Aberdare National Park at a glance
Aberdare National Park lies in the Aberdare Range in central Kenya, about 150 km from Nairobi. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) manages it. The park was established on 18 May 1950 and covers roughly 766 km². Its landscape is mountain forest, open moorland, ravines, streams and waterfalls, and the range is also known as Nyandarua.
This guide covers what visitors ask about most: park fees, safaris and day trips, the waterfalls, Treetops and The Ark, hiking on the moorland, Kinangop, the mountain bongo and other wildlife, the Mau Mau history, Nyeri, Baden-Powell's grave, Thomson's Falls, the weather, where to stay and how to get there. Prices are for 2026 and can change.
Two sides of the Aberdares
The park is not one landscape. The lower eastern part, called the Salient, is forest with waterhole lodges. Higher up, the moorland and the peaks are open ground where it can be cold, misty and wet. The two parts need different clothes and a different plan.
This is a forest and mountain safari, not a drive across open savanna. Good chances are not a promise, and a day without big animals is still a day among waterfalls and mountain views. If you want to compare drives and tours first, start with the Aberdare safari tours page.
Our picks: Aberdare tours from Nairobi
If you have one day, the Karuru Falls hike or the jeep safari is a simple way to see the park, and the excursion adds a game drive. The two-day trips add a night at a lodge with waterhole viewing, and the five-day route links the Aberdares with Ol Pejeta and Samburu. The park entry is in the price on some of these tours and extra on others, so check each card.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Five-day Aberdare, Ol Pejeta and Samburu safari
- Park entries included
- 4x4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation included
Five days through the Aberdares, Ol Pejeta with the Sweetwaters chimpanzees, and Samburu. Ask which meals are covered before you book.
Check availability →
Overnight Aberdare trip with waterhole watching
- Park fees and entries
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser
- All meals included
Two days with a night at a lodge where you can watch a waterhole, as the itinerary describes it. A private Land Cruiser with a driver-guide takes you there and back.
Check availability →
Two-day private safari with a tree lodge night
- Private 4x4 vehicle
- Park entry included
- All three meals
Two days in a private 4x4 with a morning game drive and one night in a tree lodge or similar, as the itinerary describes it.
Check availability →
Aberdare day excursion from Nairobi
- National park fees included
- Game drive
- Waterfalls on the route
A full day out from Nairobi with a game drive in the park and the waterfalls on the itinerary, led by a driver-guide.
Check availability →
One-day Aberdare safari by 4x4 jeep
- 4x4 safari jeep
- Driver and guide
- Karuru Falls visit
A nine-hour day in a jeep, with the park visit and Karuru Falls on the itinerary. The park entry is extra.
Check availability →
Guided hike to Karuru Falls
- Pickup and return
- Guided Karuru hike
- Tour van
A day trip to Karuru Falls with a guide, in a van from Nairobi. The park entry is extra.
Check availability →Aberdare safaris and day trips
Safaris, day trips and combinations with nearby parks, with live prices and availability.
Plan your Aberdare visit
Fees, safaris, waterfalls and the practical pages.
Park fees 2026
Entry by category, vehicle fees, camping and the eight gates.
Safaris and game drives
What a drive involves, the rules in the park and how to choose.
Karuru, Gura, Chania and Magura
The four falls in the park and how tall they are.
Treetops and The Ark
Where Elizabeth stayed in 1952 and how the two lodges stand today.
Nairobi to Nyeri
Distances, approach sides and entry rules for 2026.
Where to stay
Lodges in the park, public camps and bases in Nyeri.
Weather and best time
Rainy seasons and why the mountains differ from Nyeri.
Places, wildlife and history
Walks, animals and the story of the mountains.
Hiking in the Aberdares
Moorland trails, Ol Donyo Lesatima and the ranger rule.
Kinangop
The plateau, the peak and the western side of the range.
Mountain bongo and other animals
Elephants, leopards, buffalo and the rare bongo.
Mau Mau in the Aberdares
The forest war, Dedan Kimathi and how it is remembered.
Park history
Founding in 1950, the name and the fence around the range.
Nyeri
The base town below Mount Kenya, with coffee and history.
Baden-Powell's grave
The grave at Nyeri and Paxtu, where he spent his last years.
Thomson's Falls
A viewpoint and trail at Nyahururu, outside the park.
A few things to know before you go
Current facts that make planning easier.
