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Masai Mara Game Reserve
Mara is a Maasai word for “spotted”. From the air, the visual effect of the Mara thickets and wildebeest looks like spots hence the name of Masai Mara Game Reserve. It lies in the Great Rift Valley and is known to attract millions of tourists from all over the world to witness the great migration which is annually expected in the Masai Mara between the months of July to early November. During this period, millions of animals migrate to the Masai Mara Game Reserve from Serengeti National Park (Tanzania) in search for fresh green pastures and water. The migrating animals include the wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, topis, elands and other antelopes. In addition there are predators following including the lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals not forgetting the birds of prey. The Masai Mara boasts more than 450 species of birds which includes raptors.
This park is home to astonishing number of animals, umbrella shaped trees, the beautiful sunsets, the winding Mara River and the rugged Ololoolo Escarpment. The Mara plains are dominated by Themeda triandra (the red-oat grass) that furnishes the golden backdrop to much of East Africa memory.
Here you will enjoy exotic experience of hot air balloon gracefully drifting above the Mara River and the game rich African savannah.
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Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park lies North west of mount Kilimanjaro on the border with Tanzania. The name Amboseli is a Maasai word which means place of dust. Covers an area approximately 392km sq or 151 sq miles, which is tenth of its original size. It was established in 1948 after the Second World War by then called Southern National Park which included Nairobi National Park and Tsavo National Park covering 3260km sq or 1260 sq miles.
Covered by savanna and acacia trees, the open flat plains are ideal places to search for the wildebeests, buffaloes, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, zebras, hippos etc. It has two permanent water springs which are underground seepage from the snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro which the Park has as its magnificent backdrop. Big elephant families will be spotted wallowing in the swamp which is also full of birdlife. Large wildlife concentration will occur here in dry season because of permanent swamps.
The park which is also home to the Maasai Community was named as a World Biosphere Reserve under United Nations Education Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1991. |
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Lake Nakuru National Park
The spectacular alkaline Lake is famously known as the feeding ground of both lesser and greater flamingoes. The Park is completely fenced. It’s a National Park and a sanctuary for Birds, Rothschild Giraffes and both Black and White Rhinos. There are a good number of mammals here such as Waterbucks, Buffaloes, Gazelles, Lions, Baboons and the elusive Leopards.
The shallow and alkaline lake was gazette as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to national park in 1968. The northern extension was added to the park in 1974. The lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990. The park has different habitats ranging from marsh, grasslands, rock cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a euphorbia forest. The lake catchment is bounded by Menengai Crater to the north and Bahati Hills to the east. Three major rivers drain to the Lake; Njoro, Makalia and Enderit Rivers. The main food chain in the park is the cyanophyte spirulina platensis which support huge number of flamingoes. Annual rainfall is 965mm. The park can be accessed by tarmac road, 165km North West of Nairobi.
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Samburu Game Reserve
This is Kenya’s semi-arid region characterized by vast, open landscape, dried river beds, red volcanic soil, rock outcropping, river acacia trees and palm trees. Here you have the opportunity to see the five unique wildlife found only in the northern frontier i.e. Gerenuk, Grevy’s zebras, Oryx, Reticulated Giraffes and the Somali Ostrich in addition to the mammals.
Samburu is a name of Masai origin, "Samburr" which means a traditional bag for carrying honey and meat. It lies 325 km (205 miles) from Nairobi in the hot and arid fringes of the vast northern region of Kenya. It’s located in what is known as the Northern Frontier District approximately 40miles north of the equator on the northern side of River Ewaso Nyiro which means "brown water".’ Buffalo Springs is found on the southern side of the river. River Ewaso Nyiro has no outlet hence disappears into the vast Lorian Swamp downstream of Samburu. The reserve is within the land of the Samburu pastoralists who are related to the Maasai people in the south.
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Tsavo National Park
In 1948, the second national park was established in Kenya covering an area of 21,000 sq km which is more than 4% of Kenya’s total area. It’s divided in two parts, the Tsavo East and Tsavo West. Tsavo west National Park covers an area of 7065km sq. Tsavo means " a place of Slaughter" in Kamba language. In 19th Century, slave trade routes were found in Tsavo, from the interior to the coast. It was also a battle field during the Second World War. Tsavo is dominated by Acacia Commiphora bushes, Acacia fever and Doum palms. The area boasts of volcanic hills, rivers, more than 60 major mammals’ species and bird life. Approximately 10,000 Elephants are currently found in Tsavo; It used to have more than 40,000 Elephants but the population reduced to almost 5,000 in 1980s. There are also more than 400 species of birds including migration birds which pass over in the months of October and November such as white stork, European Roller and Barn Swallow.
