For classic wildlife viewing experiences, adventurous birding tours and walking safaris, travelers to Kenya National Parks are guaranteed of exploring the rawness and untouched wilderness of Africa. The following are the national parks of Kenya;
Amboseli National Park.
Amboseli National Park is a 392-square kilometer Protected Area that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. It was gazetted in 1974 and is found in Kajiado County. This National Park is popular for its free-ranging elephants and clear views of Mount Kilimanjaro (World’s highest free-standing Mountain) in the neighboring Tanzania. Some of the wildlife species in this park are Cape buffaloes, elephants, spotted hyenas, Masai giraffes, Grant’s zebras, lions and leopards.
Aberdare National Park.
Aberdare National Park was established in 1950 to protect the Aberdare Mountain range within Central Kenya, along the East African Rift Valley. This Park covers about 766 square kilometers and forms part of the Aberdare Mountain range. Visitors interested in mountain hiking can visit Aberdare n/park.
It also offers a wide range of wildlife species that include Suni, African golden cats, giant forest hogs, African wild dogs, leopards, side-striped jackals, common elands, lions, bushbucks, leopards, Sykes monkeys and many others. There are also more than 250 species of birds in the Aberdare Mountain range and some of them include sunbirds, Jackson’s spurfowl and many others.
Mount. Kenya National Park.
Set within central Kenya, Mount. Kenya National Park was gazetted in 1949 to protect the beautiful Mount. Kenya with its surrounding environment and existing wildlife. It was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1978 then UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This national park extends for only 715 square kilometers and features several cape buffaloes, elephants, black and white colobus monkeys as well as lions.
Nairobi National Park.
Nairobi is the only city with a National Park, established in 1946 and extending for only 117 square kilometers. It is located at approximately 7 kilometers south of Nairobi City and boasts of large and varying population of wildlife species. Some of the wildlife species in this Park are Defassa waterbucks, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, Grant’s gazelles, black rhinoceros, cheetahs, common warthogs, common elands, spotted hyenas, wildebeests, Thomson’s gazelles and Plains zebras among others.
Hell’s Gate National Park.
Hell’s Gate is one of Kenya’s most spectacular National Parks, set in the south of Lake Naivasha and north-west of Nairobi City. It was named after the narrow break in the cliffs and extends for only 68 square kilometers. Gazetted in 1984, Hell’s Gate national park has for long been the haven to endangered lammergeyer vultures.
It also shelters spotted hyenas, Tree hyraxes, the Klipspringers, African buffaloes, hartebeests, olive baboons, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras and common elands among others. This Park is not only known for its wildlife diversity but also jaw-dropping landscapes that include the Fischer’s tower, geysers and hot springs among others.
Malindi Marine National Park.
This Marine National Park is situated within the Indian Ocean, off the Kenyan Coast and is believed to be the oldest marine Park in the African Continent. It is found in Malindi, about 118 kilometers north of Mombasa and shelters several turtle species, coral reefs, Tropical fish species, Dolphins and Barracuda among others.
Tsavo East and West National Parks.
Tsavo East and West National Parks are also popular National Parks of Kenya. Tsavo East was established in 1948 and covers an area of 13,747 square kilometers. Tsavo and Athi Rivers flow through Tsavo East and meet to form the Galana River. Tsavo west covers about 9065 square kilometers and is more mountainous and wetter with swamps, hot springs and Lake Jipe. These two National Parks were divided by sections of the A109 road and railway.
Mount. Elgon National Park.
This National Park is set about 140 kilometers north-east of Lake Victoria and extends for about 1,279 square kilometers. Named after the towering Mount Elgon, this Park was gazetted in 1968 and shelters the forest buffaloes, forest elephants, duikers, black and white colobus monkeys, leopards, blue monkeys, spotted hyenas, red-tailed monkeys and giant forest hogs.
Over 144 bird species exist in this Park and they include the lammergeyer, eastern bronze-naped pigeon, Tacazze sunbirds and Hartlaub’s Turaco among others.
Ruma National Park.
Ruma is the only terrestrial Park in the Nyanza Province of Kenya and is popular for being the “last retreat of Roan antelopes because of protecting the only indigenous population of these rare antelope species.
It was gazetted in 1966 as Lambwe Valley Game Reserve and offers a wide range of wildlife species that include the Roan antelopes, Bohor reedbucks, and Eastern black rhinos, African leopards, Olive baboons, honey badgers, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, Lelwel hartebeests, vervet monkeys, bush pigs, Oribis, serval cats and spotted hyenas. There are also over 400 species of birds in this beautiful National Park.
Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park.
Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park was gazetted in 1967 and is about 65 kilometers north of Nairobi City. It is one of the nearest Parks from the Capital and can be explored during a one-day tour from the City. It extends for only 20 square kilometers and offers chances of encountering bushbucks, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, cape buffaloes, impalas, olive baboons, duikers and many others.
Besides wildlife, this Park boasts of phenomenal landscapes and sceneries that include the McMillan Castle, Fourteen falls and far-flung views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Lake Nakuru National Park.
