“The Last Wilderness” Home to the Adamson’s’ Camp – Kampi ya Simba – the former home of George and Joy Adamson, the Kora National Park offers a pristine wilderness dotted with tall inselberg and graced by the Tana River on which the Adamson’s Falls, Grand Falls and Kora Rapids are found. Visitors can enjoy the diverse birdlife, fishing in Tana River rock-climbing, and also visit George Adamson’s grave.

Kora National Park is another of Kenya’s National Parks and reserves from the coastal region. The park covers an area of 1,7800sq km along the riverbanks of Tana River, 125km east of Mount Kenya

The former nature reserve was gazetted into a Kenya wildlife game park around 1990. The park is made up of gently sloping hills stretching from the Aberdare ranges and Mount Kenya from central Kenya. The landscape is predominantly marked with rocky inselberg rising to 488m, shrubs, woodlands, doum palms.

The park is featured and famed by the Adamson’s in the film Born Free or talk of the Lioness called Elsa. George Adamson was killed by Poachers in this very reserve in 1989 before it gazetted into a National park. Take some time off to visit George Adamson’s grave found within the park.

Safaris & tours to Kora National Park – The Park is crossed and nourished by many seasonal rivers flowing from the central Kenyan highlands such as the Tana River and Mwitamyisi on the northeastern border. The Tana River marks its 65km journey from Mount Kenya highlands on the northern boundary of the park forming Adam’s falls, Grand Falls, and Kora rapids.

Size of Kora national park

Kora National Park is located in Tana River County, Kenya. The park covers an area of 1,788 square kilometers. It is located 125 kilometers east of Mount Kenya

Location of Kora national park

Kora National Park is located in Tana River County, Kenya. The park covers an area of 1,788 square kilometers. It is located 125 kilometers east of Mount Kenya. The park was initially gazetted as a nature reserve in 1973. It was gazetted as a national park in 1989, following the murder of George Adamson by poachers.

How to get to Kora national park

Kora National park is accessed by 280km road northeast of Nairobi via Thika, Mwingi, and Kyuso villages.

There is an airstrip 10km on the eastern side of the park often used by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). A small bridge connects the park with the neighboring Meru National Park.

Things to do in Kora national park

Fishing in Kora national park

Fishing is good on the rivers with catches like Tilapia and perch, over 21 species of fish are caught in the Tana River. The park is a habitat for 500 insect species, mollusks, and more than 40 different reptiles.

Wildlife viewing

The park is filled with several games such as elephants, cheetahs, wild dogs, striped and spotted hyenas, leopards, lesser kudu, genet, hippos, caracal, lion, serval, and very many other small mammals. You can visit the abundant game park at any time of the year for Game viewing and rock climbing.

Birding

Birders can have a very good birding along the banks of River Tana

When to visit Kora national park

Kora can be visited throughout the year, but the roads can become very difficult to navigate in the Wet season. The grass is very long in the Wet season too, making animals more difficult to spot. The best time for visiting is in the Dry season from June to September.

Where to stay in Kora national park

Accommodation within the park is limited/ not available but there are plenty of safari lodges and camps in the neighboring Meru National Park.