Must-See Safaris: Kenya’s 5 Best Reserves & Parks

View of the Maasai Mara underneath the gaze of Mount Kilimanjaro. Photo: Shutterstock

In the popular imagination, Africa’s wilderness means huge swathes of sun-baked grass stretching as far as the pale blue sky with a few trees in between – the iconic savannah.

But look a bit further and you’ll see that it has an unimaginable diversity in landscapes, climates and wildlife.

This is particularly so in the nation of Kenya, a nation known worldwide for its safaris. Besides its golden savannahs, Kenya is also home to massive lakes ringed by teeming swamps, mountainous forests and alpine peaks and even Africa’s tallest mountain, each with their own unique flora, fauna and ecosystem.

And as millions of visitors can prove, Kenya holds the honour of having all of the famous Big Five African animals within its borders – the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and African buffalo.

For a quick introduction to some Kenya’s most fascinating parks and reserves, read on:

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Named after the native Maasai people who still graze and tend to the land, the Maasai Mara is a household name when it comes to parks and safaris.

This is because the national reserve is simply filled to bursting with herds, packs and groups of various grassland animals. Skittish herbivores like zebras and gazelles, mammoth mammals like elephants and giraffes or deadly hunters like lions and cheetahs – the Mara has it all!

The Great Migration involves countless animals, both prey and predator. Photo: Shutterstock

But the reserve’s most famous attraction has to be the natural wonder called the Great Migration, where over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrate all at once in search of greener pastures during the dry months of July to October. At the same time, lions, hyenas and cheetahs follow close behind and feast on stragglers, creating a magnificent manifestation of the circle of life.

On the other hand, the quieter wet season is also popular with birdwatchers and flora enthusiasts. This is a great choice if you’re not a fan of huge crowds and pricier accommodation during the dry season, though you will need to deal with frequent rains and tall grasses obscuring big game.

Tip: For accommodation, various lodges on Maasai conservancies can be booked. However, when staying at a lodge, you will only be allowed to explore the particular conservancy attached to the lodge and not neighbouring ones.

Nakuru National Park

Pelicans in Nakuru. Photo: Bibhash (Polygon.Cafe) Banerjee

For a look at the wetter side of Kenya’s wildlife, Nakuru National Park is your next stop!

Located in the African Rift Valley – home of many of the world’s oldest, deepest and largest lakes – Nakuru is centered around the modest but no less fascinating Lake Nakuru.

Being a major source of water in the region, the lake attracts countless species of thirsty African animals eager to drink up or cool off. The lake itself is also quite unique because of its highly alkaline nature, which promotes huge colonies of bacteria and algae that in turn attracts a diverse array of endangered birds such as pelicans, ducks and pigeons.

Flamingos in flight. Photo: Shutterstock

Among its many avian visitors, its most famous resident is definitely the bright, pink flamingo! Feasting on beta-carotene-rich algae and crustaceans, which eventually turn them from white to pink, these iconic birds are commonly seen in massive flocks of thousands that blot out the sky and horizon in a sea of pink!

However, global warming and rising water levels have caused a decline in flamingo numbers as they migrate to shallower lakes. Nevertheless, if you are lucky, you might still be able to see a pink flock squawking away in the shallower sections of the lake. Don’t worry though, the park’s collection of colourful eagles, pelicans and ducks will keep you plenty occupied.

Besides being a birdwatching paradise, Nakuru National Park also has an impressive menagerie of land mammals including populations of Rothschild’s giraffes and white rhinoceros, further adding to Kenya’s rich diversity of wildlife.

Tip: For best birdwatching results, try to visit Kenya during the shorter rainy seasons of March – May and October – December. The abundance of plants and food during the rains encourages more activity and breeding plumage from Kenya’s avian residents.

Amboseli National Park

Kilimanjaro in the Amboseli Photo: Sergey Pesterev

Endless savannah and flourishing lakes still not enough for that perfect Insta shot? Then how about an entire mountain?

Framed by the overwhelming size of Africa’s highest mountain – Mount Kilimanjaro – Amboseli National Park is a rich geological canvas tread upon by various wildlife. Everywhere you gaze inside the park, Kilimanjaro’s gargantuan wall of blue-tinted stone fills your vision. At the top, buffeted by clouds, its shiny white crown of snow looms over the savannah plains. Pure photogenic gold!

Elephant herds are a common sight in Amboseli. Photo: Shutterstock

Fittingly enough for its titanic backdrop, Amboseli is also world-famous for its large population of African elephants! These hulking, majestic pachyderms dominate Amboseli with their sheer size and long tusks, roaming around in large herds as they graze on trees and grasses or take a dip in a cool swamp. Plenty of game drives here offer jeeps and knowledgeable guides that will let you get close enough to photograph these giant herbivores.

