Travel Destination: Africa - Kenya Safaris
Lake Nakuru is also host to a sanctuary for the endangered black and white rhino. Lions, Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo and baboons are all residents here.
The park is the most accessible of Kenya’s bigger parks and is only two hours from Nairobi by road.
Abderdares National Park
At the same distance from Nairobi as Lake Nakuru is the Aberdares National Park.
The park has a diverse topography that includes waterfalls, rain forests and the rivers that supply water to Nairobi’s millions.
The flora and fauna is quite unique and is not found elsewhere in the country, expect on Mount Kenya: leopard, elephant, rhino and the rare bongo can all be found here.
Although the dense vegetation and inclement weather often makes it difficult to spot animals you are guaranteed to see elephants and buffalos at the floodlit waterholes of the two famous tree hotels: The Ark and Treetops.
Students of the history of the British royal family will recall that it was at the Treetops, in 1952, where the then Princess Elizabeth was staying on honeymoon when her father, King George VI, died.
She descended from Treetops to assume the backbreaking role of presiding over the far-flung dominions and colonies of the empire. If you stay at the Treetops you are bound to meet with some of her fans.
Samburu National Park
Though not as famous as the Mara, Samburu National Park is another wildlife haven with a dramatic semiarid landscape. Here you will spot lions, elephants, cheetahs and the elusive leopard.
Some animals are unique to this northern park: Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudu and gerenuk.
On your trip to Samburu, you may also want to take in the nearby Shaba and Buffalo Springs game reserves. In addition, this is the place to take a camel safari.
Samburu is three hours from Nairobi by road.
Tsavo
Tsavo is so huge, all of 20,000 sq km, that it is administered as two units: Tsavo West and Tsavo East.
This is the park that is closest to Mombasa at the coast or three and a half hours away from Nairobi by road.
You will find large herds of elephant, especially in Tsavo East. Tsavo West is filled with crocodiles, vervet monkeys, antelope, baboons, giraffes and hippos.
It is in Tsavo that poachers were most successful in their bloody racket and this saw a dramatic fall in elephant population. The good guys have, in recent years, gained the upper hand and numbers are recovering.
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