Ruma National Park

An Off-Beat Gem

Ruma National Park is probably the least-visited safari destination in Kenya. Partly this is because of its remote location in the Lambwe Valley, which lies close to the small port town of Homa Bay on Lake Victoria, far from any established tourist attraction. Partly it is because two of the Big Five (elephant and lion) are absent altogether, while a third (leopard) is highly unlikely to be seen by casual visitors. Taken on its own terms, however, this small but scenic national park offers surprisingly good wildlife viewing. Visiting in 2024, we saw good numbers of white rhino, buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, zebra, warthog, baboon, impala, Jackson’s hartebeest, defassa waterbuck and oribi, and we also snatched a brief look at one of the park’s shy black rhinos. Ruma is probably best known as the last Kenyan refuge for the roan antelope, which has not fared well here, despite the high level of protection it is accorded. In 2019, the authorities decided to relocate the last park’s last 16 roan antelope, together with two individuals from Tanzania, to a small (6.5km²) fenced sanctuary next to Nyatoto Gate. It is permitted to drive around the sanctuary and look for the antelope, but sightings are far from guaranteed (though we did see three individuals at quite a distance). The park has a memorable setting of lush savannah ringed by tall hills, and you’ll almost certainly have it to yourself.