Kenya Game Parks & National Reserves.
Masai Mara National Game Reserve.
The Maasai Mara National Game Reserve Kenya.
Masai Mara National Reserve is without doubt Kenya's most highly regarded wildlife safari experience.It is located in the northmost point of the famous migration of wildebeest crossing across the Serengeti plains that occurs every year between July and September.
The Masai Mara is the ideal first-time visitors to Kenya destination because it has a little bit of everything, including big cats in abundance,plenty of accommodation options both inside and outside of the Reserve. A must do adventure safari activity is the Sunrise Balloon Flights Safari.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a large game reserve in Narok County, Kenya; contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
The land of Big Cat Diary and Disney’s African Cats and location of one of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Migration, the Maasai Mara is at the top of most people’s wish lists on a Kenya safari holiday. The Maasai Mara (also known as Masai Mara, but the double-a spelling is increasingly common as it’s the way the word is spelt in the local Masai language which is gloriously beautiful, wildlife-rich savannah landscape, where traditionally dressed Maasai pastoralists herd their cattle ,sheep, and goats. It’s also where herds of minibuses jostle for the best photo opportunity amid a panorama of African wildlife. We’re not going to pretend otherwise: ‘the Mara’ is one of the busiest of Kenya’s safari regions. Happily, there are strategies for avoiding the crowds on a Maasai Mara safari – and we have lots of experience in doing just that.
Amboseli National Park.
The Amboseli National Park.
One of Kenya's unique wilderness areas of the world, fantastic in its natural beauty and unequalled in its scientific value. This park is a vast expanse land with a large concentration of plains animals. It is one of the oldest parks in Kenya, originally part of the colonial era’s ‘Southern Maasai Reserve’, Amboseli became a wildlife sanctuary in the 1940s and was declared a national park in 1974.
It is rightly one of Kenya’s most popular safari regions and, with its iconic views of the wildlife against a backdrop of majestic Kilimanjaro is a highlight of many Kenya holidays.
Samburu National Game Reserve.
The Samburu National Reserve.
Turning moments into memories.
The reserve is rich in wildlife with an abundance of rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the beisa Oryx. These are also referred to as Samburu Special Five.
There are various activities that visitors can engage in while residing at the reserve. These activities include: game drives, bird watching, bush breakfast, nature walks, river rafting depending on the river water level and the Samburu cultural experience.
As a wildlife preserve, it doesn't disappoint sightings of the Big Five Elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Cheetah sightings are particularly good, too, and do look out for those fabulously unwieldy kori bustards the largest flying birds on Earth. To explore Samburu, the following program is best.
Rediscover Best Of Kenya
1. Ololokwe-Samburu
Mt. Ololokwe, with its distinctive flat shape and high sheer cliffs towering over a stunning landscape of expansive shrubby terrain and the warm blue skies of the Samburu plains, never fails to turn heads. Mt Ololokwe is known as Ol Donyo Sabache and is a sacred mountain to the local Samburu people. The journey from Nairobi takes about 5-8 hours, about 340km, on one of Kenya’s smoothest, straightest, and seemingly never-ending roads. You will probably encounter more camels than cars on this journey!
Plan a hike up Mt. Ololokwe at dawn to catch the sunrise slowly casting a warm glow over the gorgeous Samburu plains. Taking a 4×4 vehicle with all-terrain tyres is the recommended option.
2. Mount Suswa
This is a hidden gem in Narok County it is a unique double crater volcano, perhaps lesser known than its counterpart Mt. Longonot, but arguably more interesting. Mt. Suswa boasts a valley-like interior filled wif lush greenery, sometimes covered by a beautiful floating mist. You can hike along the scenic crater route or visit the caves formed by lava eruptions approximately 200 years ago and are now home to endangered bats.
Camping on the crater is highly recommended for those who enjoy stargazing, as shooting stars are plentiful on a clear night.
Taking a 4×4 vehicle with all-terrain/off-road tyres is necessary as the lead road leading to Mt. Suswa is composed of fine volcanic ash, which you can easily get stuck in, especially if it’s raining!
