The Marsabit National Park is a national park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

 and nature reserve located at Mount Marsabit

Mount Marsabit

Marsabit is a 6300 km² basaltic shield volcano in Kenya, located 170 km east of the center of the East African Rift, in Marsabit District near the town of Marsabit. This was primarily built during the Miocene, but some lava flows and explosive maar-forming eruptions have occurred more...

 in northern Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

, near the town of Marsabit

Marsabit

Marsabit is a town in northern Kenya, located 170 km east of the center of the East African Rift at 37°58' E, 2°19' N . It is located in the Eastern Province and is almost surrounded by the Marsabit National Park and Reserve...

. It is located 560 km north of Nairobi

Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...

 in Marsabit District

Marsabit District

Marsabit District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Marsabit. The district has a population of 121,478 The district is located in northern Kenya. It borders the eastern shore of Lake Turkana....

 in Eastern Province

Eastern Province (Kenya)

The Eastern Province of Kenya is one of seven regions of the country. Its northern boundary is with Ethiopia; the North Eastern Province and Coast Province lie to the east and south; and the remainder of Kenya's provinces, including Central Province, run along its western border. The provincial...

 and its reserve is noted for its zebra

Zebra

Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...

 population and bird sanctuary.

Flora and fauna

On the road south from Mount Marsabit to the rocky plains of Shaba

Shaba, Kenya

Shaba is a town in Kenya, situated 260 km to the southeast of Marsabit and 80 km to the north of the Equator. There is a nearby Shaba National Reserve, located east of the Samburu National Reserve....

, Michael Palin

Michael Palin

Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....

 describes passing extraordinary Strangler fig

Strangler Fig

Strangler fig is the common name for a number of tropical and subtropical plant species, including some banyans and unrelated vines, including among many other species:* Ficus aurea, also known as the Florida Strangler Fig...

s in the mountain-top forest, a stark contrast to the dusty track below which is lined by low, flat-topped acacia

Acacia

Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...

s.

The area is home to Sociable Weaver

Sociable Weaver

The Sociable Weaver or Social Weaver is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family endemic to Southern Africa. It is monotypic within the genus Philetairus. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. but their range is centred around Northern Cape Province and southern Namibia...

 birds, which can be identified by their neater, tidier nests; Sparrow Weavers, with their "scruffier" nests; and white-bellied turacos

White-bellied Go-away-bird

The White-bellied Go-away-bird, Corythaixoides leucogaster, is a widespread bird of Africa in the turaco family.- Description :This species averages 51 cm in length. Its long, pointed grey and black tail with a white median band is distinctive. A white wing patch is conspicuous in flight...

.