The following is a list of the National Parks, Reserves, and places of interest in Kenya; click on the destination that interests you to learn some relevant facts. Use this guide to create the tour of your dreams, or simply to learn about all Kenya has to offer.

ABEREDARES

AMBOSELI

Park Information
Size: 392 sq kms.
Location: On the Tanzanian border north-west of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Elevation: Up to 1,155m
Flora: Semi-arid acacias and grasses papyrus sedges in the swamp lands.
Fauna: Fifty-six species of mammal including baboon, vervet monkey, lion, cheetah, elephant, zebra, hippo, black rhino, Masai Oryx, wildebeest, gerenuk, impala and gazelle.
Bird Life: More than 425 recorded species.
Visitor Facilities: Four lodges and several campsites.

Description
Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, the 5895 meter Mt. Kilimanjaro, is one of Kenya's most popular parks. It lies some 240kms. south-east of Nairobi very close to the Tanzania border; the snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro dominates every aspect of Amboseli. Established as a national park in 1974 it is relatively small in comparison to other parks, but fragile ecosystem supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species).

Years ago, Amboseli was the locale around which such famous writers as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark spun their stories of big game hunting in the wilds of Africa. It is also the home of the Masai people, tall, proud nomads whose legendary prowess in battle and single handed acts of bravery in fights with wild animals has spread across the globe. The Masai have learned to live in complete harmony with their environment and the wildlife which surrounds them.

Part of Amboseli National Park is composed of a dried-up lake bed, while the swamps and springs of Amboseli, fed by underground rivers from Kilimanjaro's melting snows, form permanent watering places for wildlife during times of drought. The lake bed is subject to sporadic floods and noxious salts in the gravel of the bed are dissolved and serve as a deadly poison for what is left of the local woods; very few of the fine acacias, once a feature of this region, remain.

The snows of Kilimanjaro, white and crystalline, form a majestic backdrop to one of Kenya's most spectacular displays of wildlife - lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, buffalo and hosts of plains' game create Kenya's most sought after photographer's paradise. The park's popularity is also causing serious concern. The combination of wildlife, tourist vehicles, and Masai cattle are destroying the delicate but precious grassland. Park rules now insist that vehicles stick to roads and tracks. The park's best game runs are around the swamps; there is a fine lookout on Observation Hill which offers views over the whole of the park and beyond.

ARAWELE

Park Information
Size: 533 sq kms
Location: 5kms from Tana River and 130kms north of Malindi.
Elevation: 85-100m
Flora: Thorny bush land.
Fauna: This reserve is the only area in Kenya where Hunter's hartebeest can be found. Also includes zebra, elephant, lesser kudu, buffalo, hippo, and crocodile.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Arawele National Reserve is 533 sq kms of bush land on the northern banks of the Tana River. The Reserve was created in 1973 to protect the rare Hunter's Antelope, sometimes called Hunter's Hartebeest, although it is more closely related to Topi. The species is only found north of the Tana River as far as the Somali border, but even in the best conditions it is far from numerous and sightings are rare.
Arawele is difficult to access and there are no roads within it, so a visit presupposes a tented safari and a four wheel drive vehicle.

BUFFALO SPRINGS

Park Information
Size: 131 sq kms
Location: 85kms north of Mount Kenya.
Elevation: 900-1,000m
Flora: Riverine forest of acacia and doum palm, acacia woodlands, bush, grass, and scrublands.
Fauna: Elephant, zebra, reticulated giraffe, Oryx, cheetah, and crocodile.
Bird Life: There are 320 recorded species.
Visitor Facilities: Two lodges and five campsites.

Description
The area north of Mount Kenya and east of the Samburu highlands is generally dry bush land inhabited by nomadic people and only the hardiest of wild animals. Through this region flows the Ewaso Ngiro River, a source of constant water, and on either side of the river are large tracts of grassland. Buffalo Springs gets its name from an oasis of limpid crystal clear water at the western end of the Reserve.

Buffalo Springs National Reserve was established on both banks of the Ewaso Ngiro to protect the fine selection of wildlife that rely on the river for their survival. Leopard is often sighted here as are Oryx, elephant and gazelle, in addition to more unusual species such as the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra and the blue-legged Somali ostrich. Interestingly enough, some common zebra are found at Buffalo Springs, though they do not interbreed with the Grevy's variety. The Reserve is also home to the kori bustard who stands a meter high. Their behavior is unpredictable, at times running or crouching at the first sign of danger, while at other moments completely fearless of humans. The male is known to give some remarkable performances, inflating his neck and neck feathers until the head seems to disappear then raising his tail until it lies along his back.

