AREA- 188 Sq KM
Size of lake- 50 Km 2
DEPTH- 3M
Distance from Nairobi - 160Km (2hrs by road), (30min flight).

Lake Nakuru is a shallow alkaline lake in the Great Rift Valley. The park was created in 1960 as a bird life sanctuary. It is a beacon for leading Ornithologists, scientists and researchers for its 450 bird’s species and about 30 white rhinos.
It is in this park, where the biggest forest of yellow acacia and giant Euphorbia trees can be seen.
Interestingly the rare and endangered Rothschild giraffe species does very well in this park having been relocated from soy plains of Eldoret from 1974.

The greatest attraction however is the presence of over one and a half million greater and lesser flamingoes that paints the Lake pink. The abundance in the blue green algae in the lake forms the primary food source for the flamingoes.
Visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of the lake from the Baboon cliffs, the highest point in the park. Other animals to be seen are- large herds of buffaloes, Defassa Waterbucks, Impalas, Grants and Thompson gazelles, Lions, Baboons, Cheetahs, Elands, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, Black and White Colubus Monkey, Common Zebra, Genet e.t.c, Game viewing is relatively easy.
Accommodation- includes, two lodges, Kenya wildlife services guest house, five campsites, self-held bandas and two picnic sites.

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

AREA- 392 Sq 2 km
Distance from Nairobi-250 km (3hrs by road), (30 min flight)
Altitude- 1,400M

Amboseli is beautiful and is considered as Kenya’s biosphere reserve. Amboseli in Masai means –‘place of water'. It lies at the foot Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895m high) and Africa’s highest mountain. It is in Amboseli where you can get the best sighting of the Mountain with its snow-capped peak, usually at sunrise and sunset.
The park has an endless supply of water, which is filtered through thousands of metres of volcanic rock from Mt. Kilimanjaro. During the dry seasons a captivating feature is the simmering dry Lakebed where false mirages of populated horizons interspersed with herds of Zebras and gnus hover in front of the visitors. Animals concentrate around the waterbeds during the dry season enabling an easy Game viewing.
Amboseli boasts vast herds of elephants in their hundreds, zebras, Wildebeest, Masai Giraffe, Impalas, Cheetahs and Leopard as the main attraction. Bird life includes the African fish Eagle, Pelicans, Bee Eaters, Ostriches, King fishers Martial Eagles and pygmy Falcons.
Among the reptiles seen here are Python, Black mamba, Cobra and Tortoise.
A visit to the Masai cultural village enables visitors to meet with nomadic, richly decorated warriors who are deeply steeped in their culture. Accommodation includes- two campsites and five lodges. Mt. Kilimanjaro forms the backdrop of this game sanctuary.

MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

AREA-1510 Sq Km
Distance from Nairobi – 310 Km (6hrs by road/ 45 mins. by air)
The word Mara means spotted! Masai Mara game reserve is arguably the best most beautiful and popular game sanctuary in Kenya. It is most famous for hosting all of the big five and having varieties of animals in abundance.

The Mara is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem to the south and the topography is similar. A spectacle worth seeing is the annual migration of millions of Wildebeests, Zebras and Gazelles from the Serengeti plains across the Tanzania border and the Mara River to reach Masai Mara grazing fields in late June. The migration returns to Serengeti in October. The dramatic crossing of the river and the preying on the Migrants by predators can be viewed from early July to August.

The game reserve abounds with bird life since close to 550 species have been recorded. A visit to the Masai village is an unforgotten experience where you can learn about their culture and be in reality with their day-to-day lives.
Hot Air Balloon Safaris are readily available. This is a 1-hour early morning ride that will enable you to spot the game over the reserve with a Champagne breakfast especially reserved for you in the wilderness upon landing.
Wildlife spotted in the Mara includes: - Wildebeest, Lions, Buffaloes, Giraffe, Zebra, Hippo's, Topi, Heartbeast, Jackals, Hyenas, Cheetah, Leopards, Elephants, Rhino, Warthogs, Baboons e.t.c.
Accommodation is plentiful in the Mara and range from five stars lodges to luxury tented camps.

