eastern region
Just a short hop from Nairobi, yet a world away in every other respect, the Eastern Region circuit is a must for wildlife and wilderness lovers. Samburu National Reserve along with Shaba and Buffalo springs form a more or less contiguous park separated only by Ewaso Nyiro River. Together, the three provide an opportunity to view five species or sub-species that are found almost nowhere else in Kenya: the beisa oryx, gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe and Somali ostrich.
The region consists largely of savannah and forms a complex of protected areas that also include the adjacent Bisanadi and Mwingi National Reserves, Kora National Park and Rahole National Reserve.
Another interesting destination within easy reach of Nairobi is Ol Donyo Sabuk, a mountain area offering magnificent views in all directions. The Mau Mau caves are also worth a visit.
MERU NATIONAL PARK
Altitude: 1,000 to 3,400 feet above sea level.
Area: 870 square kilometers.
Airstrips: Meru Park Headquarters.
Opened: April 1968.
Activities: Game viewing, former home of George & Joy Adamson & “Elsa” The lioness.
Meru National Park, straddling the equator and bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain-fed streams is an especially beautiful and wild area of Kenya. It boasts diverse scenery from woodlands at 3,000ft. on the slopes of Nyambeni Mountain Range, Northeast of Mount Kenya, to wide-open plains with wandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms.
Game to view includes: lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard and some of the rarer antelopes; lesser kudu, duiker and dik-dik, one of Africa’s smallest antelopes. Large prides of lion can be seen and some of Kenya’s largest herds of buffalo. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile, fishing for barbus and catfish is permitted at campsites and along the Tana River. In the mid 1980’s the park suffered from poaching, however K.W.S. armedwildlife security patrols, have driven out the poachers, and the elephant population has once¨again stabilized with breeding herds settling down.
Over 300 species of birds have been recorded including: the Peter’s finfoot which inhabits the Murera and Ura Rivers, the Pel’s Fishing Owl, Kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and numerous weavers.
The park is most famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free” – the story of the Adamson’s life and research amongst lion and cheetah. “Elsa” the lioness was the most well known and her grave is marked here.
There is one camp and 8 campsites and a K.W.S. self-help banda.
BISANADI NATIONAL RESERVE is on the border of Meru National Park. Known as ‘Kinna’, the border between Meru and Bisanadi Park is the traditional division between the Meru and Boran tribes people. The Reserve was opened in September 1979 and occupies an area 606sq. kms. A true wilderness area without any accommodation it is only accessible by 4WD vehicles. There is an airstrip at Korbessa.
KORA NATIONAL PARK is another area made famous by the Adamsons. Opened in October 1989, 280kms. North East of Nairobi, it is an easy outing from Meru National Park. Covering an area of 1,787sq. kms. bound by the Tana River, George Adamson’s camp was here until he died. A feature is the sudden appearance of lush green “oasis”, created by the lines of doum palms which shelter the banks of the Tana River. Striking are the inselbergs-isolated rocky outcrops covered in vegetation that creates random islands above the plains. Kora has diverse wildlife: 21 species of fish have been recorded, with 500 species of insect, 33 mollusks and 40 reptiles. Species to view include: elephant, Lesser Kudu, wild dog, striped and spotted hyenas, leopard and cheetah.
Other regional parks include Rahole National Reserve, offering a wide variety of plains game, hippo, crocodile and excellent bird viewing; also Mwingi National Reserve, formerly North Kitui. Game to view includes hippo, crocodile, buffalo and warthog.
SAMBURU, BUFFALO SPRINGS AND SHABA GAME RESERVES
Altitude: 2,500 to 4,000 feet above sea level.
Area: 250 square kilometers – All 3.
Airstrips: Samburu
Opened: 1985
Activities: Excellent game viewing, Samburu Culture, Scenic beauty.
120 kilometers north of Mt. Kenya is a combination of 3 amazing game reserves, all bordering each other to form a huge expanse of African bush land that is more representative of “old Africa” than any other place.
All three reserves offer unique vistas of rounded and rugged hills and undulating plains with a mix of wood and grassland with riverine forest and swamp.
This rugged, hostile landscape is noted for all “the big five” and for cheetah. It is also home to animals typical of the drier northern regions such as the fine striped Grevy’s Zebra, reticulated giraffe, the graceful long-necked gerenuk and the Somali ostrich.
The Uaso Nyiro (Red River) flows through the middle of this area providing the source of life in the area. All three lodges and two tented camps are built along the river.