Marsabit

Marsabit is in Kenya within the northern Marsabit County. It is surrounded by the Marsabit National Park and Reserve. This city is at an elevation of 1300 and 1400 meters. It is a forested vicinity lying to the Chalbi Desert southeast known for its crater lakes and volcanoes. The Marsabit town presents a tremendous desolate tract and an urban civilization outpost.

Places of attraction

Sibiloi National Park

This National Park is to the northeastern Lake Turkana shore. It was established to preserve and protect the pre-historic wildlife that is within the county. The wildlife includes hippos, giraffes, zebras, flamingoes, crocodiles, gazelles, leopards, and cheetahs.

Marsabit National Reserve and Park

The Park covers 1554 square kilometers area. It is a refuge for diverse birdlife, huge tusked bull elephants, and different reptiles. The other attractions are three craters, pristine forest, and lake paradise offering amazing opportunities for nature walks and bird watching adventures.

Koobi Fora Museum

This is a world heritage site revealing mankind’s cradle. The skull of the first Australopithecus was found here by Dr. Richard Leakey. Daily this museum opens from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Desert Museum Loiyangalani

This Museum was located on the hilltop and there is a scenic backdrop of Lake Turkana. It enhances the local communities’ indigenous culture within Marsabit County. The Indigenous communities uphold the culture through artifacts, festivals, and games.

Mount Marsabit

Mount Marsabit is covered by Marsabit National Park forested realms. At the mountain bottom, lies swamps, scenic crater lakes, and an array of wild animals such as leopards, elephants, buffalos, gazelles, and different bird species.  There are different opportunities for sightseeing, hiking, and bird watching.

Things to do

There are enough and more things to do namely:

Game drives, visit singing wells, and camel safaris. Around the park, arranging camel safaris is acceptable.

The Experience

The Marsabit National Park in this arid is an oasis of green. The Park center has an extinct volcano creating a microclimate supporting the indigenous forest that supports the wildlife variety. The Montane forest receives thick mist forming due to the hot air rising overnight off the cools and desert and this is transformed into water. The mist is visible as it is till late morning.

The forest houses a wide variety of wildlife such as Rhino, Elephants, Lion, Leopard, and Buffalo. The Marsabit downside is the forest is thick that it is a daunting task for game viewing. However, if you patiently wait, it can be rewarding. The Park houses the greatest number Greater Kudu Antelope and you get to see the rare Reticulated Giraffe and Grevy’s Zebra.

The park features extinct volcanic craters named as ‘Gofs’. The largest is ‘Gof Sokorte Guda’ that has at the bottom, the Lake Paradise. The lake has a scenic forest and fantastic birding. It is a refuge for the rarest Lammergeyer Vulture and the butterfly species diversity.

How to access

Marsabit is 532.6 km from Nairobi. The roads are the best to drive on and so taking any comfortable public transport is best.

This park can be reached via Isiolo and Nanyuki. There is good road construction up to Merille, and bad from Merille to Marsabit that taking a four-wheel-drive vehicle is the best.

Airport – There is a tarmac airstrip outside the Marsabit National Park.

Best Time to Visit 

• The best time and months to visit Marsabit is during the dry season, from June to October and December to March.
• During short rains in November and also during long rains in April and May, it is the best time, though the wildlife experience maybe average.