This is a high altitude national park that was created to protect the slopes and moorland of the Aberdare Mountains. The park is a great location for topography enthusiasts and for viewing Kenya’s animals and birds. Its topography ranges from high moorland, hills as well as forests. Due to its high altitude, the park is very rainy and misty, with roads that become impassable in the wet season. This national park is home to the second largest herd of the endangered black Rhinos. The park has many animals including the African elephant, lions, black leopard, bongo antelope, and many bird species. It was created in 1950 with an issue of protecting the Aberdare Mountains and the surrounding wildlife. Its located 100km north of Nairobi, at the very centre of Kenya.

The rich red volcanic soil gives great growing conditions for the indigenous forest, and lies in stark contrast to both the forest and the mountain’s rugged and beautiful peaks. One of the main features of the park is that its home to the second largest population of the black Rhinos, which are considered as endangered species. The other animals that can be seen include; African lions, leopards, baboons, black and white Colobus monkeys and the Sykes monkeys. There are over 250 species of birds including the hawks, eagles, goshawks, plovers and the sunbirds.

How to access the Park

By road; the park is 160km from Nairobi, there is a tarmac road from Nyeri and Naro Moru on the eastern side of Aberdare. However, the best access route is from the towns of Nyahururu and Naivasha. The gates are located at Ruhururu, Kiandongoro, Ark, Wandare and Treetops, in case approaching from Nyeri. And from Nyaruru , use the Rhino gate, shamata gate and from Naivasha as well as using the Mutubio gate.

By Air: There are two good air strips for the chartered air crafts at both Nyeri and Mweiga net to the Aberdare National Park headquarters.