Mt. Kenya National Park

Mount Kenya National Park is a national park in Kenya that was established in 1949 around Mount Kenya to protect its surrounding environment and wildlife. The park is located about 175km (108 miles) from Nairobi. It covers around 700 square kilometres protecting the mountain between altitudes of 11,000ft and 17,058ft above sea level. The park offers a landscape of Mountain Rivers, forest, moorland rock and ice and is crowned by  twin peaks of Batian and Nelion  for the Kikuyu people.

The vegetation is mainly alpine and sub-alpine flora, bamboo forests, moorland and tundra. The vegetation changes notably as you ascend because of the variations in temperatures .Initially, it was a forest reserve, before being announced as a national park. The other major attractions in the park are; Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty and mineral springs, the unique montane and alpine vegetation and it’s the magnificent wildlife with over 130 species of birds. There are a number of activities that can be enjoyed within the park. Among these are; game drives, mountain climbing, camping and cave exploration .

 

In the lower forest and bamboo zone mammals include giant forest hog, tree hyrax, white-tailed mongoose, elephant, black rhinoceros, suni, black-fronted duiker and leopard. Moorland mammals include the localized Mount Kenya mouse shrew, hyrax and common duiker. The endemic mole-rat is common throughout the northern slopes and the Hinder Valley at elevations up to 4000 m . An impressive array of birdlife includes green ibis (local Mount Kenya race); Ayres hawk eagle; Abyssinian long-eared owl; scaly francolin; Rüppell’s robin-chat; numerous sunbirds (Nectariniidae); the locally threatened scarce swift; and near endemic alpine swift.

Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya , which lies north west of Nairobi. It is situated in the Great Rift Valley. The name is derived from the  Maasai name ɛnaɨpɔ́sha , meaning “that which heaves,” a common Maasai word for  large water bodies  .

Between 1937 and 1950, the lake was used as a landing place for flying boats on the Imperial Airways passenger and mail route from Southampton in Britain to South Africa. It linked Kisumu and Nairobi.

The lake is home to a variety of types of wildlife including over 400 different species of birds and a sizable population of hippos. The fish community in the lake has been highly variable over time, influenced by changes in climate, fishing effort and the introduction of invasive species.

There are two smaller lakes in the vicinity of Lake Naivasha: Lake Oloiden and Lake Sonachi (a green crater lake). The Crater Lake Game Sanctuary lies nearby, while the lake shore is known for its population of Europeans immigrants and settlers.

 

Tsavo East National Park

Tsavo East National Park is a National Park in Kenya with an area of 13,747 km2 (5,308 sq mi). It was established in April 1948 and covers a semi-arid area previously known as the Taru Desert. The Tsavo River flows west to east through the national park, which is located in the Taita-Taveta county of the former Central Province.

Tsavo East National Park is generally flat, with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugard Falls. Inside Tsavo East National Park, the Athi and Tsavo rivers converge to form the Athi-Galana River. Most of the park consists of semi-arid grasslands and savanna.

Tsavo East National Park is considered one of the world’s biodiversity strongholds, providing undeveloped homes to vast numbers of animals.

Famous are the Tsavo Lions, a population whose adult males often lack manes entirely. As of 2006, there were about 675 lions in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem.

Some of the many mammals found in the park include:

Over 500 bird species have been recorded in the area, including ostriches, buzzards, starlings, weaver birds, kingfishers ,hornbills, secretary birds and herons.