The Park is mostly famous for Movie "The Ghost and the Darkness" where over 28 India workers were killed in 1898 by man eater lions.
Shetani lava flow estimated to be 120 years on geological time scale and covers 75km sq and Mzima Springs which is water source for Mombasa town. |
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SWEET WATERS GAME RESERVE
Sweetwater’s Game Reserve, also known as Ol Pajeta Ranch is located in an expansive 24,000 acres of a privately owned ranch, famous for its non-indigenous chimpanzees.
The Jane Goodall Institute established a Chimpanzee Sanctuary at the site. The sanctuary does not encourage breeding but it recognizes the importance of raising baby chimpanzees to adulthood.
A walk around the Chimps Sanctuary will give you an opportunity to spot the orphaned chimps.
It’s also the largest Black Rhino Sanctuary in East Africa.
Apart from the chimps and the black rhinos, you have a chance to view the amazing variety of wildlife such as the zebras, lions, leopards, thomson’s gazelle, grant’s gazelle, oryx, eland, baboons, elephants and various species of birds.
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INDIAN OCEAN
At the Kenyan Coast there are optional tours. Here you will experience some of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the world, marine game parks and water sports like snorkeling and deep sea fishing. For those interested in East African history, Mombasa and Malindi have it all.
Explore Fort Jesus, Gedi Ruins (archaeological finding from 13th to early 17th centuries) and Vasco Da Gama Pillar (build in 1498). For Honeymooners, the white sandy beaches are a great place to relax, rest and romance under tropical sun and the coconut palm trees after the safari.
The interesting Indian Ocean towns are a wonderful place to discover the Swahili Culture. All these can be arranged upon request. |
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SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The name Serengeti comes from a Maasai word “siringet” which refers to an endless plain. The Park which is the centre of Serengeti’s ecosystem, has nearly 2/3 covered by bush or woodland.
These plains that form the Park were formed about 3-4 million years ago, the ash blown from Ngorongoro highlands covered the landscape.
The Central Serengeti was declared a game reserve in 1929 and became Tanganyika’s first national park in 1951.
Being 14,763 km sq; it’s Tanzania’s largest National Park and is roughly the size of Northern Ireland or Connecticut. |
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LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
The name Manyara comes from the Maasai word ‘emanyara’, which is a euphorbia species of plant that is grown into a hedge around a family homestead (Euphorbia tirucalli). It’s a shallow alkaline Rift Valley lake 40km long and 13km wide and was established in 1960.
The Park covers an area of 325km sq (132 square miles), 2/3 of which are taken by the lake.
The park is home to herbivores such as hippos, impalas, elephants, wildebeests, buffalo, warthogs and giraffes. Breathtaking vegetations that consist of giant figs and mahogany trees that are seen in the groundwater forest near the gates fed by underground springs. Ornithologists come to observe pelicans and great birds of prey around the lake. |
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NGORONGORO CONSERVATIONAL AREA
The conservation area covers 8,280km sq (3,196 square miles) and stretches from Lake Eyasi in the Rift Valley north to the Serengeti Plains.
The conservation area also contains at least seven extinct volcanoes and is probably one of the most varied terrains in East Africa.
The plains in the north are critical for the wildebeest migration. This area was established in 1959 to cater for tourists, protect the forest to the south and guard unique archaeological sites like Ol duvai Gorge and Laetoli especially after the Masai complained that they were being pushed out of their grazing land which was Serengeti by then.
The altitude varies from Lake Eyasi at 1,000m (3,280 feet) to the Peak of Lolmalasin Mountain at 3,640m (11,940 feet). |
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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Tarangire National Park was first established as a Game Reserve in 1957 and later a National Park in 1970.
Its name originates from the river that crosses the middle of the Park 120km south west of Arusha town; the park has an area of 2600km sq.
Rainfall averages 800mm (31.2 inches) per year and falls mostly between November and May.
Attractions include elephants, gerenuk, zebra, buffalos and tree climbing pythons.
Silale swamp which has beautiful landscape sceneries and many baobab trees, supports life of animal and bird species is also located in the Park. |
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