Home > Destinations > Africa > Kenya > Regional Highlights > Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Sweetwaters Game Reserve
Nestled between the snow-capped mountains of Mount Kenya in
the east and the Aberdares Mountains in the west, the privately-owned
Sweetwaters Game Reserve is a beautiful region of Kenya that is always worth
seeing. Spreading across 24,000 acres, the reserve benefits from sweeping views
of the plains and beautiful tropical vegetation.
Sweetwaters is the closest reserve to Nairobi. Located just
outside the Serat Gate of the reserve lies the town of Manyatta, an intriguing
multi-cultural setting. Despite the close proximity of cities and villages, the
reserve has the highest ratio of game-to-area of any park or reserve in Kenya.
The reserve boasts over 400 species of birds, and frequent
sightings of lion and elephant. A central, populated waterhole provides
exciting game viewing opportunities. Being privately owned, the reserve allows
for unique experiences, such as night game drives and camel or horseback rides
to experience the wildlife up close.
Probably the most intriguing feature of the Sweetwaters Game
Reserve would be the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which opened in 1993 to receive and
provide sanctuary for chimps that were orphaned by the bush meat trade industry.
The sanctuary was set up by Lonrho East Africa, Kenya Wildlife Services and the
Jane Goodall Institute. This fascinating sanctuary gives priority to orphaned
or abused chimps and provides them with a setting to thrive and be reintroduced
to the wild. A thirty-minute boat ride on the river among the chimps is
captivating and enjoyable.
Enjoy the amazing photographic and game-viewing
opportunities on our Kenya Photo Safari.
