Kenya is truly a gem of nature. The country is a prime tourist destination for both leisure and business travelers owing to her more than fifty national parks and game reserves, each with their own special presentation of rich flora and fauna.
Within these national parks are game lodges and tented camps that blend five star amenities with the rustic and adventurous feel of the wild. A new concept that has become a favorite among many corporate institutions is bush conferencing. Bush conferencing takes advantage of the tranquil and serene wild environment, allowing conference delegate to be more focused and receptive being away from the hustle and bustle that characterized life in the city.
Some of the facilities are set under canvas while others have more permanent set ups but still bring out the thrill that the parks and reserves are renowned for. Bush conferencing also allows one to partake in unique adventure activities S team building activities.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park, formerly Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, is located in Loitoktok District in the Rift Valley province, 269 Km from the capital city Nairobi. The park is located 392 km2 in size and protects wildlife such as elephants, zebras. gazelles, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, rhino, giraffe, zebra, lion, lesser Kudu and prolific birdlife of over 600 species. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet the Maasai and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in the world.
Maasai Mara National Park
The Maasai Mara National park covers ‘l580km and is located in south-western Kenya. It is bordered by the Serengeti Park to the south, the Siria escarpment to the west and Maasai pastoral ranches to the north, east and west. It is famous for its exceptional population of Big Cats, game and the annual migration of wildebeest and other grazers from the Serengeti every year from July to October, a migration so immense that it is called the Great Migration. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores some 1,300,000 wildebeests, 360,000 Thomson’s gazelles, and 191,000 zebras. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena
Tsavo East National Park
Tsavo East the larger of the joint mass of Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks, lies to the east of the Nairobi —Mombasa road, equidistant between Nairobi and Mombasa, and offers a vast and untapped arena of arid bush which is washed by azure and emerald meandering of Galana Fliver. Guarded by the limitless lava reaches of Yatta plateau and patrolled by some of the largest elephant herds in Kenya Populalry known as “Theatre of the wild”, Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest and largest parks in
Kenya at 11,747 square kilometers. The park is home to baboon. bat, buffalo, bushbuck, wildcat, cheetah, lion, rhino and elephants.
Tsavo West National Park
The park is located on south eastern Kenya, 24Dkm from Nairobi along the western side of Mombasa-Nairobi highway. The savannah ecosystem comprises of open grasslands, scrublands, and Acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation and rocky ridges. Major wildlife attractions include elephants, rhinos, Hippos, lions, cheetah, leopards, Buffalos, diverse plant and bird species including the threatened corncrake and near threatened Basra Fleed Warbler.
Tsavo West covers an area of 9,065 square kilometers and is generally referred to as the “Land of lava Springs and Man-eaters”. The western part is a more popular destination on account of its magnificent scenery, Mzima Springs, rhino reserve, good road system and varied wildlife.
Aberdare National Park
The park is located about ‘IOU km north from Nairobi and stretches over wide terrains. Established in May 1950, the park covers an area of 766 square kilometers. The Aberdare National Park covers the higher areas of the Aberdare Mountain Range of central Kenya. The topography is diverse with deep ravines that cut through the forested eastern and western slopes. Animals easily observed in the park include; the Black Rhino, leopard, baboon, black and white Colobus monkey and sykes monkey. Rare sightings include those of lions, the golden cat and the bongo. Animals like the eland and spotted melanistic serval cats can be found higher up in the moorlands. Visitors can also indulge in picnics, trout fishing in the rivers and camping in the moorlands. Bird viewing is rewarding, with over 250 species of birds in the park, including the Jackson’s Francolin, hawk, eagles and sunbirds.
Meru National Park
Meru National Park is located in the east of Meru 350 km from Nairobi. Covering an area of 87,044 hectares, it has abundant rainfall and a wide range of wildlife such as elephants, hippos, lion, leopard, cheetah, black rhinos some rare antelopes and more than BOO species of birds. Meru was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness. Elsa the Lioness is buried in this park and part of Joy’s ashes were scattered on her gravesite. Vegetation is mainly thorny bush land in the North, wooded grasslands in the West and open grassland elsewhere.
Lake Nakuru National Park
The park lies in Central Kenya, 140 km northwest of Nairobi. The ecosystem comprises of the lake, surrounded by mainly wooded and bushy grasslands. The park supports a wide ecological diver-sity with Flamingos [Greater and Lesser] and other water birds being the major attractions of the area. The ecosystem supports about 56 different species of mammals including the white rhino and buffaloes and a variety of terrestrial birds numbering nearly 450 species.
Hell S Gate National Park
Hell’s Gate National Park lies to the south of Lake Naivasha in Kenya, North West of Nairobi. The park is mainly comprised of savannah ecosystem and habours a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the frequently observed animal species include lions, leopards, and cheetahs. There are over 100 species of birds in the park, including vultures and Verreaux’s Eagles. African buffalo, zebra, eland, hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle, and baboons are also common.
Mt. Kenya National Park
Mt. Kenya National Park is located to the east of the Great Rift Valley, about 175km North-East of Nairobi. The park supports wildlife such as elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animas rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog and rhino.
At 5,1 99m mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa. It is also an important water tower in the country which provides water for about 50% of the country’s population and produces 70% of Kenya’s hydroelectric power.
Samburu National Reserve
The Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river. On the other side of the river is the Buffalo Springs National Reserve. The Samburu National Reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and -Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made famous in the best selling book and award winning movie Born Free. All three big cats, Lion, Cheetah and Leopard as well as elephants, buffalos and hippos are found here. Other mammals frequently seen in the park include Gerenuk, Grant’s Gazelle, Kirk’s Dik-dik, Impala, Waterbuck, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx and Reticulated Giraffe. There are also over 350 species of birds.
Kenya Wildlife Service Park Rules
- Don’t crowd the animals or make sudden noises or movements.
- Don‘t feed the animals, it upsets their diet and leads to human dependence.
- Keep quiet, noise disturbs the wildlife and may antagonize your fellow visitors.
- Stay in your vehicle at all times, except at designated picnic or walking areas.
- Keep below the maximum speed limit [40 kph/ 25 mph].
- Never drive off-road, this severely damages the habitat.
- When viewing wildlife keep to a minimum distance of 20 meters and pull to the side of the road so as to allow others to pass.
- Leave no litter and never leave fires unattended or discard burning objects.
- Respect the cultural heritage of Kenya, never take pictures of the local people or their habitat without asking their permission, respect the cultural traditions of Kenya and always dress with decorum.
- Stay over or leave before dusk, visitors must vacate the Park between 6.00 p.m. – 6.00 a.m. unless they are camping overnight. Night game driving is not allowed.
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