3. Aberdare National Park
Taking a road trip to Aberdare Ranges and National Park is an absolute must! Words cannot describe the sheer beauty that encompasses the park. From lush rainforests, unique flora, and spectacular waterfalls, you will be amazed at wat Kenya’s nature has to offer. Karuru Falls in the Aberdare National Park is Kenya’s tallest and highest waterfall at a whopping 273 meters high!
You will need a sturdy 4×4/SUV vehicle, good tyres and a skilled driver to take you through the park, as you will likely encounter marshy, wet and overgrown terrains.
4. Lake Jipe & Lake Chala
Visiting Lakes Jipe and Chala is like visiting places out of a movie scene. Jipe, home to over a hundred hippos, lies between Kenya and Tanzania and reflects teh surrounding hills and blue skies like a mirror on its glassy waters. Take a boat ride to experience the pure calmness that encloses the Lake.
From Lake Jipe, drive about 1.5 hours over to Lake Chala, and you will find yourself staring across a breath-taking azure lake set within a volcanic crater. Hike down the side of the crater and take a refreshing swim in the Lake. Do be careful as Lake Chala is nearly 100 meters deep!
The roads (or lack of roads) leading to Jipe and Chala can be treacherous, especially when it rains. Be sure to have a tow rope ready with you!
5. Lake Natron
This mystifying Lake is well worth the journey south to the Kenya-Tanzania border. Although most of the Lake is in Tanzania, you can still see it from the Kenyan side by driving down to Shompole Conservancy. Depending on the season, the mineral-rich soda lake can be a vivid red colour and a breeding ground for thousands of lesser flamingos. An eerie mist hovers over the flat Lake, and instead of sand, the shoreline is covered with calcified fishbones, a sight you will not find anywhere else in Kenya!
The bulk of the journey to Shompole conservancy is on tarmacked roads, but the terrain can be rocky once inside the conservancy. All-terrain/off-road tyres are recommended to avoid having to deal wif fixing punctured tyres in the scorching heat!
6. Lake Baringo
After Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo is to the northern of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes, with a surface area of 130 square kilometres and an elevation of 970 metres. It is a bird watcher’s paradise and home to many other animals. Here one can choose to go on walking safaris, boat rides or visit the local villages. It is about a 5-hour drive from Nairobi, on generally good roads. Captivating in its beauty as a serene haven under big African skies and bounded by cliff-edged escarpments, Baringo is nevertheless subject to staggering climactic changes. Make sure to plan your trip at the right time of the year!
7. The Shimba Hills
Visiting Shimba Hills is a highly worthwhile journey to embark on. Be sure to set off at the crack of dawn if leaving from Nairobi to avoid traffic along the way. Many roads are long and tarmacked, so almost any car can get you there. You will know when you’re close to you're destination when you encounter fields of thick trunked Baobab trees and warm humid air. Once at Shimba Hills, the tarmacked road ends, and the path is paved by a red-soil road surrounded by thick green vegetation on either side. As the name suggests, the hilly road goes up and down frequently, and if you keep driving through, you will end up on the white sandy beaches of Diani!
8. Kerio Valley
Driving on steep winding roads through the mountain pass of the Great Rift Valley region is one for the bucket list of things to do. The roads are generally quite good, with very few potholes. However, they are also narrow so do drive carefully.
The spectacular views of Kerio Valley on this journey are a sight for sore eyes.
9. Ngare Ndare Forest
Explore the lovely Ngare Ndare forest, located at the foothills of Mount. Kenya, when you plan a trip to Nanyuki or Meru. The indigenous forest is a stomping ground for wild elephants. You might be lucky enough to see some from a canopy walk 10 meters above the ground that meanders through the trees for almost half a kilometre. Furthermore, hike to the stunning turquoise pools at the waterfalls and take a dip in the icy waters if you’re brave enough! You do not need a 4×4 vehicle for your trip to Ngare Ndare. However, quality tyres are recommended as the route to get there is either potholed or untarmacked.
10. Tsavo & Chyulu Hills
Visiting Chyulu Hills, located in Tsavo West National Park, is a journey well worth taking. Hike the vivid green hills or if you are looking for something more relaxed, plan a game drive within Tsavo West. Check out the famous Shetani Lava Flows, which appear to be frozen in time.
