East Africa has the highest mountains of East Africa, there is the highest the Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and in Kenya the Mount Kenya.

Mzima Springs in Tsavo West is like a dream. In the midst of the barren lava and dusty bush, a dense forest of Doum and Raffia palms suddenly emerges. Screeching Diadem Monkeys and Green Monkeys frolic in the branches. Amidst the vegetation lies a crystal-clear, cool freshwater lake. This green island (oasis) is fed by a spring that releases around 300,000 liters of drinking water per minute, filling several pools. This water is pumped via pipeline to Mombasa for drinking water supply. The water is usually crystal clear. This is particularly evident when you go into the underwater chamber with glass windows, where you can see barbs and other fish swimming by.

The hippos and crocodiles, on the other hand, prefer to move to the other side of the springs.

The path is about 1 km long, and you walk it with a KWS guide. The guide explains the plants and wildlife of Mzima Springs and, with his trained eye, spots the crocodiles much earlier. With great patience, he then explains where the animals are hiding.

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Ngulia Safari Lodge offers a great chance to see a rare leopard up close in the evening at a tree adorned with food and lights. The lodge has 52 rooms with balconies, showers, and baths, and it is uniquely located on a hill with a view of the rhino sanctuary. The area around Ngulia Safari Lodge is regularly visited by millions of songbirds migrating from Northern Europe and Siberia to Southern Africa annually. These bird migrations occur in November and early December, making Ngulia a monitoring center for bird ringing in Africa.

• 52 rooms with balconies, baths, and showers
• Waterhole
• Swimming pool
• Main restaurant
• Two bars
• Conference room
• Viewing point with telescope
• Gift boutique

The 1968 build Lodge is on a small hill and has a fantastic view over Tsavo East. It doesn’t matter if you are in your room, at the Restaurant or at the Pool. You will never forget the amazing view. Though a tunnel you can go down hill to the water hole and see different animals from close range.

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In the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Africas highest mountain besid a copse of  giant Acacia trees and a gently flowing national spring , stands the Amboseli Serena Lodge. Influenced by native Masai architecture, the lodge is in perfect harmony with its enviroment. Guest rooms, individually appointed with authentic Africana and murals painted by a renowned local artist, convey a distanctive Masai Manyatta mood.

The lodge has 96 rooms.

A relaxing swimming pool.

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The two German missionaries, Johannes Ludwig Krapf and Johannes Rebmann, were sent by the English Church Missionary Society to establish the first mission station in East Africa. They set it up in 1846 in Rabai, about 20 km inland from Mombasa. From this base, they separately searched for other suitable locations for mission stations in the hinterland. Due to limited financial resources, they could not afford large caravans for these exploration treks. The first obstacle was the 150 km wide, waterless belt of desert and thornbush known as the Taru Desert, which had to be crossed. Their initial journeys took them to Sagala and the Taita Hills, where Rebmann sighted the snow-capped Kilimanjaro (now in Tanzania) on May 11, 1848. About a year and a half later, on December 3, 1849, Krapf saw Mount Kenya in the land of the Kamba. In Europe, the news of snow-covered mountains was met with skepticism and not taken seriously.

However, their travel reports sparked interest, and by the mid-19th century, missionary societies became increasingly fascinated with East Africa. They dreamed of creating a chain of mission stations from east to west and hoped to discover Christian tribes allegedly living at the source of the Nile.

These missionaries aimed to convert the pagans to Christianity with the help of these tribes and disrupt the slave trade.

The numerous reports from the missionaries drew many adventurers, fame-seekers, and scientists to the “white spot” (Africa) to solve the mystery of the Nile’s sources. Even the Pharaohs and later the Romans had tried in vain to find this place.

Richard Burton and John Speke set out in 1857 on behalf of the Royal Geographic Society with large carrier columns to find the source. First, they reached Lake Tanganyika, which they initially thought was the source. Burton fell ill along the way, and Speke continued north to investigate a vast water body. In 1859, Speke stood before Lake Nyanza, which he renamed Lake Victoria. His assumption that Lake Victoria was the source of the Nile was correct.

Later, many other Europeans explored the region. The most famous among them were David Livingstone and Stanley. It is essential to remember that these European explorers relied on local Arab caravan leaders and used the established caravan network infrastructure. The Europeans’ achievement was collecting and cataloging information. Ludwig Krapf transformed the local Swahili language into written form.

Ndere Island, a newly gazetted Park, is an island just off the northern shore of Lake Victoria and was opened in November 1986. Ndere means `meeting Place`in the language of the local Luo tribe. According to the Luo folklore,Kit Mikayi, mother of the tribe, rested up near Ndere after her long journey south down the Nile Valley. She found lush shorelines so pleasing that she and her people stayed.

