Ngare Ndare Forest

Ngare Ndare Forest is a lush indigenous forest at the foothills of Mt. Kenya. Azure pools glisten at the bottom of waterfalls and 200 year old trees stretch into the canopy supporting a rich variety of bird and animal life. The forest is a vital corridor that links the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mount Kenya, and one which elephants have been using for centuries.

In the 1980’s farmland became more developed on the southern side of the forest, and farmers came into regular clashes with elephants. In an attempt to alleviate fatal human/ wildlife conflict, the forest was fenced off from southern farmland in 1992. Yet the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust wasn’t registered until 2004, and a concession management agreement was finalized with the Kenya Forest Service only as recently as 2009.

Ngare Ndare forest hiking day trip departs Nairobi by road to Nanyuki with a stopover at Karatina town for breakfast/ snacks. The drive takes approximate 4 hours drive from Nairobi to Nanyuki in Laikipia County. Another 40 minutes drive brings you to Ngare Ndare forest. From Timau town, the drive takes about 20 minutes. Ngare Ndare forest is a vital corridor that links the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mount Kenya, and one which elephants have been using for centuries. Ngare Ndare forest is the only indigenous forest in Kenya with an expanding canopy cover, and some of the ancient African Olive and Red Cedar trees within it are thought to be around 200 years old. The forest was recently included as an extension of the Mount Kenya UNESCO World Heritage Site.