Best Kenya Safari Parks to Visit 2024

Explore Kenya’s safari parks and enjoy some of the unique tourist activities in these wonderful parks and these include the Aberdare National Park that is part of the Aberdare Mountain Range, a fascinating region of Kenya. According to traditional Kikuyu folklore they are one of the homes of Ngai (God). The total area of the park is 767 km2.

The park boundary roughly runs along the 10,000ft contour. The topography is diverse, Mountain ranges and peaks soar to around 14,000ft., giving way to canyon like V- shaped valleys that give way to gentler valleys separated by steep hills and rocky outcrops. Streams and rivers cascade down through spectacular waterfalls. The park is an important water catchment providing water to the Tana and Athi rivers and part of central rift and northern drainage basins. Above the forest is a belt of bamboo, a favourite haunt of the Bongo, a rare and elusive forest antelope. at 10,000ft.

“The Majestic Moorland” Picturesque, steep forested ravines and open moorland characterize the Aberdare National Park. The park provides a habitat for elephants, black rhinos, leopards, spotted hyenas, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, buffaloes, warthogs and bush bucks among others. Rare sightings include those of the Giant Forest hog, bongo, golden cat, serval cat, African wild cat, African civet cat and the blue duiker. Visitors can 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, Sparrow hawks, goshawks, eagles, sun birds and plovers.

Lesatima peak, Kinango peak, waterfalls, walks in the moorlands, Twin hills, Elephant hills and Table mountains,  Second largest population of black rhinos in Salient and Northern Aberdare, Queen Elizabeth learned of her accession to the throne at Tree-tops Lodge, The Kimathi Hideout/Mau caves.

The park is home to most of the larger mammals, having a large population of black rhino. The park is home to most endangered species which include: the rare Bongo, Giant Forest Hog, Packs of the now very rare Wild dogs and Endemic mole rate and mole shrew. Other game include: Leopard, Serval cats, Endemic bird species, reptiles, insects. The prolific bird life features 250 recorded species.

The highlands and dense forests of Aberdare National Park captivate travelers in Africa year-round, but we want to provide you with some climatic considerations that may influence your individual travel plans. The most significant impact of the weather patterns in equatorial Kenya is the ease with which you can observe the wildlife.

Specifically, during the dry season, the animals gather around the few remaining watering holes, and therefore, are easier to locate and view. Insect populations are also lower during the dry season, so you do not have to contend with the mosquitoes as much; though, repellent and prophylaxis protection is recommended regardless. For these reasons, plan your wilderness trip to Aberdare National Park during the long dry season.

The rainy seasons, though, do have some advantages that you may consider as an important part of your connoisseur safari in Kenya. First, the vegetation transforms into a deep rich green and the vivid colours of wildflowers dot the landscape. Second, some mammals especially antelopes give birth during the long rainy season, and you can witness the incredible first hours of Kenya’s newest generation of wildlife. When the rains arrive, though, more water sources are available, so the wildlife tends to spread out more.

You may not see the concentration of animals in a small area that you would during the dry seasons. Additionally, the roads and trails in the park may be much more demanding to navigate due to the black cotton soil, and the conditions may adversely affect your game drive excursions, hiking and walking safaris.

Global warming has introduced a level of uncertainty in the rainy and dry seasons, so the following information should be considered as general guidelines. Aberdare experiences a cycle of dry seasons and rainy seasons. The long dry season, which we consider to be the best time to visit the park, is from July to October. These are also the coolest months of the year, with average monthly maximum daytime temperatures ranging from 21 C (70 F) to 23 C (73 F). Monthly minimum night time temperatures are fairly consistent at 11 C (52 F), so you should bring extra layers of warm clothing for your evening and morning activities. The short rains arrive in November and December, and these rains have little if any impact on your activities as the moisture tends to evaporate quickly.

The short dry and humidly hot season is in January and March with some pockets of rain, followed by welcoming the long and heavy rainy season of April and May. In late March and early June, you may experience light rains. From November to March, average monthly daytime maximum temperatures are 23 C (73 F) to 25 C (77 F), and daytime temperatures can drop slightly to 21 C (70 F) from April to June. Minimum night time temperatures range from 9 C (48 F) to 11 C (52 F) during these months.

