| The Kenya safari circuit is one of the best in | | | | contained within its boundaries. |
| Africa containing national parks and game | | | | It is home to two well known treehouse hotels, |
| reserves that consistently provide great wildlife | | | | the Ark and Treetops, which have walkways and |
| sightings and experiences coupled with high quality | | | | accommodation raised above the ground beside |
| accommodation. | | | | floodlit waterholes with salt licks. You don't need |
| But within the country itself there are certain | | | | to go on a drive to find wildlife on a safari here |
| areas that are better than others to safari in. | | | | because they come to you. |
| So, according to the trip reports received at | | | | All you have to do is stay close to the waterholes |
| African Safari Journals, forums, my twenty plus | | | | at the lodges and you will see elephant, lion, |
| years of personal safari experience and the | | | | hyena, various antelope and rhino. There is also a |
| general consensus in the safari industry, these are | | | | viewing hide below ground level which gives you |
| the top five national parks to visit on your Kenya | | | | some unique views as the animals quench their |
| safari... | | | | thirst. |
| 1. Masai Mara Reserve | | | | And after a strenuous days Kenya safari wildlife |
| Along with the Serengeti in Tanzania, this is | | | | viewing from the platforms with a drink in your |
| without a doubt the premier game viewing | | | | hand, you can go back to your room with the |
| destination in Africa because of the quality and | | | | confident knowledge that if a particularly good |
| quantity of wildlife sightings to be found here. | | | | sighting is going on at the waterhole like a leopard, |
| This sometimes works against it because in | | | | lion or hyena you will be alerted by a bell (one ring |
| certain places it can be overrun with tourist in | | | | for lion, two for leopard etc) which will ensure you |
| safari vehicles all jostling for the best position | | | | don't miss any of the action. |
| around a bemused lion pride or leopard in a tree. | | | | If you are tempted to go on a game drive you |
| But if predators are what you seek from a | | | | might spot the elusive bongo antelope and some |
| Kenya safari then this reserve will deliver them in | | | | of the monkeys that make their home in the |
| spades in the form of lion, cheetah, hyena and | | | | Aberdare forest. |
| even regular leopard sightings if you know the | | | | 4. Amboseli NP |
| right areas. | | | | Situated close to Kilimanjaro this national park will |
| And of course the massive wildebeest migration | | | | afford you some awesome views of elephant, |
| where up to a million of these ugly antelope trek | | | | giraffe, hippo and antelope with the majestic |
| north from the Serengeti plains across the river | | | | snow topped mountain as a backdrop. |
| into the Masai Mara to find fresher grazing is an | | | | Streams from the mountain feed swamp areas |
| awesome spectacle. | | | | which support a rich variety of wildlife and birds |
| Between July and August (reliant on seasonal | | | | such as pelicans, bee-eaters, eagles and |
| rains) is the time to find the wildebeest in this | | | | kingfishers. |
| area. | | | | It doesn't have the regularity and consistency for |
| Taking a hot air balloon ride over the plains which | | | | predator sightings that a Kenya safari in the Mara |
| is a magical experience and you are spoiled with a | | | | provides but lion, leopard and cheetah are seen as |
| champagne breakfast when you land. | | | | well as old bull elephants with some of the biggest |
| 2. Samburu NP | | | | ivory tusks in Africa. |
| On a Samburu Kanya safari you will notice that | | | | Rhino used to be found in this area but |
| the area is a lot drier and hotter than parks to | | | | unfortunately they are now extinct due to |
| the south due to the climate warming and the | | | | poaching activity. |
| only thing that saves this park from being | | | | 5. Tsavo East and West NP's |
| completely arid is the Ewaso Ngiro river which | | | | This is the largest national park in Kenya and is |
| runs through it. | | | | divided into Tsavo West which is the most |
| This river will provide you with lots of wildlife | | | | developed part and East where some of the land |
| sightings because the animals are drawn to it to | | | | is accessible but the rest is off limits to the public |
| drink and the park is relatively small which | | | | due to poaching. |
| concentrates the animals and makes them easy | | | | If you are looking to get away from the masses |
| to find. | | | | of tourists and do your wildlife viewing in relative |
| The conditions have spawned some wildlife that | | | | isolation and peace then a Kenya safari in Tsavo |
| are particularly suited to this area like the gerenuk | | | | is a good place to do it. |
| which looks like a cross between a giraffe and an | | | | There have been over 500 species of bird |
| antelope because of its long neck, gravy's zebra | | | | recorded in Tsavo west including the migratory |
| (stripes don't go all the way under the belly) and | | | | species so this provides a visual feast for birders. |
| reticulated giraffe which have a geometric pattern | | | | Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary gives you the opportunity |
| on their coat unlike other giraffes. | | | | to spot the scarce and temperamental black rhino |
| And then there are the leopards which seem to | | | | (42 recorded) in 70 sq kilometres surrounded by |
| make a habit of moving around during the day | | | | electric fence for their protection. |
| unlike other areas where they are mostly | | | | The underwater viewing chamber at Mzima |
| nocturnal. | | | | Springs will give you an insight into what hippos do |
| 3. Aberdares NP | | | | underwater and you will spot a number of other |
| This park is set in the Aberdares mountain range | | | | species of game there all attracted by the life |
| which ensures that it has thick woodland forests, | | | | giving water. |
| waterfalls and ice cold streams filled with trout | | | | |