SAMBURU , SHABA ,
BUFFALO SPRINGS RESERVES

AREA- 833 Sq Km (For the three Reserves)
Distance from Nairobi - 340 km (5hrs by road), (1hour flight).

These National Reserves are to the North of the Equator. The area is arid and hot hence most animals are seen concentrated along Riverbanks and water springs.
The highlight of these reserves are; spectacular scenic beauty, rivers, forests and the colorful Samburu and Borana communities with a rich cultural heritage.
The sanctuary has numerous permanent springs and a wealth of wildlife of which some are rare in the other parks. This includes Grevy's Zebra, Long Necked Generuk, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Vulturine guinea fowls, Somali Ostrich and Bongo's.
Hippos and Crocodiles are found in abundance in the Engare Uaso River. Other wildlife is Lions, Cheetahs, Leopards, huge herds of Elephants and beautiful species of Birdlife.
The Shaba National Reserve is home to the Monument Joy and George Adamson conservationists and authors of the now famous ‘Born Free' Film.
Accommodation in these reserves includes five lodges and several campsites.

ABERDARE N. PARK/ MT. KENYA NATIONAL PARK

AREA – 1480 Sq Km (combined)
Distance from Nairobi 200Km (2½hrs by road), (45 min flight).
Altitude – 3,400 M- 5,200 M
These National parks are part of the most fascinating Sanctuaries in terms of scenic splendor and the great Variety of wildlife found here.
Mount Kenya N. park is particularly famous for Mt. Kenya standing at 5199m batian peak the 2nd highest mountains in Africa. It offers excellent mountain climbing and sceneries. Moorlands, glaciers, tarns and peaks can be explored with the help of a guide. There are also mineral springs and plenty of bird-life. Animals found here are Buffaloes, Elephants, Bushbucks, Waterbucks, Bongos, Rock hyrax and tree hyrax among others. According to the local folk role. Kenya owes its very name to this mountain.

Aberdare ranges stands at 3995m (Satima peak) and is one of the most important water catchments areas. Its thick indigenous forests constitute a variation of flora and fauna, a belt of bamboo merges with smaller trees like cedar, oak, podo figs e.t.c. The aberdares is home to a variety of mammals; Colobus/ Sykes/ vervet monkeys, baboons, forest hogs, genet cats, elephants, Buffaloes, Waterbucks among others.
Accommodation in these parks is in form of “TREE HOTELS” these are hotels with raised balconies facing magnificent waterholes where animals visit for water and salt lick.
These include the mountain lodge, the Ark and Treetops. There are also self-help Bandas, public campsites and picnic sites.

TSAVO EAST/TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARKS

AREA – 20,800 Sq Km (combined)
Altitudes – 300 – 600 M A S L
Distance from Nairobi – 250 Km (3hrs by road)
Distance from Mombasa – 240 Km (31/ 2 hrs by road), (45 min flight)
Tsavo National Park, national park in Kenya, established in 1948. It lies between Nairobi and the coast. The Nairobi-Mombasa railway and road divide the park: Tsavo West (7,800 sq km/3,000 sq mi) and Tsavo East (13,000 sq km/5,000 sq mi). Tsavo park ining thousands of elephants, and large numbers of other animals including buffaloes, gazelles, giraffes, hippopotamuses, impalas, leopards, lions, black rhinoceroses, and warthogs. The park has more elephants and black rhinoceroses than any other part of Africa. There are large numbers of birds and other small animals.

