The Top 5 National Parks & Reserves in East Africa

Posted at January 7, 2010

Renowned for being the best safari destination, East Africa has proven to hold the most remarkable wildlife in the world with most of the parks being named world heritage sites. Out of the numerous parks found in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, 5 stand out from the rest and they include: Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Impenetrable Bwindi National park.

Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Covering an area of 1510 km2 the Maasai Mara is situated in south-western Kenya and is the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is about 4 to 5 hours by road and 40-45 minutes by a scheduled flight.

The two are divided by the infamous Mara River where the annual migration of the 1,300,000 wildebeest, 191,000 zebra and 360,000 Thompson’s gazelle occurs every year from July to October, a natural phenomenon dubbed the Great Wildebeest Migration attracting thousands upon thousands of tourists consequential to its naming 7th wonder of the world.

As the troops attempt to cross the swirling muddy waters of the Mara river, they face the danger of some the largest crocodiles in the world that eagerly lie in wait for the chance to make a meal of the unlucky few who happen to fall prey to these predators. Crocodiles are not the only predators, Lions and hyenas are also found along the river banks waiting to pounce on the helpless of the troops.

The geography of the area is a thing to brag about its main features being Ngama Hills found on the east side of the park characterized by sandy soil and leafy bushes playing attracting mainly the endangered species of the black rhinos; just across on the western boundary is Oloololo Escarpment which raises to a magnificent plateau

Towards the border of the Mara River is the Mara triangle characteristics of which are lush grassland and acacia woodlands supporting masses of game especially migrating wildebeest; the last main feature is the Central Plains forming the largest part of the reserve, with scattered bushes and boulders on undulating grasslands hosting numerous plains game.

There is a vast array of wildlife including the big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant) has contributed to placing the Maasai Mara on the international map of best travel destinations. Other wildlife include Carnivores include cheetah, genet, hyena, jackal, leopard, lion, mongoose, serval and wild dog. Primates include baboon, bushbaby and monkey.

Ungulates include rhino, zebra, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, warthog, antelope bushbuck, dik dik, duiker, eland, gazelle, hartebeest, impala, klipspringer, kudu, oribi, reedbuck, roan antelope, topi, waterbuck and wildebeest. The park is also prolific with birdlife harboring an estimated 485 species.

The best time to visit this park is during the months of July through to October when the migratory herds fill the park affording you to have an up-close discovery channel right in the heart of the Maasai Mara.

Amboseli National Park
The Park measures approximately 392km2 and is located in Kajiado District, Rift Valley Province in Kenya 260km from Kenya’s capital Nairobi. The park is quite popular and receives quite a significant number of tourists each year propelling the lives of the local people, most of whom are mainly Maasai.

The park protects two of the five main swamps, and includes a dried-up Pleistocene lake and semi-arid vegetation. The most visible of animals is the elephant grazing in Amboseli swamps, north of Kilimanjaro, world’s second highest mountain which provides a spectacular backdrop of the park and all its splendor which includes an up-close of the free-ranging elephants believed to be the highest concentration in Kenya; host to the big 5, the Observation Hill which allows an overall view of the whole park especially the swamps and elephants, buffaloes, hippos and a variety of water fowls like pelican, Egyptian goose.

The chance to mingle with the locals and learn about their cultures and indigenous lifestyle, especially that of the Maasai is also welcome. All these combined ensures the best wildlife-viewing experiences in the world.

Other wildlife include over 53 species of herbivores and carnivores including the big 5, cheetah, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gerenuks, impalas, gazelles, hyenas, baboons, bats and about 600 different species of birdlife.

Access to the park is by Road or air. The main roads being the Nairobi – Arusha Road via Namanga a distance of 240 km, through Meshanani Gate; Nairobi – Mombasa Road via Emali a distance of 228 km and for those accessing the park from Mombasa the route is mainly through Tsavo West National Park via Kimana Olkelunyiet Gate.

For persons looking to avoid the long treacherous journey the parks offers a single airstrip for light aircrafts at Empusel gate and two other airstrips at Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge and Namanga town.

Serengeti National Park
This park from which the Mara extends measures 14,763 km² of grassland plains, savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands, an impressive 14% of the total land area of Tanzania. The park listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, lies in the north of the country, bordering Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the south east, Maswa game reserve to the south-west; Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves to the south with Loliondo Game Control Area a gem in the crown of Tanzania’s protected areas to the north east of the park.

