Shimba Hills National Reserve
About Shimba Hills National Reserve
As one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa after Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, this reserve is rich in flora and fauna and hosts the highest density of African elephant in Kenya.
Shimba Hills National Reserve is a small national reserve in the former coast province of Kenya, in Kwale County, Kenya. 33km from Mombasa and 15 km from the coast. The reserve is an area of coastal rainforest, woodland and grassland, it is an important area for plant biodiversity over 50% of the 159 rare plants in Kenya are found in the Simba Hills, including some endangered species of cycad and orchids. It is also a nationally important site for birds and butterflies.
Location and accessibility of Amboseli national park Kenya
Amboseli national park is found 365 kilometers or 226 miles southeast of Nairobi. The park can be reached within 3 to 4 hours’ drive from Nairobi. Amboseli is located in Kajiado County in the South of Kenya. Its found in the Northwest part of Mount Kilimanjaro which is found in Tanzania. The park can be accessed through two different routes though all originating from Nairobi. You can access it through Nairobi –Mombasa road. If you’re in the South in the coastal area of Mombasa, Tsavo West national park or Tsavo East National park it is about 460 kilometers entering through Kimana Gate.
How to access Shimba Hills National Reserve
By Road means.
The distance between Nairobi and Shimba Hills National Reserve is 522km, which takes you around 7 hr. 3 minutes. From Nairobi, a traveler has to take the ferry at Likon to access the southern coastline where Tiwi and Diani beaches are located. Then after you will have to take the main A14 coast road 10 kilometers southwards until you connect the main crossroad, after thake the road climbing to Kwale Town C106. The main gate lies at 1 kilometers from the C106 road and 3 kilometers from Kwale, from Mombasa or Diani Beach the road is smooth, taking an hour drive to access the reserve.
By Air means.
Here it’s the use of the charter flights to Shimba Hills National Reserve the flights are booked by tour operators who known the right information about the reserve.
Most domestic flights from Nairobi can be booked from Wilson Airport which is 6 kilometers south of Nairobi, you can as well book daily scheduled flights and the following are the domestic carriers used to fly into two different direction Mombasa and Diani Beach, such carries are Kenya Airways and Fly 540 flies to Mombasa, other carriers like Air Kenya, Mombasa Air safari, Safari link, east African, all flies to Diani Beach, from Diani it takes about an hour drive to reach the reserve and this can be an organized pick by the tour operator. This takes you 1 hour to reach the reserve.
Shimba Hills national reserve is a unique coastal forest and nature reserve, home to the endangered sable antelopes, with 1,100 plant species in the reserve, around 280 of which are endemic to Shimba Hills and nearly one fifth of which are considered globally rare.
Where to stay in Shimba Hills National reserve.
The Reserve has a variety of good accommodation facilities ranging from the Budget, Mid-range and Luxury accommodations that includes the Shimba Hills lodge, Pumzita-tu, Kwale Golden Guest, Upani in Diani among others, the reserve also has campsites such as the Sheldrick walk falls, Ocean view and Makadara picnic sites, the reserve provides the adequate accommodation facilities to the guests.
Activities in Shimba Hills National Reserve
Game viewing.
Shimba Hills National reserve, is a home to various animal species that is to the large number of elephants, sable antelope. Though there are also other animal species within the reserve like the waterbuck, Bush Pig, Coastal black and white, Blue Duiker, Serval cat, Red Shrew and among others, but due to thick nature of the reserve of forest game viewing is not all that rewarding as on the savannahs, as many animals spend their time deep in the forest. Though it’s not a bad thing. The best time of the day to go for a game drive would be in the late afternoon, when the cooler temperatures takes the animals out of the shade and seek water.
Shimba Hills National Reserve Bird watching.
Shimba Hills National reserve is also known for its excellent birding opportunities and twitchers can search for the Croaking Cisticola or the Zanzibar Red Bishop as they are the unique species in the reserve like the green barbet, Fischer’s turaco, Golden palm weaver, mottled swift, Narina trogon, and Red-necked spurfowl and among others.
Guided forest walks.
Guided forest walks in the Shimba Hills National reserve is the right way of connecting guided forest walks as you explore the green forests in the reserve as well as the green trees. On the other hand during the guided forest walks experiences you can spot various animals like the elephants, mottled swift and among others also the bird species can be spotted like the Red-necked spurfowl, spotted ground thrush, Trumpeter hornbill and others. Possible features can be spotted during the nature forest walks like the sheldrick water falls.
Other activities done at Shimba Hills National Reserve includes the Archeological safari, trekking activities which are also enjoyed by the tourists in the reserve.
Best time to visit Shimba Hills National Reserve.
A visit to Shimba Hills National Reserve is usually best in the drier months from June to September and December to March. Although the reserve can be visited year around, but the visits during the rains are more challenging.
Where to stay in Shimba Hills National reserve.
The Reserve has a variety of good accommodation facilities ranging from the Budget, Mid-range and Luxury accommodations that includes the Shimba Hills lodge, Pumzita-tu, Kwale Golden Guest, Upani in Diani among others, the reserve also has campsites such as the Sheldrick walk falls, Ocean view and Makadara picnic sites, the reserve provides the adequate accommodation facilities to the guests.