates the area with its 70,000 sq km surface. The lake occupies a wide depression near the equator, between the East and West Great Rift Valleys, but its drainage basin is relatively small, being slightly less than three times the lake's surface in area.
Three nations share the waters of the lake - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Kenya's share is the smallest (3785 sq km) but there is a busy network of waterways between the trading towns and villages which lie along the shores of the lake.
The lake water is drained at a rate of about 600 m3 sec-1, at Jinja on the northern shore, into the Victoria Nile which flows northward via Lake Albert and the White Nile forming the uppermost reaches of the Nile River. It is the source of River Nile.
The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is one of the new Seventh Wonder of the modern World. The incredible annual migration of over a million Wildebeest from the Serengeti plains to the Mara has been described as being one of the most awe inspiring sights on earth.
The central migratory herds of over 1.3 million wildebeest spend much of the year grazing throughout the plains of the Serengeti. The herds calve in January to March, the young born ready to make their first, epic journey. In June, as the dry season withers the grasslands and a distant scent of moisture brings promise of rain in the north, they begin to gather, massing together to form a single vast herd.
The vast grassland of the Mara plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles.
Mombasa is a place steeped in history, yet at the same time fascinating commercial and cosmopolitan port town. Mombasa is an island connected to the mainland by bridges and ferries. The town over looks a wide harbor, where commercial shipping mingles with traditional sailing dhows.
Kenya's highest mountain, (5,199 m/ 17,058ft) with its snow-capped peaks in stark contrast to the dry grassland all around is a sight to behold. The mountain also straddles the Equator.
Mount Kenya also has a fair splattering of wildlife, particularly on the lower slopes of the mountain. You can expect to see elephant, rhino, buffalo leopard, bushbuck, several species of duiker, giant forest hog, and colobus and Sykes monkeys. There is also prolific birdlife around the mountain, ranging from huge eagles to multicoloued sunbirds.
The lower area makes up the Mt Kenya Forest Reserve and contains the greatest number of species of indigenous trees. Higher up, bamboo dominates
The largest city in East Africa and Kenya's capital, with a population of over 4 million, Nairobi started life as a railway depot in 1899. Today, the city skyline is dominated by modern high rise buildings, and is the headquarters of several United Nations agencies. It is a sophisticated, vibrant city with a mix of races and cultures and provides the visitor with several diverse sightseeing options, ranging from historic sites and museums to golf courses and night life.
Samburu is home to large herds of elephants and elusive leopards. It is also well known for providing the opportunity to see wildlife that only lives in the dry north of Kenya. Your safari wouldn't be complete without seeing a gerenuk - an odd yet distinguished gazelle with a long neck, which stands on its hind legs to feed.
Samburu received international attention when a lioness in January 2002 adopted an oryx calf .
Tsavo is a region of Kenya located at the crossing of the Uganda Railway over the Tsavo River, close to where it meets the Athi River. Tsavo National Park was established on 1st April, 1948 with an area of 21,812 Km2 It is the largest Park in Kenya. In May 1948 Tsavo National Park was divided into East and West for administrative purposes. The two Parks are divided by Nairobi–Mombasa railway /road.
The combined area of Tsavo East and West National Parks makes Tsavo one of the world's largest game sanctuaries. Tsavo is a combination of dramatic escarpment landscapes combined with the raw, untamed flavour of one of Africa's great wilderness areas. It is famous for its large herds of elephant and lions which were nick-named " Man Eaters of Tsavo" during the construction of Kenya-Uganda railway. Mzima Springs, in Tsavo West, is one of the best places to watch crocodiles and hippos.
A Rift Valley lake, located in Northern Kenya, this 320km long lake is the most dramatic of Africa’s lakes. Commonly referred to as the Jade Sea, due to its electric blue-green colour, the lake is surrounded by a spectacular landscape of dry desert and hills, and famous for its Nile Perch. Due to its remoteness, Lake Turkana is strictly for the adventurous tourist
