Best of Aberdares Forest Attractions & Luxury Tours, Kenya

Make time to visit the Aberdares Forest and the mountains it cloaks where you’ll find stunning waterfalls, scenic trekking trails, crystal clear, bubbling streams, wandering African wildlife, all of which create spectacular scenic views that will capture and awe the imagination.

Beautiful waterfalls exist within the park, such as the steep Gura which pours 300 meters into a rocky ravine, the Karuru Falls cascade down three successive steps, and the Chania Falls. "Out of Africa," the award-winning movie starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, featured both Gura and Karuru Falls.

A variety of wildlife can be seen within the forest. Herds of elephants are often present milling about and an occasional rare glimpse of a black rhino makes for an exciting experience. Also, behold such sights as sykes and colobus monkeys jumping through the trees, bull buffaloes fighting over territory, Genet cats slinking in the shadows, or the occasional Bongo antelope drinking at a waterhole.

Explore the Aberdares Forest by vehicle, horseback, or on foot and stop at one of the sparkling streams to catch a dinner of fresh trout. At night, the forest comes alive with leopard growls and hyrax cries, and the waterholes draw various creatures under the cover of darkness. Several lodges are located at either waterholes or salt licks for an exciting African adventure.

Interesting/Unique Accommodations

Treetops Lodge – Not only is the Treetops a unique Kenya vacation destination, it is also quite famous. Princess Elizabeth entered the lodge one night and exited the following day a queen upon the overnight death of her father King George VI. The lodge is built on stilts overlooking Mt Kenya’s snowy peaks and two large waterholes where a variety of animals come to refresh. Viewing and photographs can be taken from observation lounges or rooftop platforms. You can even opt for nighttime buzzing for special nocturnal experiences.

The Ark Lodge – Another unique accommodation experience is the Ark Lodge which is built in the shape of Noah’s ark. It contains numerous viewing decks and balconies where African beasts can be seen wandering around the nearby waterhole and saltlick. The waterhole is lit at night for amazing glimpses of nocturnal creatures.

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