Aberdare National Park
Aberdare National Park is a protected area in the Aberdare Mountain Range in the central Kenya located east of the East African Rift Valley, it covers the higher areas and the Aberdare Salient to the east. Aberdare National Park was established in May 1950 and it covers an area of 767 km2 (296 sq. mi) and forms part of the Aberdare Mountain Range, the park is located about 100 km north of Nairobi and stretches over awide variety of terrain at altitudes from 2,000 meters (6,600 ft.) to 4,000 meters (13,000 ft.) above the sea level, to their deep, v-shaped valleys intersected by the streams, rivers and waterfalls. Moorland, bamboo forests and the rainforests are found at the lower altitudes.
Attractions in Aberdare National Park.
Wildlife.
Aberdare national park boasts a variety animal species, in that the park has got the Big five like the (elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions and leopards) the park is well reorganized as it is the second largest population of the endangered black rhinos in Kenya. Other animal species found in the park includes the hyenas, bushbucks, water bucks, reedbucks, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, Skyes monkeys and many more.
Kikuyu local community.
Aberdare national park has neighboring communities of the Kikuyu people, the Kikuyu people believe the Aberdare ranges are the one of the homes to Ngai their god, the area was initially named Nyandarua by the locals meaning drying hide because of the numerous distinctive folds here.
Bird species.
Aberdare national park is a birding destination in Kenya, the park has over 250 species of birds including the Jackson’s Francolin, Sparrow hawks, goshawks, eagles, sunbirds, plovers, hartlaubs turaco, rare scarlet malachite, African thrush, crowned hornbill, bar tailed trogon, golden winged sunbird, African yellow warbler, African green pigeon, African goshawk, crowned eagle, moorland francolin, olive ibis, silvery checked hornbill and many more in the park.
Aberdare Ranges.
The Aberdare ranges are the most signature tourist attraction in Aberdare national park, the ranges are 160 kilometer of an isolated volcanic range forming the eastern most wall of the Great Rift Valley, because of these ranges, Aberdare national park is one of the best sites for Kenya hiking tours.
Vegetation.
Aberdare national park is dominated by the unusual types of vegetation including the steep forested ravines and the open moorland making up the Aberdare vegetation, in the park there is a total of over 778 vegetation and plant species, sub species and varieties found in the park due to the park’s altitude and rainfall. The trees species found in Aberdare national park includes the hardwood trees including camphor, cedar, podo and hagenia and many more which favors and inhabit the various wildlife in the park. The park has open savannah parks of Kenya.
Waterfalls.
The park has got various waterfalls in the park that also attract more tourists, these have the most beautiful scenic views in the park, in that the Karuru falls in the Aberdare national park is a place of many unique wonders of nature, the waterfall is the highest and the tallest in Kenya with a break taking that plunges 273 meters below the viewing point.
Activities in Aberdare National Park.
Game viewing.
Game viewing is one of the highlights of your Kenya safari in Aberdare national park, game drives in this amazing national park are offered as the morning game drives and the afternoon game drives providing the tourists with a great opportunity to view the hills, bogs, mountain streams, waterfalls many bird species as well as the animal species like the gong antelopes, lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and many others.
Birding watching.
The park has over 250 bird species, the common bird in the park is the Hartlaub’s turaco that can be spotted feeding at the tree hotels and other bird species especially the Aberdare Cist cola which can be found in the park and can be spotted on the higher altitudes. The bird lovers who come to visit the park can be able to spot various bird species like the African green pigeon, crowned eagle, moorland francolin, olive ibis, silvery checked hornbill and many more.
The Park offers good bird watching throughout the year, but the best time is from November to April when the migrants from Europe and North Africa are present, this partly coincides with the wet season when many bird species can be seen in breeding plumage as they are nesting.
Hiking.
Hiking is an exciting and adventurous activity in the park, in the park there are various mountain peaks which offers hiking safaris for example the elephant hike which stands a t 3720 meters above the sea level and is a 26 kilometer hike.
Horse riding.
Horse riding in the park is one of the breath taking ways of touring the park offering the tourists a chance to come closer to the wildlife in the park, horse riding is managed and operated by the Aberdare country club, its done at the foothills of the Aberdare ranges in the national park and offers an opportunity for adventuring in the wild on a horseback with beautiful sights of the attractions and wildlife species.
Trout fishing.
Trout fishing in Aberdare national park is done by the help of an experienced guide who will show you how to fish and areas to fish from. During trout fishing you are required to have fishing gears and a fishing license which can be obtained at the park headquarters.
Best time to visit Aberdare National Park.
Considered more of a year round safari destination than some of the other parks, Aberdare national park is a mountainous and can experience mist and rain throughout the year, so the driest months of January and February and from June to September are usually the best times to visit with the most rewarding game viewing during your tour in Kenya.
Where to stay in Aberdare National Park.
The park has various accommodation facilities to the tourists who come to visit the park in that the park has accommodations ranging from the Budget, Mid-range and Luxury accommodations like the Aberdare Fishing Lodge, Aberdare Cottages and Fishing Lodge, Maverick Camp, Rondavels and Homestay, The Ark Lodge and many others.
Entrances fees of Aberdare national park.
| Aberdare National Park | Citizen | Resident | Non-Resident | |||
| Adults (KSH) | Child (KSH) | Adults (SHS) | Child (KSH) | Adult (USD) | Child (UDS) | |
| 300 | 215 | 300 | 215 | 52 | 26 | |
How to get to Aberdare National Park.
Aberdare National Park can be accessed into different ways like the road, Air transport from the Nairobi city to the park.
By Air transport.
The park can be accessed by the both charter and the scheduled flights which can be booked at Wilson Airport by the help of the recognized tour operator. And then to various air strips of the park like Nanyuki airstrip, Nyeri airstrip, Mweiga airstrip. The time in a flight from Nairobi city to the park is 35 minutes being the quickest means of transport.
By Road transport.
The driving distance from the Nairobi city to the park is about 160 kilometers while driving on a smooth tarmac road from Nyeri and Naro Moruon the Eastern side, this takes about 2 and a half hours to 3 hours minutes to reach the park.
The Park is unlike anywhere else in Kenya, the park is most famous as the place where Princess Elizabeth found out that she was Queen upon the death of her father at Treetops Lodge, since then the lodge has been popular with tourists on safari to Kenya.
