Aberdare National Park is part of the Aberdares Mountain Range. According to the traditional Kikuyu folklore, the Aberdares is one of the homes of Ngai (God). Mountain ranges and peaks soar to around 14,000 ft, giving way to deep V-shaped valleys with streams and rivers cascading over spectacular waterfalls. This area is a must for landscape lovers. From its vital catchment area, the Aberdare rainforest feeds the entire local and Nairobi water supply. Above the forest is a belt of bamboo which is a favorite habitat for the Bongo (a rare and elusive forest antelope) At 10,000 ft, the bamboo give way to moorland, a home to the eland and spotted serval cats. Animals abound in the forest include elephants, buffalos, giant forest hogs, leopards, baboons, black & white colobus monkeys, sykes monkeys and Kenya’s indigenous and endangered black rhinos, making game viewing in the park very rewarding. The entire forest is being fenced to protect settlement farmers from animal raids and to create a rhino and forest sanctuary. Bird viewing is incredible with over 250 species recorded, including the Jackson’s francolins, sparrow hawks, african goshawks, eagles, sunbirds and plovers. The Treetops (tree-house lodge) and the Ark (a lodge built in the shape of Noah’s Ark) provide night game-viewing in the salient areas of the park, with excellent sightings of elephant, buffalo, lion and rhino, drawn to the waterholes and saltlicks each evening.