Tip: Elephants are social creatures, so keep an eye out when bull elephants approach each other. They will usually grab and “shake” each other’s trunks as a form of greeting! Following baby elephants from afar will also let you witness plenty of curious adult elephants interacting with a new member of the herd.

Amboseli is also a diverse geological wonder, containing landscapes like savannah, woodland and even sulphur springs. In fact, Lake Amboseli itself is highly unusual because it’s not actually a permanent lake! Known as the “salty and dusty place” in Masaai, it is normally just that – a dried-out lakebed. But, during heavy rains, it transforms into a massive patchwork of swamps, attracting the aforementioned elephants and all sorts of wildlife!

Aberdare National Park

Unique African moorland in Aberdare, note the giant groundsel plant on the left. Photo: Nina R

Green is the theme of the day when you visit Aberdare National Park, making it highly unique even among Kenya’s other fascinating parks.

Here, dense forests sit upon high cliffs, towering waterfalls roar through dense, leafy hills and grassy moors surround the mountainous peaks.

Bongo in Aberdere’s dense forests. Photo: Chuckupd

Starting from the dense forests, the frequent mists conceal not just iconic elephants, but also unique, camera-shy wildlife like the black rhino, black panther and black serval (notice a theme?). Delve deeper into these forests and you will come across bamboo forests, where the regal gold hide of the bongo antelope reigns.

Karuru Falls. Photo: Tsavo National Park

Trek deeper into the greenery, and you’ll come across towering, thundering pillars of white falls that roar downwards into the region’s rivers and lakes. Best of all, there’s five of them for you to swoon over in this land of falls!

First among the Aberdare falls is the absolutely gorgerous Karuru Falls, a narrow winding waterfall that plummets 300m down through three steps of cliffs, rightfully earning it the title of Kenya’s tallest waterfall. If you’re a waterfall traditionalist, there’s the straightforward Gura Falls which shoots straight down in a nice straight cascade, though it isn’t quite as tall as Karuru. Still not waterfalled out? Then pay a visit to the minor falls around the region like the Chania and Magura Falls.

Group of grounsels in the Aberdare Range. Photo: Nina R

Past Aberdare’s falls, you’ll reach the grassy moors of the Kenyan alps, where kilometers of short grassland and shrubbery eke out an existence in the cool, cloudy climate of the Aberdare Range. You could almost mistake it for the Scottish Highlands, if not for the bizarre giant groundsel plants and their beehive-shaped flowers.

Looking out at the highlands, you might be able to spot the Dragon’s Teeth, a series of dark, jagged rocks jutting out awkwardly out of the green grasslands. Further up, you will find the lofty peaks of Kinangop and Mount Satima standing guard at the very apex of the park.

Lake Naivasha

If you’re already getting sick of getting tossed around in jeep safaris, then how about a change of pace – getting tossed around in a boat safari?

Right outside the Kenyan capital of Nairobi is the town of Naivasha. And right next to it lies the creatively named Lake Naivasha! Naivasha or “choppy waters” in Maasai is the highest lake in Great Rift Valley, named so because of its frequent choppy waters during the windy late afternoons.

As a huge freshwater lake with swamps and smaller alkaline lakes in its periphery, it is a massive habitat for various African wildlife. Neon pink flamingo feed on algae next to lumbering hippos in its waters while giraffes and zebras sate their thirst on the shore.

Hippos can be spotted in Lake Naivasha. Photo: Shutterstock

Thanks to its rich biodiversity and easy accessibility from Naivasha and Nairobi, it has become a popular weekend retreat for Kenyans looking to explore it by a local specialty – boat safaris! Hop on a boat and feel the wind in your hair as you get whisked away to different habitats like submerged forests and emerald swamps to view the area’s famous hippos and flamingos.

Of course, traditional safaris to the see giraffes and buffaloes are also available, not to mention biking safaris to the nearby Hell’s Gate National Park and its craggy canyons.

As you can see, Kenya is more than just savannah safaris. From the cool heights of Aberdare to the humid shores of Lake Nakuru, Kenya has plenty to offer adventurers and wildlife-seekers!

For adventurers still curious about Kenya, try looking at our guide to Kenyan hotels and lodges next to wildlife hotspots. Or if you’d like a Japanese flavor in your retreats back to nature, then how about this list of 8 of Japan’s coolest national parks? Don’t forget our list of 10 must-see flower blooms too!

Written with information gathered by Rin Matsumoto.