A practical guide to camping in aberdare national park camping— the sites, what it costs, the cold and what you’ll actually see up there.
The Aberdares are a different kind of Kenyan camping. You’re high up, often above 3,000 metres, in cold misty moorland and bamboo forest, with waterfalls, trout streams and the chance of elephant, buffalo, black tsavo cat and the rare bongo. It’s wild, it’s quiet and it’s nothing like the savanna parks. This is how to camp there well, including the cold, which is the part people underestimate.
We run trips into the Aberdares which is my favourite park in kenya, so this is the practical version.
Why camp in the Aberdares
It’s one of the few places in Kenya where camping feels properly remote and high-altitude. The moorland up top is open and otherworldly, the forest below holds elephant and buffalo, and the waterfalls (Karuru, Gura, the Chania falls) are among the tallest in the country. If you’ve done the savanna parks and want something cooler, greener, and less crowded, this is it.
It’s also a strong base for hiking, summiting peaks like Satima, dragons teeth or Kipipiri, walking to waterfalls and spotting highland wildlife you won’t see elsewhere.
Camping sites in Aberdare National Park
KWS runs the camping inside the park. There’s one public campsite (basic, first-come, in the moorland) and several special (private bookable) campsites in different parts of the park — forest zone, near the trout lodges and up on the moorland. You pay park entry on top of camping fees either way.
Below is an image of reedbuck campsite
Below are the named, KWS-operated sites we’d actually point you to. We’ve stuck to the ones officially confirmed by KWS, so the list is shorter and more honest than some you’ll see online.
| Campsite | Type | Setting | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reedbuck | Public (moorland) | Open moorland near Kiandongoro Gate area right next to the fishing lodge; cold, exposed, big views | First-time park campers; cheapest option; flexible (no week-block to book) |
| Honi | Special | Forest zone, near rivers and trout streams; sheltered | Groups wanting privacy + a more forested feel |
| Wandare | Special | Higher up, moorland fringe; remote feel | Wilderness experience, fewer visitors, properly out in it |
| Twin Hills | Special | Moorland with views over the park | Groups; striking high-altitude scenery, very cold nights |
All bookable through KWS — public sites are first-come, special sites need advance booking (and as private sites they have a weekly reservation charge in addition to the per-person rate). If you book a trip with us, we handle the KWS reservation and match the site to the season and your group size.
A note on Elephant Hill
Elephant Hill is a peak (about 3,590m) on the southern side of the Aberdares, usually hiked from Njabini Gate as a long day or with an overnight on the route. It’s not a KWS-listed campsite — people sometimes wild-camp on the hike, but that’s a rough overnight on the trail rather than a serviced site. If you want to do Elephant Hill with a base camp, we usually camp at the base on the KFS side and tackle the hike from there. Mention it when you book and we’ll plan around it.
What aberdare national park camping costs
Two charges stack here: park entry and camping. Both are set by Kenya Wildlife Service.
Aberdare park entry (per person, per day):
| Visitor type | Adult | Child / Student |
|---|---|---|
| East African citizen | KES 800 | KES 500 |
| Resident (valid permit) | KES 1,100 | KES 675 |
| Non-resident | USD 70 | USD 40 |
| African citizen | USD 40 | USD 20 |
KWS camping fees (per person, per night) — “all other parks” rate that applies to Aberdare:
| Visitor type | Public campsite (adult / child) | Special campsite (adult / child) |
|---|---|---|
| East African citizen | KES 200 / 150 | KES 250 / 200 |
| Resident | KES 300 / 200 | KES 350 / 250 |
| Non-resident | USD 20 / 15 | USD 35 / 20 |
| African citizen | USD 10 / 8 | USD 20 / 10 |
Special campsites also carry a non-refundable reservation fee of KES 10,000 per week (you book the site for your group, not per head).
Children aged five and under enter free. Kenyan citizens aged 70 and over enter free.
All fees set under Legal Notice No. 160 (Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations, 2025), effective October 2025. KWS rates can change, so confirm current fees with KWS before you travel.
On top of park and camping, budget transport from Nairobi (it’s about 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on which gate), food, and gear. The Aberdares cost a bit more than Naivasha because of the park entry, but it’s still far cheaper than lodge-based highland trips and the experience is rarer.
If you book with us, park and camping fees are itemised in your quote so you can see exactly where the money goes.
The cold — read this before you go
This is the part people get wrong. The Aberdares are high and wet. Nights regularly drop near or below freezing on the moorland and daytime can be cold, misty and rainy even in dry season. People show up with savanna-camping kit and have a miserable, sometimes unsafe, night. Sometimes its even colder than Mount Kenya! I have no idea why, i wont lie to you but i guess for the most beautiful things in the world, you have to pay a small price to get them so rest assured that the cold nights are worth every penny and shiver.
So: a proper sleeping bag rated for cold (not a summer bag), a good sleeping mat to insulate from the ground, warm layers including a hat and gloves, a waterproof jacket, firewood and a tent that handles rain and wind. Hot drinks and a warm meal make a big difference. If you’re not sure your gear is up to it, tell us and we’ll sort proper kit.
Getting to the Aberdares from Nairobi
It’s roughly 2.5 to 3.5 hours from Nairobi depending on the gate (the park has several, on different sides of the range). Some routes need a higher-clearance vehicle, especially in the wet, as the park tracks can be rough and muddy. This is one trip where a 4×4 is often worth it. Public transport gets you to nearby towns but not really into the park, so most people drive or come on an organised trip.
What to bring
Cold-rated sleeping bag and insulating mat. Warm layers, hat, gloves, waterproofs. A sturdy tent. Torch/headlamp. All your food and water, plus a way to cook. Cash for fees. Sturdy boots if you’re hiking. Basically: pack like it’s a cold mountain, because it is.
Things to do while camping
- Hike to the waterfalls — Karuru, Gura, Chania
- Summit a peak — Satima (the high point)
- Highland wildlife — elephant, buffalo, and if you’re very lucky, bongo and black tsavo cat, or leopard
- Trout streams and the moorland landscape itself
- Fishing
Camping the Aberdares with us
We run camping and hiking trips into the Aberdares with transport from Nairobi, proper cold-weather gear if you need it, a guide who knows the gates and the weather and the park and camping fees laid out in your quote with no markup.