Masai Mara National reserve

Masai Mara National reserve

The reserve stands as one the most famous and most visited reserve in Kenya with an extra ordinary density of animals including lions, elephants, buffalos, rhinoceros, buffalo and varieties of plains.

What is most interesting in Masai Mara Reserve?

The reserve has an impressive feature of annual migration of the wildebeest, Zebras and gazelles from the plains of Serengeti that cross the Tanzania boarders and rivers to reach the Mara’s grassland from early July. They are tracked by predators including lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena.

Game viewing is also more pronounced in the reserve and is excellent year round. Mammals to be viewed include;  Elephants, black rhino, buffalo, plains zebra, hartebeest and big cats. The rivers are home to hippo and crocodiles. 452 species, 53 of which are raptors
 

 


• Annual Migration
• Annual Migration of wildbeests
• Traditional Maasai Culture
• Exceptional Game Viewing: Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Elephant
• Mara River Hippo Pools
• Views accross the Plains and Rolling Hills

Where to stay in the park

Accommodation in the park ranges from built lodges to luxury tented camps

There are four tented camps and two lodge in the reserve

Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park

 The park is a unique ecosystem by being the only protected area in the world close to a capital city. The park is located only 7 km from Nairobi city. The Savannah ecosystem comprises of different vegetation types. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush are predominant and on the western side of the has a highly dry forest and a permanent river with a riverine forest.

The major wildlife attractions are the Black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, buffaloes, Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, elands and diverse bird life with over 400 species recorded.  Other attractions include the Ivory burning site Monument, Nairobi Safari Walk, the Orphanage and the walking trails at hippo pools.
 

Access to the park

By road

The park can be accessed by road 10 km south of Nairobi city center

By air

By charter, the park can be accessed using Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson airports.

My gates to the park

The park has 7 gates including;, Cheetah Gate,Langata Gate,Maasai Gate,Mbagathi Gate and

Banda Gate

Major attractions

The park is a home of Black rhinoceros which is an endangered species.

Activities in the park include;

Game viewing

Corporate Events such as Bush Dinners,

Team Building, Video and Film Production.

Special Events such as Weddings.

Tourism attractions include;

Large predators- lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah.

Aggregations of large herbivores- eland, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest

Ivory Burning Site Monument

Walking trails at hippo pools

Nairobi Safari Walk & the Orphanage.

Spacious accommodating picnic sites

Fauna in the park include

 Buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, baboon, zebra, wildebeest and cheetah

Where to stay

There are no accommodation facilities in the park however one can decide to be accommodated in the city of Nairobi

Kisite Mpunguti National park

Kisite Mpunguti National park

The park is located 40 km from Ukunda town in Msabeni district of Coast province. The park is located Roads

The park is located 85 kms from Mombasa via Ukunda to Shimoni in Msambweni district, coast province and lies 6 km off the Kenyan coast and 8 km North of the Tanzania Boarder.

The eco-systems covers a marine area with four small islands surrounded by coral- reef. Kasite Island is covered in low grass and herbs while Mpunguti Islands have dense coastal equatorial forest. Sea grasses Cymodocea serrulata and Syringodium isoetifolium cover a large area of the sub-littoral zone of the reef. Marine algae include Padina commersonii, Dictyota bartayresiana, Bostrychia binderi, Ulva lactuca, Dictyosphaora sp., Udotea indica, and Halimeda opuntia. Major attractions include the Dolphins, coral gardens and it is an important site for snorkelling, diving and bird watching. The beautiful sandy beach is good for environmental friendly recreational activities.

Access

The park can only be reached by boats or local community dhows.

Major attractions

Prestine Coral gardens

Kisite and Mpunguti Islands

Sandy islands formulate during low tide

Beautiful and special Sandy beach

Dolphin watch

Endermic coconut crab found at lower Mpunguti Island

Shimoni historical slave cafe Managed by local community while Kenya Wildlife Service provides Capacity building

Wasini Mangroove women boardwalk by  Wasini women self-help group while Kenya Wildlife Service provides Capacity building

What to carry along

When visiting the park, you should carry drinking water, picnic items and camping equipment if you intend to stay overnight at special camp site. Also useful are: binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and guidebooks

Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park

The park is located in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from the capital Nairobi. The park is 14 km after the turnoff from the old Nairobi- Naivasha highway. It is readily accessed via a tarmac road from Nairobi. Hell’s gate national park is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. The major attractions  include; wildlife viewing ,scenic land scape, raptor nesting in cliffs, spectacular gorge walks, hot springs, Maasai culture and the Geothermal station. The park was named after a narrow break in the cliffs, once  a tributary of the prehistoric lake the fed early humans in the Rift valley and was established in 1984.The outstanding activities in the park include; bird watching, wildlife viewing, camping, hiking and rock climbing.

Tourism activities in the park

Wildlife viewing

Hiking

Biking

Bird watching

Camping

Rock climbing

What to take with you

When visiting the park, you should take along with drinking water, picnic items and camping equipment if you intend to stay overnight. Also useful are: binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, walking boots and guidebooks

Access to the park

By road

The park can be accessed via a tarmac road from Nairobi 90 kms via Naivaisha Town on the lake Road South at a junction approximately 5 km south of Naivasha.