Mount Kenya National Park and Reserve

The Mount Kenya National Park is located about 175km (108 miles) from Nairobi. It covers around 700 square kilometers protecting the mountain between altitudes of 11,000ft and 17,058ft above sea level. There is a good tar road that circles the base of the mountain, connecting the region’s main towns, namely Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Meru and Embu.

Mount Kenya is the second highest mountain in Africa. Due to its unique ecosystems which change the higher you go up the mountain, Mount Kenya has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Many climbers, hikers, trekkers and adventure enthusiasts challenge themselves by ascending the mountain each year.

“Come touch the sky” Climbing to 5,199 meters, Mount Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. The scenery surrounding this designated World Heritage Site is breath-taking. It is pristine wilderness with lakes, tarns, glaciers, dense forest, mineral springs and a selection of rare and endangered species of animals, high altitude adapted plains game and unique montane and alpine vegetation. Visitors can enjoy mountain climbing, camping and caving with the mountain’s rugged glacier-clad peaks providing the perfect backdrop.

The climate in the park varies dramatically as you ascend the mountain. There can be vast changes in temperature between the day and night, with temperatures dropping to about 4 °C. Mount Kenya is generally very wet and is a watershed that provides water for large parts of Kenya. Like the rest of the country, as it is situated within the tropics, it receives two wet seasons and two dry seasons.

More than 130 species of birds have been recorded, including sun birds, alpine chats, starlings, olive pigeons, giant kingfishers, and red-fronted parrots, Lammergeiers, Augur Buzzards and Verreaux’s Eagles.

Wild animals that can be seen include elephant, Black and White Colobus monkey, Sykes monkey, Olive Baboon, buffalo, bush buck, water buck, eland, black rhino, black fronted duiker, leopard, giant forest hog, genet cat, bush pig, mole rats, tree hyrax, porcupine, white tailed mongoose and hyena. More elusive is the bongo, a rare type of forest antelope.

The extraordinary beauty of Mount Kenya National Park inspires you to venture into the wilderness. While safari game drives are not allowed due to its fragile ecology, you do enjoy a magnificent tour of Kenya’s iconic mountain with nature walks in the foothills. As one of the world’s highest national parks, Mount Kenya offers breath-taking views and incredible biodiversity. Micro-ecosystems emerge with the changing altitude, and guests easily notice these refined changes in flora and fauna. The experience and knowledge of your guide is a critical part of these walks, as they lend to tracking, locating and identifying terrestrial wildlife, plants, insects, birds and other discoveries.

The personable nature of your guide is a welcome part of any walk, as you listen to interesting personal stories, intriguing descriptions of ancient traditions, and medicinal uses of plants and the history of the vast land that surrounds you, all from a native viewpoint. Elephants follow well – traveled migration paths through the park, and buffaloes are also frequently spotted on the trails. The trees and brush serve as nesting and perching sites for more than 130 bird species, and small rodents, amphibians and reptiles rustle in the undergrowth.

Two of these smaller creatures – grass rats and rock hyraxes – are favourites of the highly elusive leopards. Although less frequently seen, serval cats have also been recorded at Mount Kenya Park. The thick forests hide some of the world’s most-valued species, such as giant forest hogs, sunis, black-fronted duikers, to name only a few of the foragers and grazers. The most noteworthy resident of the park, though, is an animal that guests seek out with great anticipation – bongos.

As one of Kenya’s rarest animals, seeing one of these forest antelopes would be the stand-out moment of an already memorable safari trip in the outback of Kenya. Your guide is an expert at recognizing signs of these animals, such as footprints and scat, increasing the likelihood of discerning the distinct white stripes and reddish coat amongst the trees. Bongos are quite shy and easily panicky, so be prepared to remain quiet and look swiftly when instructed by your guide.

If you choose to stay inside the park at Serena Mountain Lodge, wildlife viewing is as easy as relaxing on your private veranda. The lodge is well-sited near areas where animals forage and drink. Bird life is abundant around the lodge, so you spend your days updating your birding journal without ever leaving the property. Recorded species include hartlaub’s turaco, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Jackson’s francolin, hoopoe, hunter’s cisticola, Sharpe’s pipit and many more! For the most adventurous African travelers, we can arrange climbing treks up Mount Kenya. When staying in the suburbs at Mount Kenya Safari Club, you can go on horse riding, play a round of golf, and visit the William Holden Animal Orphanage and much more.