Game Viewing
Below are
brief descriptions of some of the game parks we know well and visit
frequently. We are not limited to these parks though. We will be adding
descriptions of others in the near future. If you have heard or read
about a park not listed below, ask us about it. If there are particular
types of wildlife that you are most interested in, let us
know that as well. We will design a safari based on what you want to
see. A window seat is guaranteed for all game viewing safaris. We use
safari tour vans in most parks and 4WD Land Cruisers where the terrain
requires it.
Sample
Safari Itineraries & Pricing
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park offers one of the most
classic and breathtaking views of Kenya, with 19,340 foot Kilimanjaro
towering over the plains. It makes a great background for photos,
although the summit remains hidden by clouds for most of the day, dawn
being the best moment to catch a view of it. Game is abundant in and
around the central swamps. There are large numbers of buffalo,
zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, impala and gazelle, all of which
help support a population of lions and hyenas. Amboseli is most noted
for its elephants made famous by researchers Cynthia Moss
(www.elephanttrust.org) and Joyce Poole (www.elephantvoices.org). Many
documentary films and photos of elephants in books and magazines are
Amboseli elephants.
Maasai
Mara Game Reserve
The Maasai Mara is effectively an extension of Tanzania's Serengeti
National Park. It is considered by many to be Kenya's best wildlife
sanctuary, where plains game can still be seen in the great numbers
once common to much of East Africa, which in turn support a large
population of predators. The landscape of the Mara is one of gently
rolling savanna grasslands stretching to the horizon, intersected by
dark green veins of acacia woodland along the banks of the Mara and
Talek rivers. Many species of plains animals can be found here year
round, wildebeest, hartebeest, topi, impala, zebra and gazelles.
Elephants, Maasai giraffe and occasionally a black rhino can be seen
along the woodlands. The Mara River supports a large population of
hippos that gather in groups of up to 50 along it's banks. But it is
the predators that visitors come to this reserve most to see. The Mara
has Kenya's largest population of lions with prides often numbering as
many as 30 individuals. The open country is also ideal for cheetah, hunting dogs, hyenas and jackals. We
operate our own camp in the Mara, called Crocodile Camp. This camp is
located on the banks of the Mara River on the northern boundary of the
reserve. Here, you will have a large canvas tent with beds and attached
shower and toilet. You will often see wildlife walking past the camp,
sometimes through it. Hippos and crocodiles are always present in the
river below. You will be able to go for hikes out on the savanna and
visit a Maasai boma. You will also have the opportunity to spend a
night or two at the world famous Keekorok Lodge.
Aberdare
National Park
Aberdare National Park covers the higher elevations of the Aberdare
Mountain Range from about 7,000 feet to over 13,000 feet. This park is
one of great scenic beauty with rolling hills covered with tussock
grasses and deep valleys with spectacular waterfalls. The abundant
wildlife include elephant, buffalo, black rhino, bongo, giant forest
hog, colobus monkeys as well as a wide variety of birds. We will either
tent here or stay in a small cabin. While staying in the cabin, you
will be able to observe wildlife from your room or the front porch, as
many animals visit the saltlick and water hole less than 100 feet away.
You also will have great views of Mount Kenya, 45 miles away, across
the valley to the the east. Here, you may have the opportunity to go
for walks in the moorland and fish for trout in the streams and ponds.
Lake
Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru is a bird paradise and was termed "the greatest bird
spectacle on earth" by the late Roger Tory Peterson, one of the worlds
leading ornithologists. The lake is home to more than 350 bird species.
Most notably, the lesser flamingoes which at times form a pink fringe
around the lake. In an exceptional year their numbers could reach more
than a million. In addition to birds Lake Nakuru also has a large
population of both black and white rhinos, Rothchild giraffes, leopards
as well as zebras, buffalo and many types of antelopes.
Hell's
Gate National Park
Hell's Gate is a large gorge once the outlet of an enlarged lake system
which filled the Rift Valley floor following the last Ice Age. The main
gorge is surrounded by 600 foot cliffs that provide nesting sites for
many large birds including the Griffon Vulture, Hooded Vulture and the
magnificent Verreaux Eagle. The cliffs are excellent for rock climbing
and are used by climbers of all levels of experience. Visitors are also
allowed to walk and ride bicycles in this park. Buffalo, giraffe,
zebra, hartebeest, warthog and gazelles inhabit the gorge. At the south
end of the Main Gorge a footpath leads to the Lower Gorge. Here
visitors will find hot springs, jets streams and fumaroles. Unique
plants, capable of withstanding high temperatures, grow around the
fumaroles and the smell of sulfur pervades the air. For those
interested in trying rock climbing for the first time, Center for
African Adventure can give you the basic training you'll need to climb
safely. We will then lead you up one of the easier routes on the cliff
followed by a rappel back down to the valley floor. We also have
mountain bikes.
Lake
Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is the second largest freshwater lake in Kenya at about
55 square miles and one of only two freshwater lakes in the Great Rift
Valley. It is a great place to relax part way through a safari. We will
tent near the shore under yellow fever acacia trees. Here, you have the
option to go for a short boat ride. Hugging the shore, you will to see
hippos and many water birds with Mount Longonot and the Aberdare
Mountains in the background. You will likely see many fish eating birds
such as Fish Eagles, Pied Kingfishers, Goliath herons and both
Long-tailed and Great Cormorants. As the sun goes down, from the safety
of the observation platform, you can watch the hippos come out of the
lake to graze. We will often camp here and spend the day at Hell's
Gate, since it is only a short drive to the south.
Lake
Bogoria National Reserve
Lake Bogoria is considered by many to be the most beautiful of Kenya's'
Rift Valley lakes. The waters contain the blue-green algae which tend
to attract thousands of flamingoes that turn the shores pink. The
grasslands that surround the lake are home to a variety of animals
including the buffalo, zebra, impala, and dik dik. The southern shore
of the lake consists of acacia-ficus woodland, while the northern part
is a "papyrus swamp." The Laikipia Escarpment rises over 3,000 feet
from the eastern shore of the lake, providing a dramatic backdrop for
the thousands of flamingos, pelicans and many other species of water
birds. On the western shore, natural hot springs spout fountains of
boiling water over ten feet in the air. The hot springs and baths also
provide a natural spa for the visitors. You can camp along the shore
and explore the beauty of the park by walking or cycling.
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