Kakamega Forest Reserve

Kenya’s Last Rainforest

Kakamega Forest in western Kenya is the country’s only tropical rainforest, and the easternmost surviving fragment of the great Guineo-Congolian forest that once stretched across central Africa. It was gazetted as a forest trust in 1933, and in 1986 a portion was joined with the Kisere Forest to form a national reserve. What remains is a remnant, but a botanically extraordinary one.

The forest holds species found nowhere else in Kenya. Around 400 bird species have been recorded, among them the great blue turaco, Ross’s turaco, black-and-white casqued hornbill and the endangered African grey parrot. Seven primate species live here, including black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey and the nocturnal potto, alongside bush pig, duiker and the giant forest hedgehog.

Kakamega is walked rather than driven. Marked trails run through the canopy to viewpoints such as Lirhanda Hill, and guided night walks turn up bushbabies, tree frogs and chameleons. It is Kenya’s premier forest birding destination and a complete change of pace from the savannah circuit.