Kakamega Forest National Reserve
Canopy of Natural Beauty
Trails in the Undergrowth of Kakamega
Book A Mara Safari:
"The sheer abundance of birdlife here is overwhelming. This is an important primate reserves, and the forest is full of monkeys of many species."
Beautiful Chameleons are often seen in the undergrowth. At night the forest is a different world, the air filled with bats and ringing with the sounds of frogs, night birds and the booming call of the giant forest squirrel. Despite its easy accessibility, Kakamega is a quiet haven for nature lovers, the perfect place to relax for a few days. The forest has many walking trails, and there are plenty of very good guides available.
It is Kenya's only tropical rainforest and is said to be Kenya's last remnant of the ancient Guineo-Congolian rainforest that once spanned the continent.
- Getting there: By road, Air & Railway
- Climate: between 20oC (68oF)&30oC (86oF)
- Operating Hours: daily from 06:00Hrs-18:00Hrs
- Accommodation:safari lodges/tented camps
- Game viewing: 367 bird & 380 plant species
When to go:
Flora and fauna in Kakamega Forest
The highlands landscape is shrouded in mist and clouds during the early morning hours, creating a mesmerizing setting for a superlative African tropical vacation.
The highland climate nurtures over 1100 plant species that attract a diversity of wildlife, such as giraffes, elephants, zebras, bushbucks, Harvey’s duikers, to name only a handful of the animals that feast upon the vegetation.
Park Activities
Within the forests and jungles you may locate Syke’s, colobus, vervet monkeys and other tree climbers. While there are no large or iconic predators in the reserve, you may elusively spot serval, genet, civet cats and other smaller carnivorous hunters when staying for a longer period.
The list of species continues, as the reserve is home to more than 230 types of avi-fauna, such as African hawks, guinea-fowls, fish eagles, falcons, hornbills and numerous other feathered flyers.
Attractions
The forest including reserves encloses about 238 square kilometers, a little less than half of which currently remains as indigenous forest.
Throughout the forest are a series of grassy glades, ranging in size from about 1 to 50, with a few larger clearings. The origins of the glades are uncertain. Some are certainly recent clearings, but others predate recent records.