Aberdare national park

Aberdare national park is located north of Nairobi in the southern end of the Aberdare mountain ranges between Nyeri and Naivasha. This national park in Kenya is one of the scenic forest parks with a variety of wildlife and bird species and other tourist attractions in store for the park visitors to view.

The entire park is enclosed in an electric fence to protect the wildlife species and to keep the poachers out of the national park. Different parts of Aberdare national park have a variety of unique features that they possess such as the western part which has a forest, the Aberdare slopes which attract most hikers and climbers and the eastern part of the national park where some of the lodges are located offering a good vantage point to see the wildlife species while on your Kenya Tours.

Aberdare national park is characterized by deep ravines and forested areas that act as habitat for the wildlife species within the national park. Game viewing is possible at all times of the year in the national park offering satisfying Kenya safari experiences.

Due to its location in the central highlands of Kenya, Aberdare national park has a difficult terrain compared to other national parks and it has fertile volcanic soils that have favored the growth of the forests which are a habitat for the wildlife species.

The national park got a reputation for the famous Treetops hotel where Queen Elizabeth the Queen of England found out about her father’s passing. The hotel offers a satisfying sight of the wildlife species as they emerge from the forest to drink from the salt lick located near the hotel. The salt lick is a water point for many animals such as elands, elephants, and buffalo which can be seen from the comfort of the hotel’s viewing platform.

Aberdare national park in Kenya got its name from Lord Aberdare the president of the Royal Geographic society. However, the locals who live and farm along the slopes of the Aberdare ranges refer to the mountain as “Nyandarua” in the Kikuyu dialect meaning “the drying hide” which is a description of the outlook of the slopes from a distance.

Kenya’s Aberdare national park is considered a high altitude park which is different in character, climate and vegetation of cooling mists, beautiful forests and moorlands, bogs and cold crystal mountain streams as well as waterfalls and a variety of wildlife and bird species.

Entry gates include the Treetops gate, Ruhuruini gate, Kiandongoro gate, Mutubio west gate, Shamata gate, Rhino gate, Wanderis gate, and Ark gate.

Getting to Kenya’s Aberdare national park to view its attractions can be done in the following ways;

By road; from Nairobi via Nyeri and Naro Moru
By flight/air; from Wilson Airport to Nanyuki airstrip, Nyeri airstrip, Mweiga airstrip. Scheduled and charter flights are also available.

The means of transport that are used by the tourist on these Kenya Tours to Aberdare depends on their preferences and tour budget. However, the roads in Aberdare national park become muddy during the rainy seasons from March to May as well as in October and December making it difficult to drive into the national park.

Attractions within Aberdare National Park

Aberdare ranges which is a magnificent volcanic mountain range that forms part of the eastern wall of the rift valley. The mountain peaks include Kinangop and Oldoinyo Satima peak. The mountain range consists of rainforests, dense bamboo forest, and moorlands. It is a hidden habitat for different wildlife species such as elephants, buffalo, colobus monkeys, bongo antelopes, genet cats, which emerge into the open during the night allowing the tourists on these Kenya Aberdare Tours to observe the animals freely from the comfort of their lodgings. Tourists also climb these ranges which offer beautiful views of the national park and its attractions.
Karuru waterfalls are the highest waterfalls in Kenya and are surrounded by tall green trees in the central moorlands within Aberdare national park. These waterfalls are surrounded by several hills such as Ol donyo Lesatima, Kinangop, Elephant hill, Chebuswa hill, and Twins hill. Tourists who wish to have solitude can find it within these hills which are also famous climbing spots for tourists.

Karuru Water Falls in Aberdare National Park

Wildlife species seen within the national park include the black rhino, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hyenas, bongo antelope, giant forest hog, waterbucks, antelopes, monkeys, and large spotted genet. Aberdare national park offers a unique experience of game viewing as the wildlife comes to you in a way that the water points are found closer to some of the accommodation facilities and the animals are easier to view.
Bird species can be seen at bird feeding platforms at the accommodation facilities and in the forests within the national park and they include hawks, sunbirds, goshawks, eagles, plovers, Hartlaub’s turaco, African thrush, Baglafecht weaver, crowned hornbill, greater blue eared sterling, sharp’s long claw, Aberdare cisticola, buzzards, Abbot’s starling, Jackson’s widow bird, African green Ibis, Ayre’s hawk-eagle.

Activities in Aberdare National Park

Game viewing in Aberdare national park offers sightings of some rare wildlife species such as the giant forest hog, bongo, serval cat, golden cat and other wildlife species which are easy to spot include black rhino, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hyenas, bongo antelope, giant forest hog, waterbucks, antelopes, monkeys and large spotted genet. This activity is very rewarding in a way that the animals emerge from the forests to the water points which are close to the lodges within the national park offering a closer view of the animals as they drink.
Bird watching can be done throughout the year in Aberdare national park and the best time recommended for bird watching is November to April when migrant birds are present and when the birds are nesting. A variety of bird species can be seen with the right equipment and at the right birding spot and the bird species that can be viewed include sunbirds, goshawks, eagles, plovers, Hartlaub’s turaco, African thrush, Baglafecht weaver, crowned hornbill, greater blue eared sterling and many other birds.
Trout fishing is carried out in the moorlands which consist of icy crystal clear streams in the wide valleys and vast slopes within the national park. The rivers where trout fishing is done include Guru, Chania, and Karuru. The most frequented river being River Chania located just below a waterfall which can be accessed from the Matubio gate.
Hiking is done in the company of a ranger guide on trekking trails through forests, across moorlands and towering bamboos. These hikes offer stunning views of flora and other attractions in Aberdare national park such as Karuru waterfalls and the park’s stunning landscape and sightings of wildlife in abundance as well as birdlife.
Horse riding is done at the foothills of Aberdare ranges in the national park and offers an opportunity for adventuring in the wild on horseback with beautiful sights of the attractions and wildlife species.

Accommodation

Accommodation within Kenya‘s Aberdare national park offers the opportunity for excellent night time game viewing in the comfort of the accommodation facility can be found in the northern salient and they include;

The Ark which is an accommodation facility built in the shape of an ark and it overlooks a floodlit water hole and salt lick which is a water point for different wildlife species. The Ark has balconies and lounges which are the perfect location for viewing the wildlife species as they drink from the salt lick

Elephants passby Aberdare's The Ark Accommodation Facility — Elephants passby Aberdare’s The Ark Accommodation Facility

Treetops lodge is an accommodation facility that is famous for being the place where Queen Elizabeth was staying when she found out about her father’s death. This accommodation facility also offers great opportunities for viewing wildlife species and for photography.

Other accommodation facilities ranging from luxury accommodation, midrange accommodation and budget accommodation in Aberdare national park include; Aberdare country club (luxury), West wood hotel (mid-range), Fishing lodge guest house.

In addition to the accommodation facilities offering hospitality and recreation services to tourists, camping can also be done in Aberdare national park in the following campsites; Reedbuck, Ruhuruini, Wandare, Shamata.

Experience the unique wonders of nature while exploring the stunning landscapes and watching wildlife in abundance with a variety of bird species and many other attractions found in Aberdare national park.