ABERDARES NATIONAL PARK
Area: 970 km2.
Location: 160km north of Nairobi, approx 2 hrs.
Believed by the Kikuyu to be one of the homes of Ngai (God) and originally known as 'Nyandarua' (the drying hide) due to the distinctive folds of its silhouette, the range was re-named in 1884 by the explorer, Joseph Thompson, after Lord Aberdare, the President of the Royal Geographical Society. Dubbed the 'White Highlands' because of the large numbers of Europeans who settled there in the 1920's the area also achieved notoriety due to the decadent antics of the 'Happy Valley Set' of the Wanjohi Valley.
Also during the 1950's, the dense forests and bamboo thickets witnessed much of the action between the British forces and the 'Mau Mau' freedom fighters. The original Treetops' Hotel fell under the spotlight of the world when the young Princess Elizabeth descended its steps as Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1952.
The Park is renowned for its torrential waterfalls plunging from cloud-shrouded heights to spray-filled ravines. They include the magnificent Karuru Falls, which drop 300m, the impressive Gura Falls which torrent from the opposite side of the same gorge, the sheer drop of the Chania Falls, and the enchanting Magura Falls which cascade across the yawning mouth of the Queen's Cave. Nyeri town, at the foot of Mt Kenya has a lot to offer by way of activities and site seeing. This small town is renowned as being the resting place of Lord Baden Powell (founder of the scouting movement) and his wife Olave Baden Powell. Baden-Powell's grave is a national monument and their Paxtu cottage, now a small museum, stands on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel.
Wildlife rhythms: Elephants and some antelopes disperse to higher altitudes during dry seasons, retreating to forested slopes in wet seasons.
Wildlife highlights: Expect to see elephants, buffaloes, defassa water-bucks and bushbucks; other possibilities are elands and black rhinos (rare), primates such as black-and-white colobus, vervet monkeys and olive baboons, plus wart-hogs. Predators include lions, leopards and servals. Bird list of 200 species includes common forest species such as silvery-cheeked hornbills, crowned eagles and Hart-laub's turacos.
What to do: Walking trails, fishing and organized game drives from The Ark and Treetops.
Watching tips: Black rhinos sometimes wander onto lawns at Tusk Camp. A black serval is a permanent resident around Kiandongoro Fishing Lodge.