Overview
Aberdare National Park is located north of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It is a volcanic range on the Rift Valley’s Eastern Arm, extending approximately 100 square kilometers from Nairobi to Thompsons Falls. The park was established in 1950 covering a mass land area of about 766 square kilometers. Aberdare National Park stands at about 2,000 meters to 4,000 meters above sea level. The park has diverse ecological systems that range from savannah grasslands, moorland, and bamboo to rainforests. Aberdare National Park’s terrain is rugged with mountainous ranges that stretch to 4,000 meters and deep V-shaped valleys. The park is rich with a variety of flora and fauna species that are housed in the different ecological systems in the park.
Brief history
Aberdare National Park came into existence in 1950 after it was established as a protected area. The park before it was established was funded by a Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson in 1884 who had visited the park and fell in love with nature and wildlife. After its establishment, it was named Aberdare National Park after Lord Aberdare, a British nobleman who remained in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of the Lord’s Act. Aberdare National Park became famous after Princess Elizabeth who was in the park when she was named Queen of England after her father died in 1952.
What to see
Aberdare National Park is a hub of diverse flora and fauna species that live in the different ecological systems in the park. Some of the species that can be spotted in Aberdare National Park include the following.
Wildlife
Aberdare National Park is a natural haven for a variety of wildlife species. It is a renowned destination in Kenya for game viewing safaris. These wildlife systems can be spotted grazing and hunting in the different ecological systems of the park. Aberdare National Park harbors species like the Big 5 animals which include lions, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, and rhinos. Aberdare National Park boosts as the park with the second-largest black rhino herd in Kenya. Other wildlife species in Aberdare National Park include giant forest hogs, serval cats, African wild cats, blue duiker, bongo, bushbuck, dik-dik, reedbuck, spotted hyenas, elands, golden cats, and African civet cats.
Primates
Aberdare National Park also hosts a variety of primate species. These can be spotted in the rainforest and bamboo vegetation zones of the park. The primates in the park include black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, sykes monkeys, and olive baboons.
Bird species
Aberdare National Park is a birder’s paradise because of the diverse bird species it harbors. There are approximately 250 bird species. There are migratory that fly in the park occasionally in different seasons and resident birds that are the commoners of the park. The birds in Aberdare National Park include the Mountain buzzard, Jackson’s spurfowl, Baglafecht weaver, Northern double-collared sunbird, Greater blue-eared starling, Aberdare cisticola, Sharpe’s longclaw, Tacazze sunbird, Scarlet-tufted sunbird, Hartlaub’s turaco, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Hunter’s cisticola, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, and White-headed wood hoopoe.
Vegetation
The park’s altitude has contributed much to the diverse vegetation zones and types in the park. The vegetation zones in the park include the forest ravines located on the steep ranges with tree species like camphor, podo, and hagenia which are hardwood trees. The moorland on the open valleys is another vegetation zone that has Alpine and sub-alpine species such as lobelia, helichrysum, Eric, and Senecio.
What to do
What to do in Aberdare National Park corresponds with the attractions in the park. Therefore, with the variety of attractions in the park, there is plenty of what to do in Aberdare National Park. This can include the following.
Game viewing
Game drives or game viewing involves getting close to the wildlife in the savannah and watching the wildlife in the safety and conform of a vehicle. Aberdare National Park is a popular game viewing destination in Kenya offering an unmatched safari experience that gets visitors close to the game. Some of the species to spot on a game drive adventure experience in Aberdare National Park include the Big 5 animals, serval cats, African wild cats, blue duiker, bongo, bushbuck, dik-dik, reedbuck, spotted hyenas, and elands to mention but a few. These can be spotted on either of the two sessions of game drives in the park, morning and evening.
Birding
The park is an important birding area and a birder’s paradise because it hosts approximately 250 bird species. These birds include endemic birds which are the residents of the park and migratory that can be spotted in different seasons and periods, especially in the wet season. There are lots of birds to spot in Aberdare National Park such as Jackson’s spurfowl, Baglafecht weaver, Northern double-collared sunbird, Greater blue-eared starling, Aberdare cisticola, Sharpe’s longclaw, Tacazze sunbird, Scarlet-tufted sunbird, and Hartlaub’s turaco to mention but a few. These birds harbor the different ecological systems in the park and these systems have designated birding trails.
Guided nature walks
Guided nature walks or hiking is the best way to explore the park in detail. This is because it involves exploring Aberdare National Park on foot with the guidance of a professionally experienced armed game ranger. While on a hiking adventure in Aberdare National Park, visitors can encounter different wildlife species like primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, sykes monkeys, olive baboons, mammals like elephants, buffaloes, elands, and other bird species.
Cultural encounters
Visitors to Aberdare National Park can also participate in cultural encounters by visiting the Kikuyu people. The Kikuyu people live in a small village on the base of the park and visiting these people will present a chance for the visitors to learn about their Kikuyu cultures such as their customs, and dress code, and get entertained by their cultural songs and dances.
Where to stay in Aberdare National Park
Aberdare National Park has a variety of accommodation facilities in and out of the park. These range from different classes such as luxury, midrange, and budget. The facilities in the park are strategically located to give visitors a feeling of sleeping in the wild and bonding with nature. This can be experiencedespecially at night with the sounds of birds and roars of lions and other animals spreading across the park. These accommodation facilities include Treetops Hotel Aberdare, Rhino Watch Safari Lodge, Chaka Ranch Tented Camp, and Tafaria Castle and County Lodge to mention but a few.