Top 5 National Parks and Reserves in Kenya
Why Kenya has always been a popular safari destination
With 23 National Parks and 15 National Reserves, it is no wonder why its popular.
But what really makes it one of the world’s best safari countries is the superiority of the quality of its parks and reserves. So if you’re heading to Kenya or planning to visit anytime soon, this lists the top Kenya wildlife parks and everything you need to know about them.
Top 1: MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Masai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s flagship safari park, the “Queen” of all parks and reserves in the country. On a normal day, The Mara showcases big families of elephants, buffaloes, lions, giraffes, and hippos among many more. It virtually contains every other type of wildlife found in Kenya and is also known for having the most approachable animals.Thanks to its incredible wildlife, “real Africa” scenery and yearly Great Migration.

From July to October, millions of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles can be seen around the plains and also on the Mara River, crossing from the Serengeti while battling with all types of obstacles. The sheer amount of predators that tail them will also ensure your days are filled with once in a lifetime moments you are bound to remember for a lifetime. This event is the famous Great Migration, which happens every year and takes place in only 2 safari parks: Serengeti in Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya.
To add to any safari experience, the park also offers cultural tours like visiting the fascinating Maasai tribesmen.
What to know :
The park is served by several scheduled flights making it not only easy to reach but also more affordable. There are also several landing strips in various locations so you are never too far from the action. There is availability of accomodation if booked in advance.
Top 2: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
The park is often photographed with beautiful elephant herds against a stunning backdrop of the famous Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
Amboseli is centered around Observation Hill, which offers great views of the plains below. It hosts 50 mammal species and 400 bird species. The Maasai also live around the park and so do their cattle.The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust”, and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulphur springs, the savannah and woodlands. They can also visit the local Maasai community who live around the park and experience their authentic culture.

How to get there:
By road from Nairobi (4 hours) or a daily scheduled flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport.
Top 3: TSAVO NATIONAL PARK
Tsavo National Park is split into two: Tsavo East and Tsavo West. Together, these two national parks create the largest protected wildlife sanctuary in Kenya which spans to almost twenty times larger than Masai Mara. Since the vast park is located in the southeasternmost part of the country, it is known to be the least visited and wildest park in Kenya. In fact, due to its size, some parts of it are almost never visited (by humans) at all.
In comparison, Tsavo West is more developed but Tsavo East is more accessible. Home to the only red elephants in the world (they only appear red because of their constant dust bathing with fine red volcanic soil), Tsavo East features a vast dry plain and Galena River. It is also the only Kenyan park that permits night drives.

In Tsavo West, elephants are still visible sometimes even bathing among the hippos and the crocodiles. The best way to see this is from a unique vantage point of an under-water glass tank. The Big Five also live here although spotting them may be quite challenging. What stands out in Tsavo West is its diversity in landscape. It provides the option for exploring caves and seeing the Mzima Springs gushing out water onto the millions of years old lava fields
Getting There: By road from Mombasa (3-4 hours) or Nairobi (10 hours); Or by air via a charter flight. Tsavo East has no scheduled flights while Tsavo West does.
Top 4: LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
This park is most famous for the colonies of flamingos that live on the shores of the park’s Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru park Kenya is a premium game park, one of only three in the country and one of the most visited game parks in Kenya.
Lake Nakuru Park is known as bird lover’s hub because of the numerous birds that make home in this park. The Park is a home to over 400 bird species including the flamingos that live on the lake shores and in the park’s savannah grasslands. The bird species include but not limited to African Fish Eagle, Slender-billed greenbul, Long-tailed widowbird, Rufous-throated wryneck, Montane white-eye,Red-capped lark, Northern puffback, Rüppell’s robin-chat, Shining sunbird and many more.

Nakuru National Park though famous for the numerous birds, it’s also a wild game destination for animal lovers and wildlife explorers. The lake is a habitat to over 100 endangered Rhinos distributed between the black and white rhinos; the park is also home to the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe and other 50 or more animal species that include buffalos, waterbucks, lions, impalas and many more.
Lake Nakuru sits very closely to Lake Naivasha. They are both in close proximity to the city center of Nairobi and thereby are deemed excellent day trips especially when combined in one trip.
To get to the park, you have to go through a Euphorbia forest which is a type of cactus-looking tree. This adds more uniqueness to the experience.
How to Get There: Through a private vehicle or public transportation. The park is a three-hour drive from Nairobi.
Top 5: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
Just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi National Park is “the ultimate wildlife experience within the metro.” It is most famous for its black rhino sanctuary but it has also made a notable reputation for its own wildebeest migration, superb avifauna, and exciting walking trails that offer visitors a chance to experience the African bush at its best.

Nairobi National Park features the Big Five sans the elephants which are the only large mammals not present in the park. Due to its proximity to the city, many visitors come here for a day tour only as it can already cover the best in the park. Others come with their own vehicle; others hire a guide at the gate, and some others just stay in the tented campsite instead of staying in hotels.
How to Get There: By road, it’s less than 5 miles from the city center.
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