Best National Parks in Kenya

Known For : Balloon Safari Game Drives Walking Safaris

The Masai Mara is a well-known wildlife reserve famous for the Big Five and hosting the Great Migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes. It's also recognized as one of Africa's top natural wonders and a global marvel.

Highlights: Big Five & the Great Migration
Entry fee (non-residents): $70 - $80 
Best combined with: Amboseli, Serengeti (in Tanzania), & Lake Nakuru

Best Time: June to October

8 Masai Mara Attractions

Amboseli National Park, located in southern Kenya, is the country's second most popular park. It's famous for its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, situated just across the border in Tanzania. The park is home to large herds of elephants, some of Africa's biggest, and also hosts the Big Five.

Highlights: Elephants, Big Five with backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro
Entry fee (non-residents): $60
Best combined with: Chyulu Hills, Serengeti (Tanzania), and Masai Mara

Best Time: June - October

Aberdare National Park, in Kenya's central highlands, is named after the Aberdare Range. It is famous for its Big Five with over 2,000 elephants. It's also home to rare animals like the bongo antelope. The park includes Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a vital sanctuary for endangered white and black rhinos, boasting Kenya's second-largest black rhino herd.

Highlights: Big Five, rhinos, & waterfalls.
Entry fee (non-residents): $52
Best combined with: Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru

Best Time: June - September

Tsavo West National Park, located in southeast Kenya, is one of Kenya's oldest and largest parks. It is known for its beautiful scenery of savannah plains, hills, and volcanoes, with the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River flowing through it. Visitors can enjoy spotting the Big Five and a variety of other wildlife in the park.

Highlights: Big Five, Mzima Springs, & Shetani Lava Flow.
Entry fee (non-residents): $52
Best combined with: Tsavo East, Masai Mara & Amboseli

Best Time: June - October

Lake Nakuru National Park, in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, is named after Lake Nakuru, a shallow soda lake. It's renowned for its pink colour, created by thousands of flamingos drawn to the algae in the lake. Besides being a flamingo haven, the park protects both black and white rhinoceros species, crucial for their conservation efforts.

Highlights: Flamingoes and rhinos.
Entry fee (non-residents): $60
Best combined with: Masai Mara, Amboseli, & Samburu

Best Time: June - October

Mount Kenya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built around Mount Kenya, Africa's second-tallest peak at 5,199 meters. The park features snowy peaks and diverse wildlife, including the renowned "Big Five" animals. It's a popular hiking spot with trails suitable to a range of hikers.

Highlights: Hiking Mount Kenya & Big Five.
Entry fee (non-residents): $43
Best combined with: Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, & Samburu

Best Time: June - September

Tsavo East National Park is known for its large population of dust-red elephants, some of the oldest in the world. It's also famous for the "Big Five" with both black and white rhinoceros. Established in 1948, it's one of Africa's largest parks, offering an authentic safari experience.

Highlights: Dust-Red Elephants & Big Five.
Entry fee (non-residents): $52
Best combined with: Tsavo West, Amboseli, & Mombasa

Best Time: June - October

Hell's Gate National Park, located in Kenya's Rift Valley, is a small park, famous for its diverse wildlife, stunning landscapes, and outdoor activities. It offers towering cliffs, deep gorges, and hot springs for visitors to explore by hiking, rock climbing, or cycling. Situated south of Lake Naivasha, it's a perfect spot for day trips from the lake or weekend getaways from nearby cities like Nairobi.

Highlights: Fischer's Tower, Central Tower columns, & Hell's Gate Gorge.
Entry fee (non-residents): $26
Best combined with: Lake Naivasha & Masai Mara

Shimba Hills National Reserve, situated near the southeast coast, is one of East Africa's largest coastal forests, next to the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. It's home to over 700 elephants, particularly thriving in the Mwalunganje Elephant Sanctuary. The reserve also protects the endangered Sable Antelope, the only population of its kind in Kenya.

Highlights: Elephants, sable antelopes, & Sheldrick Falls
Entry fee (non-residents): $22
Best combined with: Mombasa & Tsavo National Parks

Best Time: July - October

Lake Naivasha National Park, located in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, is a peaceful spot famous for being the only freshwater lake in the area. It's home to lots of wildlife, especially hippos and flamingos, with over 1,500 hippos living there. Besides Lake Naivasha, the park has thick forests of unique Umbrella Acacia trees, an old volcano, and two other lakes.

Highlights: Hippos & Flamingos
Entry fee (non-residents): Free entry, only charges for activities.
Best combined with: Hell's Gate & Crescent Island Game Park

Best Time: July - October

Meru National Park, near Mount Kenya, is a crucial wildlife sanctuary known for the Big Five animals. It's famous for protecting rhinos and is where the story "Born Free" took place, featuring a lioness named Elsa. Elsa's Kopje, named after her, invites visitors to explore its history.

Highlights: Big Five, Elsa's Kopje, Meru tribe
Entry fee (non-residents): $52
Best combined with: Mount Kenya, Samburu, & Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Best Time: June - October

Located in Kenya's Rift Valley region, Mount Longonot National Park is renowned for Mount Longonot, a cone-shaped stratovolcano perfect for hiking. The hike is suitable for beginners too. Due to its proximity to Nairobi, the park attracts both locals and tourists, making it a popular choice for day trips.

Highlights: Hiking in Mount Longonot
Entry fee (non-residents): $26
Best combined with: Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate National Park

Best Time: June - September

Lake Bogoria, located in Kenya's Great Rift Valley near Lake Baringo, is famous for its hot springs and geysers. It's known for hosting one of the world's largest groups of lesser flamingos and is protected as Lake Bogoria National Reserve. With 135 bird species, it's a paradise for bird enthusiasts.

Highlights: Hot springs, geysers, flamingos
Entry fee (non-residents): $50
Best combined with: Lake Baringo and Lake Naivasha

Best Time: July - October

Lake Baringo, in Lake Baringo National Park, is one of only two freshwater lakes in Kenya’s Rift Valley, along with Lake Naivasha. Lake Baringo has many small islands, along with fumaroles and hot springs. The lake is home to over 470 bird species, as well as hippos and crocodiles are commonly spotted.

Highlights: Islands with fumaroles and hot springs
Entry fee (non-residents): $1.54
Best combined with: Lake Bogoria, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, & Masai Mara

Best Time: April - June, October - December

Ol Pejeta Conservancy, in Kenya's Laikipia District, is a vital wildlife sanctuary, known for being East Africa's largest black rhino sanctuary. It protects over 165 endangered black rhinos and is home to the last two northern white rhinos worldwide, making it crucial for rhino conservation. Additionally, Ol Pejeta is a habitat for the Big Five animals.

Highlights: Rhinos & Big Five
Entry fee (non-residents): $110
Best combined with: Masai Mara & Samburu National Reserve

Best Time: June - October