Kenya

Just across the border from Tanzania, the desert landscape lies the oasis of Amboseli, at the entrance of the park you are greeted by the open savanna plains, in the distance, the permanent green swamps are full of elephant herds. This creates a spectacular contrast against the towering backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Amboseli has one of the densest elephant populations, approximately 1500 cross the park. During the dry season you will be able to observe these magical creatures turning into a gray to black shadow, as herds spend their days in the central Enkongo Narok swamp. The swamps are perennial and natural springs. Ice glaciers melt on the volcanic rocks of Mount Kilimanjaro filling the underground rivers.

The long rains in April help fill the swamps during the dry season and the short rains in November. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to see a strange game just outside Amboseli, like the gerenuk and the fringe-eared oryx. The game of the plains is that of the common cape buffalo, eland, Burchell’s zebra, and wildebeest will often see smaller mammals such as the black-backed jackal moving around. Popular predators are the main attraction such as the lion, the leopard, the buffalo, the spotted hyena and the huge giraffe, posing in the background for the perfect memory of the Kilimanjaro image.

With more than 400 species of birds between October to December, migratory birds from the northern hemisphere arrive in Amboseli. The mix of local and migratory species makes an unforgettable experience. Sightings of plovers and endemic birds such as the two-band crossing are generally found only in the Amboseli Salt Flats. The Alcedines (Kingfisher), herons and ospreys are just one of the other species that you will be able to observe.

Nomadic Masai live on the edge of the park, herding cattle daily for food. Tourism plays an important role in maintaining the balance between wildlife and human existence.

Naivasha National Park belongs to the Rift Valley. This one brings together all the lakes in Kenya including The Rift Valley Lakes. In addition, Naivasha is close to the Nakuru Reserve National Park. In some parts of the park you can make excursions on foot, by bike … Lake Naivasha is a real little paradise for ornithologists. In the center of the lake is a small island where the animals walk peacefully. It is nice to take a boat trip. During the journey, you will meet numerous hippos that bathe and swim peacefully. Don’t get too close: the animal is not comfortable and it is not very friendly either.
Take a pair of binoculars if possible during your safari. Although you can observe the animals from quite close, sometimes some are far away. So it is easier to observe them like this. Also, be an early riser since during the hottest hours the animals take refuge in the shade and take a nap a good part of the day.

The Nakuru reserve, located around a large lake in the northwest of the country, houses an important fauna in its almost 46 km²: Rothschild giraffes, leopards, lions, black rhinos, etc. But the most successful thing in the park are the millions of large and dwarf pink flamingos that regularly frequent the lake (unfortunately, when the water level is low the number drops). This spectacular influx of birds has earned the park to obtain the status of a bird sanctuary, an unusual fact in East Africa.

Some of the more intimate lodges have been established as a way to inject tourism revenue into conservation. Laikipia has become a wildlife sanctuary for elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards. An anti-poaching unit has been organized to protect and monitor wildlife in the area. Included here are some endemic wildlife species such as the Grevy’s Zebra, the Reticulated Giraffe, and the African Wild Dog. The endangered black rhino feels like home and if you are an avid bird watcher there are over 350 species of birds that can be seen.