GUIDE ON ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK IN KENYA

Rare bongos, giant forest hogs and black rhinos are just some of the mammalian species that are found in Aberdare National Park in central Kenya. Listen closely to the sounds of the hoofed animals, such as a grunting buffalo or a clicking eland, as these resonances indicate the presence of leopards, hyenas and other hunters. Forest dwellers include colobus, vervet and sykes’ monkeys, as well as elephants, suni, red duiker, to name only a few of the species. Where you find monkeys, you may also spot a crowned eagle looking over the Aberdare highlands for a primate meal, and the high-pitched sounds that echo through the trees may be a silvery-cheeked hornbill. More than 250 bird species have been identified in Aberdare Park, and your AfricanMecca guide helps you identify each species through size, habitat, coloring and behavior.

Sunbirds are the most predominant species, and perhaps a splash of bright yellow and black amongst the leaves will draw your attention to a golden-winged sunbird. Pale chanting goshawks, sparrowhawks, Cape eagle and Mackinder's owls and other well-camouflaged species may be more challenging to locate on short stays, but sighting one of these hunting raptors is a highlight of a wondrous birdwatching tour of Kenya. The salient is an elephant migration corridor of dense forests and abundant wildlife, such as bush pig, dik-dik, bushbuck, reedbuck and other foragers. This is just a small sampling of the wildlife experiences that you will have at Aberdare National Park, located in the Great Rift Valley region of the Aberdare Mountains.

The park covers an estimated 767 square kilometers (296 square miles), and elevations range from 1829 meters (6000 feet) to 4001 meters (13126 feet). Dense forests and moorlands cover most of the area along with grasslands too, and these are sharply cut by rivers that flow through deep ravines and cascade down glorious waterfalls. The unique terrain can be navigated by foot, vehicle and even horseback in the private conservancy surrounding the Aberdare highlands, and you will certainly satisfy your every desire for an adventure-seeking holiday in East Africa. Hiking and leisurely walks are exploratory options for discovering the delicate flora, insects, amphibians and smaller mammals, while horseback safaris at Aberdare Country Club’s private conservancy ignite the romance of a country-style safari experience.

If you want to see the greatest variety of habitats, AfricanMecca can arrange half and full day safari game drives in Aberdare Park. Large herds of elephants and buffalos walk amongst elands, impalas, zebras and other plains animals, and the ever-watchful predators are close-at-hand, yet well-hidden, such as serval cats that are found in the moorlands. You may also want to visit the other-worldly moorlands of Ol Donyo Le Satima, the third highest in Kenya. During good weather, a 4x4 vehicle can manage the road to the foothills of the “young bull mountain”, and at 3350 meters (10,990 feet), the scenery is shrouded in mist, and the landscape is dominated by erica, lobelia, groundsel and other odd-looking alpine flora that reaches 6 meters (19 feet) in height.