Buffalo Springs was established as a separate entity from Samburu National Reserve because the Ewaso Ngiro is the boundary between two district councils, so each reserve is controlled by a different council.

CENTRAL ISLAND

Park Information
Size: 5 sq kms
Location: In the center of Lake Turkana, north-east of Lodwar.
Flora: Scrubby salvadora bush throughout the island.
Fauna: The world’s largest breeding crocodile population (12,000).
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Central Island National Park is designated as the main breeding place of the Nile crocodile and many different varieties of water birds which are plentiful throughout Lake Turkana. The park is one of the most inaccessible in all of Kenya and very few visitors manage to venture to the island which is relatively barren and unpopulated.

Central Island is also home to several groups of itinerant Turkana fisherman who live for periods on the island hunting for birds and crocodile eggs. The eggs are usually found at the island's three unusual lakes named Crocodile Lake, Flamingo Lake and Tilapia Lake. Tilapia Lake is a vibrant green color, created by algae which thrive in its warm waters.
Central Island is in fact a dormant volcano which occasionally spews out clouds of sulphorous steam and smoke from its volcanic vents.

CHULU

Park Information
Size: 471sq kms
Location: South-east Kenya, inland from Mombasa.
Elevation: 229-2,438m
Flora: Bush land and grassland over a hilly terrain.
Fauna: Many of the mammals found in the adjacent Tsavo East and West Parks can be found in Chyulu Hills.
Bird Life: Many species.
Visitor Facilities: Two lodges, two self-help-fishing lodges, and five campsites.

Description
Chyulu Hills National Park, adjacent to Tsavo West National Park to the north-west, consists of the Chyulu range, some of the worlds’ youngest. The most recent volcanic activity occurred here only 500 years ago. A four wheel drive track leads to the peak at Shaitani from the Chyulu Gate near Kilaguni Lodge; it is simple to walk to a series of spectacular caves on the sides of the volcano. The Chyulu's form a breathtaking landscape of rampant ferocity and the vistas of Kilimanjaro to the south are unbeatable.

DODORI

Park Information
Size: 877 sq kms
Location: North-east coast.
Flora: Mangrove swamp, lowland dry forest, marshy glades, and groundwater forest.
Fauna: A major breeding ground for Topi; larger mammals include elephant, gazelle and lesser kudu. The reserve is also a substantial breeding ground for dugong and green turtle along the shoreline.
Bird Life: Prolific birdlife, especially pelican.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Dodori National Reserve is named after a river which enters the Indian Ocean at Dodori Creek, reputedly a favorite haunt for the dugong turtle. Dodori is also well stocked with Topi, some of the largest concentrations found in Kenya; lion and elephant are also plentiful. Away from the river the reserve is very thick, almost impenetrable bush studded with giant baobabs. Some entry into this tangled jungle is possible from the coastal road which runs from Kiunga to Mkokoni; these accesses lead to numerous small crater-like waterholes almost always frequented by antelope, gazelle, and a variety of water birds.

Dodori is a place for explorers interested in a rudimentary safari with a wide range of wildlife.

HELL’S GATE

Park Information
Size: 68 sq kms
Location: South of Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley.
Altitude: 2,777m
Flora: A wide variety of succulents.
Fauna: Plains game include eland, giraffe, zebra, impala, Grant's and Thompson's gazelle; other wildlife includes klipspringer, hyrax, and mountain reedbuck.
Bird Life: Many birds of prey and swifts. It is possible to observe 25-30 species in a day.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Hell's Gate National Park, lying south of Lake Naivasha, is a popular park for daily excursions from Nairobi. The park is particularly popular with walkers and campers who can enter without a vehicle and move noiselessly past herds of zebra and gazelle. The park is flanked by imposing sheer cliffs which lead to a narrow canyon containing hot springs and geysers.