The park lies on a high plain, varying between 300 m and 600 m (1,000 ft and 2,000 ft) above sea level. Most of the land is savanna, with scattered trees, but part is forest. Four rivers run through the park, but two of them are seasonal .rainfall varies from 400 mm (16 in) in the savanna to 2,000 mm (80 in) in the forest region. However, rainfall can be erratic and the park has been hit by droughts, causing loss of animal life. It is the unreliable rainfall, plus the presence of tsetse fly, that makes cattle rearing impossible, and that led to Tsavo being set aside as a national park. The park is unfenced, and animals move in and out as they please.
It has fascinating and awe inspiring landscape, which is an evidence of volcanic activities that happened less than 300 years ago. The Volcanic lava flow of ‘shetani and chaimu' can be viewed clearly from this park. The longest flow being the yatta plateau.
The sanctuary is one of the Worlds leading biodiversity areas, with sub stream rivers flowing underground from Mt. Kilimanjaro through volcanic rocks to form the Mzima Springs. The spring has crystal clear water and is home to hundreds of hippo's and crocodiles. It has an underground observatory; it is also the source of water for Mombasa. One of the outstanding features is the huge population of Elephants, which derive their colour from the rich red earth of the park.
The Marauding Lions of tsavo have been immortalized as the ‘Man Eaters of Tsavo'. This is because they used to attack and kill Engineers and their crew who were constructing the Kenya- Uganda railway.
The park has well over 500 bird species which includes Ostrich, buzzards, Rollers and the migratory Kestrel. Wildlife to be seen, includes:- Buffaloes, rhinos, Lions, Leopards, Hyena, Kudus (greater/lesser), gerenuks, zebra, waterbucks, hart beast and the hirola antelope that has been Trans located to Tsavo East.
Ngulia area has a Rhino sanctuary set up to protect the Rhinos from poachers. The sanctuary now hosts close to 50 Rhinos, Caves and geological formations of the ‘Roaring Rocks' is another feature worth seeing.
Accommodation in the Tsavo is available in three game Lodges; four tented camps, three public campsites, three self-service bandas and public campsites. Outside Tsavo West, there is a private game sanctuary in which are located the luxurious Taita hill and salt lick lodges.

NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK.

AREA 117 Sq Km
Distance from city: 8Km (15mins by road)
Nairobi National Park is the closest park from Nairobi, a big cosmopolitan city. It is the oldest of Kenya’s National Parks gazetted in 1946. It is a glorious stretch of savannah that is set against the dramatic skyline of Nairobi and hence becomes the only Natural game protection area in the world that is closest to a city. Over a hundred species of mammals mainly plains game have been recorded in this park.

It is in this park where the biggest animal orphanage is located, caring for injured and orphaned animals from any part of the country; the animals are then released back into the Wild when they fully recover.
The park is ideal for ornithological safaris as it hosts 400 species of birdlife. A safari walk is very popular as it enables visitors to be in touch with nature a breath away from the city.
Accommodation is available in all classes of hotels in the City picnic sites and campsites are several inside the park.

SHIMBA HILLS NATIONAL RESERVE.

AREA-300 sq km
Distance from Mombasa- 56 Km (45mins by road)
Altitude – 1,400 ft A.S.L
The Shimba hills National Reserve is to the south of Mombasa (Diani). It is an enchanting coastal rain forest, rolling grasslands and scrubland with a cool breeze blowing from the Indian Ocean. This park is home to the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe (newly introduced), sable antelope (only found here) and several species of primates.
The reserve is one of the few along the Eastern coastline where the remnants of a tropical rain forest still exist. It is in this reserve that the ‘MVULE' tree; one of the African hardwoods is still preserved. Other species of trees are the coconut palm, cyardfern, orchids and mangoes.
The birdlife in Shimba hills constitutes some of the rarest species: - the golden Oriole, black tailed bustard, Madagascar Night heron have been spotted. A popular spot is the sheldrick falls 25meters high which is a vantage point for wildlife viewing. Accommodation in the reserve is the 67 bed Shimba hills lodge the only tree hotel on Kenyan coast, all rooms overlook the waterhole.