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Kenya has been recognized as the home of the traditional safari. British and European aristocracy, great names like Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill gave it prominence in the 1920s until it was discovered by Hollywood and publicised worldwide through the screen. Famous writers like Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark further glamorised its image. Its land mass of 583,000 sq. km is bisected by the Equator. The steep-sided walls of the Rift valley cut through the country from North to South. Sitting astride the Equator is majestic Mt. Kenya, its twin snow-capped peaks reaching to 17058 ft/5200m.

NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK

Just 10 km from the city centre is the entrance to Nairobi's pride and joy; it's own National park covering some 117 sq. km of grassland and forest. The casual visitor might see on a morning or afternoon visit many of the popular animal species including the black Rhino, herds of Zebra wildebeest, eland and giraffes.

ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK

This park consists of high alpine moorland and primeval forest. Rarely visited beyond the lower salient, most visitors stay at one of the two forest lodges, Treetops or the Ark. Both lodges are situated in forest glades overlooking waterholes. Salt deposits lure the animals out of the forest and at dusk floodlights are switched on so that guests can view in comfort through the night. Many species pass through with some sightings of the elusive leopard and rare Bongo. Each forest lodge is served by its base hotel, Outspan or Aberdare Country club. Both are delightful country hotels with many facilities for outdoor activities.

SAMBURU, BUFFALO SPRINGS AND SHABA

These are three adjoining reserves situated in arid country North of Mount Kenya, but watered by the Uaso Nyiro River and natural springs. Very scenic with hilly crags and beautiful Doum palms following the water course. Some rarer animal species can be found here: the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Grevy's Zebra and long-necked Gerenuk. Leopard and Crocodile can be seen most nights at the lodges where bait is set to attract them.

LAKE NAKURU

Another soda lake frequented seasonally by hundreds of thousands of Flamingo lining the shore in a pink swathe among several other bird species. Now also a Rhino sanctuary and home to a herd of rare Rothschild Giraffe, Buffalo Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Colubus Monkey, Impala, Dik dik, mountain reedbrek area, common sighting during game drives.

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Probably East Africa's most well known reserve and certainly Kenya's prime wildlife viewing area. A land of rolling hills supporting a huge and varied animal population. The casual visitor is often treated to the sight of Lions in prides sometimes numbering 30 beasts, Cheetahs stalking their prey and Leopards feeding on a kill in the lower branches of a sausage tree. In the Mara River there are hundreds of cavorting, snorting Hippo and Crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks. Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi can be seen while, during the months of July to October the spectacle of the Wildebeest and Zebra migration to and from nearby Serengeti occurs.

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

A little gem of a park situated right at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain. Elephants abound in the lower forest and swamp areas. Cheetahs are found on the salt flats, Giraffe wander through the Doum palms while herds of Zebra and wildebeest feed on the open plains. The snowcapped dome of the mountain provides the perfect backdrop to he peacefully grazing game, making this park a photographer's paradise.

TSAVO AND TAITA

This park is split into two sectors of East and West covering a total area of over 20,000 sq. km. Once famous for herds of over 60,000 "red" Elephants, so called because of the red laterite earth prevalent in the area. Although these herds have since been depleted through drought, it is still possible to see large herds on the East side. To the West are the Mzima springs where Hippo and sometimes Crocodile can be seen from an underwater hide. The small, private game sanctuary of Taita adjoining Tsavo has a high concentration of game and a unique lodge on stilts, combining the best of the treehotels and more conventional lodges.