KAMMNAROK

Park Information
Size: 88 sq kms
Location: In the Kerio River valley, north-east of Eldoret.
Elevation: upward from 1,300m
Flora: Mixed forest and grassland.
Fauna: A mix of animals, most of which are dependent on the Kerio River for their sustenance.
Bird Life: A wide variety of species.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Kamnarok National Reserve extends for about 20 kms along both banks of the Kerio River, over 40 kms north-east of Eldoret. Unfortunately, very little information exists on Kamnarok, as it was only recently established by the Kenya Wildlife Society.

KISITE

Park Information
Size: 28 sq kms
Location: South of Wasini Island off Shimoni on the south coast, near the Tanzanian border.
Altitude: Sea level to about 5m
Flora: Sea grasses and marine algae.
Fauna: Corals, sea urchins, cowries, starfish, various crabs, sergeant-major fish, parrot fish and butterfly fish.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Kisite Marine National Park is a haven for the fish, shells, and corals found within its boundaries. In fact, the extensive coral gardens at Kisite attract myriads of brightly colored coral fish; the Marine Park is excellent for both snorkeling and scuba diving.

Kisite actually surrounds a small islet of the same name and is a primary nesting ground of the Roseate Tern. Fortunately, most of the reefs at the Park are still pristine and undamaged by thoughtless souvenir hunters.

KORA

Park Information
Size: 1,787 sq kms
Location: On the Tana River, 125kms east of Mount Kenya.
Altitude: 250-440m
Flora: Mostly acacia bush land with riverine forests of doum palm, acacia, and Tana River poplar.
Fauna: Elephant, black rhino, hippo, lion, leopard, cheetah, serval cats, caracal, wildcat, genet, spotted and striped hyena, and several species of antelope. The rivers support a wide range of amphibians, lizards, snakes, tortoise, and crocodile.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Kora National Reserve is one of four parks and reserves that form a protective buffer to the east of Meru National Park permitting wildlife the freedom of movement and restricting human interference in the area. Roads are virtually non-existent in the Reserve and access is very difficult.

Kora has the added fame of being the last home of the celebrated George Adamson, a.k.a. Bwana Game, where he continued his work on the rehabilitation of lion populations until he was murdered by bandits in 1989.

LAKE BOGORIA

Park Information
Size: 107sq kms
Location: 50kms north of Nakuru in the Rift Valley.
Elevation: 1,000-1,600m
Flora: Mainly bush land with small patches of riverine forest; grasslands along shoreline.
Fauna: Greater kudu.
Bird Life: Flamingoes.
Special Features: Thermal areas with steam jets and geysers.
Visitor Facilities: Three campsites

Description
J.W. Gregory, an English geologist who traveled to the Rift Valley on foot from Mombasa, first set eyes on Lake Bogoria in 1892 and described the scene as "the most beautiful view in Africa". The late Leslie Brown, a world authority on birds, and birds of prey in particular, wrote "I have been there when the spectacle of flamingos and other birds around the lake was of a sublime magnificence".

Lake Bogoria is truly a wild area; the lake itself is set at the bottom of a trough at the base of a sheer 600m wall - the Ngendelel escarpment. Hot water geysers and fumaroles are found on the western shoreline evidencing the turmoil below. In the middle of the day, the heat can be oppressive, but there are some cool places to escape the heat. Fig Tree Campsite boasts a mass of giant figs that create a cool haven; a stream of fresh water adds to the ambience of the location. There is very little game at Lake Bogoria, but oddly enough it’s a haven for Greater Kudu and sightings of these animals are quite common. One of the greatest attractions of the lake is multitude of pink flamingos and other bird species.

LAKE NAKURU

MT. LONGONOT

Park Information
Size: 52 sq kms
Location: South of Lake Naivasha, in the Rift Valley.
Elevation: Longonot peak 2,776m
Vegetation: Rift Valley scrubland and succulents.
Fauna: Limited range of mammals, including buffalo baboons and monkeys in the crater.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Longonot National Park is a fairly new park, created to preserve the interesting biodiversity around Longonot crater. Mount Longonot is actually the highest of all Rift Valley volcanoes and its crater rim is scarred in many places and typified by deep lava funnels. The name Longonot originates from the Masai word Oloonong'ot, meaning "mountain of steep ridges"; the entire perimeter of the extinct crater is characterized by deep ridges.

The most popular excursions at the Park are walks up to and around the crater rim. You should count on a full day for this, and it is important to be in good physical condition to attempt this walk.

