ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK, Picture a highland adventure in a paradise upcountry with cool lakes, streams, and mountain breezes. The hikes and fishing here are very different from the hot savannahs of Africa. In Aberdare National Park’s misty weather, you might see an antelope, horse, baboon, or even an elephant walk out of the thick forest in front of you.People who have never been to this cool mountain haven before might be fooled by its claims of having as much safari fun as its lower cousin parks. The park has over 2,000 elephants and the second most black rhinos in Kenya. They live in the dense jungle and bamboo groves. Look out for bush pigs, jackals, elands, and the rare giant bongo antelope while you walk around these lichen-filled forests. The amazing black leopard is one of the rarest animals that people may ever see.

From the rainforest to the alpine meadows

From the bottom up, the park goes through a tropical forest, then up through bamboo trees, and finally up to rough-hewn moors at a high elevation. The Salient is pretty much split into two parts, or eco-systems. It has large areas of rainforest and waterfalls that are up to 300 m (984 ft) high.

There is a table of open moors at the top of Aberdare Park. This area is called the Kinangop Plateau. Visitors who are brave enough to go up to this height will find a scary beauty in the form of cold mountain streams, lakes, and stark, wild scenery.

The Ark and the Trees

This park is different in every way, even the places to stay. Both places to stay are near famous watering holes where you can watch animals come to drink during the day and at night.

The Treetops Lodge looks just like a treehouse, which is true to its name. From their rooms high up, guests can see elephants, buffalo, and other animals that live in the park come out of the woods to drink at the drinking hole below.

You might think you’re seeing a modern Noah’s Ark when you first see The Ark Lodge because it looks so much like a boat. It, too, has great views of the animals below.

Don’t Forget…

Trekking: The cool, windy trails in this park were made to be used for hard climbing. Visitors can enjoy a unique safari experience in Aberdare, which takes them through woods, over clear streams, and over moorlands where they can see a lot of wildlife.

I like to watch birds. The park’s dense woods and wetland areas are full of birds. Look for birds of prey like the augur buzzard, the African goshawk, the crown eagle, and hawks among the 290 species that live here.

Climbing—You don’t need any special skills to reach the tops of these mountains; all you need is a desire to see the beautiful views of the hills and woods below. You could stretch your legs on Table Mountain, Twin Hills, or Elephant Hills.

The beauty of waterfalls – The dense woods and bubbling streams are complemented by a dramatic group of high waterfalls that dot the park. The 300 m (984 ft) high Gura Falls, which is the largest in Kenya, is one of the most beautiful.

You can go stream fishing here. This is the most beautiful and abundant mountain stream fishing. You can fish for trout in the cold mountain streams and brooks, especially in the Guru Karuru and Chania Rivers.

Look at Aberdare National Park

Aberdare is a small park that covers 767 square kilometers (296 square miles) and has slopes that range from 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) to 4,000 meters (13,000 feet).

Location: Aberdare is 150 km (93 mi) east of Nairobi, in the central hills of Kenya. The park is home to the derelict Aberdare Range, which forms the eastern wall of the Rift Valley.

The park is always cool and wet, but the roads may become too muddy to drive on from March to May and October to December, when it rains a lot.

Best time to visit: The park is open all year, but it’s easiest to get to in the dry months of January through February and June through September.

Operating Hours: It’s open every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and you can only hike in marked places with a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger.

How to get there: Safari Trips to Kenya can help you book a tour. It will be a style trip because the 4×4 safari Jeep is specially equipped for it.