Straddling the equator, the Aberdare Mountain Range and Mount Kenya exhibit lush forest environments. The famous tree-lodges are located here, elevated above ground level with game viewing from balconies, decks and ground-level bunkers.
Famous for its big elephant herds and the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro (highest mountain in Africa and highest free-standing mountain in the world), Amboseli’s name is derived from the Maa word for “salty, dusty place,” empusel. The park includes a dry lake from the Pleistocene era, along with low-lying swamps, and has fairly good big-game viewing and outstanding bird-viewing opportunities. There is an airstrip serving the park.
North of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares, west of Samburu and east of the Rift Valley is an expanse of territory that covers a wonderful, diverse array of landscapes, including arid scrubland, forest and valleys. There are no national parks within this territory, only private land or communal ranches, but the presence of amazing ecosystems and wildlife has attracted many visitors.
A town, an island and an archipelago on Kenya's northeast coast, Lamu is a wonderful cultural experience with the bonus of lovely beaches. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Lamu is a Swahili settlement founded in the 1300s, and Kenya's oldest continually-inhabited town.
Actually on the edge of Laikipia, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy deserves its own listing because of its importance in the conservation movement in Kenya. Previously a cattle ranch, it has been instrumental in the struggle to protect black rhino populations, and also at the forefront of community conservancy efforts, including the outstanding Northern Rangelands Trust.
The jewel amongst Kenyan parks, Maasai Mara forms the northern segment of the greater Serengeti ecosystem. The main Maasai Mara Natonal Reserve is divided into two segments. The larger eastern segment, which is generally seen as more poorly-managed, has a higher number of lodges/camps within, and while it does not permit any off-road driving, it does not limit the number of vehicles around big game. It is served by three airstrips; Keekorok, Olkiombo and Musiara. The western portion, also known as the Mara Triangle, is managed strictly, and only has two permanent accommodation options within. Vehicles are permitted to venture off the main roads, but only for big game (usually the big cats), and only 4-5 vehicles are permitted to be around the wildlife at any one time. It is served by the Serena airstrip. There are several private ranches and conservancies north and west of the main reserve, including Ol Derikesi, Ol Kinyei, Siana, Naboisho, Motorogi, Olare Orok, Enonkishu, Ol Chorro, Lemek, and one of the best-managed of these, Mara North Conservancy. With fantastic year-round game viewing, Mara is often an observational highlight within a safari. The great migration tends to be present from July-October, during which time occupancy (and prices) shoot up.
Vibrant yet lesser-visited game park, famous for conservationists George and Joy Adamson raising Elsa the lioness.
Relatively small park around Lake Nakuru, one of the Rift Valley's soda lakes. Famous for attracting huge numbers of flamingos, although rising water levels have reduced their numbers significantly in recent years. Also popular due to presence of rhino and Rothschild giraffe, and increased likelihood of spotting the elusive leopard.
Samburu National Reserve is actually only one member of a greater ecosystem. The primary two are Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserve just to the south, both having some of the best game viewing, with the Ewaso Ng'iro River running between them. To the north-east lies Shaba National Reserve, Kalama Community Conservancy is to the north and north-west is Westgate Community Conservancy. This ecosystem north of Nairobi is known for a different palette of colours and sandy, arid contrasts that differ from Maasai Mara in the south-west of the country, as well as the distinct northern [sub]-species of reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich and the fascinating long-necked gerenuk. Game viewing in Samburu is very rewarding.
One of the oldest (opened in 1948) and largest national parks in Kenya (13,747 sq-km), Tsavo East is in the eastern section of Kenya, relatively close to the coastal towns of Mombasa and Malindi. It contains a large number and variety of animals, including many elephants, although more spread out compared to many of the other national parks. It also boasts over 500 species of birdlife, as well as the longest lava flow in the world (Yatta Plateau) and Lugard Falls (actually a series of white water river rapids).
Large national park in south-east Kenya, and part of the greater Tsavo-Chyulu Hills-Amboseli ecosystem that extends into Mkomazi and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Tsavo West is know for Mzima Springs (50 million gallons of clear water gushing out from under the rock, and providing plenty of hippo and crocodile sightings), Lake Jipe teeming with aquatic life, the Shetani ("Devil") lava flow and general remnants of volcanic activity, and of course plenty of wildlife and large mammals.