What is found in Aberdare national park?

What is found in Aberdare national park? The cool climate, lingering mists, chilly rivers, streams, and distinctive vegetation of Aberdare National Park make it a haven for a variety of tourist attractions, including the park’s breathtaking scenery and unusual fauna. As a high-altitude park, Aberdare National Park is a great place to see Kenya’s wildlife and birds. Its diverse landscapes include mountainous peaks with high alpine vegetation, deep v-shaped valleys of dense and misty tropical rainforests, lush grasslands that are intersected by streams, wide rivers, and magnificent waterfalls that reach heights of 300 meters, as well as open wild moorland and baboon grooves.

Wildlife in Aberdare National Park

The eastern black rhinoceros, which are the second-largest population in Aberdare National Park, are one of the wildlife species that are the main tourist attractions there. Rare animal species like the African golden cat and the giant antelope Bongo have also been spotted in Aberdare National Park. Other wildlife species that call the park home include the 2,000+ elephant herds, the east African wild dog, the bushbuck, the mountain reedbuck, the waterbuck, the cape buffalo, the eland, the giant forest hog, the warthogs, the duiker, the olive baboon, the black and white colobus monkey, and the sykes monkey. In this park, spotted hyenas, bush pigs, several cats, and occasionally the elusive black leopard are frequently sighted. The lion is also there, though it is rarely seen.

Birdlife in Aberdare National Park

The endangered Aberdale cisticola, Jackson’s spurfowl, sparrow hawk, African goshawk, African fish eagles, sunbirds, and plovers are among the more than 250 documented bird species found in Aberdare National Park. Raptors like buzzards and the African crown eagle can be seen in the park’s cool glades. Butterflies are also common, particularly in the park’s two main habitats, the forests and the moorlands.

Other tourist attractions in Aberdare National Park include the stunning waterfalls, the most notable of which are the Karuru waterfalls, which cascade down in three steps of 117, 26, and 130 meters, totalling 273 meters in height; the Chania waterfalls, as well as numerous smaller ones; and the numerous ridges and river valleys, which produce breathtaking scenery that frequently draws landscape photographers.

Aberdare National Park offers a wide range of tourism activities that Kenya safari visitors interested in outdoor adventure and wildlife typically partake in because it is a perfect Kenya safari destination for topographical and wildlife aficionados. These kenya safari tour activities include;

Game drives safaris

Game drives are one of the tourist attractions in Aberdare National Park. Take advantage of the cool temperatures during daytime or night time game drives to explore this magnificent park and see its varied wildlife, including the Big Five, a number of wild cats, and rare and unusual species. Night time game drives can also provide more nocturnal sightings.

Visit the waterfalls

Another thrilling  kenya safari tourist destination in Aberdare National Park is the walk to the Karuru waterfalls. The park’s breathtaking waterfalls offer Kenya safari visitors an adventure that they can explore on their own. A trip to the Karuru and Chaina waterfalls will provide you with a thrilling yet daring kenya safari experience, as well as private nature walks in the moorlands where you can take in the breathtaking views of the Kinangop and Lesatima peaks.

Trout Fishing

You may do this on a number of rivers, such as the extremely cold Guru, Karuru, or Chaina, which flow immediately beneath the moorland waterfalls. There are also many other fishing places in the park with special features, such as other waterfalls, where you can also go cave fishing and observe a lot of animals.

Hiking Aberdare National Park

This national park is a hiker’s paradise because the Aberdare mountain ranges are part of it. Hikers can explore the table mountains, twin or elephant hills, or the majestic waterfalls, and they can enjoy breathtaking scenery while interacting with wildlife.

Birdwatching

Sunbirds, goshawks, fish eagles, and Aberdare cisticola are among the famous and frequently sighted forest bird species that may be observed in the park by bird watchers. In addition, Kenya safari visitors typically partake in a variety of other tourist activities at Aberdare National Park, including hiking, horseback riding, camping, photography, visiting rhino sanctuaries, and visiting the Mau Mau caves.

How to get to Aberdare National Park

Aberdare National Park is 160 kilometres northeast of Nairobi in the Nyeri/Nyandarua district of the central highlands of Kenya, east of the East African Rift Valley. As a result, there are two methods to get to Aberdare National Park: by plane and by road.

By Road

Using paved roads, Kenya safari visitors can easily reach Aberdare National Park by ground transport from Thika in Nyeri and Naro Moru on the eastern side. This allows them to enter the park through the eastern entrance gates. This is the simplest method for getting to Aberdare National Park because it takes around two to three hours to drive on the well-maintained tarmac road, which is about 150 km from Nairobi. Another road links to the route on the western side entrances from Naivasha. It passes over mountainous terrain and the lower slopes up to the Moorlands for approximately 87 km in the rift valley.

There are five entrance gates that Kenya safari tourists can utilise to enter the park’s boundaries: Kiandagoro, Wandare, Ruhuruina, and Ark and Treetops gates, which offer great spots to see game. If Nyeri is your destination. You should enter the park by the Rhino or Shamata Gates if you are coming from Nyahururu. The Mutubio Gate is ideal for tourists travelling from Naivasha. The park headquarters is 15 kilometres from Nyeri town, therefore tourists who are already there can utilise the Nyeri-Nyahururu road.

By Air

Air travel is another option for getting to this area; charter aircraft are typically scheduled to run daily to the surrounding airports near the National area. The closest airports are Nanyuki Airstrip and Mweiga Airstrip, which are located near Sasini Estate Farm on Nyeri-Nyahururu Road, across from Park headquarters. As part of your vacation package, Kenya Wildlife Safari Tours typically arranges domestic charter flights between your various safari destination parks. These flights can be planned through several charter aircraft providers, such as Safari Link or Air Kenya.