Kenya: Holidays, Events, Climate
Public holidays
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
March April | Easter |
1st of May | Labor Day |
June 1 | Madaraka day |
October 10 | Moi day |
the 20th of October | Kenyatta day |
November | Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) |
12th of December | Independence day |
25./26. December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Kenya Holidays
Cultural events
Mombasa Carnival
This major event takes place every November.
Music events in the country
V.a. In Kenya’s capital Nairobi, national and international music events, dance performances and acrobatic shows are often shown. You can then experience this not only in theaters or cultural centers, but also in large hotels or schools. The traditional artists of these styles include the Bomas of Kenya, the Gonda Traditional Entertainers and the Original Zengala Band.
Sporting events
In addition to the Kenya Open Golf Tournament and the Maralal Camel Cup in Maralal on the edge of the northern Kenyan desert, the most important sporting events in the country are of course the Safari Rally. The latter has been around for 50 years. The more than 5,000 kilometers long route leads through the whole of East Africa every year – including Nairobi.
More special days
In May there is always the traditional imitation of rhinos, while from the beginning of July to the end of October the wildebeest migrate to Masai Mara.
Kenya: climate
The climate in Kenya is usually divided into two climatic zones, the north and the south.
North
The average daytime temperatures in the north are warmest in February at around 31 °C. They then cool down continuously until they are around 24 °C in June/July. Then the temperatures rise again. At night, temperatures are between 16-18 °C all year round. There are two rainy seasons in the north, the first from March to June and the second from October to December. The air humidity is around 75% all year round.
South
The average daytime temperatures are around 27 – 33 °C all year round, with June and August being colder and February being the warmest time. At night they stay at 20-23 °C all year round, here too it is cooler from June to August and warmer from March to April. In the south on the coast, it rains relatively evenly all year round, with the exception of December to March, when it does not rain as much. In total, precipitation falls from 700 to 1,800 mm.
Kenya: Sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that KE stands for the nation of Kenya as a two-letter acronym.
Cities
The capital of Kenya is Nairobi, with a population of around 2.7 million. The second largest city in the country is Mombasa with about 800,000 residents. It is also Kenya and even East Africa’s most important port city. The Islamic old town is particularly worth seeing in Mombasa, with its narrow and winding streets and the street vendors who sell handcrafted goods. Kisumu has about 400,000 residents and is located in the west of the country on Lake Victoria. Nakuru has about 260,000 residents, making it the fourth largest city in Kenya.
Special structures
Fort Jesus in Mombasa
This impressive fortress in Mombasa was built in 1593 by the Portuguese. Nowadays there is a museum in it.
Kenyatta Conference Center
City Square, PO Box 30746
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-332383
Guided tours: Mon – Fri: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
In this 28-story building, which was built in 1974, the Ruling party has its headquarters. It is 105 meters high and is the only larger conference building in Kenya. There is a great view from the roof; inside there is a conference room for 4,000 people.
Bomas of Kenya cultural center at Nairobi
Forest Edge Road, Langat
10 km southeast of Nairobi
Mon – Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat – Sun: 1pm – 6pm
The Nairobi African Folklore Center includes many small African villages; however, most of them are not inhabited. Instead, souvenirs and such items are sold here, based on which the respective way of life is to be seen. The traditional African dances in the auditorium are worth seeing.
Limuru near Nairobi
To be reached via Naivasha Road. Limuru is located 30 km northwest of Nairobi high up on the edge of the Rift Valley and is a holdover from the English colonial era. The English town is surrounded by Kikuyu farms and coffee and tea plantations. Nearby is the town of Tigoni, where there is an English country club, the Kentmere Club, to be visited. Also worth seeing is the Kiambethu Tea Farm with its 15 meter high waterfalls.
Ngong and Ngong Hills
Ngong: 18 km southwest of Nairobi via Ngong Road
Ngong Hills: also via Ngong Road, 25 km southwest of the city center
Ngong is the stone house where the Danish writer Karen Blixen lived from 1914 to 1931. It is located in the middle of their former 2428 hectare coffee farm, which has now become a garden and the suburb “Karen”. The house contains original paintings and photos, but most of the furniture was only brought here for the film adaptation of the author’s biography, the film “Out of Africa” with Meryl Street and Robert Redford. The Ngong Mountains above Nairobi are beautifully purple in color and only became famous around the world through the Baroness Blixen: she had her lover, Denys Finch-Hatton, buried here. From the public paths in the mountains you have a magical view of the African landscape.
