Aberdare National Park

Aberdare National Park protects the rugged, mist-shrouded peaks and dense montane forests of the Aberdare Range in central Kenya. This atmospheric highland park is where Queen Elizabeth II learned of her father's death and her accession to the throne while staying at Treetops Lodge in 1952 — forever linking the Aberdares to royal history. Covering 767 square kilometres, the park rises from 2,000 to over 4,000 metres, encompassing bamboo forests, moorlands, and alpine terrain. The Aberdares are a vital water catchment for much of central Kenya and shelter rare wildlife including the melanistic (black) leopard, bongo antelope, giant forest hog, and black rhino. Spectacular waterfalls — including the 300-metre Karuru Falls — cascade through the forested valleys.