Entry fees changed in October 2025
Since 1 October 2025, non-resident adults pay $70 and children $40. There is no separate high-season price for Aberdare. A day ticket allows one entry within 24 hours.
Fee tables →Gates close at 18:00
Gates are open from 06:00 to 18:00, with an exception for overnight guests. Payment goes through KWSPay and eCitizen, with M-Pesa, Visa or bank transfer.
Gates and payment →Treetops is open again
Treetops reopened in 2024 after a pause that began in 2021. Special access rules apply to the rhino sanctuary, and you should read them before you arrive.
Treetops and The Ark →Waterfall heights are approximate
Karuru is 273 to 300 m and Gura 300 to 302 m. Chania Falls in the park is a different place from the falls of the same name near Thika.
The waterfalls →Why the Aberdare Range matters
The range is a water catchment. Nairobi draws part of its water supply through Sasumua and Ndakaini, and the forest and streams of the Aberdares feed that system. A fence of about 400 km, built between 1989 and 2009 by Rhino Ark together with the KWS, the Kenya Forest Service and local communities, protects the forest and reduces conflict between wildlife and farms along the edge.
The park is home to elephant, leopard, bongo, black rhino, buffalo, giant forest hog and black-and-white colobus monkeys, and more than 250 bird species have been recorded. For visitors this means a quieter, greener park than the open-plains reserves, with a stronger feel of mountain and forest. Read the park history for the full story of the name, the founding in 1950 and the fence.
Combine the Aberdares with nearby parks
Other Kenyan parks have their own guides.
Many visitors put the Aberdares next to the central highlands. Mount Kenya National Park has its own guide for routes and peaks. For rhinos and open savanna on a long day trip, see safaris at Ol Pejeta. This site stays with the Aberdares and Nyeri.
More independent guides to Kenya
Separate guides from the same team.
Kenya Coast
Diani Beach, Mombasa, Watamu, Malindi and safaris to Tsavo East.
Lamu
The Swahili old town, dhow trips and the islands of the archipelago.
Maasai Mara
Safaris, the Great Migration, balloon flights and park fees.
Amboseli
Elephant herds, Kilimanjaro views, safaris and park fees.
Nairobi National Park
Game drives in the capital, the Giraffe Centre and the elephant orphanage.
Lake Nakuru
Rhinos, flamingos, Rift Valley lakes and day trips from Nairobi.
Tsavo
Tsavo East and West, red elephants and safaris from Mombasa.
Samburu
The Special Five, the Ewaso Nyiro River and northern Kenya.
Lake Naivasha
Boat rides with hippos, Crescent Island and Mount Longonot.
Hell's Gate
Cycling, the gorge walk and the Olkaria geothermal spa.
Ol Pejeta
Rhinos, the last northern white rhinos, chimpanzees and Nanyuki.
Mount Kenya
Treks to Point Lenana, the climbing routes and park fees.
Aberdare National Park: frequently asked questions
How much is entry to Aberdare National Park?
Non-resident adults pay $70 and children $40. East African citizens pay KES 800 for adults and KES 500 for children, and Kenya residents KES 1,100 and KES 675. A vehicle with fewer than 6 seats costs KES 600 per day. Tables are on the park fees page.
When is the best time to visit?
The long rains fall from March to May and the short rains from October to December, with a cooler phase from June to August. Mountain weather can change at any time, so no month is guaranteed dry. See the weather page.
Will I see elephants, leopards or the bongo?
Elephant, leopard and bongo live in the park, along with buffalo and black rhino. Sightings depend on forest, weather and luck, and nobody can promise one. The wildlife page explains where to look.
Do I need an eTA and insurance for Kenya?
Most visitors need an eTA before travel. Processing normally takes about 3 days, and applying at least 2 weeks ahead is advised. Some nationalities and residents are exempt. Since October 2026, most visitors staying under 12 months also need Kenyan state travel health insurance valid for 90 days, arranged through the eTA or eCitizen, and a foreign policy does not replace it. Check your government's travel advice before you book.
How far is the park from Nairobi?
The park is about 150 km from Nairobi, and the town of Nyeri lies roughly 160 km north of the capital. Drive times depend on traffic and which gate you use. See getting there.
Is this website run by the KWS or a lodge?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no connection to the Kenya Wildlife Service, Rhino Ark, Nyeri County, any lodge or any safari operator.