Rimoi National Reserve is the home to the largest herds of elephants in East Africa. The reserve was re opened on 8^th of March 2016. The game reserve is located in the middle of the Kerio Valley in Elgeiyo Marakwet County. It is protected by the Kenya Wildlife Service and the reserve is 40 km from Iten town, the world’s athletics capital.

The park neighbors the homes of the Kalenjin people, best known as the “running tribe”, they however practice agriculture too. Adjacent to Rimoi and part of the same ecosystem but on the other side of the Kerio River, is Lake Kamnarok. Lake Kamnarok is a seasonal lake in Kenya, at the base of the Kerio Valley.

Besides the numerous wildlife found in this game reserve, the park is also a bird haven.

Overview – Background information about Rimoi National Reserve

Rimoi National Reserve is situated within the Rift Valley Province of Kenya It is quite small only 66 km² but set inside a conservation area 5 times greater and is located 30 km from Iten town along the Kabarnet – Eldoret road on the floor of the Kerio Valley. It flanks the Kerio River on its eastern side.

The entrance is 3 km from the Biretwo – Arror road and 26 km from Biretwo. Rimoi Game Reserve is slowly turning into a tourist haven, especially with the rehabilitation taking place. The park is known to be a home of smaller mammals like dikdik, impala, bush pig, warthog, monkeys, civet, genet, and pangolin.

Elephants are the only large animals found in the park. The elephants at the reserve move together in a group of about 100, compared to other elephant herds that move in pairs, or in a group of three or five. However, they can best be seen at night when they are feeding.

Rimoi Reserve is also home to other unique wildlife that includes the world’s rare white crocodile at the campsite along Kerio River and other reptiles like Agama and other lizards, tortoise, and different types of snakes

Birdlife is abundant and various, with weavers, sunbirds, pigeons, honeyguides, hornbills, and turacos particularly prevalent. In the rainy season, a seasonal lake called Tabar forms in a depression and this attracts water birds including, sometimes, rare migrants.

Rimoi National Reserve Activities

Game viewing

Though renowned for its large herds of elephants, other small mammals and animals can also be seen at the reserve some of which are; buffalo, zebras, impalas, giraffe, monkeys, bush pigs, warthogs, dikdik, pangolins, civet, and genet. snakes, tortoise agama, and porcupines among others.

Reptiles include; crocodiles, Agama and other lizards, tortoises, and many snakes.

Camping

There are numerous campsites within and out of the park where tourists can pitch their tents and wake up to the chattering of birds in the wilderness, tents and other camping facilities are also available for hire.

Nature guided walks

There are some walking trails within the park where tourists can adventure wildlife, birds ad tree species or to the dry Kilmarnock lake. Tourists should not engage in this activity alone without an armed ranger as the elephants tend to be very wild. Walks can be taken to the old campsites.

Birding

Birding can be done at Rimoi reserves endowed with many bird species from turacos, honeyguides, pigeons, sunbirds, Weaver’s, and hornbills some of these are migratory birds while others residential the best place to engage in this activity is in the Lake Tabar.

Visit Cheptarit hill

For tourists who enjoy the beauty of nature, they can hike up to the Cheptarit hill where you can have mouth-dropping views of the valley alongside beautiful hot springs, the place is also very rich in culture and history.

Visit the Chebloch Gorge

Chebloch gorge is a major tourist attraction in the area. The Kerio river from the nearby Elgeyo escarpments cuts into the gorge, especially during the rainy season to depths more than 20 meters. This forms a magnificent view of the gorge with a backdrop of the Elgeyo escarpment. Being a tourist attraction, the young men entertain guests by diving in the crocodile-infested river for a fee.

How to get to Rimoi National Reserve

By road: use your own vehicle, public transport, or tour van. Rimoi National Reserve Elgeyo Marakwet County is about 300 km from Nairobi about a five-six hour drive. Iten Kabarnet road is a natural spectacular view of the scenic tic surrounding countryside. 40 kilometers drive from Eldoret town drive to Iten town world athletics’ capital

By Air: The reserve is accessible by air that can be booked online. Where you arrive at Eldoret and then take to Rimoi National Reserve which is about an hour’s drive.