north rift region
A rugged landscape full of natural wonders, these mostly remote and sometimes hard-to-reach attractions of the North Rift circuit are for the adventouruos and for those seeking to explore Kenya at its most rugged. But they also appeal to visitors who are drawn by the area’s lakes, hot springs and bird sanctuaries.
Parks, lakes and attractions such as Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, Kamnarok, Turkana’s South and Central Islands, Nasolot, Sibiloi and Marsabit hold a particular fascination for experiencd travelers who like to go off the beaten track and for visitors with time in their hands. One of the main events in this region is the annual Maralal Camel Derby, the only one of its kind in Kenya.
LAIKIPIA
Altitude: 1800 meters to 2600 meters
Airstrips: Loisaba, Mugie, Ol Malo
Activities: Camel safaris, Game walks, game drives, hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, ballooning, fishing
This spectacular region is considered the gateway to Kenya's wild Northern frontier country. Wild and sparsely populated, much of Laikipia is covered by large privately owned ranches.
The area abounds with free ranging wildlife and in recent years this wildlife has become a valuable asset, with many ranches now establishing luxurious guest-houses, homestays and private camps within their boundaries.
The result is an area of beautiful wilderness, where protected game roams freely and safely. The area has become a sanctuary for Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, and a wealth of plains game, including several endemic Northern species.
Visiting a private ranch in this region is an ideal way of exploring the Kenyan wilderness while getting off the well-beaten paths of the National Parks. The real attraction of Laikipia is a wonderful sense of freedom. Not just the freedom of wide-open spaces, but freedom of choice. Staying on a private ranch gives a wide range of options for both activities and relaxation. Game viewing tends to be more intimate and adventurous and camel safaris from Sabuk Lodge, are a great feature in this area.
MARSABIT NATIONAL RESERVE
Altitude: 1,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level.
Area: 1,482 square kilometers (Samburu Area).
Airstrips: Marsabit Airstrip.
Opened: 1967
Activities: Nature walks, Game and bird viewing.
Marsabit is a forested mountain, which rises spectacularly from the middle of a desert wilderness and provides the only source of permanent ground water in the region. A green oasis of tranquility and peace. It has three beautiful crater lakes with a myriad of resident birdlife. The most scenic is Lake Paradise, made famous in the early films of Martin Johnson and Vivien de Wattville.
Originally part of a huge reserve which took in Shaba, Samburu, Buffalo Springs and the Losai National Reserve, the mountain was made a national reserve in its own right. It is a nomadic rangeland and the droughtland of the Rendile herdsmen. It’s name means “Mountain of cold”.
One of the area’s special residents was Kenya’s most famous elephant, Ahmed – decreed a protected animal by the presidential order of President Jomo Kenyatta in 1970. Ahmed, who boasted some of the biggest tusks ever recorded, had a 24-hour armed guard. When Ahmed died, aged 55, his body and tusks were preserved and are now on display at the Nairobi National Museum.
Other game includes: Greater Kudu, Reticulated Giraffe, Buffalo, Bushbuck, Leopard and Caracal. Over 370 species of birds have been recorded, which include the Somali Ostrich, the rare Masked Lark and over 52 species of raptors (eagles, buzzards & vultures). The area is especially good for butterfly viewing with a wide variety of species.
Losai National Reserve is neraby, opened as a single reserve in 1976. It covers 1,806 square kilometers of wild semi-desert landscape characterized by rocky hills, plains and river woodlands, which snake along seasonal rivers. The scenic beauty is breathtaking. The game to view includes; elephant, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk and Grant’s Gazelle.
SIBILOI, CENTRAL & SOUTH ISLAND NATIONAL PARKS
Altitude: 1,000 to 2,000 feet above sea level.
Area: 1,570 square kilometers – Sibiloi.
39 square kilometers – Central Island
5 square kilometers – South Island
Airstrips: Turkwel Dam
Opened: August 1973
Activities: Origins of man: Koobi Fora, Museum, Scenery, bird watching.
“The cradle of mankind” - Sibiloi National Park is one of the world’s greatest treasures, where the proof of man’s origins was found, it was originally established by the Museum of Kenya to protect unique prehistoric and archaeological sites.
In the 1960’s Dr. Richard Leakey led an expedition to this remote area near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia, and discovered some of the earliest hominid traces ever at Koobi Fora now credited as some of the most important paleontological finds of the 20th Century. In the 1960’s and 1970’s over 160 fossil remains of early man including Homo Habilis and Homo Erectus were discovered, placing man’s origins to three million years. Over 4,000 fossil specimens of mammal and Stone Age artifacts have been discovered here.
The locations of the most important finds can be visited. Four particular treasures are: the shell of a giant tortoise dating back 3 million years, a set of jaws over 5ft. long from a crocodile believed to have been over 45ft. long and the extinct Behemoth, forbear of the elephant with massive tusks, both dating back 1.5 million years and the hominid (early man) finds.
Lake Turkana is 265 kms long with an average width of 30 kms. Turtles are found in its waters and it sustains 60 species of fish and thousands of flamingo, pelicans and other water birds. The lake waters are remarkable for their ‘soap-like’ softness and fascinating shifting images and reflections. The crater lakes on Central Island National Park offer excellent viewing and photography. The Central Island is an important breeding ground for crocodiles. There is prolific shoreline game including hippo, plains and Grevy’s Zebra, Topi, Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe, Greater Kudu and Grant’s Gazelle. South Island National Park is the easier to reach and offers exciting views of giant crocodiles and age-old traditional lifestyles. There is an airstrip or boat trips are available from the western shore. There are three campsites in the Alia Bay region.
Malkamari National Park is located on the northeastern border with Ethiopia. The park opened in October 1989 and covers an area of 876 sq. kms.
SOUTH TURKANA NATIONAL RESERVE
Altitude: 2,000 to 6,780 feet above sea level.
Area: 1,091 square kilometers – Sibiloi.
Airstrips: Turkwel Dam
Opened: October 1979
Activities: Scenic landscape and Mountain Vistas.
Not on any traditional tourist circuit, this area is relatively unknown. It has a number of permanent rivers with woodland fringes and salty springs.
Wildlife is plentiful: elephant, giraffe, buffalo, eland, Oryx, impala, bushbuck, greater Kudu, grants and Thompson’s gazelle, lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and jackal. There are crocodiles in the rivers and abundant birdlife much of which gathers on the banks of the Kerio River.
There are no lodges or roads as yet within the Reserve.
Nasalot National Reserve is quite small, covering an area of 92 sq. kms. it is mainly plains broken up by the impressive Sekess Hills, a continuation of the Cherangani ridges. To the north it is bordered by a section of the Turkwel River and the Wei Wei River bounds it to the east.
It has an important eco-system with river valleys and floodplains, which support evergreen forests dominated by fig and acacia trees and many types of papyrus and sedges.
Game to view includes: elephant, hippo, giraffe, impala, grant and Thompson’s Gazelle, plains zebra, eland, Lesser Kudu, bushbuck, duiker and dik-dik and their predators- lion, leopard, spotted hyena and jackal. There are Olive Baboon and Vervet monkeys and crocodiles are found in the rivers. Over 150 species of birdlife. There is a murram airstrip at the Turkwel hydroelectric dam and two campsites.