Tourist Attractions in Ruma National Park
Tourist Attractions in Ruma National Park : Ruma national park is a Kenya excellent wildlife destination referred to as the last retreat of the Roan Antelope the most critically endangered antelope species and the largest on the African continent, Ruma national park is also recognized as the only terrestrial park in Nyanza province of Kenya.
Ruma national park is an amazing Kenya safari destination located in suba district in Nyanza province and lies in a distance of about 425 kilometers west of Nairobi the great tourism centre in Kenya, 23 kilometers near Homa Bay city and 10 kilometers East of Lake Victoria. Ruma national park was gazetted as a national park in 1983 stretching over an area of 120 square kilometers, the park started as Lambwe valley game reserve in 1966 and the main intention of its establishment was to protect the two rare species inhabiting in the area. That are the roan antelopes and the migrant blue swallow birds only found in Kenya.
As one of the great safari destinations in Kenya, Ruma national park comprises of many tourist attractions which are a reason to why it is listed among the best Kenya safari destinations, these tourist attractions include
WILDLIFE
Ruma national park is an exceptional Kenya wildlife destination famously known for being a home to the roan species and it is only protected area where you can find them in Kenya, roan antelopes are a rare antelope species in Kenya best sighted in this park. Roan antelopes are social animals living in groups of about 16-20 members, these groups are led by the most dominant female who is a leader of the group and each group of roan antelopes consists of only adult strong bull. When juvenile males in the group grow to 3 years, they are ejected outside of the group and it is only the female calves which remain in the group.
Due to births, these groups become too big and the herds divide into smaller groups to form new herds with only one adult bull, the young males ejected from the herd associate with bachelor groups of about 12 individuals and the most dominant male is considered to be the first one to join a new group of females.
Though roan antelopes are the most notable wildlife species in Ruma national park there are many other wildlife species found in this thrilling Kenya game viewing destination, wildlife in Ruma national park include chimpanzees, Lelwel hartebeests, olive baboons, African leopards, eastern black rhinoceros, Rothschild giraffes, oribis, Bohors reedbucks, bush pigs, vervet monkeys, hyenas, serval, topis, honey badgers, cape buffaloes and many more.
The rich wildlife in Ruma national park make wildlife viewing safaris amazing and the best time to watch these animals is in the dry season in the months of June to October and January to February.
REPTILES
Ruma national park is a thriving habitat to reptiles including an impressive population of snakes, snakes in Ruma national park include the African spitting cobra, forest cobra, python, eastern green mamba, black-mouthed mamba and puff adder. Other notable reptiles present in Ruma national park include lizard, skink and gecko.
BIRDLIFE
Ruma national park habits an impressive concentration of birdlife in Kenya hence being among the best Kenya birding safari destinations, Ruma national park is a home to over 400 bird species recorded to live in the park. Birds present in Ruma national park include the globally threatened Blue swallow which is a rare, migrant bird species and these are listed the intra – Africa extra ordinary migrants, these birds arrive in Ruma national park (Kenya) from their breeding grounds in Southern Tanzania in April and stay until September when they depart.
Other notable bird species in Ruma national park are the black-backed cisticola, this species was previously thought to be extinct in Kenya but it was later recorded in Ruma national park. Other bird species present in Ruma national park include Harlequin Quail, Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Francolin, Speckled Pigeon, Mourning Collared-Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove, Ross’s Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, White-browed Coucal, Black Coucal, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, Common Swift, Nyanza Swift, Little Swift, White-rumped Swift, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Black-headed Heron, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Tawny Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, African Goshawk, Shikra and many more.
This huge bird concentration consisting of beautiful bird species making Kenya bird watching safaris in Ruma national park amazing.
THIMLICH OGINGA ARCHAELOGICAL SITE
Thimlich Oginga archeological site is one of the most important archaeological sites in East Africa located in the south region of Ruma national park, this site is a complex of stone built ruins with the largest containing 521 stone structures built around the region of Lake Victoria and highly clustered. Thimlich Oginga archaeological site consists of a main enclosure which is the main attraction of the site, the main enclosure has walls varying from 1 to 3 meters in thickness and 1 to 4.2 meters in height. This site is believed to be over 550 years old, these structures of this site were built from undressed blocks, rocks and stones which were set in place without mortar.
WHERE TO STAY IN RUMA NATIONAL PARK
Accommodation in Ruma national park is got from 3 categories of lodges and camps situated in and outside of the park, these accommodation categories include budget, midrange and luxury. Accommodation in Ruma national park is got from Oribi guest house, Korlango picnic site, Twinga Tano picnic site, Hotel Hippo Buck and many more.
BEST TIME TO VISIT RUMA NATIONAL PARK
Ruma national park can be visited all year round, however since wildlife viewing is the highlight activity offered in the park, the best time to visit Ruma national park is during the dry season. Dry season in the park is experienced from June to October and from January to February.
