The excitement of watching Giraffes and Zebras closely was not over yet and we started our journey from Aberdare Country Club to Aberdare National Park where my first experience of staying inside the core jungle was to happen.
After reaching the entry gate our guide Nahashon completed the necessary entry formalities (as I understood the entry fee was 50$ per person)
Nahashon informed interesting fact that electric protection fencing to Aberdare national park took 21 years and 10 million dollars to complete !! Now after completion of fencing movement of animals outside the part has stopped as well as poaching is also reduced drastically. I must admire efforts of people of Kenya to do such massive work for protection of wild life …
Aberdare National Park at the heights of 6800 Feet [Review]
Area ~766 square kilometers
Altitude ~1829M to 4001M above sea level (Situated in Aberdare Mountain Ranges of Central Kenya)
Animals spotted : African elephant, African hunting dog, Giant forest hog, Bushbuck, Mountain reedbuck, Waterbuck, Cape buffalo,Suni, side-striped jackal, Eland, Duikers olive baboon, Black & white colobus monkey, sykes monkey, Black Rhino, Leopard
Birds ~250 species of birds including the endangered Aberdare cisticola, Jackson’s francolin, Sparry hawk, Goshawks, Eagles, Sunbirds. Mouse birds and Plovers
Look at the photograph of jungle, I will come back to this while I write post on Masai Mara, since there you will see only grass and no bushes …
While you drive down through the park rough roads keep an eye on the sides since the sighting has started …. I got first sighting of elephants crossing the road …
And here is closeup as the African elephants headed inside the jungle
Nahashon told us that the park has a wide range of landscapes from the mountain peaks rising to 14,000 feet (4,300 m) above sea level, to deep v-shaped valleys intersected by streams, rivers and waterfalls.
It has Moorland, bamboo forests and rain-forests as you move down lower altitudes
Going further listening to Nahashon … I got sighting of African cape buffalo … It was single and very close to the road … In few seconds I got the pose !
Within few meters of travel there was a heard of buffaloes … most of them were male …
Someone from group asked Nahashon about the presence of Lions in jungle and he informed that lions are moved outside this forest in order to protect the bongo antelope ! You see more questions you ask more information you aught to get 🙂
Also this part has lot of Warthogs … you see them all around Kenya … They roam around your hotel too !! Be careful !!!
Here I got photograph of kissing Warthogs 😛
And I know you will like this pose ! the super hero !!!
And now comes the family .. with cute ! baby Warthogs ( Yes every baby in this world looks cute to me )
And finally I could see glimpse of the most awaited … The Ark … Hotel looks beautiful from a distance … The bus was moving fast but .. I could not resist to take quick snap at shutter speed of 1/4000 sec ..
That’s nice……..I am eager to know more.
The Aberdare National Park in the central highlands of Kenya is fairly small still most scenic and tropical.
Yes, you can see the Big 5, as well as rare species like the shy bongo. its unique experience indded to stay there.
excellent blog post on Africa visit, this is perfect guide for Kenya wildlife tour from India .. thank you very much