Parliamant Building in Nairobi
Parliament Road
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-21291
The Kenyan Parliament has its seat in a rather unspectacular building, but the inside is quite impressive. It houses numerous art treasures. In the garden, the former president Jomo Kenyatta is buried in a mausoleum that is guarded by an honor guard.
Museums
Bomas of Kenya at Nairobi
Forest Edge Road, Langat
10 km southeast of Nairobi
Mon – Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat – Sun: 1pm – 6pm
The Nairobi African Folklore Center includes many small African villages; however, most of them are not inhabited. Instead, souvenirs and such items are sold here, based on which the respective way of life is to be seen. The traditional African dances in the auditorium are worth seeing.
Gallery Watatu
Standars Street, PO Box 41855
Mon – Sat: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sun: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
In this sales gallery exhibits by over 30 African artists are on display.
National Archives
Moi Avenue, opposite the Hilton Hotel, PO Box 49210
Mon – Fri: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sa: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The building in which this archive is located today is a classical building that was built in 1906 for the Bank of India. It now houses the private collection of former Vice President Joseph Murumbi, which includes carpets, masks, drums and paintings.
National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi
Museum Road, Uhuru Highway, 2 km northwest of the center.
Daily 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
The National Museum is without a doubt the most important attraction in Nairobi. Geological exhibits and prepared animals are presented here. The most famous of these is Ahmed, former President Kenyatta’s favorite elephant, who kept him guarded around the clock until the elephant died of natural causes in 1974 and became a symbol of the fight against poaching. The prehistoric hall is also well worth seeing. There is also a gallery with modern Kenyan art.
Payapaa Arts Center
Ridgeways Road
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-512257
Mon – Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sa: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
The Kenyan artist Elimo Njaus founded this studio, in which painters and sculptors work. The center also houses a collection and a sales gallery.
Railway Museum in Nairobi
Ngaira Avenue
Daily 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Nairobi’s fascinating Railway Museum is dedicated to the history of the Uganda Railway, which is impressively documented with photos and other memorabilia.
Theaters and opera houses
Amateur productions of many famous plays from around the world are shown in all of Nairobi’s theaters.
Braeburn Theater
Litanga Road
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-567901
Kenya National Theater
Harry Thuku Road
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-220536
Phoenix Players
Parliament Road
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-225506
Churches and mosques
Holy Family Cathedral in Nairobi
The cathedral in Nairobi’s city center is located between Kaunda Street and City Hall Way.
Jaima Mosque in Nairobi
This Islamic building in Nairobi is green and white, built in the Moorish style and very traditional. It is particularly large for a Kenyan mosque; the interior is spacious and quiet. Most of the time, non-Muslims are unfortunately not allowed in.
Sites and ruins
Hyrax Hill near Nakuru
This is a prehistoric site in Kenya, which is located near Nakuru and is one of the most important excavation sites of the Kenyan Neolithic. The complex, which according to calculations dates from 1500 BC. It was discovered in 1926.
Ruins on the islands of Pate and Manda
The approx. 600 year old ruins of the two islands can be visited on a boat trip from the island of Lamu (see above).
Ruined city from the 13th century
This ruined city from the 13th century belongs to the Gedi National Park, which extends near Watamu.
National parks and nature reserves
About 10% of Kenya’s area is determined by the 42 national parks in which all different habitats (desert, mountainous country, water protection areas etc.) can be observed. Various organized safaris drive the parks, although you can also rent vehicles and equipment yourself. The wild animals can also be observed from the air, namely from the basket of a balloon. Early bookings for the national parks are highly recommended, especially for the Masai Mara National Reserve. Further information on the Kenyan national parks is available from the Kenya Wildlife Service at www.kws.org.
Below are some of Kenya’s national parks and nature reserves:
Aberdare National Park
The densely forested mountain range near Mount Kenya reaches a height of up to 4,000 m and is inhabited by elephants, rhinos, rare forest antelope, leopards, lions and various species of monkeys. The largest of the numerous waterfalls located there is the 300 m high Guru waterfall.
