Kenya

Kenya is a leading tourist destination in East Africa with a total of 61 National Parks and Reserves protecting about 8% of Kenya’s land for wildlife conservation. There are many superb parks and reserves to choose from for an unforgettable safari. The areas highlighted below are the most popular among travelers.

Masai Mara is part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem. It has existed as a game conservation area since 1889, when it was part of the large Southern Game Reserve stretching down the Kenya-Tanzania border to the present Amboseli National Park. In 1974 it was confirmed as a Game Reserve and now a National Reserve. During July to September the famous Great Migration makes the Masai Mara its home with hundreds of thousands of wildebeest roaming its plains. The Masai is home to herds of elephant, buffalo, topi, Maasai giraffe, gazelle, zebra, Coke’s hartebeest, cheetah, Spotted hyena, Bat-Eared fox, Black-Backed and Side-Striped jackals, baboons and many others, and has the largest population of lions in the country.

Amboseli National Park offers breathtaking vistas of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 19,340 ft. The snow-capped mountain serves as a dramatic backdrop to the park’s wildlife-rich plains, making it a photographer’s paradise. Visitors to Amboseli always wonder how such a dry country supports such a large concentration of wildlife. The underground water riddle is the answer; water from the snowcapped peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro travels underground to emerge on the plains as springs forming the two swamps which sustain the wildlife and vegetation. Here, elephants can be seen feeding waist deep in water and hippos resting in deep pools. Amboseli supports one of the most varied wildlife species in the country ranging from the small dik dik, black-rhino, giraffe, lion, cheetah, gerenuk and many more.

Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and Shaba National Reserve are located in the northern part of Kenya. These reserves are famous for their great concentration of the rare species found in northern Kenya known as the "Special Five", grevy zebra, beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, blue-necked Somali ostrich and the graceful gerenuk. Other animals commonly seen include elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion, impala, zebra, eland, Grant’s gazelle, Spotted hyena and leopard.

Lake Nakuru National Park is located in the central part of Kenya on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, characterized by woodlands and grasslands. The park is most famous for the colonies of flamingos that live on the shores of the park’s Lake Nakuru. It is a premium game park and known as bird lover’s hub because of the numerous birds that make home in this park. With more than 400 bird species of birds including the lesser and greater flamingos, African Fish Eagle, Slender-Billed greenbul, Long-Tailed widowbird and many more. The park is also a wild game destination for animal lovers and wildlife explorers with over 100 endangered rhino, the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe and another 50+ animal species that include buffalos, waterbucks, lions, impalas, hippo, hyenas other exciting species.

Tsavo National Park is one of the richest biodiverse areas in Africa. Both East and West park sections contain various habitats such as open plains, savanna land and desert scrub, acacia woodlands, rocky ridges and outcrops, hill and riverine vegetation belts covered with palm thickets. This is home to an abundance of wildlife, including the BIG 5 (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo). Other wildlife found in the park includes giraffes, kobs, gazelles, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and African wild dogs. Tsavo National Park is particularly well known for its large herds of elephants and captivating landscapes. Tsavo East has a good range of unusual antelopes. This is one of the few places to see the Fringe-Eared oryx. The Lesser kudu is very shy, but can sometimes be seen darting off into the bushes. The Long-Necked gerenuk can be found standing on its hind-legs to reach the sparse foliage of trees and bushes. With some luck, you might spot the critically endangered hirola or Hunter’s hartebeest.