LOSAI

Park Information
Size: 1,806 sq kms
Location: Situated in the Losai Mountains south-west of Marsabit National Reserve in northern Kenya, 175 kms north of Mount Kenya.
Elevation: 625 - 1,750 m
Flora: Thorny bush land.
Fauna: Former habitat of elephant and black rhino.
Visitor Facilities: Tourism prohibited.

Description
Losai National Reserve is a restricted tourism area, having formerly been a habitat for black rhino and elephants. Losai is characterized by rugged terrain; a lava plateau with scattered volcanic plugs covered with thorn bushes. Its relative isolation and inhospitable terrain make it very difficult to visit, even in a four wheel drive vehicle.

The Reserve is flanked on the west by the Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo and Ndoto mountains; the Ndoto forest borders the park on the west, and is one of Kenya's largest virgin forests.

Losai is intended to be one of Kenya's natural reserves, where access and interaction by humans is restricted. As a result, tourism in Losai is tightly regulated and visitors need special permission to stay in the reserve. At last report, tourism was still prohibited at Losai.

MALINDI

Park Information
Size: 213 sq kms
Location: A section of coast and off shore waters, approximately 30kms long and 5kms wide, including Mida Creek. The reserve is south of Malindi and 88kms north of Mombasa.
Elevation: Sea level
Flora: Algae, microscopic marine plants, marine angiosperms, mangroves, palms, and casuarina.
Fauna: Various crabs, corals, mollusks, cowrie, and marine worms.
Bird Life: Whale Island is a nesting ground for roseate and bridled tern and there are numerous shore birds
Special Features: Trout can be caught in the moorland streams.
Visitor Facilities: Boat trips, water sports, and coral viewing.

Descriptions
Malindi Marine National Reserve is a haven for coral reefs and the marine life that rely on them for their sustenance. All fishing within the Reserve is prohibited as is the extraction of coral, starfish, and shells ensuring protection for all species. The main attraction is the coral gardens in the middle of the Reserve, best viewed by skin divers, snorkellers, and glass bottom boats. Colored fish of various sizes and shapes swim in dazzling formations; thorn heads, flute mouths, halfbeaks, parrot and zebra fish share the reefs with hawkish, triggerfish, lizardfish, puffers, porcupine fish and hundreds of other species. Different species of rays and octopus pulse through the reserve in abundance, thanks to the safety of its protective boundaries.

MALKA MARI

Park Information
Size: Approximately 400 sq kms
Location: Extreme north-east of the country, on the border with Ethiopia.
Elevation: 750 m
Flora: Desert scrubland.
Fauna: Unknown
Bird Life: Unknown.
Visitor Facilities: None.

Description
Malka Mari is perhaps Kenya's most remote national park, located in the extreme north-east of the country on the Ethiopian frontier. The climate is very arid and inhospitable, virtually no permanent human settlements exist in the area. The area is inhabited primarily by Gurreh nomadic herders, though their numbers are very few and often they are dispersed over a wide area.

To the south of the Park is the Kalakcha Urane and further south lies the Awara Plains. To the north, the Park boundary ends on the Ethiopian border, defined partially by the Dawa Wenz river which forms the border to the extreme north-eastern point where Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia meet.

MARALAL
Park Information
Size: Approximately 250 sq kms
Location: Set amidst the majestic Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo mountains in north-central Kenya and near the Samburu town of Maralal.
Elevation: 1,490 m
Flora: Rocky and dry terrain.
Fauna: Mammals of the dry zone include impala, eland, buffalo, baboon, warthog, leopard, hyena, giraffe and zebra.
Visitor Facilities: One lodge and campsite.

Description
Maralal National Reserve is one of Kenya's little known treasures. Tucked away in the centre of the country amidst the Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo mountains, Maralal completely surrounds the Samburu town of the same name. Within the reserve's boundaries, eland, impala, buffalo, and zebra keep a watchful eye on predators such as the leopard and hyena. Seasonally, elephant pass through the reserve descending from the forested hills to the north. The best viewing of wildlife in the reserve is from the terrace at the Maralal Safari Lodge; game viewing is both by day and floodlight by night. At the lodge, leopards are baited from a small forest nearby and can be viewed from a specially constructed blind.
In all directions from Maralal, the scenery is beautiful and the processions of wildlife sharing land with Samburu herders are spectacular. Related to the Masai further south, the Samburu warriors of Maralal dressed in their traditional clothing, live in harmony with the environment and wildlife around them.

