Saiwa Swamp National Park

Kenya’s Smallest & Most Pedestrian-friendly Park

This tiny and little-known park in western Kenya is not likely to be of interest to mainstream tourists. But for more experienced wildlife enthusiasts, it offers the opportunity to see several rare creatures. Foremost among these is the elusive sitatunga, a rare marsh-dwelling antelope easily seen from one of several viewing platforms overlooking the swamp. It is also the one place in East Africa where I’ve seen the ultra-localised de Brazza’s monkey, and my most recent visit also yielded a short view of a Cape clawless otter. The birding is a treat: our list on our most recent visit included grey crowned crane, black sparrowhawk, the stunning Ross’s turaco, and two real rarities in the form of yellow-billed barbet and grey-winged robin-chat. As a bonus, we went the entire day without seeing another tourist on the network of walking trails. A low-key gem!