Even if your primary interest is the beach and the sun, you should not pass up an opportunity to explore at least one of Kenya's game parks. Easily accessible from the coastal highway (Mombasa) is Shimba Hills National Reserve. Wildlife at this reserve is not as abundant as in Masai Mara or Amboseli but you can often see the rare sable antelope. With little luck, you can find an elephant, genet and civet cat, and occasionally, a leopard.

To make the most of the trip to the reserve, staying a night at Shimba Hills Lodge is recommended. From Shimba Hills National Reserve, the view to the east is magnificent, and the sunrise across the Indian Ocean is beyond description.

Shimba Hills Lodge overlooks an emerald of glade of dense coastal rain forest with giant cycads. Leopards if spotted are seen in the morning and late afternoon; giant monitor lizards are numerous. Every month more and more of wildlife come down to the water hole to drink and feed, thus loosing their shyness. Elephants are often sighted at night or late evenings.

Shimba Hill Lodges & Tented Camps

Kutazama House-Lodge
Mukurumuji Camp
Ndovu Bonde Treehouse
Shimba Hills Lodge
Shimba Hills Lodge - More info

Aberdares National Park
Arabuko Sokoke National Park
Amboseli National Park
Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Boni & Dodori National Reserves
Chyulu Hills National Park
Kakamega Forest Reserve
Lake Bogoria National Reserve
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lewa Wildlife & Laikipia Conservancies
Maralal National Sanctuary
Marsabit National Park & Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve
Meru National Park
Mount Elgon National Park
Mount Kenya National Park
Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary
Nairobi National Park
Nasalot and South Turkana National Reserve
Ol Doinyo Sapuk National Park
Ruma National Park
Saiwa Swamp National Park
Samburu National Reserve
Shaba National Reserve
Shimba Hills National Reserve
Sibiloi National Park
Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Tana River Primate National Reserve
Tsavo East National Park
Tsavo West National Park
Bisanadi, North Kitui, Rahole
National Reserves & Kora National Park