Aberdare national park

Aberdare national park is a spectacular national park lying on the ranges of Aberdare Mountains found in Nyandarua and Nyeri County, the park lies in east region of east African rift valley at the altitude range 2,000 meters – 4,000 meters. Aberdare park covers an area of 767 square kilometers which stretches through a wide range of landscapes ranging from mountain peaks, deep-shaped valleys rivers and waterfalls.

Aberdare national park was created in 1950 to protect the forested slopes and moors of Aberdare Mountains, this amazing park is important to the kikuyu tribe. According to the kikuyu folklore Aberdare forests found in the park are said to be one of the homes of Ngai a kikuyu god. Aberdare park is famous for being a park where Princess Elizabeth was at Treetops when she turned into a queen upon the death of his father.

Attractions in Aberdare national park

Aberdare national park is rich with fascinating attractions which are interesting to encounter and watch, it is because of these attractions that the park is a great destination for a high population of tourists visiting Kenya and east Africa for a safari. Attractions in the park include

Wildlife

Animals

Aberdare national park is a great habitant for a wide range of animals which are found in the thick rain forest, moorlands and grassland dominated plains of the park, animals in the park include lion, leopard, elephant, East African wild dog, giant forest hog, bushbuck, mountain reedbuck, waterbuck, Cape buffalo, suni, spotted hyenas, side-striped jackal, eastern black rhinoceros, eland, duiker and many more. In the forested area of the park there is primates such as olive baboon, black and white colobus monkeys, skyes monkey. Among the animals in the park there is rare animal species such as African golden cats, Giant Forest hog, bongo, Black Leopard, golden cat, serval cat, African wild cat, African civet cat and blue duiker.

Birds

Aberdare national park is an excellent home for birds recorded to be over 290 species which thrive in the forests and moorlands dominating the park, the park is consists of many interesting colorful bird species which include species endemic to the park and Kenya and near endemic bird species. Bird species in Aberdare national park include Aberdare cisticola, Abyssinian crimsonwing, African goshawk, African green pigeon, African paradise flycatcher, African yellow warbler, augur buzzard, Ayres’s hawk eagle, bar-tailed trogon, bronzy sunbird, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, crowned eagle, doherty’s bush-shrike, golden-winged sunbird, Hartlaub’s turaco, hunter’s cisticola, jackson’s francolin, Montagu’s harrier, montane white-eye, moorland chat, moorland francolin, mountain buzzard, Moustached green Tinkerbird, Narina trogon, olive ibis, rufous-chested sparrow hawk, scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, Sharpe’s longclaw, silvery-cheeked hornbill, Tacazze sunbird, tambourine dove, white-headed wood-hoopoe and many more.

Aberdare national park receives migratory bird species in the period of November to April, the park consists of Kenya’s important bird areas that is

Mukurweini valleys found in south-east of the Aberdare, the valley is an ideal an ideal habitant for bird species like Hinde’s babbler
Kikuyu Escarpment Forest, the forest is a continuation of Aberdare forest
The Kinangop grasslands – the grasslands are a major spot for one Kenya’s national endemic that is Sharpe’s Longclaw.
Aberdare forest-this forest is a habitant for many bird species.

Beautiful scenery

Aberdare national park is a scenically diverse destination with many beautiful scenic views created by various features which are beautifully dotted around the park, the park’s scenery consists of many ridges and river valleys perfect for photographer tourists. The park is also dominated by beautiful moorlands, bamboo forests and rainforests, Aberdare mountain ranges which form part of the park and the magnificent waterfalls. Aberdare national park consists of many waterfalls with karuru waterfalls as the most prominent one, karuru waterfall is magnificent feature falling in three steps at different height that is first step falling at 117 meters, second step falling at 26 meters and 3^rd step falling at 130 meters. Other waterfalls in the park include Chania waterfalls and many more.

Things to do in Aberdare national park

Game viewing

Aberdare national park offers fascinating game drives where tourists get an opportunity to view many animals in the grassland plains of the park, on a thrilling game drive in the park you get to view many animals such as leopard, elephant, East African wild dog, giant forest hog, bushbuck, mountain reedbuck, waterbuck, Cape buffalo, suni, spotted hyenas, side-striped jackal, eastern black rhinoceros, eland, duiker and many more. Game drives in the park are offered in sessions that is morning game drive, afternoon game drive and full day game drive, on a game drive in the park animals are most sport at watering holes.

Bird watching

Aberdare national park is a great birding paradise for bird enthusiastic tourists, bird watching in the park takes place in numerous ideal sections of the park where you get to view many colorful bird species. Ideal places in Aberdare national park to see colorful birds include Mukurweini valleys in south-east of the Aberdare, Kikuyu Escarpment Forest and Aberdare forest. While on a bird watching expedition in the park you get to view many bird species which include Abyssinian crimsonwing, African goshawk, African green pigeon, African paradise flycatcher, African yellow warbler, augur buzzard, Ayres’s hawk eagle, bar-tailed trogon, bronzy sunbird, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, crowned eagle, doherty’s bush-shrike, golden-winged sunbird, Hartlaub’s turaco, hunter’s cisticola, jackson’s francolin, Montagu’s harrier, montane white-eye, moorland chat, moorland francolin, mountain buzzard, Moustached green Tinkerbird, Narina trogon, olive ibis, rufous-chested sparrow hawk, scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, Sharpe’s longclaw, silvery-cheeked hornbill ad many more.

Primate tracking

Aberdare national park is a home to primates which live in the forested mountainous ranges of the park where primate tracking takes place, primate tracking takes you on a hike in the forests where you get to spot primates such as olive baboon, black and white colobus monkeys, skyes monkey sighted in the thick forests.

Nature walks and hiking

Aberdare national park offers amazing nature walks and hiking safaris in the beautiful scenic nature of the park, nature walks in the park takes you on a tour in the park by foot where you get to spot many animals like elephants, lions and many more while enjoying beautiful scenic views. Hiking in the park takes place in the forested mountainous terrain of the park and as you hike in the forests you get to view many attractions of the park such as birds and primates like olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and many more.

Where to stay in Aberdare national park

While in Aberdare national park accommodation is got from the ark lodge, maverick camp, roundavels and homestay, giraffe ark game lodge, coconut palm hotel, legacy gardens Nyeri, treetops lodge, kimakia tea cottages, tafaria castle and many more.

How to get to Aberdare national park

The park is situated 150 kilometers east of Nairobi city, this thrilling destination is easily accessed from Nyeri and Naro moru and you can use both road and air transport to get to the park. By road there is many bus companies offering daily transport to Nyeri and Moru from Nairobi and private vehicles are offered by our tour company that is FOCUS EAST AFRICA TOURS. From Nairobi to southwest of Nanyuki in the park it is a drive of 2:30 – 3 hours.

By air transport domestic chartered flights are offered from jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi found 15 kilometers southeast of Nairobi to Mweiga airstrips which is situated adjacent to the park’s headquarters near sasin estate farm along Nyeri-Nyahururu road.