IT
35-50 years of age
Review about Aberdare National Park by simbambili
Typical forest area, is very difficult to spot wildlife, although the peculiar animals that live there worth a trip.
IT
35-50 years of age
Real Africa
I've travelled to Africa several time in my life and in many different countries. Laikipia plateau is one of the best place i've ever seen: Wildlife is very abundant there and there are lot of species you can spot only there. As most accommodation belongs to private ranches there are not overcrowded bush trips, you can feel like an explorer and experience the "real Safari", without the limitations you normally have in the national parks. The accommodations are usually luxury, and you have time to relax as well, surrounded by nature.
50-65 years of age
Review about Kenya by Clive Cheeseman
Our Kenyan tour included Samburu (hot and arid), Lake Nakuru (Flamingo and Rhino), another lake included a boat trip to get close to Hippo and hunting Fish Eagle. Finally the amazing, incredibly beautiful Masai Mara, lions and cheetahs on kills, an amazing variety of bird life - ground hornbill, secretary birds, vultures, ostrich and more - wildebeest in astonishing numbers, warthog, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, gazelles, antelopes, elephant and finally a beautiful scene of around eight lion cubs gleefully greeting thei mother.
50-65 years of age
Review about Kenya by joyandtony
The bird life was second to none. We visited Lake Nakuru and saw around a million of flamingos. As well as pelicans, cormorants and other birds. At Lake Naivasha we saw eagles, kingfishers and other birds. On the Masai Mara we saw a lilac breasted roller and a lion cub. We visited the Mara at the time when all the wilder beast we there and there were thousands of animals to see.
Review about Kenya by Bill Lateu
The friendliness of the Kenyan people, the beautiful and diverse country with it's abundance of wildlife. Our stay in Kenya took as to four game parks/reserves and also to a beach resort in Mombasa. Would I go again? YES!
IT
35-50 years of age
Review about Kenya by simbambili
Kenya is one the the best place to plan a good safari, unfortunately in the last few years mass tourism has ruined the real Safari mood.
Review about Kruger National Park by Jette NL
too big and yet too many roads with too many people
Review about Manyeleti Game Reserve by Jette NL
(visited in 2010) The Honeyguide tented lodge offered the ultimate combination of sounds and smells of nature. The lodge offered great food in tranquillity. The reserve was not very accidentated, but well varied in bush thickness. Great herds of elephants and buffalo. Not so many roads so repetitive itineraries occurred during six game drives. Enough wildlife surprises !
Easy to reach reserve with determined staff, rich in landscape with well set lodges
Good variety of landscapes in a relatively small park with enough wildlife species in small herds/groups. Enough to see for three days - six game drives. The reserve needs the active search spirit as the accidentation hides the wildlife. We enjoyed the wonderful ranger Andre for his perseverence that made us all eager to be the one to spot a 'prey', as we all did during day or night. We enjoyed the cosy setting of Bukela lodge. Unfortunately we did not get to visit the finding site of a dinosaur skeleton.
35-50 years of age
Aberdare National Park, a haven of unspoilt nature in Kenya
By Samuel Kuria*
Aberdare National park lies in the central part of Kenya and saddles between Mt Kenya to the East and forms the Eastern wall of the rift valley to the west. The total area of the park is 767 km2 with boundary roughly running along the 10,000ft contour. A popular tourist destination, it is a real natural wonder when explored by the relaxed intrepid traveller who has more time to venture deeper to explore its numerous marvels. To the eastern lowlands lies the salient area with two tree lodges, The Ark and Treetops. This is the region most tourists are exposed to since a lot of tour operators offer itineraries passing through Aberdares with on average 1 night at either of these tree lodges. The highlight of these nights is watching animals come to the floodlit watering holes at night. However, the downside is that one never explores deeper into the Aberdares since the operator drops the gusts at Aberdare country club (for Ark guests) and Outspan hotel (for treetops guests) and then they are bussed to the tree lodges after lunch in the afternoon. So game viewing is either limited to and from the short drive to the lodge or a few hours in the afternoon, usually at an extra cost.
The highlight of the Aberdares in a drive through, either from East (salient area) to west through Mutubio gate of vice versa. From the salient area, one can enter through the Ark or Treetops gates near Mweiga or Ruhuruini gate south west of Nyeri. Other less used gates are Kiandangoro, Wandare, Shamata and Rhino. However, it is important to enquire the nature of the roads through these gates before embarking on a safari since some are not motorable through the year.
To do this one can be on self drive using a good 4 X 4 jeep or organised by a tour operator. As one crosses from the salient up the Aberdares you experience variety from scenic views and abundant wildlife in the salient to dramatic vegetation changes with the climb. Wildlife is most abundant in the salient where herds of buffaloes are guaranteed to see and other mammals such as warthogs, Elephants, buffalo, bongo and black rhino (in salient and Northern Aberdares) among others represent large mammals. Carnivores include lion and leopard and hyenas, whereas baboon, black and white colobus and sykes monkeys represent primates. The park is home to most endangered species which include: the rare Bongo, Giant Forest Hog, Packs of the now very rare Wild dogs and Endemic mole rate and mole shrew. The prolific bird life features 250 recorded species
Above the forest is a belt of bamboo, a favourite haunt of the Bongo, a rare and elusive forest antelope. At 10,000ft. The bamboo gives way to moorland, home to eland, spotted and melanistic serval cats. Other features are the giant alpine varieties of lobelia, groundsel and heather.
As one climbs to the moorland, the topography is diverse, Mountain ranges and peaks soar to around 14,000ft., giving way to canyon like V- shaped valleys that give way to gentler valleys separated by steep hills and rocky outcrops. Streams and rivers cascade down through spectacular waterfalls. Some of the spectacular waterfalls include the Chania, Magura and Karuru falls in the moorland where one can get out of their vehicles and walk to the base or viewing points in case of Chania or Karuru falls respectively.The park is an important water catchment providing water to the Tana and Athi rivers and part of central rift and northern drainage basins.
A distance of abot 70kms from Ark or Treetops gates, it can take about 2-3 hour to exit Mutubio gate to the west for the sharp descent to the Rift valley near Naivasha town. Thereare a number of Public campsites at Reedbuck, Ruhuruini, Wandare, Shamata for those who would want to spend more time in the park. Entry to the park is by Safari Card only which may be loaded at the Mweiga Park HQ.
*The writer is a Kenyan Travel expert and Director of a Kenyan tour operator