By Road: This Park is accessible via tarmac road from Nairobi (90kms) via Naivasha Town on the Lake Road South at a junction 5km south of Naivasha

By Air:

There is an air strip at Naivasha

Park gates

The main park gate is Elsa Gate.The other gate is Olkaria Gate

Major attractions in in the park

Game viewing

The Mervyn Carnelley Raptor Hide

Fischer’s Tower

Tourist circuits, nature trails and

Raptor nesting in cliffs

Spectecular Gorge walk

Hot springs

The Olkaria Geothermal Station

picnic sites

The existing fauna in the park include; Buffalo, zebra, eland, hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle and giraffe, babooms, serval cat and klipspringer antelopes.

Avi-fauna/bird species

About 103 species  of birds have been recorded

Where to stay in the park

Accommodation facilities are available in Naivasha town and along Moi South lake Road

There are camping facilities in the park including; Oldubai campsite( on the cliff top south of Fischer’s Tower),Nairburta campsite and Endchata campsite (across the gorge on the northern cliffs)

Activities in the park

Hiking

Camping

Rock climbing

Bird watching

wildlife viewing 

Kenya's National Park

Kenya National parks

Kenya's national parks form the pillar of the country's tourism industry. Over one million international tourists visit Kenya annually to partake in wildlife safari and other forms of nature-based tourism.

Kenya straddles the equator and covers an area of some 583, 00 square kilometer, which includes around 13,600 square kilometer of inland water in form of part of Lake Victoria. It is bordered to the north by the arid bush lands and deserts of Ethiopian and Sudan, to the East of Somalia and the Indian Ocean, to the west by Uganda and Lake Victoria and to the South by Tanzania. The country is divided into four main zones; the coastal belt, the rift valley and the central highlands, western Kenya and they Eastern Kenya.

Approximately 23 national parks in Kenya do exist and have been branded differently. The already branded parks include; Lake Nakuru National Park which has been branded as the paradise of bird watchers, Tsavo west national park- Branded as the Land of Lava, Springs & Man-Eaters, Tsavo East National park branded as Theatre of the Wild, Amboseli National park- branded as Kilimanjaro Royal Court, Kisite Mpunguti Marine park branded as home of the Dolphin and Coconut Crab, Hell’s gate national park branded as a Walk on the Wild Side, Ol Donyo Sabuk National park branded as Ultimate Panoramic Experience, Mt Kenya national park- branded as Come touch the sky, Mombasa marine National park branded as  the allure of Kenya’s coast, Meru National park branded as Complete Wilderness, Mt Longonot national park branded as Sheer Adventure, Ndere Island National park branded as the Island of Serenity and Beauty, Shimba hills national park branded as Paradise of the Sable Antelope, Kisumu  Impala Sanctuary branded as  a Lakeshore Walk With the Impalas, Watamu Marine Park  branded as  Haven for Green Turtle, Unique Coral Garden, Mida Creek and so much more, Mt. Kenya national park  branded as Come touch the sky,Malindi Marine park branded as Africa’s Oldest Marine Park, Magic Islands and  Zebra Fish,Rauma National Park branded as Dramatic valley of the Roan Antelope and  Oribi, Nairobi National park, branded as the world’s only wildlife and Nairobi Safari Walk and Nairobi Orphanage branded as refugee of the wild.

A brief description of East African Tourism potentials

East Africa has a lot to offer for Tourism. East Africa comprises of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Recently there has been an attempt for Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda to unveil joint tourist Visa in UK. It is suggested that this will start with effect Jan 2014.Visiting the three countries therefore will imply that you will need a joint Visa in UK for visitors visiting travelling from the U.K. This was unveiled in the World expo in London in the UK thus it will simplify travel arrangements. When you decide to visit East Africa expect to see the big five including Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Rhinos and Buffalo. There are also small five animals in many parks of East Africa including Ant lion, Rhinoceros beetle, elephant shrew, Buffalo weaver and leopard tortoise.

Tourism in potentials Uganda

Tourism  in Uganda  offers you a great potential to trek  endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable parks, and many other outstanding  attractions and activities including; wild life viewing, mountaineering, white water rafting, scenic viewing and photography among others.

Tourism in potentials Kenya

Kenya’s stands as one of  Africa’s popular destinations with tourism potentials including Masai Mara in western Kenya, wildlife sighting , Masai culture, mountain hiking at mountain  Kenya  and Nandi hills at the located at the age of Nandi hills. There also exciting fauna at Amboseli national park.

Tourism potential in Tanzania

Tanzania is well known it’s paramount  mountain Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and unique national park; Serengeti National park known for wild beest. The country is also known for spectacular crater lakes  which over great potential for wildlife viewing. The country is also endowed with natural beaches located at the Zanzibar and the coast.

Tourism potentials in Rwanda

Rwanda today is now opened for tourists since 1996.The country offers great potentials like unforgettable gorilla tracking activity. There are also memorable sites including churches like St. Famille.The country offers you an opportunity to tour and visit the survivors of Rwanda’s genocide of 1994.

Tourism potentials in Burundi

Recently incorporated into the East African community, the country’s capital stands as one of the major tourism attractions. Other attractions in the country include saga beach

When you decide to travel to East Africa, expect to participate in mountain gorilla tracking, wildlife viewing, Scenic viewing activities, community visits and walks, nature walks, white water rafting, mountaineering and adventure activities including bird watching, mountaineering among others. You will enjoy your visit to East Africa as you will discover a lot beyond you expectations in form of research.