Amboseli National Park
The park with a view of Kilimanjaro consists of savannah landscape and swamp areas. The elephant population and the 400 different species of birds, amphibians and reptiles are particularly noteworthy.
Langata Giraffe Center
This center was founded in 1975 to protect, preserve and educate about rare animals.
The African Fund of Endangered Wildlife runs the facility, which now has over 500 Rothschild giraffes, which visitors can even feed from a platform that is at head height.
Gogo Falls Road, Langat
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-891078
18 km southwest of Nairobi, accessed from Bogani Road
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
Masai Mara National Reserve
The wide plain in the southwest of the country with an area of around 1,510 km² is crossed once a year by millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and antelopes, which migrate north from the Serengeti in Tanzania. Usually they are chased by lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas.
When crossing the Mara River, which is around 395 km long, about 6,000 animals drown. Book
a visit very early!
Meru National Park
Elephants, giraffes, hippos, gazelles, zebras, kudu and oryx as well as over 300 species of birds live together on an area of approx. 900 km².
Mount Kenya National Park
The protected area, located directly on the equator, is between 1,800 m and 5,000 m high and consists of forest and rock peaks that are partially covered by snow. It is one of the last refuge of the black leopard. The rare black and white Colobus monkeys also live here. More about the National Park above under UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Nairobi National Park
Via Langata Road and Airport Road
Daily 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-501081
About 8 km from the city center is Kenya’s first national park: As early as 1946, the site was – a former game reserve as well military training area – declared a national park. It covers 120 square kilometers between the urban area of Nairobi and the Athi River. Over 80 different species of mammals and around 500 bird species live here. There are only elephants here, as they are too big for the relatively small area. The park is very close to the capital, whose skyline can even be seen; you can also hear the aircraft noise. On the other hand, it is also particularly easy to reach.
Samburu Wildlife Park
In the desert-like park you can observe the rare oryx antelopes, gerenuks, reticulated giraffes, Grevys zebras, ostriches, elephants and leopards.
Tsavo National Park
The largest nature park in Kenya with over 21,000 km² consists mainly of savannah and bushland, which is inhabited by elephants, buffalo, lions, antelopes, gazelles, giraffes and zebras. There are also crocodiles and hippos to the west of the park.
Nature reserves at Lake Turkana
In the huge lake in the middle of the desert, some species of fish and aquatic plants that occur only there live. The water-filled crater of the southern of the two volcanic islands in the lake is also home to particularly large crocodiles.
More natural beauties
Baringo Lake
North of Nakuru is this somewhat smaller lake, which has a similar biodiversity in its bird life as Nakuru Lake.
City Park in Nairobi
City Park Road, around 3 ½ km northeast of the center
, this oasis encompasses 120 hectares, which was opened in 1904 as the first public park in Nairobi. This is where the Boscawen Memorial Orchid Collection, a military cemetery, a maze and a bandstand are located.
Lamu Island
200 kilometers north of Malindi is this island, which attracts with fine palm beaches. In addition to the impressive island town, which we have described above, a fishing trip on one of the traditional dhows is one of the recommended activities here. With the help of boat owners, you can also sail over to the islands of Pate and Manda, on which ruins lie around the 15th century.
Jevanjee Gardens in Nairobi
This beautiful park should definitely be avoided as a visitor after dark, although this beautiful little green space is in one of the more affluent districts of Nairobi. Office workers eat their lunch here on the park benches.
Langata Giraffe Center
Gogo Falls Road, Langat
Tel. 00254- (0) 20-891078
18 km southwest of Nairobi, accessed from Bogani Road
Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This center was founded in 1975 to protect the rare animals that live on them receive and educate about them. The African Fund of Endangered Wildlife runs the facility, which now has over 500 Rothschild giraffes, which visitors can even feed from a platform that is at head height.
Malindi and Watamu water protection areas
Here you can see the underwater world of the coral reefs from a glass bottom boat. Diving is also very popular on this coast of the city of Malindi, which is about 125 kilometers away from Mombasa.
