Nyiri Desert, also called The Nyika, or Tarudesert, desert, south-central Kenya. It lies about 50 miles (80 km) east of Lake Magadi and near the northern border of Tanzania. The desert encompasses the Amboseli National Park, including the northern half of Lake Amboseli. Nairobi National Park lies at its northern extremity and Tsavo West National Park at its southern extremity. Parts of the desert have dense growths of small trees, many of them thorny and some of them poisonous.