National Parks & Reserves in East Africa
Detailed guides on major national parks & reserves across East Africa including Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Serengeti, Bwindi, Volcanoes National Park & more.
Aberdares
This is a mountain park covering 385 square kilometers that ranges in altitude from 1800 to 4000 meters. This park offers beautiful landscapes of moorlands and forests with stunning waterfalls, and a very rich fauna and flora! It offers the opportunity for beautiful walks and even trout fishing for enthusiasts!
Amboseli
At 400 km², this is the second most visited park after Maasai Mara, and for many, it is the 'postcard' vision of elephants with Kilimanjaro in the background! Amboseli comprises vast marshy plains (nourished by underground sources from the Kili) that are a delight for herbivorous herds but also for carnivores... who wait for their prey to go for a drink.
Baringo
Lake Baringo covers 168 km² with a maximum depth of 12 meters. It is a true paradise for any ornithologist... In fact, 300 different bird species have been spotted there in 24 hours (out of the 450 present)! The shores are lined with aquatic plants, real cozy nests for crocodiles and hippos. Beautiful possibilities for boat trips or visiting fishing villages.
Diani
Located 37 km south of Mombasa, Diani Beach is one of the most beautiful in Kenya... white sand, turquoise water, and coral reef! Many water activities are possible... this beach is one of the best-known (if not the best-known) in Kenya... but the other beaches are also very beautiful and have their advantages (Watamu, Tiwi, Nyali).
Lewa Downs
Lewa Downs is a magnificent private reserve at the foot of Mount Kenya. It is the stronghold of the Craig family, who settled there in 1924 to farm. Over the years, they turned to animal conservation and exclusive tourism to make Lewa one of the most beautiful reserves in the world, with endemic species such as white and black rhinos, sitatunga, and Grevy's zebra.
Maasai Mara
Maasai Mara! 1800 km²! The most famous park in Kenya! And the most visited too! It is a must-visit! Grandiose landscapes mixing plains and hills... a profusion of animals and spectacular wildlife scenes... often torn skies at the end of the day that delight photographers! And, of course, from early July to mid-October, the great migration with its millions of wildebeests and zebras. Simply a magical spectacle! This reserve needs no lengthy descriptions and speaks for itself!
Meru
This park covers an area of 870 km². It's a magnificent park where grassy savannas alternate with wooded savannas planted with acacias, doum palms, and baobabs. Additionally, this park is crisscrossed by numerous watercourses and dotted with swamps. However, as beautiful as it is, it has long been ravaged by poaching, which posed significant security problems! Today, this problem is resolved, and great efforts have been made to rehabilitate a large number of species in this park. Nevertheless, it is still somewhat unpopular with tourists, which allows enthusiasts of 'tranquility' to find their share in a magical place.
Mt Kenya
Mt Kenya is the second-highest mountain in Africa, reaching a height of 5199 meters. Most people who climb it, however, only reach the 4985 meters of Point Lenana. Mt Kenya is part of a national park of the same name that is home to many animals such as elephants, elands, buffalo, rhinos, or other leopards.
Nairobi
Nairobi is one of the world's largest 'young capitals' with its 3 million inhabitants... but this is not too noticeable as it is a wide and airy city! Nairobi is often described with the terms 'insecurity' and 'lack of interest'! However, in good hands, this city can represent a good starting point for a safari (for 1 or 2 nights). There are quite a few nice options/visits to do: the giraffe manor, Karen Blixen's house and museum, the animal orphanage (where it is possible to pet cheetahs...safely), the Maasai market (on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), etc. There is also the possibility of making deeper discoveries, such as visiting a Maasai family who are friends of the Leboo team, visiting an orphanage for HIV-positive children... and why not provide a little help to people in need (nothing is obligatory, of course)! Nairobi also has a number of very nice bars, restaurants, and nightclubs! And finally, let's not forget the Nairobi National Park...
Nakuru
The park now covers an area of approximately 190 km². The lake (62 km²) is characterized, like most of the Rift Valley lakes, by its shallow depth and alkaline water...which of course makes the flamingos (and lesser flamingos) happy as they find their food there. Originally created as a bird reserve, the park now has a large number of other animals...especially rhinos who are kings there...it is also a park where there is a strong chance of seeing lions or leopards lounging in the trees.
Naivasha
In Naivasha, the options are numerous: there is, of course, Hell's Gate National Park and its famous gorges...but don't forget Crescent Island, a magnificent peninsula that offers an unforgettable stroll...the same goes for Crater Lake, a small crater lake that is far from the hordes of tourists. Naivasha represents a restful stopover that offers many opportunities for walks.
Samburu and Buffalo Springs
The Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves are adjacent and cover approximately 520 square kilometers... they are separated by the Ewaso Ngiro River, bordered by a gallery forest! These reserves give an impression of opulence, and the metaphor of the 'Noah's Ark' takes on its full meaning here! Every late afternoon, the spectacle of animals coming to drink is absolutely magnificent. Moreover, in these reserves, we find a certain number of endemic or characteristic species of arid and semi-arid environments, such as oryx, Grévy's zebras, gerenuks, or reticulated giraffes.
Tsavo East
The Tsavo Park is the largest in Kenya with its 20,800 km²... it represents the size of a country such as Israel and offers magnificent landscapes... Tsavo East is largely made up of arid plains dotted with trees. Here, the impression of immensity is even stronger than in Tsavo West. The Athi River cuts its bed into the lava of the Yatta plateau before flowing into the ocean. It attracts abundant wildlife that often moves in huge herds here: elephants, buffaloes, zebras... etc.
Tsavo West
The Tsavo Park is the largest in Kenya with its 20,800 km²... it represents the size of a country such as Israel and offers magnificent landscapes... Of the two Tsavos, Tsavo West is undoubtedly the most beautiful... it is smaller than its neighbor, and the abundance of water makes wildlife observation easier! But Tsavo also has fabulous landscapes consisting of hills dotted with thorny bushes and majestic baobabs that lean against the superb Chyulu Hills (the youngest mountain range in the world)... with the always majestic Kilimanjaro in the distance.