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The Aberdares mountain range is particularly known for its dense, striking forests and abundance of game.
The Aberdare Mountains in central Kenya were named after Lord Aberdare, President of the Royal Geographical Society, by its first European "discoverer", Joseph Thompson, in 1884. For the Kikuyu people, however, the mountain range has always been called "Nyandarua" due to its silhouette, which means "animal skin stretched out to dry". The fertile highlands on the flanks of the Aberdares were claimed by British settlers around 1920 and the local population was pushed into less fertile areas. During the 1950s, the dense forests of the Aberdares were therefore the retreat of the Mau Mau, a group of resistance fighters against British colonial rule.
Today, the Aberdare Mountains offer tourists a rewarding contrast to the well-known savannah national parks. A series of waterfalls, including the Karuru Falls, which plunge over 300 m, offer impressive scenery. Accompanied by a ranger, mountain hikes can be undertaken and even trout fishing is possible in the streams of the Aberdares. The license for this is available at the park entrances.
The Aberdares are famous for their two forest lodges, "Tree Tops", built on stilts, and "The Ark". Both are located in front of a waterhole and a salt lick in the otherwise dense forest. From the rooms or from the terrace, animals such as buffalo and rhino or, with luck, leopards and lions can be observed day and night. If you want to enjoy a good night's sleep without missing anything, you can even be woken up as soon as a rare animal steps into the spotlight.