Looking for a perfect destination for your wildlife safari on the African continent? The Kenya safari experience is here to take you through thrilling destinations all over different regions. With a total area of approximately 582,645 square kilometers, the country encompasses over 40 national parks and reserves that are safe and suitable for wildlife safaris. The country features a wide range of habitats from riverine forests, lush grasslands, moorlands and semi-deserts which hosts variety of wildlife.
With a number of wildlife destinations, among some of the best for game viewing include the following;
Masai Mara National Reserve
Located in the South western region of Kenya, Masai Mara national reserve is the best tourist destination in the country especially for game lovers. The reserve is an extension of Serengeti national park of Tanzania since it’s where the great wildlife migration takes place. The migration takes place annually in the dry months of July to October and it involves the flock of million wildebeests and thousands of gazelles and zebras. The animals cross the crocodile infested Mara River to and also deal with several predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs. A visit to Masai Mara National reserve during the dry months is a great opportunity of seeing variety of wildlife. Besides the animals, the reserve also hosts over 570 species of birds including the migratory and resident species.
Amboseli National Park
Close to the border with Tanzania and along Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli national park is one of the most visited national parks in Kenya for wildlife safaris. Among the wildlife to spot include the lions, cheetahs, gazelles, elands, impala, waterbucks, giraffes and more than 600 species of birds. Also, excite your eyes with the beautiful and breathtaking scenery of the park with mountain views, savanna grasslands and others enticing features.
Tsavo national park
Occupying almost 4% of the total area of Kenya, Tsavo national park is ranked as the largest national park in the country. The park is divided into two sections– Tsavo East and Tsavo west, thus standing as the country’s best destination for exploring the wilderness. Tsavo national park protects a number of wildlife species including the lesser kudus, bush baby, buffalos, lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos and many others. Apart from wildlife, there are also other features in the park including the savannah plains and grasslands, waterfalls, plateaus, volcanic hills, and rivers. The main attractions in Tsavo west include the giant craters and Mzima Springs while the main attractions in Tsavo east include Mudanda Rocks, Mzima Springs, and Aruba Dams, Yatta Plateau, Lugard falls and many others.
Aberdare National Park
The park is among the protected areas of Kenya situated in the central highlands along the eastern arm of the Rift valley. It is characterized by waterfalls, lush mist covered forests, rivers, and variety of wildlife. Among the animals dominating the park include the colobus monkeys, serval cats, black rhinos, Sykes’ monkey, serval cats, black rhinos, lions and many others. Besides the animals, more than 250 species of birds are recorded in the park including eagles, plovers, sparrow hawks, sunbirds, goshawk and many others.
Lake Nakuru National park
Positioned in the heart of the country – Kenya, Lake Nakuru National park is among the most popular safari destinations in Kenya. The park is characterized by savannah grasslands, woodlands and rocky cliffs. Recording more than 450 species of birds, the national park is the best destination for the bird lovers in Kenya. It is famous for attracting millions of lesser flamingos along its salty waters of Lake Nakuru. Other birds aside the flamingos include the Goliath heron, hammerkops, African fish eagles, pelicans, cormorants, verreaux’s eagle and many others. Also, it’s possible for one to spot some animals like white rhinos, lions, leopards, pythons, waterbucks and many others.
Meru national park
Located East of Meru, 350km from Nairobi, Meru national park is among the wildlife Kenyan national parks covering an area of approximately 870 square kilometers. The park is known for hosting a wide range of wild animals including the African bush elephants, lions, African leopards, cheetah, eastern black rhinos, southern white rhinos, Gravy’s zebra hippos and others. It is also famous for being one of the two places in which the conservationist George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness. Apart from wildlife species, there are also other attractions in the park like Adamson’s falls, the burial sites of Joy Adamson and Elsa the Lioness, River Tana and the beautiful views of Mount Kenya.
Nairobi national park
Established in 1946, Nairobi national park is another wildlife destination in Kenya situated about 7 km south of the capital city- Nairobi. Stretching over an area of approximately 117 square kilometers, Nairobi national park is fenced on three sides and the southern boundary frees the migrating wildlife to move between the park and the adjacent Kitengela plains. In the dry season, the park becomes the best home for the herbivore’s animals. Despite its small size, the park is a home of several wildlife species like rhinos, lion, leopard, African buffalo, giraffes, hippos, cheetah, hartebeests, waterbucks and many others.
With all the above wildlife national park, Kenya becomes one of the best destinations for game viewing experiences and encounters. You will view the animals during different park activities like game drives, nature walks and others.