Despite its beautiful landscape and wide assortment of wildlife, Maralal National Reserve receives relatively few visitors in relation to the Samburu reserves to the east, making Maralal a truly enjoyable destination.

MARSABIT NATIONAL PARK

Park Information
Size: 2,088 sq kms
Location: Northern Kenya, 560kms north of Nairobi
Elevation: 420-1,700m
Flora: Higher altitude forests merge into acacia grasslands; arid thorny bush land dominates the lower zone.
Fauna: Elephant, greater kudu, monkey, baboon, hyena, aardwolf, caracal, cheetah, lion, klipspringer, gazelle, Oryx, and reticulated giraffe. There are 13 recorded species of bat.
Bird Life: More than 350 species, including 52 birds of prey.
Special Features: Volcanic craters, several containing fresh water lakes.
Visitor Facilities: One lodge and three campsites.

Descriptions
Marsabit town and its sanctuaries lie atop a mountain rising from the desert floor to a height of about 1707 meters. Marsabit mountain is a natural phenomenon, the product of many centuries of volcanic activity. Due to the imposing nature of the mountain on the surrounding environment, Marsabit has its own ambient climate quite distinct from that around it. Every evening, at about midnight, the hot air rising from the desert floor cools and forms clinging fingers of mist which grasp the mountain slopes, only dissipating by early morning.

Although the lowers slopes are scorched and dry, the withering cliffs above support giant trees with a dazzling array of wildlife. Birds and beasts dart between the tall stands of juniper and pordocarpus in a scene that wildlife film-makers Osa and Martin Johnson recorded when they made their home at Lake Paradise, one of the crater lakes in the 1920's. Many species of raptors inhabit the shaggy cliffs and treetops around Lake Paradise.

Marsabit's elephants parade to drink from the banks of Lake Paradise on a daily basis. The most famous elephant to frequent the Lake for nearly 63 years was Ahmed, patriarch of the forest and guarded from poachers by a Presidential decree. All elephants in Marsabit are protected, and a replica statue of Ahmed now invites visitors to the National Museum in Nairobi.

MASAI MARA

Park Information
Size: 1,672 sq kms
Location: South-Western Kenya bordering Serengeti National Park, on the Tanzanian border.
Elevation: 1,500-2,170m
Flora: Open grasslands with patches of acacia woodland, thickets, and riverine forests.
Fauna: In the dry season (July-October) the reserve is a major concentration area for migratory herbivores including approximately 250,000 zebra and 1.3 million wildebeest. There are also gazelle, elephant, Topi, buffalo, lion (Kenya's largest population), black rhino, hippo, hyena, giraffe, leopard, and mongoose.
Bird Life: Prolific, including 53 birds of prey.
Visitor Facilities: Several lodges and campsites.

Description
The Masai Mara is Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary; everything about this reserve is outstanding. The wildlife is abundant and the gentle rolling grassland ensures that animals are never out of sight. Birds too are prolific, including migrant birds and 53 bird of prey species.

The climate is gentle, rarely too hot, and rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. When it does rain, it’s almost always in the late afternoon or night.

The wildlife is far from being confined within the reserve boundaries and an even larger area, generally referred to as the 'dispersal area', extends north and east of the game reserve. Masai tribesmen live within the dispersal area with their herds, but centuries of close association with the wildlife has resulted in an almost symbiotic relationship where wildlife and people live in peace with one another.

The first sight of this park is breathtaking. Here the great herds of shuffling elephants browse among the rich tree-studded grasslands with an occasional sighting of a solitary and ill-tempered rhino; thousands of plains herbivores such as Thompson's and Grant's gazelle, Topi, and eland offer a rich choice of food for the dominant predators: lion, leopard, and cheetah all hunt in this pristine wilderness.

In the Mara River, hippos submerge at the approach of a vehicle only to surface seconds later to snort and grumble their displeasure. This richness of fauna, profusion of winged beauty, and the untouched fragility of the landscape are all subordinate to the Mara's foremost attraction: the march of the wildebeest.

After exhausting the grazing in Tanzania's northern Serengeti National Park, a large number of wildebeest and zebra enter Masai Mara around the end of June drawn by the sweet grass raised by the long rains