National Parks & Reserves in Mandera
Malka Mari National Park: Ravaged, But Still Epic
Radiating out of Wajir town are two alternative routes, northbound, to Mandera town, with little to separate the challenges of the journey. The first, through Duse and Lafey, travels northeasterly then north from Tarba, parallel to the international border to Mandera town. A secondary road travels just east of north from Tarba, then turns northeast as it aims for Rhamu, from where it heads east to Mandera. The latter travels 70 km outside Malka Mari National Park enroute Rhamu town.
From Mandera town, through a road that runs west along Daua Valley, roughly parallel to the Ethiopian border through Rhamu, it is about 229 km to Malka Mari National Park. That is to also say, this is one of the remotest parks in Kenya and conceivably the least visited. The 1500 km2 park, gazetted in 1989, is enigmatic and undesignated even for the locals of Mandera. Since its establishment, very little active conservation management activities have taken place in the park.
Located within Banisa constituency, a homeland of the Garre community, there is little to distinguish Malka Mari National Park from its surrounding bucolic setting. Considered more as a paper exercise, with little organizational support from the authorities, it has since been settled, en-masse, by illegal squatters, as the people inch out more land for settlement. To redeem the park, on October 10, 2018, two environmental activists moved to court seeking to have it conserved by KWS.
Thus begun the uphill task of evicting dwellers. Moreover, the Daua River, a major focal point of the park, providing a vital water source for both flora and fauna, has made it a prime real estate, ergo in defiance of the new shift, the locals claim that Malka Mari is protected by its own people. To flare the woes, the park has also become a hotbed for inter-clan clashes, pitting the Garre and Degodia clans. The deployment of the rangers has been instrumental to both reduce poaching of the game and settlement. But, more needs to be done to restore the ravaged park.
Moreover, the few trippers who have accomplished a visit to Malka Mari have reservedly done so by air – rarely by road. The account of this inscrutable park is one of bewildering landscapes, teeming with wildlife and a handful of unique historic sites – notably of Malka Mari Fort. Its unique hallmarks are its knockout vistas of Awara Plains, River Daua Gorge, and the undefined Mandera Triangle. At the moment, Malka Mari is undeveloped and trippers aiming to visit should be totally self-reliant. Malka Mari National Park is accessible via Mandera Airport.
Kenya certainly has enormous touring resources. There are no less than sixty national narks, reserves and game sanctuaries, covering approximately 11% of the land surface. Each of these diverse and stunning national parks and reserves offers unique wildlife experiences and unique, breathtaking landscapes.
Index of National Parks & Reserves in Kenya
Baringo County - Lake Baringo National Reserve, Lake Bogoria National Reserve, Kerio Valley National Reserve, Lake Kamnarok National Reserve, Bomet County - The South Western Mau National Reserve, Busia County - Malaba Sanctuary, Elgeyo Marakwet County - Rimoi National Reserve, Embu County - Mount Kenya National Park; Irangi Forest Station, Mwea National Reserve, Garissa County - Bour-Algi Giraffe Sanctuary, Rahole National Reserve, Arawale National Reserve, Boni National Reserve, Homa Bay County - Ruma National Park, Isiolo County - The Bisanadi National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Shaba National Reserve, Kajiado County - Amboseli National Park, Kakamega County - Kakamega National Reserve, Kilifi County - Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, Watamu Marine National Park, Malindi Marine Reserve, Kisumu County - Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Ndere Island National Park, Kitui County - Mwingi National Reserve, South Kitui National Reserve, Kwale County - Shimba Hills National Reserve, Diani-Chale Marine National Reserve, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park & Reserve, Lamu County - Dodori National Reserve, Kiunga Marine National Reserve, Machakos County - Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, Makueni County - Chyulu Hills National Park, Ngai Ndethya National Reserve, Mandera County - Malka Mari National Park, Marsabit County - Losai National Reserve, South Island National Park, Marsabit National Park & Reserve, Sibiloi National Park, Meru County - Meru National Park, Mombasa County - Mombasa Marine National Reserve & Park, Nairobi County - The Nairobi National Park, Nakuru County - Mount Longonot National Park, Crescent Island Sanctuary, Hell's Gate National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Nandi County - Bonjoge National Reserve, Narok County - Masai Mara National Reserve, Nyeri County - The Aberdare National Park, Samburu County - Samburu National Reserve, Maralal National Reserve, Siaya County - Lake Kanyaboli Reserve, Tana River County - Kora National Park, The Tana Primate National Reserve, Taita Taveta County - Tsavo East National Park, Tsavo West National Park, Tharaka Nithi County - Mutejwa National Reserve, Trans Nzoia County - Mount Elgon National Park, Saiwa Swamp National Park, Turkana County - Central Island Reserve, South Turkana Reserve, West Pokot County - Nasolot National Reserve
Mandera County, in northeastern Kenya, sharing borders with Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the east, is a place of unique geographical features, cultural diversity, and unique socio-economic activities. Its obscurity stems from the facts that it is a semi-arid block, with rampant insecurity, and limited infrastructure development. Even so, Mandera County harbours many little-known surprises!
You Are Here: Malka Mari National Park
Where to Next?
Explore Destinations Nearby Malka Mari National Park
A Guide to Mandera County
A Summa Digest of Mandera
About Mandera Way Back When
8 Destinations in Mandera County, arranged as one would visit these - south, north then west - with the aid of in-depth narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:
El Wak Ancient Wells, Fort El Wak, Marehan Sandstone, Malka Mari National Park, River Daua, Dandu Hills, Red Sea Resort, Mandera Town
Know More About Mandera County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including strip maps, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
For the most parts plain, only exemplified by its low-lying notable rocky hills which rise gradually from 400 ms south at Elwak to 970 ms asl along the boundary with Ethiopia.
Temperatures are always high in Mandera, with a minimum of 24oCelsius in July and a maximum of 42oCelsius in February. Rainfall is scanty, unreliable and unpredictable.
