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10 Top Reasons To Visit Aberdare National Park.
the 10 Top Reasons To Visit Aberdare National Park which is 150 km east of Nairobi and 87 km from Naivasha, in the central highlands of Kenya. It is part of the Aberdare Range, volcanic mountains that comprise the eastern wall of the Rift Valley. Aberdare National Park is well-known for its 300m-high waterfalls, mountainous terrain, misty tropical forests and rich trekking as for its wealth of wildlife.
Aberdare national park is a scenic site with natural beauty situated in the central region of Kenya and East of the East African Rift Valley; Aberdare stretches to over an area of 766 square kilometers forming part of the Aberdare mountain range. Aberdare national park is a very rewarding Kenya safari gifted with many attractions which are a reason to why many people take it to be their destination Safari.10 Top Reasons To Visit Aberdare National Park are as follows.
WILDLIFE
Aberdare national park is known for being one of the rewarding game viewing destinations in Kenya, the park is a home to a variety of animal species including the Big Five. Aberdare national park is a renowned home to the second-largest population of endangered black rhinos in Kenya and other animals found in the Aberdare national park include hyenas, bushbucks, defassa waterbucks, reedbucks, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, Sykes monkeys and many more. In the higher moorlands of the Aberdare ranges there are common elands and serval, the salient area of the Aberdare national park is an elephant migration corridor with dense forests inhabiting bush pig, dik-dik, bushbuck, reedbuck and many more.
In Aberdare national park, there are also nocturnal animals such as the giant forest hog and large spotted genet.
BIRDLIFE
Aberdare national park is a true birder’s paradise and a rewarding Kenya birding safari, the park is a home to more than 250 bird species including striking Hartlaub’s turaco, the indistinct Aberdare cist cola which is endemic to the region and found at the higher altitudes of the park. Other birds found and spotted in Aberdare national park include the rare scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, Aberdare cist cola, Abyssinian crimsonwing, African goshawk, African green pigeon, African paradise flycatcher, African yellow warbler, Tacazze sunbird, Tambourine dove, White-headed wood-hoopoe and many more.
ABERDARES RANGES
The Aberdare ranges are the most signature tourist attraction in Aberdare national park; the ranges stretch to 160 kilometer of an isolated volcanic range forming the easternmost wall of the Great Rift Valley. Aberdare ranges stand at the maximum elevation of about 4000 meters above the sea level with its heavily forested slopes, the ranges comprises of,Amount Santima being the highest peak followed by Mount Kinango peak at 3,906 meters and situated on the southern end of the range,Chebuswa at 3364 meters,Table Mountain at 3791 meters,Martini Hill at 3698 meters andElephant at 3590 meters
The Aberdare ranges are dominated by rainforests, dense bamboo forests and moorland and these vegetation cover inhabit animals such as antelopes, a variety of monkeys and bird species.
The local Kikuyu people who referred to the ranges as Nyandarua meaning drying hide due to the distinctive fold of its silhouette, on the west of the ranges there are a range of fall off steeply into the Kinangop plateau. On the East the slopes are more gently and from the peak of the ranges Lake Naivasha and Mau Escarpment can be seen in a distance.Aberdare ranges were named as Aberdare in honor of Lord Aberdare by Joseph Thomson in 1884. Lord Aberdare was the president of the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Historical Society by that time
ABERDARE VEGETATION.
In Aberdare national park there is as well known as the Afro-alpine moorlands on the Aberdare mountain range and is divided into a rich alpine and sub alpine flora and these includes species of Senecio, Lobelia, Erica and tussock grasses which give away to about 3,000 meters to the bamboo Arundinaria alpine and the montane rainforests. The montane rainforests consists of Juniperus procerus – podocarpus falcatus – Nuxia congesta forest on the western and northwestern slopes, Ocotea forest on the south – east and moxed podocarpus latifolius forest on the east and on Kipiriri.
WATERFALL
A renowned destination for magnificent waterfalls plunging from cloud-shrouded heights and spraying into the ravines, among these amazing waterfalls is Karuru falls which are considered as the main waterfall. Karuru waterfalls features three steps that is
Among other impressive waterfalls in Aberdares national park include Gura falls at the opposite side of Karuru falls, Magura falls cutting across the yawning mouth of the Queen’s Cave. The magnificent waters in park are reached via the Mutubio West Gate which is approximately 8 kilometers from the Waterfall.To get to the falls is an easy hike of about 20 minutes’ hike through the forests.
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SITES
Aberdare national park is a great site for cultural and historical significance and a perfect destination for Kenya cultural safaris, the park consist of cultural and historical sites including
Mau leader Dedan Kimathi hide out is a very significant site as it was used by the leader of Mau-Mau rebellion Dedan Kimathi during the struggles for Kenya’s independence. This site is situated between Honi Campsite and Elephant Ridge and these mountains were used as a base of Dedan and his companions.
MUGUMO FIG TREE
The huge Mugumo fig tree is a significant tree in Aberdares national park located down on the slopes of the Aberdare ranges, this tree is very old and posses rich history which is best narrated by the locals living in communities neighboring the park.
During the course of Mau-Mau rebellion this tree was used during communication, the Kenyan Mau freed fighters used to curve crevices in the trunk of this tree and they used it as an undisclosed post office in which they put messages through agents
KIKUYU LOCAL COMMUNITY
In Aberdare national park there are communities of the Kikuyu people neighboring the park , the Kikuyu people believe the Aberdare ranges are one of the homes to Ngai their god. This area was initially named Nyandarua by the locals meaning drying hide because of the numerous distinctive folds here.
MAJESTIC PEAKS , MOORLANDS AND INTRIGUING FALSS
Steep forested ravines and open moorland characterize the Aberdare National Park. The park provides a habitat for, spotted hyenas, olive baboons, black, elephants, black rhinos, leopards and white colobus monkeys, buffalos, warthogs and bushbucks among others. Rare sightings include African wild cat, African civet cat ,those of the Giant Forest hog, bongo, golden cat, serval cat, and the blue duiker.
SPACE AND PRIVACY
Aberdare does not see as many visitors compared to more popular parks like the Masai Mara and Amboseli, this means one gets to enjoy more space and privacy which there. This feeling of being alone in the wild and enjoying all that space is priceless. It makes your one-on-one encounter with nature even more intimate and makes for a more fulfilling safari experience. You could be having lunch while spotting elephants and giant forest hogs in the distance drenching them in the water while several buffalos take shade from the harsh sun. This view is only complemented by the sounds of distant roars of lions and laughing hyenas, as well as high-pitched bird calls.
In conclusion, Aberdare National Park is worthy a destination for your safari with adventurous itinerary . Tanzania‘s Aberdare ranges is a remarkable and fascinating natural environment with a variety of wildlife and biodiversity.
For more datailed information about AberdareNational Park, contact Kubwa Five Safaris as your tour operator.