ENGLISH 

Aberdare National park was founded 1950. The hilly park lies in between 1.829 m and 4.001 m above sea level and covers an area of 767 sqkm. The Aberdare hills stretches over 70 km to end 40 km before Nairobi.

Tectonic forces lifted 5 to 6 mio. years ago the earth's crust and made the Rift valley drop which caused many volcanic eruptions leaving volcanoes behind. Erosion rounded off the peaks for thousands of years and created a moorland at 3.000 m.

In the year 1884 Joseph Thomson, a Scottish explorer, named them after the president of the 'Royal Geographical Society', Lord Aberdare. The old name Nyandarua, given by the local tribe of the Kikuyu, means drying animal hide, which characterizes the shape of the landscape. In the 1950s the Mau Mau rebellion used the area as hiding places.

To reduce the conflict between animals and human population an electric fence surrounding the park is under construction. At several places illegal shambas (vegetable plantations) were cleared away and given back to nature.

Many crystal clear rivers cascade over a series of high waterfalls. Released trouts attract anglers from far and near.

The climate is frosty at night and moderate at day time. Rain has to be expected at any time of the year with higher rainfalls during rainy season. But even then, most likely the sun fights the clouds and colours the sky to a deep blue. The precipitation amounts to 1.000 mm per annum on the drier northeast side and to 3.000 mm in the south east. The whole area is a very important water catchment area feeding several big rivers.

Depending on the altitude the vegetation varies drastically. Leaving the agricultural part of the Kikuyu's behind you pass through thick forest followed by bamboo forest. A bit higher the vegetation contains mainly Hagenia and Podo trees, some decorated like Christmas trees by lichen. Climbing higher the vegetation clears and changes to St. John's wort bushes, lobelia, senecia, tussock grass and heather bushes. You come across small flowering plants related to those in the Alps and Rocky Mountains.

Even the vegetation builds partly a thicket you can still find animals like buffalos, elephants, monkeys, bush and reed bucks, duikers and a big variety of birds. To get one of the black rhinos, black serval cats or a leopard is good luck. Just to catch  a glimpse of the rare bongo, giant forest hog, golden cat is more than luck. The fascinating landscape and vegetation have a lot to offer.

Hike with us to the higher areas and admire the alpine flora as well as the fascinating landscape!