Tourist Places to Visit in Aberdare National Park, Kenya, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Aberdare National Park, Kenya, Africa

The Aberdare National Park is located in the central province of Kenya, occupying around 766 km² higher areas of the Aberdare Mountain Range. Operated by the Kenya Wildlife Service, the park was established in 1950. It is geographically positioned between 0°22′48″ S latitude and 36°41′57″ E longitude, around 100 km north of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The Aberdare National Park is rich in flora and fauna, home to around 250 species of birds, including goshawks, sunbirds, aberdare cisticola and jackson’s francolin. The park also houses a wide range of animals like African hunting dog, mountain reedbuck, cape buffalo, duikers olive baboon, white Colobus monkey, the golden cat and the bongo.

The facilities of the park are upgraded to provide a memorable experience to all types of travelers coming from the different regions of the world. Accommodations include campsites, Treetops tree-house lodge and public campsite. The park is generally open from 6.00 am to 7.00 pm. Smart card is must to visit park, which can be obtained at the main gate. Entrance fee varies between East African citizens and overseas visitors.

How to reach Aberdare National Park?

There is no public airport in Aberdare National Park, but visitors can board charter flights at Mweiga Airstrip. The nearest major airport to Aberdare National Park is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and this airport handles flights from all around the world, including Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Johannesburg, Amsterdam and London.

From Nairobi, the way A2 leads to Aberdare National Park and buses ply in this route in regular intervals. To move within the park, 4WD vehicles are recommended.

Shopping and Food in Aberdare National Park:

Aberdare National Park houses many food corners and shops, although the most of them are traditional options. So it is advised for visitors to bring some necessaries from the city prior to leaving.

Things to do in Aberdare National Park:

Bird watching
Trout fishing
Mountain hiking
Day tours

Places of interest in and around Aberdare National Park:

Waterfalls in Aberdare National Park:

The Aberdare National Park is the site of many spectacular waterfalls such as Chania, Magura, Karuru and Gura, of which all are equally famous among visitors, falling with full of water that surely be a great treat for visitors’ eyes.

Bird watching in park:

Housing around 250 species of different colorful birds, the Aberdare National Park is a paradise of bird lovers. This activity can be enjoyed better trough a guided tour.

Trout fishing in Aberdare National Park:

Trout fishing is one of the famous activities in the park, for which visitors generally reach the ice-cold Guru Karuru and Chania Rivers.

Lake Naivasha:

Situated around 50 km west of the Aberdare National Park, the Lake Naivasha is spread over an area of 139 km², home to around 400 different species of birds. Also there are three other natural attractions surrounding the park such as Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, Lake Oloiden and Lake Sonachi.

List of other places of interest around Aberdare National Park includes:

Thomson’s Falls
Mount Kenya
Subukia Shrine
Evergreen Park
Fourteen Falls
Rapids Camp
Kiambethu Farm

Best time to visit Aberdare National Park:

Probably the best time to visit Aberdare National Park is from January to February and June to September. The park gets heavy rain between March and May, so this should be avoided.

Accommodation options in Aberdare National Park:

There are different types of accommodation options in the park, including a tree-house lodge and campsites. Wooden made Ark lodge is the most famous one among visitors for its familiar hospitality services and the views of surrounding sceneries. Other prominent accommodation options in and around Aberdare National Park include: