10 Most Popular Antelopes in Kenya

Antelopes in Kenya offer a unique and diverse window into the country’s rich wildlife heritage. While most safari-goers come in search of the Big Five, Kenya’s plains, woodlands, and savannahs are also home to a spectacular variety of antelope species, each with its own characteristics and charm. These animals play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and are integral to Kenya’s biodiversity. Some species are even endangered or threatened, highlighting the need for continued conservation.

This guide will take you through ten of the most iconic and widely spotted antelope species across Kenya’s national parks and conservancies—perfect for travelers, nature lovers, and wildlife photographers alike.

1. Thomson’s Gazelle

Thomson’s gazelle, a subspecies of the red-fronted gazelle, was named after the Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson. These graceful antelopes are known for their light brown coats, distinctive dark stripes along their sides, and a white patch on their rumps extending beneath their tails. Their ridged horns curve backward, with females either having much shorter, smoother, and slimmer horns or none at all.

Thomson’s gazelles are highly adaptable and can be found in several of Kenya’s famous national parks, including Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Nairobi National Park, and Lake Nakuru National Park.

2. Impala

Impalas are medium-sized antelopes characterized by their long necks, slender bodies, and a bright tan coat with reddish-brown saddle. A unique feature of impalas is the brush-like tufts of black hair covering scent glands on their hind legs just above the heels. While females lack horns, males sport gracefully curved horns that range between 40 to 90 centimeters in length.

Impalas are among the fastest antelope species, capable of reaching speeds of 75 to 90 km/h. Their powerful legs allow them to leap great distances to evade predators. These agile antelopes are common in Lake Nakuru National Park and can be found in almost every other national park across Kenya.

3. Gerenuk

The gerenuk, which means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, is a unique long-necked antelope primarily found in Northern Kenya. These antelopes have relatively small heads compared to their bodies, complemented by large eyes and ears. Only males possess horns and tend to have thicker, more muscular necks than their female counterparts.

Gerenuks use their preorbital glands, located in front of their eyes, to secrete a tar-like substance for marking their territories. Visitors can spot gerenuks in Samburu National Reserve, Meru National Park, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

4. Beisa Oryx

The Beisa oryx is a striking antelope species with long, straight horns and distinctive facial markings. Males and females look very similar, making it difficult to differentiate between them, although females tend to have shorter and more slender horns. These antelopes are also recognized for their black-fringed ears and black tufts of hair extending past their ears.

In Kenya, the Beisa oryx is commonly found in the Samburu National Reserve, Meru National Park, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

5. Kudu

Kudus are considered some of the most elegant of the tragelaphine antelopes, a group that includes bongos, elands, nyalas, bushbucks, and sitatungas. The greater kudu and lesser kudu both have unique white vertical stripes on their brown coats, and most individuals have a white chevron-shaped marking on their foreheads.

Male kudus have spectacular spiral horns that can grow up to 1.8 meters in length, taking about six years to reach full maturity. These large antelopes, which can weigh up to 600 pounds, are mostly seen in Meru National Park.

6. Wildebeest

Wildebeests, also known as gnus, have a distinctive boxy head, curved horns, and a sturdy front build compared to their more slender hindquarters. They have gray coats, black manes, and beards that can be either black or white. Wildebeests are best known for their participation in the Great Migration, which takes place in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

These antelopes spend most of their lives grazing in the grassy savannas and open woodlands of Tanzania and Kenya, with significant populations in the Masai Mara National Reserve.

7. Waterbuck

Waterbucks are robust, large-bodied antelopes characterized by their rounded ears and distinctive white patches above their eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. Males possess prominently ringed horns that can grow up to 100 centimeters in length, curving backward before sweeping forward. These horns are often used in fierce battles over territory.

Waterbucks depend heavily on water sources, often staying close to lakes and rivers. In Kenya, they are most commonly seen in Tsavo National Park and Lake Nakuru National Park.

8. Topi

Topis are medium-sized antelopes with a striking reddish-brown to purplish-red coat. Their faces, upper forelegs, hips, and thighs are adorned with distinct black patches, making them one of the most visually striking antelope species. Female topis tend to have a slightly lighter coloration than males.

Both male and female topis have thickly ringed horns measuring between 30 to 40 centimeters. They are known for their excellent vision and hearing, as well as their incredible speed and agility. In Kenya, topis are easily spotted in the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

9. Coke’s Hartebeest

Coke’s hartebeest is a large, fawn-colored antelope with distinct black markings on its legs and a long, sloping back. These antelopes are known for their shiny brown coats, elongated faces, broad chests, and exceptional speed. Despite their seemingly awkward body structure, they are highly evolved and can run up to 70 km/h.

Visitors can find Coke’s hartebeest in Mount Kenya, the Laikipia Plateau, and various regions of west-central Kenya.

10. Common Eland

The common eland is the second-largest antelope species in the world, second only to the giant eland. These massive animals can reach a height of up to 7 meters. Both males and females possess spiral horns, with males having noticeably larger ones. Another distinguishing feature of males is the dense, growing forehead hair mat that thickens as they age.

Common elands can be found in Nairobi National Park, Tsavo East and West National Parks, and the Masai Mara National Reserve.