Menengai Crater
This crater of an extinct volcano is located about 50 kilometers north of Nakuru. It can be reached via a relatively good road that leads to it from Lake Baringo.
Nairobi National Park
About 8 km from the city center is this first national park in Kenya: As early as 1946 the area – a former game reserve as well as a military training area – was declared a national park. It covers 120 square kilometers between the urban area of Nairobi and the Athi River. Over 80 different species of mammals and around 500 bird species live here. There are only elephants here, as they are too big for the relatively small area. The park is very close to the capital, whose skyline can even be seen; you can also hear the aircraft noise. On the other hand, it is also particularly easy to reach.
Naivasha Lake
Magnificent views, a large number of bird species and opportunities for rock climbing make the lake, which is about an hour’s drive from Nairobi, a popular destination.
East African
Rift Valley This is a rift valley with numerous lakes.
Sibilio Island
The island has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and fossil mammals are found on it.
Snake Park in Nairobi
This small park next to the National Museum is home to some turtles, crocodiles and East African snakes. There is also an aquarium with tilapias.
Southern Rift Valley
Daily 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
In this valley 80 km south of Nairobi is the soda lake Lake Magadi, 120 km away. It is 600 m above sea level and covers more than 100 km², but is only about one meter deep. Countless flamingos and pelicans live here; in addition, salt and soda ash are broken down. Olorgesailie National Park is a Stone Age site, which can be deduced from the remains of the settlement. The place was founded in 1942 by Dr. Louis Leakey discovered. The finds are exhibited here in a museum; there are animal fossils and Stone Age devices to be seen.
Uhuru Park and Central Park in Nairobi
Uhuru Highway
Thousands of Nairobi’s residents meet at the weekends on this huge green space, which lies on the Uhuru Highway on both sides of Kenyatta Avenue. You can take boat trips on a small lake in Uhuru Park. In Central Park stands the Nyayo Monument, which was erected in 1988 in honor of President Moi, who had ruled the country for ten years at the time. Behind the monument is a hill, from the top of which you have an impressive view of the city skyline.
Lake Victoria
This East African lake borders not only on Kenya, but also on Tanzania and Uganda. The lake was named in honor of Queen Victoria of England. It covers an area of 68,870 km². After the Caspian Sea and Lake Superior in America (USA/ Canada) it is the third largest lake in the world and the largest lake in Africa. The northern part of the lake is in Uganda, the southern part in Tanzania and in the east a very small part of the lake belongs to Kenya.
The main tributary of the lake is the Kagera Nile, which flows into the lake in the northwest on the border with Tanzania. The main outflow – to the north of the lake in Uganda – is the Victoria Nile. The water volume of the lake is around 2,770 km³ – with a maximum depth of 85 m. Around its center, the lake borders Tanzania in the south of the country for around 250 km. Kenya only takes up a small part of the northeast of the lake. The Victoriasse has a rather rectangular shape. The largest island in the lake is Ukerewe in Tanzania – with an area of 560 km².
Hippos live on or in the lake. There used to be numerous different species of cichlids here. However, since the fish were too small for commercial wholesale marketing, the British had previously used the Nile perch here, which can be up to 2 m long and is easy to market. However, the fish partly displaced the native species. And there is another special feature at the lake. Once a month the glass rod larvae rise from the bottom of the lake to the surface, where they develop into the tufted mosquito. The billions of mosquitoes – that do not bite – form towers up to 100 m high, the males inside and the females outside. During this flight, the mosquitoes mate, only to lay their eggs on the surface of the lake and die after a day. The eggs then fall to the bottom of the lake and after a month everything starts at the front. The locals usually catch the mosquitoes in order to prepare protein-rich dishes.
Since the lake has around 3,000 smaller and larger islands, it is an ideal spot for pirates who steal boats, goods – such as the coveted Nile perch – or even outboard motors. Ship travelers on the lake are also increasingly being robbed.
Dams
Aruba Dam
The Aruba Dam is a man-made watering hole located in the wonderful Tsavo National Park.
Kiambere Dam
With the Kiambere Dam, the Kenyans intervened heavily in the ecosystem of the Tana River. Not only environmentalists have expressed concern that parts of the local population have been displaced as a result of this construction project.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Kenya has a total of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
These include three natural heritage sites and four cultural heritage sites.
Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site
Thimlich Ohinga is located in the north-west of the town of Migori, which has a population of around 50,000, on Lake Victoria. These are the remains of a large complex of dry stone, which was built in the 15th century and consists of four large dry stone complexes, the so-called Ohingni, on an area of around 21 ha = 0.21 km².
The main complex is the Ohinga K’Ochieng. The Ohinga served to protect the population and their animals and was at the same time a social, economic and religious center.
The Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.
Away Jesus
The fortress “Fort Jesus” in Mombasa was built in 1593 by the architect Giovanni Battista Cairato for the Portuguese. The fortress was supposed to secure the access to the lagoon in front of the city of Momba and demonstrate the power of the occupiers. The Portuguese also used it as a base on the way to India. The highly competitive fort has changed hands frequently over the years. In 1895 Great Britain receivedtook control of the fort and used it as a prison. In 1958 the fort was declared a national monument. The fort can only be viewed from the outside. The fort’s outer walls have been completely preserved. In them there are the so-called urine slits, which were used to ensure that the soldiers did not have to leave their post when attacked by the enemy. The Fort Jesus in the old town of Mombasa was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2011.
Rift Valley
The Rift Valley is a 100 km long valley that extends almost to Nairobi. It borders Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. This East African rift valley was formed by volcanic eruptions and tectonic faults. In the Rift Valley there are bizarre landscapes. Grasslands alternate with desert areas.
The lakes there are a stopping place for many migratory birds. They are the Bogoria, Nakuru and Elmenteita lakes.
Pelicans look for food in Lake Elmenteita.
There are hot springs and geysers on Lake Bogoria, and the shores of Lake Nakuru, a soda lake, are populated by flocks of flamingos. Giraffes, gazelles, cheetahs, chimpanzees, antelopes and zebras live in the protected area by the lakes.
In 2011 the three lakes were added to the list of world natural heritage sites.
Kayas (Sacred Forests) of the Mijikenda
Mijikenda means in the Swahili language: “the nine cities”. The Mijikenda live in Kenya and Tanzania on the coast of the Indian Ocean. The Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest is one of the oldest in earlier times sacred forests on the Indian Ocean. The Mijikenda have played a major role in ensuring that the sacred forest – the kaya – and its traditions and customs were not destroyed. In the holy forests, the residents made sacrifices to the spirits of their ancestors so that they would help the sick, give rain and ensure a good harvest.
The area of the park is about 30 hectares. Numerous different species of butterflies, many species of birds, the protected colobus and many other animals live there. In Digo-Dorf the population still lives according to old customs and traditions. B. asked the doctor for advice on illnesses.
The kayas of the Mijikenda were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.
Lamu old town
Lamu is an island in the Indian Ocean off the East African coast of Kenya. In traditions from the 9th century, the island is mentioned because Arab merchants traded with the islanders.
The residents of the island became wealthy and built comfortable houses made of coral that are four-story. The houses show a highly developed architecture for the time. To protect themselves from noise and unrest, the houses in the facades facing the alleys have no windows. The entrance doors are richly decorated with ornaments and show images of the Swahili culture. The Swahili culture is and was shaped by Islam.
The old town is unfortunately threatened with decay, as many houses are uninhabitable and are not being restored. The old town of Lamu was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.
Lake Turkana National Park with Sibiloi Islands and South Island National Park
The Lake Turkana National Park with the Sibiloi Islands crosses borders and partly belongs to Ethiopia. Lake Turkana has an area of 6,400 km², making it the largest lake in Kenya. The East African Rift with its still active volcanoes determines the landscape around the lake. The climate is characterized by the fact that more water evaporates than is added by precipitation.
Lake Turkana is getting smaller because the loss of water from the lake through evaporation is greater than the supply from the tributary of the Omo River. The lake is rich in fish. You can mainly find tiger tetra and Nile perch, some of them weigh over 100 kg. It is dangerous to be on the bank because there are numerous crocodiles. The first “Homo rudolfensis” was found near Lake Turkana.
Lake Turkana National Park and South Island National Park were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. Lake Turkana National Park is a fossil mammal site.
