Aberdare National Park is part of the Aberdare Mountain Range, a region of stunning and diverse landscape where jagged peaks soar up to 3,930m and deep ravines cut through the forested slopes and many clear streams and waterfall. These mountain ranges are an important water catchment area providing water to the Tana and Athi Rivers – two of the longest rivers in Kenya.
Aberdare National Park is situated 150km North of Nairobi in Kenya’s central highlands, to the West of Mount Kenya. Aberdare National Park covers an area of 766km² covers the moorland at 3000 meters (9,842 feet), to the peaks of Kinangop (3,906m/12814 feet) and Ol Donyo Lesatima (3,999m/13123 feet).
Major Attractions in Aberdares National Park include the Lesatima Peak - the highest peak in the ranges, Kinangop Peak, waterfalls, walks in the moorlands, Twin Hills, Elephant Hills and Table Mountains.
The park is home to most of the larger mammals, having a large population of black rhino. The park has endangered species including the rare bongo, giant forest hog, packs of the now very rare wild dogs and endemic mole-rat and mole shrew. Other game includes leopard, serval, endemic bird species,reptiles and insects.
Bird-watching is very good here with over 250 species of birds in the park, including the Jackson’s Francolin, sunbirds and plovers. The birds of prey are of particular interest with African Goshawks, Ayres’ Hawk Eagles, Rufous-breasted Sparrow Hawk and Mountain Buzzards.
How to get there
- By Road: The Park is readily accessible on tarmac from Nyeri and Naro Moru on the Eastern side and it’s 150 Kms from Nairobi. A road crosses the park through the lower slopes up to the Moorlands to connect with another one from Naivasha on the western side.The park HQS is 15 Kms from Nyeri town, along the Nyeri – Nyahururu road.
- By Air: The nearest airstrip is the Mweiga Airstrip on the opposite side from Park Hqs along Nyeri – Nyahururu road near Sasini Estate Farm.
Attractions
- Wild animals like to be seen in Aberdare National Park include; African Elephant, black rhino, leopard, spotted hyena, olive baboon, black and white colobus monkey, sykes monkey, cape buffalo, warthog, common zebra (North Aberdare), bushbuck, reedbuck. Rare sightings include those of Giant Forest hog, bongo, golden cat, serval cat, African wild cat, African civet cat, blue duiker.
- Very beautiful sceneries including magnificent waterfalls with the main ones being Karuru waterfalls which fall in three steps, 1st step 117M, 2nd step 26M and 3rd 130M, making a total of 273M
- Many ridges and river valleys, a big attraction for mountain scenery photographers.
- Bird viewing is rewarding with about 290 recorded bird species, including the Aberdare Cisticola that is critically endangered and the Jackson’s francolin, which is regionally endemic, sparry hawk, goshawks, eagles, sunbirds and plovers
