Where to See Animals in Kenya

Elephants
Kenya is a great destination for those with a passion for elephants. Firstly, it is home to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, who has an orphanage just outside of Nairobi. This centre was made famous by the BBC programme ‘elephant diaries’ and provides a unique opportunity to get close to young elephants. The centre is open every day between 11 a.m. and 12 noon when the Nursery inmates come in for their daily mud bath, and visitors can watch the very young being fed.

In terms of National Parks, Amboseli and Tsavo are the places to go for elephant sightings. Amboseli is a small Park but is home to large herds of elephants that form the most spectacular picture perfect image against the silhouette if Kilimanjaro. Tsavo is one of the world’s largest game sanctuaries, and has now been split into Tsavo West and Tsavo East, both areas also have a healthy population of elephants.

Big Cats
If you are looking to see some of Kenyas big cats then the Masai Mara is a great place to start. Its open plains are home to large prides of lions that laze under the shade of the sporadic acacia trees that dot the landscape. The Mara and Telek rivers are great leopard hide outs, however as Africa’s stealthiest mammal they can be very difficult to spot and are seldom caught in the open. Cheetah can also be seen in the Mara and a sighting in this park is very likely.

Hippos
Mzima Springs, in Tsavo East, is one of the best places to watch crocodiles and hippos. Here, crystal clear water bubbles out of the ground at a rate of twenty million litres a day. An underwater viewing chamber has also been built and if you are lucky you be treated to visuals of hippo’s tiptoeing under water, a real unique experience!

Rhino
Lake Nakuru is famous for its magnificent bird life, however it is also great for game viewing and has become Kenya’s premier rhino sanctuary. The Park is now home to both black and white rhinos, totalling over 80 in number. Rhino can also be seen in the Masai Mara and Tsavo West.

Birdlife
Lake Nakuru is probably the most famous of Kenya’s bird watching destinations. It is home to the greatest bird spectacle in the world – a congregation of more than a million pink flamingos. Around 400 other species of bird can also be found here including cormorants, pelicans and storks – a great spot on your Kenya safari tours.

If you continue further North, then Lake Baringo is well worth a visit. It is a bit more remote than Nakuru (and more off the tourist trail) and is a shelter for more than 450 bird species. The lake is well-stocked with fish, thus attracting many pelicans, cormorants and fish eagles.

Finally, Lake Naivasha is also famous for its remarkable variety of birdlife and its hippo colonies. The lake edge supports dense vegetation which, in turn, supports a thriving bird population, totalling over 350 species.