| It is hard to believe the startling contrasts of | | | | 140kms south of Nairobi on the border with |
| landscape and the outstanding natural beauty that | | | | Tanzania. A combination of factors such as |
| Kenya has to offer. | | | | drought, increased tourism, and over-grazing of |
| Further inland, few places on earth can claim such | | | | land by the locals has had a hard-hitting effect on |
| a dense profusion of wildlife in such spectacular | | | | the western side of the park, the land has |
| surroundings. From the legendary wilderness of | | | | become dry, dusty and barren and the animals |
| Tsavo where the man eaters originated,to the | | | | that were once there have moved into areas of |
| majestic peak of Kilimanjaro, the rain forests of | | | | shrub forest and marshland. Still there is plenty to |
| Mount Kenya to the stunning savannah of the | | | | see in this wildlife paradise. |
| Masai Mara. | | | | LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK |
| The coastal belt of Kenya is home to some of | | | | Situated approximately 6km from Nakuru town |
| the world's finest beaches. Kenya has a wide | | | | with the main attraction being Lake Nakuru is a |
| selection of beach holidays along it's coast, ranging | | | | very shallow strongly alkaline lake 62 km2 in |
| from 5 star hotels to private beach villas. | | | | extent and set beneath the high cliffs of the |
| The hotels are luxurious in nature with nearly all | | | | eastern Rift Valley. It is an ornithologists' paradise |
| facilities such as swimming pool, fitness center, | | | | offering the spectacular view of up to 2 million |
| sauna, and conference rooms among others, all | | | | flamingos. The flamingos feed on algae, created |
| within the hotel premises. Every room is air | | | | from their droppings mixing in the warm alkaline |
| conditioned with private bathroom, balcony and | | | | waters, and plankton. But flamingo are not the |
| telephone. All beach hotels overlook the white | | | | only avian attraction, also present are other large |
| sands of Kenya's coastline. The indigenous old | | | | fish eating birds mainly pelicans and cormorants. |
| trees and vegetation fronting the Indian Ocean | | | | Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird |
| have been preserved pristinely. | | | | sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park |
| This attracts the birds to the lodge, hence beach | | | | status in 1968. |
| and bird life experience. | | | | Today an area of 190 sq km around the lake has |
| Parks and Reserves | | | | been fenced in as a national park and has been |
| The masai mara | | | | made a sanctuary for Rothschild giraffes and |
| The mara is home of East Africa's once most | | | | black rhinos which were once poached almost to |
| feared ancient warriors, the maasai. With the | | | | extinction. |
| adjoining Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to | | | | MOUNT KENYA |
| the south, they make home to a huge population | | | | Mount Kenya National Park lies approximately |
| of elephants, hippo, buffalo, griraffe, gazelle and | | | | 170kms northeast of Nairobi and covering an area |
| impala. | | | | of approximately 700 sq kms. This park consists |
| Predators are plentiful especially the cheetah, | | | | maily of forest vegetation. The mount from |
| crocodile, leopard, and lion. | | | | which this national park gets it's name, Mount |
| ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK | | | | Kenya is an extinct volcano straddled across the |
| The Aberdare national park is part of the | | | | equator, and is the continent's second highest |
| Aberdare Mountain Range which forms the steep | | | | peak. The altitude ranges from between 11,000 to |
| eastern edge of the Rift Valley. The park lies | | | | 17,058ft, with the highest peaks being Batian at |
| approximately 170kms north of Nairobi and has an | | | | 17,058ft and Nelion at 17,022ft. These can be |
| altitude of 7,000 to 14,000 ft. The scenery in this | | | | attemped. Peaks such as Lenana can be climbed |
| region is spectacular and impressive as is the | | | | without the use of specialist equipment. Climbers |
| range of wildlife. Wildlife viewing on this park takes | | | | are often accompanied by a guide, with ports |
| some searching due to the dense forest | | | | being available. There are climbers huts is rest up |
| vegetation. | | | | in, but plenty of food and warm clothes should be |
| The park has a wide variety of game including; | | | | taken for those wishing to attempt this great |
| elephant, lion, black rhino, waterbuck, gazelle, giant | | | | mountain. The best time of the year for climbing |
| forest hog, genet cats, leopard, buffalo and the | | | | is from mid-January to late February and from |
| rare spiral-horned antelope known as the bongo. | | | | late August through September. |
| AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK | | | | The scenery is panoramic. It is also a botanist's |
| Amboseli National Park, although smaller than the | | | | paradise, with a wide variation in flora as the |
| likes of tsavo and masai mara, at approx 395 sq | | | | altitude changes. |
| km, is one of Kenya's most popular parks. | | | | The park is home to a variety of wildlife including |
| Amboseli is known for its large elephant herds and | | | | some unique species, such as Black and White |
| is often referred to as elephant country. The | | | | colobus and Sykes monkeys, bushbuck, elephant, |
| views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak | | | | Olive baboon, waterbuck, black rhino, leopard, |
| on a clear sky day, coupled with the variety of | | | | hyena, bongo and at high altitudes zebra and eland |
| game to be found, draws many wildlife lovers to | | | | can be found. Buffalo too can be seen here in |
| this park. The park which lies approximately | | | | plenty. |