Where Is Arabuko Sokoke Forest?
Where Is Arabuko Sokoke Forest? Arabuko Sokoke national park is one of the destinations which blesses tourists with unforgettable adventure because exploring around this national park gives you a glimpse of the unique wilderness around the country due to the fact that it has a rich biodiversity and it surrounded with beautiful physical features such as; ancient forests, dense forests, wetlands, sand dunes, savannah, stunning water bodies, wide range of plant species and various wildlife species which act as top tourist attractions that lead many people to travel from different parts of the world. Arabuko Sokoke forest is considered a good natural paradise and there are various activities within the park, which tourists can engage into while on their Kenya safari.
Arabuko Sokoke forest is found on the east coast of Kenya which is among the top destinations of the wildlife lovers and this national park was first was gazetted as a forest reserve in 1943 and it was upgraded to a national park in 1998 because of its good eco system. This game park covers a total surface area of about 420 square kilometers. More so, this national park derived its name from the common words that were used by the Waata tribe who used to live within this forest such as; arbi which means elephants, sokoke which refers to short trees, Huko which means thin hence which makes this national park is a forest of the thin elephant species. More so, Arabuko sokoke national park is being managed by Kenya wildlife services who have the major role of protecting all the national parks in the country and the parks conservations. This organization helps on enforcing the anti-poaching activities, which always lead to the reduction in the number of animal species within the parks. More so, the Kenya wildlife services also outreach many programs in order to promote the sustainable development of the areas by focusing on the environmental education and awareness, which helps people within the neighbouring communities to appreciate and love the natural heritage within the surrounding.
Tourist Activities done in Arabuko Sokoke National park.
Exploring within Arabuko Sokoke national park gives tourists great opportunities to participate in several activities, which are interesting and gives them a lot to learn about the adventure and some of these activities include;
Bird watching.
Arabuko Sokoke national park surrounding boasts flora and fauna and has the most impressive array of animal life and many plant species however, it is also seen as a birders paradise because it harbours around 260 bird species that are always available within different areas of the park that individuals can see such as; Sokoke pipit, Sokoke scops owl, clarke’s weaver, crowned hornbill, lizard buzzard, crested guinea fowl, Northern carmine bee-eater, African goshawk, Accipiter tachiro and many others.
Wildlife viewing.
Arabuko Sokoke forest is a home to variety numbers of mammal species which tourists can see best while they explore through different areas of the park and some of these animals include; buffalos, elephants and has around 49 reptile species such as; rock python, day geulo, forest cobras, bush snake, sharp nosed viper and other primate species like; the rare golden rumped elephant shrew, endangered Ader’s duikers, antelopes and many others.
More so, individuals can choose embark onto other activities like; guided nature walks where they chances to go through the ancient forests on foot as they accompanied with well experienced park guides whose role is to lead them through different trails as they come across the unique plant species, sight see birds and it helps to bring individuals close to nature. And tourists can go for mountain biking, game drives which helps them to enjoy and go through the diverse landscapes, cultural encounters whereby they can visit the Gede Ruins which is known to be an ancient Swahili town that is found within the park and visiting there gives tourists opportunities to interact with the local people and learn more about their history, tradition and norms among others. Therefore, a safari in Arabuko sokoke national park is remarkable because tourists get into the coastal wilderness as they have a good experience while teeming within the biodiversity and the beautiful nature beginning from the ancient forests to the captivating wildlife.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information about where to find Arabuko Sokoke forests and then book with our tours and travel companies such as; Focus East Africa tours who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Kenya.