Serengeti has a unique formation with three distinct regions namely southern Serengeti plains which appear endless with expansive grassland feeding numerous ungulates including wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, impala, hartebeest, topi, buffalo, and waterbuck particularly visible during the wet season in the months of December to May.

Also common to the region are Kopjes, granite florations serving as great observation point for predators, as well as a safe haven for hyrax and pythons.

Western corridor is a swampy savannah region covered by black cotton soil with the splendid Grumeti River where the migration passes in the months of May to July meandering impressively and plays host to the enormous Nile crocodiles, colobus monkey not to mention the martial eagle.

Finally the Northern Serengeti whose landscape differs from other regions characterized by open woodlands primarily Commiphora and hills, an assortment of Seronera in the South and the Mara River bordering Kenya. Common in this region are Elephant, giraffe and dik dik.

Also resident to this park are the toughest hunts known as the Big 5, Cheetah, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, eland, waterbuck, hyena, baboon, impala, African wild dog and giraffe not forgetting an estimated 500 bird species, including marabou stork ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, and crowned crane.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Conservation Area was originally part of the Serengeti national park and lies in northern Tanzania measuring 8,300 sq km. The park prides itself in its different array of topography, wildlife and archaeology unique to this part of the Sahara.

The volcanoes, grasslands, waterfalls and mountain forests are home to an abundance of animals not forgetting the pastoral tribe of the Maasai found in just about every park in Kenya and Tanzania. The area is part of the larger Serengeti ecosystem, adjoining the Serengeti National Park to the north-west, flanking the southern Serengeti plains which extend to the north into unprotected Loliondo division.

The area to the south and west is characterized by volcanic highlands including the renowned Ngorongoro Crater where tourists descent 2000ft to experience the wondrous nature and profuse wildlife of this eight wonder of the world and the rarely exploited Empakai. The Great Rift Valley perimeter serves as the southern and eastern boundaries thwarting off animal migration.

Ngorongoro hosts up to 25,000 large mammals most of which are grazers, and out of which zebra and wildebeest comprise almost half, the rest being gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest and warthog. Consequential to the numerous herbivores, the crater also numbers one of the largest predator populations in Africa including lions and spotted hyenas. The other notable species is that of the large concentration of elephants.

The conservation area also protects Olduvai Gorge, situated in the plains area. Following the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, Homo habilis as well as early hominids, Paranthropus boisei for which it has been considered to be the seat of humankind.

There’s no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful parts of Tanzania, with a rich history and heaving with wildlife topped off by safaris to Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, and surrounding attractions, not forgetting the hiking treks option through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is quickly gaining popularity the experiencing is thrilling to say the least.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This is park is yet another UNESCO world heritage site measuring 331 sq kms of jungle forests and contains both montane and lowland forest and is accessible only on foot. The parks altitude is between 1,190 m to 2,607 m above sea level where a large percentage of the park has an elevation of over 2,000 meters.

This East African pride is located in southwestern Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo adjacent to Virunga National Park on the perimeter of the western Great Rift Valley. This ancient rainforest boasts of having the richest eco system in Africa characteristics of which are a rugged landscape with tapered valleys traversed by rivers and steep hills Rwamunyonyi located on the eastern edge of the park having the highest elevation with the lowest part of the park being located at the northern tip of the park.

Most attractive wildlife species is the mountain gorilla, a gentle giant and an endangered species. Bwindi holds 340 of the Mountain Gorillas which is half of the world’s population. For an up-close of these creatures early booking is always required at the UWA offices in Kampala as only a few number of tourists are allowed entry to help preserve the dense habitat in which they thrive. Guided forest walks are available.

The park provides sanctuary for some 120 species of mammals including 11 primates an example of which are colobus monkeys and chimpanzees, 346 species of birds including hornbills and turacos; 202 species of butterflies, 163 species of trees, 100 species of ferns, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and many endangered species not to mention 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics present.

Tourists can visit the park any time throughout the year, although conditions in the park are more difficult during the rainy season.

Presently, the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve across the border in Kenya, protect the greatest and most diverse collection of terrestrial game in the globe boasting of one of the few migratory system still intact today.

With Bwindi impenetrable national park providing a rare experience of meeting the world’s gentlest giant not to mention an unrivaled wildlife viewing experience in the Amboseli National park. A choice of either or all guarantees an adventure of a lifetime.

In all countries in which these parks are found the governments have gone a step further to ensure that tourism infrastructure continues developing well by adding a couple of new hotels and luxury camps all conforming to international standards and providing a good transport system enabling proper coverage of all tourist circuits.