Top National Parks in Kenya

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is arguably the most popular wildlife destination on the planet. This is where the concept of safaris came into existence, and its lands are where you get to see millions of gazelle, zebras, and wildebeest make their annual pilgrimage to Tanzania, giving birth to thousands of calves en route. The Mara has often been called the most prolific wildlife destination on the planet. It is where you get to see endless expanses of savannah, untamed wilderness, vast plains, and some of the most exotic animals that man has ever seen.

Best Season: June to October

Mount Kilimanjaro has always been one of the top attractions of Africa, and the Amboseli National Park offers some of the best views of this majestic mountain. In addition to presenting Mount Kilimanjaro at its beautiful best, Ambolesi brings you closer to some of the largest tuskers you will ever see. Watching gigantic elephants against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro is one of the most popular images of Africa, and this is the best place to capture its beauty with your camera.

Best Season: June to October

Mount Kenya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kenya. It protects Africa's second-highest mountain and its surrounding ecosystems. It features diverse habitats, including glaciers, alpine forests, and bamboo thickets. Amazing wildlife such as elephants, buffalos, and hyraxes can be found here. Popular activities include trekking, wildlife safaris, and birdwatching. The park offers breathtaking views and a rich cultural connection to the Kikuyu people, who revere the mountain as sacred. A visit promises adventure and serenity.

Best Season: December to March

Lake Nakuru may be compact in its size, but its picturesque surroundings never fail to attract tourists from around the world. The park’s biggest highlight is its shallow soda lake and its thousands of pearl-white pelican and pink flamingo populations. The stunning greenery, scintillating waterfalls, and majestic cliffs also add to the overall atmosphere. Other animal sightings at Lake Nakuru include baboons, rhinos, colobus monkeys, lions, and leopards. Lake Nakuru promises year-round explorations and feels equally exotic during the off-season.

Best Season: June to October and January to March

This tiny game reserve combines the top highlights of an African safari with the beautiful Samburu culture. The Samburu Game Reserve is located to the north of Ewaso Ng’iro. Its game drives present hundreds of elephants, lions, buffalos, and leopards against a backdrop of murky brown waters and semi-deserts. You might not see the Big 5, but you can always see Samburu’s own ‘Special Five’, the beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, gerenuk, and reticulated giraffe. Most lodges in the park offer camel safaris, an adventure that is too good to miss out on.

Best Season: June to October and December to March

Tsavo West and East National Parks join hands to become the largest protected area in Kenya. Considered to be a fascinating wilderness area, Tsavo features untouched wilderness and authentic African safaris without forcing you to share the view with other tourists. This is one of the few national parks in Kenya where you get to see the Big 5 in a single day, as well as lions and elephants. Tsavo East is much more accessible, but Tsavo West is home to that underwater glass tank which provides a unique vantage point to get closer to hippos and crocodiles basking in the waters. Every safari to the Tsavo is rich in history, culture, and nature, and each experience feels incredibly unique, private, and authentic.

Best Season: June to October and January to February

Buffalo Springs hardly gets any attention from tourists visiting Kenya, and that hardly seems fair, given its spectacular beauty and majestic wildlife. The reserve is located bang opposite the Samburu Game Reserve, and in many ways, it is almost identical to the Samburu. All animals found in the north can be seen here and the bird-viewing opportunities at Buffalo Springs are spectacular. Elephant sightings are very common and the park also feels more remote and private than Samburu.

Best Season: June to September and January to February

Aberdare National Park is one of those few wildlife destinations in Africa that makes you forget all about its wildlife, at least for the first few hours. The surrounding scenery is so spectacular that you tend to lose yourself in those lovely waterfalls, alpine moorlands and dense rainforests. Once you realize that the entire reason you’re visiting the park is for its wildlife, you can treat your eyes to rare sightings of black leopards, rhinos, and bongo antelopes. The park is perfect for hikers as the temperature tends to be cooler than many other places in Africa, also making Aberdara the best destination for those searching for authentic experiences in the wild.

Best Season: June to September and December to February

Meru might not be able to boast about basking in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro, but it has its own charm, Mount Kenya, the next best mountain in Africa. Meru National Park is among the least-visited parks in the continent. Its verdant hills, palm trees and exotic forests feel like they’ve been transported out of Hemingway's tales of Africa. If you’re searching for a national park where you don’t have to share your safari with others, Meru is where you need to be.

Best Season: June to October

Its proximity to Nairobi makes this park one of the easiest African parks to visit. The park loses out on some of its vibe, but its safaris aren’t any less entertaining. Think of Nairobi National Park as a modern-day wildlife destination, for very few destinations promise sightings of rhinos, giraffes, and buffalos against a backdrop of skyscrapers and everyday city life. The main attractions of Nairobi National Park are its 400 species of birds and those walking trails that try and present a bush vibe within a stone’s throw from one of the most bustling cities of Africa.

Best Season: June to September

Most tourists tend to concentrate their energies on the Mara and its dramatic scenes, but Kenya has so much more to offer. Big game destinations such as Tsavo and Ambolesi are easily accessible and some national parks also present hidden white-sand beaches. And what could be better than a destination that provides a spectacular beach as well as a magnificent safari?

Also, don’t forget to check our Top 10 Best National Parks in Tanzania – Overview of some of the premier national safari parks in Tanzania suiting individual preferences and comfort levels. Get in touch with our local travel experts to create a customized trip to Kenya.