Mount Kenya National Park
The area of the Mount Kenya massif is northwest of Nairobi.
The highest mountain in Kenya is the Batian with a height of 5,199 m – it is the second highest mountain in Africa. The summit of the mountain massif is always snow or. covered with ice.
In the Mount Kenya massif there are impressive waterfalls, clear and cold mountain lakes and rivers and vast snow fields at higher altitudes. In the lower regions the vegetation is very dense as a result of the frequent rainfall, and a tropical rainforest has developed on the slopes of the mountain. The limit of the vegetation is around 3,500 m.
The mountain massif is recognized as a green oasis from afar, all the more because wide savannah areas lie in front of the massif. The Mount Kenya National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. In June 2013 the “Mount Kenya National Park” was expanded to include the Lewa nature reserve.
Kenya: national parks, protected areas
General
The national parks have the highest level of protection in Kenya, followed by the National Reserves (nature reserves) and the Sanctuaries (protected areas). While the national parks and national reserves are state-run, the sanctuaries are mostly privately owned and complement the state protected areas. The protected areas are under the administration of the Kenya Wildlife Service. In the different parks of the country you have the unique opportunity – with or without a guide – to experience the animals of the country in the wild. Further information can be found at the Kenya Wildlife Service (English): www.kwl.org
Aberdare National Park
The park has an area of around 766 km2 and is about 100 km north of Nairobi. In the park is the 3,906 m high Kinangop. Those interested in history should be reminded that the Mau Mau liberation movement was hiding in this area from 1947-1956. Unfortunately, rain and fog often shape the weather. Amboseli National Park The park with an area of 390 km2 is located in the south-west of the country, right on the border with Tanzania. For example, a population of around 800 African elephants could live here
whose age structure and generation structure have remained relatively unaffected by external influences. From the park you can watch the Kibo (5,895 m) in the Kilimanjaro massif. However, the mountain is located in Tanzania. In the park there are acacia forests – in addition to swamps and open savannah, so that numerous large game species make their home here. to have. Around one third of the area of the park is taken up by Lake Amboseli (Lake Amboseli), which is also the name of the lake.
Arabuko Sokoke National Park
The park is located on the coast of the country – approx. 110 km north of the port city of Mombasa. It is part of an area of approx. 420 km2 that is covered with rainforests. But because of the great resistance of the people living there, the protected national park is only 6 km 2 in size – a tiny by African standards. Hell’s Gate National Park The park is 90 km to the northwest from Nairobi and covers an area of 68 km2. The park takes its name from the Hell’s Gate gorge located in the park.
Kora National Park
The park covers an area of 1,787 and is located approx. 280 kilometers northeast of Nairobi. It became known to a wider public through the British naturalist George Adamson. Adamson lived here from 1970 until he was murdered by poachers in 1989. The climate in the park is very little rain, so that mainly thorn trees and scrubland grow here. The Tana River, the largest river in Kenya, flows on the northern boundary of the park. A bridge over the river connects the park with the Meru National Park Lake Nakuru National Park The park is located around Lake Nakuru and has become famous worldwide for the spectacle of around 2 million flamingos that hang around the lake. about 450 other species of birds also live here. The park covers an area of approx. 188 km
2 and is also a protected area for black and white rhinos.
Marsabit National Park
The park covers an area of 2,088 km2. It is located in the north – almost in the middle of the country in the vicinity of Marsabit. The national park forms a green oasis in the middle of a desert-like environment. In the park is the Mount Marsik massif with a series of extinct volcanoes with crater lakes surrounded by dense rainforest. The park has a runway for charter planes, while the drive from Nairobi takes about 8 hours. Buffalo, kudu, cheetah, Grevy zebras, leopards, lions, musk bucks, primates and over 50 species of eagles and falcons as well as the very rare bearded vulture live in the park.
Meru National Park
The park covers an area of around 870 km² and is located around 100 km of the Mount Kenya massif, with the highest mountain in the country. The park is one of the most biodiverse national parks in Kenya. The park is crossed by numerous rivers and streams, all of which flow into the Tana River.
Mount Elgon National Park
The park covers a total area of 1279 km² – 1,110 km² of which is in Uganda and 169 km² in Kenya. The park is named after Mount Elgon, the extinct volcano around 10 million years ago 5) is 4,321 high. It is interesting that elephants and other animals come from quite a distance here to eat salty rock in the local lava caves
Mount Kenya National Park
The park covers an area of 715 km². It is located around the Mount Kenya massif with the 5,199 m high Mount Batian – the second highest mountain in Africa after the Kilimanjaro massif. The Mount Kenya massif is located on the East African continental plate, i.e. east of the Great African Rift Valley, from which the plate moves about two centimeters per year. Mount Batian was first climbed in 1899 by the British Sir Halford Mackinder.
Mount Longonot National Park
The park covers an area of 56 km². Its name is derived from the word Oloonong’ot, which among the Maasai means “mountain with”. Most of the park is taken up by the 2,776 m high Mount Longonot, the slopes of which have little vegetation – in contrast to the crater, which is covered with almost impenetrable vegetation. The climate in the park is hot and dry – with annual rainfall between 510 and 760 mm. The park is about 90 km from Nairobi within sight of the Rift Valley.
Nairobi National Park
This approximately 177 km² park was opened in 1946, making it Kenya’s first national park. The park is less than 10 km from the center of Nairobi. Around 80 different species of mammals and around 500 different species of birds live here. The rhinos living here enjoy special protection.
Ruma National Park
The park covers an area of 120 km². It was set up as a national park in 1983 to protect the Roan Antelope, which is nowhere else in the country. The park is located in the Lambwe Valley in South Nyanza – 140 km from Kisumi and 10 km east of Lake Victoria. The climate is hot and humid – with average rainfall of 1,200 to 1,600 mm per year. In addition to the Roan Antelope can also Oribi, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, hyenas, leopards, lions, serval cats and Zebra s admire
Saiwa Swamp National Park
Diser National Park (Swamp = bog) is a tiny park with an area of only 3 km² and the smallest in Kenya. It is located about 20 km northeast of Kitale. The park was part of an Englishman’s farm during the colonial period and includes a marshland on a river and the surrounding rainforest. After independence, it came into the property of conservationists until the area became a national park in 1974, especially for the protection of the marsh antelope. In addition, more than 370 species of birds live there, as well as monkeys, porcupines, otters and snakes.
Sibiloi National Park
The Sibiloi National Park covers an area of 1,570 and is located in northern Kenya on the eastern shore of Lake Turkana. In 1997 the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Turkana Lake Parks. The national park has a very species-rich ecosystem with an important breeding area for Nile crocodiles.
The famous excavation sites for fossils of hominini and their ancestors are particularly exciting. In the Koobi Fora area, for example, the 2.5 million year old Homo rudolfensis was discovered in 1972. The park is a dry semi-desert – with the exception of Lake Turkana and its surroundings.
Tsavo East National Park
The Tsavo National Park with a total area of 21,812 km² was established on April 1, 1948, but in May of the same year the huge park was divided into the Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Park for administrative reasons. The highway from Nairobi to Mombassa divides the two parks. The Tsavo East National Park covers an area of 11,747 km². The red color of the earth, which is typical for the park, comes from earlier volcanic activity and gives the “Red Elephants” their color, as they dust themselves with the dust for skin care. Buffalo, elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, rhinos and zebras live in the park s and a number of different antelope species.
Tsavo West National Park
The Tsavo National Park with a total area of 21,812 km² was established on April 1st, 1948, but in May of the same year the huge park was divided into the Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Park for administrative reasons. The highway from Nairobi to Mombassa divides the two parks. The Tsavo West National Park covers an area of 7,065 km². In a fenced area (Rhino sanctuary) some of the few remaining wild are black rhinos kept.
Masai Mara
The Masai Mara is a nature reserve of around 1,510 km². It is part of the Serengeti and connects to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in the north. The nature reserve extends over a height of 1,500 to 1,650 m. There are two mountains in the southeast with a height of 2,200 m. During the two rainy seasons, an average of 800 mm of precipitation falls in the east and 1,200 mm in the west. Masai Mara is the most animal-rich reserve in the country, both in terms of number of species and individual animals.
The vegetation of the protected area consists mainly of grass savannah as well as bush and tree savannah and gallery forests along the Mara River.