Kenya — Media Gallery

Although all of the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard) may be seen in the Masai Mara National Reserve, it probably is most famous for its lions. In this photo, a mother and her playful and easily distracted cub walk directly toward a stationary safari vehicle.

Approximately 250 km (160 mi) from Nairobi and close to the Tanzania border, Amboseli National Park affords visitors many opportunities to see magnificent animals like this one close up. Note the small white bird near the foot of the elephant. These "cattle egrets" are opportunistic feeders that often follow the elephants and eat the insects kicked up by the movement of their much larger friends.

Fischer's Tower at the eastern entrance to Hell's Gate Gorge in Hell's Gate National Park. The park is named after a narrow break in some cliffs, the site of a tributary to a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley.

Flowering bushes at the Kiambethu tea farm in Limuru.

Area comparison map

Masai Mara guides and safari participants were taken by surprise when this rhinoceros unexpectedly pushed its way through the brush and stopped only three meters (ten feet) from the group.

Distinctive acacia trees line the dirt road carved out by safari vehicles in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Beautiful scenery, gentle rolling grasslands, and an abundance of wildlife define this unique region of the world.

Lions can pass within feet of open safari vehicles in Masai Mara National Reserve.

A large herd of elephants makes its way across Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya. Amboseli is generally recognized as the best place in Africa to get close to elephants in their natural surroundings.

Zebras at pool of water in Nairobi National Park.

A view from inside the Rift Valley. Portions of the Rift Valley have proven to be a rich source of fossils that have enhanced the study of human evolution.

The thorns on this acacia tree in Nairobi National Park are very evident.

Ibis and storks in Nairobi National Park.

Zebra Herd in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Elephant in Masai Mara National Reserve.

A view of the Kiambethu tea farm in Limuru.

Lion in Masai Mara National Reserve.

This solitary elephant slowly makes its way across the game reserve as the sun sets on Amboseli National Park. Early morning and evening game drives introduce safari goers to the incredible beauty of this African treasure.

Dwarfed by Mt. Kilimanjaro (across the border in Tanzania), this elephant makes a solitary journey across a game park in Amboseli.