Shimba Hills National Reserve

Shimba Hills National Reserve is nestled approximately 33 km south of Mombasa town, in Kwale district in the Coast Province of Kenya. This relatively small wildlife protected area was first gazetted as a National Forest in 1903 and later a National Reserve in 1968. The most imposing feature in the reserve are the Shimba Hills, which are a dissected plateau that ascends steeply from the coastal plains, 30 km south west of Mombasa south of Kwale town. The surrounding escarpment rises from around 120m to 300m across the bulk of the plateau and as high as 450m at Marare and Pengo hills. The Shimba Hills are home of the Digo, Duruma and Giriama tribes of Eastern Kenya.
Ecosystem
Shimba Hills National Reserve is a botanically rich area. A total of 1,100 different plant species have been recorded here, around 280 of which are endemic to Shimba Hills and nearly one fifth of which are considered globally rare. Its plant biodiversity comprises of a heterogeneous habitat including forestlands, exotic plantations, woodlands and grasslands. The reserve’s ecosystem holds one of the largest coastal forests in Kenya and East Africa after Arabuko-Sokoke forest. – Over 50 % of the 159 rare plants in Kenya are found around the Shimba Hills.

Shimba Hills Safari Buffalos and Elephants
Wildlife
The rich variety of biodiversity of Shimba Hills National Reserve makes it a friendly habitat for wildlife habitation. The Reserves hosts one of the highest concentrations of the African Elephants (estimated to be 700). Other wildlife to see includes Leopards, Giraffes, Genets, Hyenas, Waterbucks, Red Duikers, Bush pig, African Bush Baby, Serval Cat, Black and Red Shrew and Knob-bristled Suni Shrew, Civet cat, Bushbuck, African Buffalos, Blue Duikers, Bush Duikers, Greater Galagos, etc. The forest offer perfect shelter for the Black-faced Vervet Monkeys, Sykes Monkey Coastal Black and white Colobus. Shimba Hills also shelters Kenya’s only population of the Endangered Sable Antelope numbering to about 100 in the reserve. The re-introduction of the Masai Giraffes and Ostriches by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has also boosted game wealth in the reserve.

The Birds
Bird Life
This reserve is a home to some of the most amazing avifauna of Kenya and hence attracts a large number of bird enthusiasts. An amazing 111 bird species have been recorded here, of which 22 are coastal endemic including the Red-necked-Spurfowl, Croaking Cisticola, Ostrich Eagle, African Hawk, Falcon, Cuckoo, Guinea-fowl, Crested Crane and Golden Orioles. Apart from these, the European Hobby, Honey Buzzard and Sunbirds are simply a delight to watch. The other common birds include Woodpeckers, Sunbirds, Honey Guides, Turacos, Lesser Cuckoos, Red-Backed Shrike, Hawk Eagles, Red-Necked Spur Fowl, Blue Quail, Crowned Hornbill and many other verities. Determined birders to the reserve can also spot the Zanzibar Red Bishop. Shimba Hills National Reserve is also a hotspot for Palaearctic birds especially between late March and early April.
Other Attractions

Beautiful Sheldrick’s Falls
1. Pengo Hill – The Pengo hill rises high to about 488m. It is the highest point of Shimba hills and boasts stunning views of the general landscape of the reserve and surrounding its areas.
2. Impressive Sheldrick Falls –The 25m scenic Sheldrick Falls are named after the famous game warden, David Sheldrick (claimed to have been the first man to see these falls). They are situated deep in the reserve. The falls are one of the must visit spot to enjoy a breathtaking spring of water pouring into a natural plunge pool.
3. Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary – The Elephant Sanctuary has been established north of Shimba Hills. This is a community-owned ecotourism initiative, a conservation area for elephants set up in 1994.
4. Longandani Forest – This is a dense tropical forest in the area. It is also a sacred ‘Kaya‘ of the Mijikenda inhabitants, the forest offers an idyllic shaded picnic spot.
WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation is available at Shimba Hills Lodge, and there are two campsites within the park.

Shimba Hill Forest Lodge
Shimba Hill Lodge is a superb spectacular award-winning tree lodge, built with indigenous timber overlooking a waterhole, and accessed by a ramp through unique flora. It delights 31 standard guest rooms, one self-help banda site with 8 beds and 2 camp sites. The rooms are comfortable with small verandahs overlooking the waterhole. A wooden walkway leads to a viewing platform for the waterhole, where the peace of the surroundings can be best appreciated. Showers and toilets lie adjacent to all rooms. The dining room is a covered veranda from where you can enjoy your tea or dinner in the open air overlooking the floodlit waterhole as you enjoy the sounds of bullfrogs and the rasp of cicadas. There is a pleasurable bar. Above all, its proximity to the coast makes it remain refreshingly cool for most part of the day.
Sable Bandas
These are located 2 km from the Main Gate. The Bandas have four units with a capacity of 2, with a fully furnished kitchen.
Visitor Activities
- Game Drives / Viewing: Best views are from the eastern side of the park, near Giriama Point, as the animals move towards the rivers to drink. Another ideal spot for game viewing are on the flat grasslands near the spectacular Sheldrick’s Falls.
- Sheldrick’s Falls Tour: You may want to take the 4km Sheldrick Falls walk which gets challenging as you come up the steep slope (about 45 minutes to descend and 1 hour to return). A ranger is available at 10am and 3pm to accompany visitors on this walk at no charge. It is recommended to be accompanied by an armed ranger as there are sometimes elephants or a few buffalos along the 2km long way-marked footpath. Visitors can even swim safely in the cool water pool.
- Nature Walking Trails – There are a number of short walking trails at Elephant Lookout and Pengo Hill and the falls. It highly recommended that all nature walks be accompanied by an armed game ranger.
- Bird Watching: Birding is more spectacular during the spring migration period. Bird shooting is only permitted outside the reserve.
- Guided Night Drives: Visitors at the lodge get to see Cheetahs and Leopards, and will certainly hear the hyenas howl in the eerie darkness.
- Pengo Hill Trekking: Trekking up the Pengo hill offers incredible views of the Tsavo Plains and the Taita Hills.
- Primate Tracking: Well demarcated tracks are maintained in the forests for visitors to track the Black and White Colobus monkeys.
Climate & When to Visit
Shimba Hills National Reserve features a hot and humid coastal climate with annual temperature averaging at 24°C. Most of the reserve and surrounding areas are misty in the morning hours attributed to the coastal breezes. Tourists can visit the reserve at any time of the year.