This National Park was gazetted in 1961 around the beautiful Lake Nakuru and currently covers an area of 188 square kilometers. This Park is known for sheltering millions of stunning flamingos in addition to over 25 eastern black rhinoceros, several southern white rhinos, cheetahs, Rothschild giraffes, lions, leopards and Defassa waterbucks among others.
Besides the flamingos, this Park is also home to the pied kingfishers, African fish eagles, Hamerkop and Goliath herons among others.
Chyulu Hills National Park.
This National Park was named after the spectacular Chyulu Hills within the south-east of Kenya. The Chyulu Hills National Park was gazetted in 1983 and is perfect for visitors interested in Cave exploration, Hiking and also exceptional wildlife viewing experience.
Some of the animals that roam the Hills of Chyulu are Steinbok, bush pigs, lions, the Eastern black rhinos, cheetahs, Masai giraffes, Mountain reedbucks, Cape buffaloes, wildebeests, bushbucks, common elands, Grant’s zebras and leopards among others. Reptiles such as puff adders, African rock pythons and Black mambas are also found in Chyulu Hills National Park.
Arabuko Sokoke National Park.
Arabuko Sokoke National Park is found on the north-western margin of Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, on the Kenyan Coast. It was established in the late 1980s and extends for only 6 square kilometers.
This park shelters several endemic and outstanding wildlife species that include the Ader’s duikers, golden-ramped elephant shrew, the Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose, savannah elephants, olive baboons, African civets, vervet monkeys in addition to birds such as the Amani sunbirds, Terek sandpiper, Sokoke pipit, the spotted ground thrush and Sokoke scops owls.
Watamu Marine National Park.
Watamu Marine National Park was gazetted in 1968, making it one of Kenya’s oldest Marine National Parks. It is about 140 kilometers north of Mombasa City and boasts of over 600 fish species, about 100 stony coral species, sea turtles, whale sharks, octopus, Barracuda and Manta rays as well as many other beautiful attractions. This outstanding Marine National Park was recognized as a “Biosphere Reserve” in 1979
Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park.
Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park is found on the southern coast of Kenya near the Tanzanian Border. This Marine National Park extends for only 11 square kilometers with four small coral reef-fringed Islands.
Visitors to this National Park should expect to encounter a variety of marine life that include wrasses, whale sharks, trigger fish, dolphins, scorpion fish, parrotfish, puffer fish, hawksbill turtles, groupers, angelfish, snappers, Humpback whales, moray eels, green sea turtles, rays, damselfish, and butterfly fish among others.
Sibiloi National Park.
Sibiloi National Park was gazetted in 1973 to protect rich wildlife species as well as paleontologist sites and is found on the north-eastern shores of Lake Turkana, in northern Kenya.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1997) extends for over 1570 square kilometers. One of the most popular Paleontologist sites you will find in the area is the Australopithecus and early Homo fossils as well as Koobi Fora
Kora National Park.
Situated in Tana River County, Kora National Park is another extraordinary Kenyan National Park extending for over 1788 square kilometers. Established in 1989, this Park is about 125 kilometers east of Mount Kenya and is bordered by Tana River and Meru National Park.
This rarely visited National Park is home to African bush elephants, serval cats, Caracals, Tanzanian cheetahs, Hippos, leopards, striped hyenas, genets, African wild cats, lions and spotted hyenas.
Malka Mari National Park.
Gazetted in 1989, Malka Mari National Park is located along the banks of River Dawa, along the Kenyan-Ethiopian border. This Park extends for over 1500 square kilometers and is characterized by scrubby grasslands, semi-arid bush lands as well as riparian woodlands along the river banks.
There are a number of flora species that are unique to this Park while the animal species are Kirk’s Dik-dik, Agama lizards, Somali giraffes, spotted hyenas, Crocodiles, genets and zebras among others. Only about 20 bird species are found here and some of them include vultures, the mourning collared doves, the spotted palm thrush and the Juba weavers among others.
Meru National Park.
Meru National Park is found in the east of Meru, approximately 220 miles from the City of Nairobi. It was gazetted in 1966 and extends for only 870 square kilometers (340 square miles). This park is one of the two popular areas where conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness.
It also shelters a wide range of animals that include the southern white rhinos, Elephants, Hippos, the eastern black rhinos, lions, Gravy’s zebras, leopards and cheetahs. This park is also known for offering views of Mount. Kenya and River Tana in addition to sheltering Adamson’s falls.
Mombasa Marine Park.
Mombasa Marine National Park is found in Kenya’s Mombasa and extends for only 10 square kilometers. The area was gazetted as a marine Park in 1986 and shelters part of the reef crest habitats of Bamburi-Nyali fringing reef, black reefs and lagoon. It is also known for sheltering a wide range of marine species such as corals, crabs, Turtles, starfish, sea grasses, stone fish, sea urchins and migratory bird species such as the crab plovers.
Other less popular national parks in Kenya are Mount. Longonot National Park, Ndere Island National Park, South Island National Park, Saiwa Swamp National Park, Marsabit National Park and Central Island National Park.
