Shimba Hills National Reserve

Herds of sable antelope, close to the Indian Ocean

Despite being within easy driving distance of the hugely popular Indian Ocean resort of Diani Beach, Shimba Hills receives relatively few visitors. It’s a modest park, but I found it enjoyable for a quick visit, and a refreshing change from the coastal strip in every way – not least because it’s considerably less humid up here, and there’s an excellent forest safari lodge with a raised wildlife viewing platform.

The hills are a lush and pleasant mixture of tropical woodland and grassland. You’ll definitely see elephants here – a translocation programme reduced their numbers in recent years, but there are still plenty left. It’s also fairly easy to see sable antelope – this is the only park in Kenya where these magnificent creatures are found. Other species you may encounter include ostriches and buffalo.