Kenya's National Parks, From a Park Beside the Capital to the Cradle of Mankind

Kenya's first national park, established in 1946 only about 7 kilometers south of the capital. Three sides are fenced and the southern edge is open so wildlife can move to the Kitengela plains, and the park still holds lion, black rhinoceros and about 500 bird species beside a growing city.

Established in 1984 near Lake Naivasha, about 90 kilometers from Nairobi. It takes its name from a narrow break in the cliffs, and its landscape includes the Fischer's Tower and Central Tower volcanic plugs, the red-walled gorge and hot springs of sulfuric water.

A park built around a stratovolcano southeast of Lake Naivasha, thought to have last erupted in the 1860s. A 3.1 kilometer trail climbs to the rim of an 8 by 12 kilometer caldera, then continues in a 7.2 kilometer loop around the crater.

An alkaline lake in the Rift Valley, known for flamingo flocks that have at times numbered in the millions and for more than 400 recorded bird species. In 2011 the lake was inscribed as part of the Kenya Lake System of the Great Rift Valley World Heritage Site.

Protects the Aberdare range about 100 kilometers north of Nairobi, climbing from 2,000 to 4,000 meters through bamboo forest and moorland. It is where Princess Elizabeth was staying at Treetops Hotel in 1952 when she became Queen Elizabeth II.

Established in 1949 around Mount Kenya, with most of its terrain above 3,000 meters. It also serves as a drainage basin for the region's water, and with the surrounding forest reserve it became a World Heritage Site in 1997.

A young volcanic range in southeastern Kenya, gazetted in 1983, whose volcanic field began forming about 1.4 million years ago. It holds Leviathan Cave, at about 11 kilometers one of the longest lava tubes in Africa, and its rainfall feeds Mzima Springs and the Tsavo and Galana rivers.

Established in 1948 and separated from Tsavo East by the road and railway between Nairobi and Mombasa. It is generally considered the more scenic of the two, with Mzima Springs, a rhino sanctuary and rock-climbing sites along the Tsavo River.

Established in April 1948 over the former Taru Desert, a mostly flat savanna that holds the Yatta Plateau, at 290 kilometers the world's longest lava flow. It is known for the Tsavo lions, whose adult males often lack manes entirely.

Established in 1968 off Malindi on the coast and claimed to be the oldest marine park in Africa. It sits within the wider Malindi-Watamu Marine National Reserve and protects coral reefs sheltering barracuda, sea turtles and dolphins.

Also established in 1968, with coral gardens beginning about 300 meters offshore. The park alone holds more than 500 recorded fish species, and it is a nesting habitat for green, hawksbill and olive ridley sea turtles; it became a biosphere reserve in 1979.

A volcanic island in Lake Turkana, nicknamed Crocodile Island, with more than a dozen craters and cones, three of them filled by small lakes. It is habitat for Nile crocodiles and flamingos and forms part of the Lake Turkana National Parks World Heritage Site inscribed in 1997.

Established in 1973 on the northeastern shore of Lake Turkana to protect wildlife and paleontological sites. It holds the Koobi Fora fossil site, which has contributed more to understanding human evolution than any other single location on the continent.