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Kenya offers some of the best safari groupings in Africa since the country has been a leader in promoting animal viewing.  In fact, it is illegal to hunt wild game in that country.  Any one found with a weapon in a national park is subject to being shot on the spot.  It's an effective method of deterring poaching and ensuring we can all dream of seeing such marvelous creatures!

We visited several parks in Kenya  -- Nairobi National Park, Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara National Reserve and Taita Hills Hilton Wildlife Sanctuary.   Photos (by park) come first followed by a brief description of the setting. 

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Nairobi National Park:  This was Kenya's first national park and was opened in 1946.  It covers only 44 square miles.  The park is fenced on three sides, with the fourth border on the Athi River -- giving migrating animals a chance to enter and leave the park.

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Samburu National Reserve:  About 200 miles north of Nairobi, in the semi-desert northern frontier of Kenya lies Samburu National Reserve.  This is a fascinating area of Kenya, as you will find mountain ranges volcanoes, forests, palm-fringed rivers and wildlife exclusive to this area.

While Samburu is nearly always hot, it is not often dry, thanks to the wide muddy Ewaso Nyiro River, which begins somewhere in the Aberdare Mountains and extends through Samburu to the recesses of the Lorain swamp.  Along the river, crocodiles and hippos are a common sight, and within this area more than 350 species of birds have been recorded.  In fact, almost all indigenous African birds and animals can be found in this gem of a reserve.

 Samburu's small size (about 117 square miles) makes wildlife spotting easier.  In addition, it is here in Samburu that you will find species rarely found in other areas of Kenya.  They include the reticulated giraffe and the beautiful, fuzzy-eared Grevy's zebra.  Also found here are elephant, several species of the smaller gazelle, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, dik-dik, and wart hog.   

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Lake Nakuru:  Located in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru has earned its fame as the home of the greatest bird spectacle in the world - a myriad of often more than a million pink flamingos.  Although the flamingo are the most obvious, other inhabitants of the alkaline lakes include black-winged stilts, avocets and in the European winter a mass of ruffs.  Besides its magnificent bird life, there are also a few lion, an occasional leopard, buffalo, white rhinoceros and other plains and forest game that have made it their permanent and protected habitat.  The acacia savanna that surrounds the lake is itself beautiful and provides an area which is particularly delightful for game watching. 

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Maasai Mara National Reserve:  Ascend from the Rift Valley traveling south across the volcanic plain to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.  The Mara is located about 168 miles from Nairobi in the southwestern part of Kenya.  The journey from Nairobi by road takes about 5 hours.  The prolific wildlife and birdlife makes the long, dusty and very bumpy drive well worth the effort.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve (commonly referred to as the Mara) is Kenya's most popular game park.   This is the northern extension of the Serengeti Eco-system of Tanzania, and is one of the richest wildlife areas in East Africa.  At about 589 square miles, the Mara is open grassland dotted with the distinctive flat-topped acacia trees.  Water is provided by the Mara River and it's tributary, the Talek River.  The Mara's climate is moderate year round, with rainfall generally spread evenly throughout the year.   

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Taita Hills Hilton Wildlife Sanctuary:  Located in southern Kenya between Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park is Hilton's private wildlife sanctuary.  Here you follow in the footsteps of giraffes, lions, elephants and cape buffalo.  Observe wondrous wildlife from the Hilton Salt Like Safari Lodge overlooking one of the sanctuary's water holes.

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