Location: Kisumu district of Nyanza

Distance from Nairobi: 432 Km

Size: 4,2 square Km

Climatic conditions: Hot and Humid

Attractions and Wildlife: Ndere Island, game viewing, African Fish eagles, hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles, impalas

Access:
Road: Access to the park can be by road or by boat from Kisumu

Air: Kisumu Airport is 60 Km away

Accomodation: Two KWS Campsites

Best time to visit: All year round

Activities: Walking, game viewing

Last Retreat pf the Roan Antelope

Ruma National Park was first gazetted in 1966 as Lambwe Valley game reserve and acqired national Park status in 1983. The Park was established mainly to protect the roan antelope which does not occur anywhere else in the country. The soils are largly black cotton clay. The surrounding area is settled, with amiy of small scale cultivation and grassy pasture land.

Location: Ruma National Park is situated in Suba District, Nyanza Province

Distance from Nairobi: 425 Km

Size: 120 square km

Climatic Conditions: Hot and humid

Major Attractions: Game Viewing

Wildlife: Roan Antelope which is not found anywhere else in Kenya, oribi, mountain Reedbuck, Leopard, Buffalo,
Jackson´s Hartebeest, Rothschild´s Giraffe, Serval Cat, Hyena, Impala and Vervet monkey, savannah grassland and
woodland with extensive acacia thickets and more than 400 recorded species of birds.

Access:
Road: From Nairobi the most direct route to Ruma National Park is via Nakuru, Kericho and Kisii. From Kisii
proceed in a southerly direction on the main A1 road to Rongo, a distance or 34 Km. At Rongo turn to the right and
proceed 27 Km to Rodi Kopany. Then turn left and head for Migori, a distance of 20 km. At Migori follow signs
to the park, entering at Kamato main gate.

Accomodation: KWS Self catering Banda : Oribi Guest House

Campsites: Mabato and Nyati Campsites

Best time to visit: All year round

Activities: Game viewing, Bird watching, camping

A scenic Masterpiece

Nasolot National Reserve was gazetted in 1979 and consists 9200 hectares of beautifully rugged land.
It is located to the north of Mount Melo at over 3.000 metres.

Location: West Pokot District, Rift Valley Province

Distance from Nairobi: 528 Km north west of Nairobi

Size: 92 square Km

Climatic conditons: Hot and Arid

Major attraction: Rocky out crop at the perophery of the
reserve called Nasolot Hill, game viewing

Wildlife: Elephant, lesser kudu, bushbuck, duiker, lion, leopard, Kirk´s dik dik, spotted hyena,
jackal, impala, sykes monkey, beisa and fringe-eared Oryx, waterbuck, olive baboon, buffalo,
gazelle and hippo.

Acess:
Road: The reserve is 146 Km north of Kitale to the west of the A1 Kitale Lodwar road. The reserve´s gate
lies 6,2 km off the A1 main road.

Air: There are strips at Turkwell dam and Kaputirr

Accomodation: There are no accomodation options in the reserve. However self-catering accomodation and
a campsite is avilable at the Marich Pass Field Studies Centre located 80 km south of the reserve off the
A1 Kitale Lodwar road.

Best time to Visit: All year round

Activities: Game viewing, bird watching, sport fishing and boating at Turkwell dam, nature walks, camping

Ultimate Panoramic Experience

A rugged, hump-backed outcrop of ancient rock jutting high above the Athi Plains and hazily visible from Nairobi, Ol Donyo Sabuk is a densely forested mountain known to the local Kikuyu as `The Mountain of the Buffalo`, and to the Maasai as `The Big Mountain`. Just one road leads to its summit, which offers magnificent 360 pamoramas ofer the Athi River, the pineapple fields of Thika and the snow-capped peaks of thoth Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Within easy reach of Nairobim the lush vegateaition and cool air of this compact and scenic National Park make for an ideal day trip or camping weekend.

Location: Machakos District, Eastern Province

Distance from Nairobi: 85 Km north east of Nairobi

Size: 20,7 square Km

Climatic conditions: Hot and dry

Major attractions: Fourteen Falls, scenic views of Mount Kenya from the summit, McMillan grave
(of Sir William Northrup McMillan (1872-1925)and his wife Lady Lucy); camping facilities

Access:
Road: From Thika proscced 22 km along the main Garissa road to Matutano junction. At Makutano follow the KWS sign and
turn right, proceeding 3 Km on all-weather murram road to Donyo town. At Donyo turn right and
proceed a further 2 Km to the main gate.

Accomodation: KWS Self Service House Sabuk House

Best time to Visit: All year round

Activities: Game viewing, bird watching, camping and picnicking