Arawale National Reserve

Arawale National Reserve, Kenya is recognized for its reserves, which are designated conservation areas administered by Garissa County in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service. The reserve is situated in the North Eastern province of Kenya, 77 kilometers south of Garissa. The reserve encompasses roughly 533 square kilometers, bordered to the west by the Tana River and to the east by the Garissa-Lamu Road.

In 1974, the reserve was designated as the sole in-situ conservation site for the highly endangered Hirola population native to northeastern Kenya and southwestern Somalia.

Arawale National Reserve hosts several wildlife species, including four globally threatened species: hirola, Grevy’s zebra, East African wild dog, and East African cheetah. Furthermore, the national reserve serves as a refuge for species such as the Grant’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Ostrich, Leopard, African Wild Dog, Cheetah, Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Olive Baboon, Kirk’s Dik-Dik, Grevy’s Zebra, and Beisa Oryx, among others.

The reserve also houses different reptiles, including snakes, tortoises, and crocodiles. Diverse migratory and permanent avian species.

Since 2005, the protected area has been designated as a Lion Conservation Unit in conjunction with Lag Badana National Park.

Entrance fees at Arawale National Reserve;

Foreign adult residents are expected to pay KSH500 each, while children pay KSH300. Non-resident adults are charged USD22 each, and children pay USD13 per person.

Please be advised;

A child is defined as an individual aged between 3 and 11 years old.

Residents denote individuals of foreign nationalities living in Kenya with legitimate documentation from the Kenyan government.

A citizen is a native or resident of East African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan, possessing valid identification documents or a passport.

Daily – It is a complimentary pass for a single entry to a national park, national reserve, or sanctuary, valid for fewer than twenty-four hours.

Things to do in Arawale National Reserve

Arawale National Reserve sounds as one of the Kenya’s isolated national parks that has battled poaching. However, it is home that boasts of the Hirola antelope with other species for example; buffalo, lesser kudu, lions, zebras, cheetahs, elephants, Topi and crocodiles named but few.

Bird watching

This location is among the premier birdwatching destinations, offering breathtaking vistas along the Tana River, featuring both migrating birds from Europe and North Africa and permanent species. The optimal period for observing dwelling birds in this area is during the wet season, when breeding occurs and food is abundant.

Guided nature walks

Visitors can take guided nature around the intriguing trails and encounter wildlife along the route, this generally take about 2 to 3 hours.

Additional activities include camping and picnicking.

Best time to visit

Arawale National Reserve is accessible year-round, with optimal visiting periods from June to October and in January and February.

Accommodation options;

The optimal method for an overnight stay at Arawale National Reserve is camping, as hotels and lodges are located in the adjacent cities. Some of them includes; Nomad Palace Hotel, Tana Garden Hotel, Lantern Resort, Halugo Palace Hotel ad Palm Oasis Resort Garissa.

Getting there;

The National Reserve is accessible via road from Mombasa, approximately 250 kilometers away, and from Malindi, approximately 130 kilometers away. Visitors may utilize domestic charter flights to Mombasa and Malindi.

This national reserve can be accessed from Nairobi primarily through Thika and Garissa, or from Mombasa via Malindi and Garsen. It is unfenced and un-gated, forming part of Kenya’s Arawale-Boni-Dodori Reserve, located on either side of the river before it flows into the Indian Ocean between Malindi and Lamu.

Travelers may utilize the ferry crossing, which spans 87 kilometers from Garsen to Hola, where an Administrative Centre, post office, police station, and petrol station are located.