Aberdare National Park

All the Big Five are available in Aberdare National park. Wildlife present in the protected area includes lion, leopard, elephant, East African wild dog, giant forest hog, bushbuck, mountain reedbuck, waterbuck, Cape buffalo, side-striped jackal, eland, duiker, olive baboon, black and white colobus monkey, and sykes monkey. Rarer sightings include those of the African golden cat and the bongo. Species such as the common eland, and serval live in the higher moorlands. 

Buffalo and elephant are very, and Black rhinos can be spotted at one of the tree hotel waterholes at night. Lions and leopards will in general remain at higher altitudes in the park and are hard to spot. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are a genuine delight, while bushbuck and waterbuck are especially normal. Nocturnal animals, including giant forest hogs and large-spotted genet, often visit the waterholes at night. The forest is also home to the very elusive and beautiful bongo antelope.

Wildlife viewing in the Aberdares is good all year round. However, the Best time will be in the Dry season from June to September. When staying at one of the tree hotels, the rain shouldn’t interfere with your safari. Elephants and some antelopes scatter to higher elevations during the Dry season.

The park boasts more than 250 species of birds including the globally endangered Sharpe's Longclaw, Aberdare Cisticola, Abbott's Starling, and Jackson's Widowbird. The Red-tufted Sunbird is found on high peaks, scavenging to a great extent on lobelias while other montane Sunbirds are common at slightly lower heights. The Aberdare region additionally contains three other Kenyan Important Bird Areas, specifically; Mukurweini Valleys which are situated in the southeast of the Aberdares-an ideal environment for Lantana species and consequently a reasonable region for Hinde's Babbler.

Bird watchers can visit the Aberdare National park all year round to spot the resident bird species. However, the best time is from November to April when the migrants from Europe and North Africa are present. This somewhat coincides with the Wet season when numerous species can be found in breeding plumage as they are settling. Most of the forest and moorland specials are anyway inhabitant consistently, so the drier months (from June to September and December to February) may be a decent trade-off for bird watching and forest hiking.

Wildlife viewing in the Aberdares is good all year round. However, the Best time will be in the Dry season from June to September. When staying at one of the tree hotels, the rain shouldn’t interfere with your safari. Elephants and some antelopes scatter to higher elevations during the Dry season.