Aberdare National Park

Mountain ranges and peaks soar to around 14,000 ft. giving way to deep V-shaped valleys with streams and rivers cascading over spectacular waterfalls – this area is a must for landscape lovers. From its vital catchment area the Aberdare Rainforest feeds the entire local and Nairobi water supply.

Above the forest is a belt of bamboo, a favourite haunt of the Bongo, a rare and elusive forest antelope. At 10,000 ft. the bamboo gives way to moorland, home to the eland, spotted and melanistic serval cats. Other features are the giant varieties of lobelia, groundsel and heather. Ideal for walking, picnics, camping and trout fishing in the rivers. Animals abound in the forest: elephants, buffalos, giant forest hogs and Kenya’s indigenous endangered Black Rhino. The entire forest has been fenced to protect settlement farmers from animal raids and to create a rhino and forest sanctuary. The Rhino Ark Trust organized fundraising events to raise the money to build this fence.

Game-viewing is very rewarding: lion, leopard, baboon, Black and White Colobus and Sykes monkeys are abundant. Rare sightings have also been made of the Golden Cat.
On Kenya safaris , Aberdare is famous for bird watching and forest walks are very rewarding with over 250 species recorded, including Jackson’s Francolin, sparrow hawk, African goshawk, eagles, sunbirds, plovers. among others.

There is a variety of accommodation. Treetops tree-house lodge and the Ark, a lodge built in the shape of Noah’s Ark provide night game-viewing in the Salient area of the Park with excellent sightings of elephants, buffalos, lions and rhinos, drawn to the waterholes and saltlicks each evening. Overall within the Aberdare National Park, there are two lodges, three self-help banda sites, eight special campsites (requiring advance booking) and one public campsite (moorland). There are five picnic sites.