The Mwea National Reserve is located 180 km from Nairobi and covers an area of about 68 square kilometers. In the reserve, the Tana and Thiba rivers meet. The Kaburu and Masinga hydroelectric dams are also located in this reserve. The park was opened to visitors in January 1976. Visitors can observe animals like the elephant, buffalo, impala, hippo, baboon, vervet and Sykes monkeys, warthog, bushbug, waterbuck, hartebeest, lesser kudu, and jackal, as well as crocodiles in the rivers. There are also two picnic sites for visitors - Gichuki Island and Hippo Point.