Aberdare National Park – Kenya Wildlife Safari.
Table of Contents
This national is located in the Southwestern part of Central Kenya 100km North of Nairobi and East of the East African Rift Valley. Aberdare national park is a diverse electric collection of African ecosystems. The valleys also having traversal streams, rivers and swamps at once backed by Aberdare mountain range with heights about 4000m (13000) feet. The park was established in 1950, covering an area of 766kilometres
The streams and rivers are from uphill from the mountain flowing towards the valley making water falls. The temperate grassland neighbors up to bamboo forest and as well as rich diverse rainforests. There exist some waterfalls and these act as home for the wildlife.
The abundant wildlife and among the predators include, lions, leopards, African wild dog, hyenas, jackal, and the African golden cat. Though there is other wildlife within the park and some of the species here include, bushbuck, buffalo, reedbuck, giant forest hog, warthog and the endangered black rhinoceros.
There is a home for over 250bird species of which the major ones include, African Fish Eagle, African goshawk and so many others.
Safari Activities
Game drives
This national park is a home for many wild life species which are easily adventured on game drive activity. The best time for carrying out game drive is early morning at 6:30am to 10:30 when the animals are active looking for food. The second drive starts from 2:00pm-6.00pm and the last game drive of the day starts from 6:30pm-7:30pm/ in some cases it may be done on half day or full day following the trails like the salient zone where you will have clear views of animal species such as black Rhinos, buffalos, spotted hyenas leopards, black colobus monkey, bushbucks, elands, bongo antelopes, giant forest hogs among others. the dame drives that waterfalls like Karuru which flows into two steps that’s, Maguru falls and Chania falls; all of which have a spectacular views of scenery vegetation mountain streams, and among others
Guided nature walks
The act of exploring the National park on foot gives the visitors in Aberdare National Park. Visitors in this activity get a chance to explore hidden treasures of the Aberdare National Park, the magnificent waterfalls in the national park such as Chania Karuru that falls in three steps that’s, 117metres high, 26metres, and the one with 130metres, Gura and Magura fall. The guided nature walks starts very early morning and stops at 11:00am though it’s done also in the evening from5:pm to 1:30pm. During the nature walks animals, the big games are seen, lions, leopards, rhinos, giraffes zebras, hyenas and many others. At the same time, during the guided walks, many birds are also sighted during the course.
Birding
Aberdare National Park is blessed with over 200bird species including the native birds and the seasonal birds which can be spotted on safari to the park. The most common species within the park are noted here, sunbird, goshawks, Jackson’s francolin, mountain buzzard, rufous breasted sparrow hawks, Ayres hawk and many other species. The bird watching done in early morning when the birds just started singing for easy sight for those in thick trees.
Horse riding
Horse riding is a beautiful experience that the park offers, visitors riding horses on a beautiful landscape teeming with variety of animals. Horseback riding can have carried out by guides to savannah grass land and end up with perfect adventure most the nature lovers.
Chimpanzee trekking.
Visitors can as well involve in Chimp trekking. Trekking Chimpanzees at Aberdare National Park is done at Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Nanyuki which take 1 to 2hours drive to reach there and the safari activity is similar to that of Uganda’s Kibale National Park. This activity can be done in early morning and afternoon as visitors get a great time with apes and have a chance to learn more about them. These are interesting mammals and visitors are free to carry own cameras and have a snap with a chimp for memory. The visitors also learn their feeding behavior, breast feeding and many other behaviors
NOTE: The park is free for all visitor at any time though the best time for having a visit at Aberdare National Park is between the month of December- February, June –September because the park is free from the seasonal logged water and its bit dry for easy movement. The visitors are there for advise to carry their own bottled water/ drinking water, sun glasses. Guide book picnic and binoculars of which even they don’t have them, it’s their own good.
ACCOMODATION
The visitors who are planning a safari at Aberdare National Park should get it from here that the park has a well-developed and cultural accommodation sites which are highly modernized.
The Ark Tree lodge is the most luxurious accommodation here that offers a panoramic view of the salt links, waterholes in the park, the lodge was constructed in the form of the ark giving unique accommodation and a well advanced service offered.
There are other lodges like, Tusk Camp, fishing lodge, Aberdare cottages and many with good service that won’t let you regret.