The Aberdare National Park is part of the Aberdare Mountain
Range, a fascinating region of Kenya. According to traditional Kikuyu
folklore they are one of the homes of Ngai (God). Kikuyu people
still use the range's traditional name, Nyandarua. The park was
gazetted in 1950 with an extension of 584 km², but was afterwards
enlarged to 770 km², making it the third largest park in the
country.
The Aberdare range, 160 km long, and peaks soar to around 12,900ft
(3,930m) giving way to deep V-shaped valleys with streams and
rivers cascading over spectacular waterfalls – this area
is a must for landscape lovers. These Aberdare range are located
in the Central Highlands, Central Province, west of Mount Kenya
and north of Nairobi, serving as the Kenyan Rift Valley's east
wall. The national park comprises a longitudinal strip from south
to north, with a projection toward the east denominated The Salient
that runs down to an altitude of 2,130 m, near the town of Nyeri.
The Salient has its origin in an ancient migratory route of elephants
between the range and Mount Kenya.
The highest peaks in the park are the Kinangop, with 3,906 m,
and the Oldonyo Lesatima, "the mountain of the young bull"
in the Maa language of the Maasai, with 4,001 m. The landscape
is dominated by deeply foggy rain forest, which confers the park
a fairyland atmosphere. Above the forest is a belt of bamboo,
a favourite haunt of the Bongo, a rare and elusive forest antelope.
At 10,000ft (3,000m), the bamboo gives way to moorland, home to
eland, spotted and melanistic serval cats. Other features are
the giant alpine varieties of lobelia, groundsel and heather.
Ideal for walking, picnics, camping and trout fishing in the rivers,
the moorlands are reminiscent of the European highlands.
Deep ravines cut through the forested inclines, through which
hidden trout streams flow and waterfalls cascade down hundreds
of feet of rock face.
Above the forest stretches miles of open moorlands, broken by
lichen - covered rocky outcrops, hills and crags, thickets of
giant heath and tussock-grass bogs. In the forest are red Duiker,
suni, Bushbuck - some of the old males are nearly black - Elephant,
Buffalo, Giant Forest Hog, Leopard- all black examples have been
recorded - and colobus monkey.
Bird life is abundant and varied. More than 200 species of birds
have been registered in the park. Perhaps the most conspicuous
group is the sunbirds. Four species may be seen - Tacazze sunbird,
brilliant metallic violet and bronze with a black belly; Golden-winged
sunbird, scintillating coppery-bronze with golden yellow edged
wings and tail; the emerald green Malachite Sunbird, and the tiny
double collared Sunbird with metallic green upperparts and throat
and scarlet chest band.
There is a variety of accommodation. Treetops tree-house lodge
and the Ark, a lodge built in the shape of Noah's Ark. Night game
viewing is provided by the lodges in the Salient area of the Park
with excellent sightings of elephant, buffalo, lion and rhino,
drawn to the waterholes and saltlicks each evening.
Overall within the Aberdare National park there are two lodges
(total 219 beds), three self-help band sites (total 18 beds),
eight special campsites (requiring advance booking) and one public
campsite (moorland). There are five picnic sites.
