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Cherangani Hills Forest

The Cherangani Hills are gently rolling slopes in the western highlands of Kenya, and are one of Kenya's five main forests. The highlands, the large central plateau, is divided by the Mau Escarpment rising from the border with Tanzania up to the Cherangani Hills, fencing the plateau that rises to the slopes of Mount Elgon.

The Cherangany Hills in Trans Nzoia county of Kenya reach elevations of 3500 m above sea level. They include Kameleogon (3581 m), Chebon (3375 m), Chepkotet (3370 m), Alaleigelat (3350 m) and Sodang (3211 m). They are home to a marginalized hunter-gatherer community called the Sengwer.

 

Geology

The Cherangani Hills are not of volcanic origin, unlike most of Kenya’s mountain ranges. They are located on a forested escarpment with shear cliff walls surrounding them on three sides.Visible are forested ridges and stark, rocky gorges. The Cherangani Hills offer hill walking in Kenya for the visitor.

 

Ecology

The Cherangani Hills are monitored by the United Nations Environmental Programme as one of the five most important water catchment areas in Kenya. As of the last report, monitoring the change in forestation between 2000 and 2003, the Cherangani Hills were the least affected of the forests monitored, with 174.3 hectares deforested, this loss is occurring within Marakwet District and West Pokot District. Since this forest cover is indigenous, the report recommends that the area be closely watched to prevent further destruction. The thirteen forest reserves there are collectively known as the Cherangani Hills Forest.

The De Brazza's monkey has been sighted here. The monkeys are confined to small areas in the Cherangani Hills that offer them little protection

  • Birding Site

  • Forest

  • Lake or River

  • Lake or River

Mau Forest

The Mau Forest Complex sits within Kenya’s Rift Valley and is the largest indigenous montane forest in East Africa. It serves as a critical water catchment area for the country and is the source from which numerous rivers flow, many of them draining into bodies of water like Lake Victoria, which receives 60% of its water from Mau. These rivers exist as lifelines for much of western Kenya’s wildlife and people.

  • Birding Site

  • Forest

  • Lake or River

  • Lake or River

Kakapel National Monument

This ancient rock paintings became available to visitors for the first time when the monument was opened to the public. The remarkable site has art forms dating over 2000 years ago and maybe as much as 4000 years old, combining many different styles and periods.

  • Cultural Centre

  • Monument

The Mfangano-Rusinga Island Complex

This complex is surrounded by expansive beaches and is home to monitor lizards, hippos, and over 100 species of birds. Rusinga is the final resting place of the late Tom Mboya, a famous politician who was assassinated in 1969. It is also rich in fossils, including a Proconsul skull.

  • Archaeological site

  • Birding Site

  • Lake or River

  • Lake or River

Arawale National Reserve

Arawale is a designated conservation area established as the only in-situ conservation site for the critically endangered hirola, also referred to as the hunters hartebeest. This animal is endemic to north-eastern Kenya and south-west Somalia.

  • National Reserve

Malindi Marine Park and Reserve

This was the first marine protected area in Kenya and the oldest marine park in Africa. It is well endowed with magnificent sceneries such as fringing reefs, coral, sea grass, mangroves, mudflats, high fish diversity, marine mammals, turtles, and shorebirds.

  • Beach

  • Coral Reef

  • Snorkeling

Watamu Marine Park and Reserve

The marine park is part of marine and tidal habitats along the north coast but enclosed by Malindi Marine Park. Habitats include intertidal rock, coral cliffs, sandy beaches and the Mida Creek mangrove forest. Marine life attractions here include fish, turtles, dugongs and crabs.

  • Coral Reef

  • Snorkeling

  • Surfing

Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary

This sanctuary forms part of the adjacent Shimba Hills National Reserve ecosystem and was a dispersal area for elephants from the Reserve to Mwaluganje forest. The project was started to reduce human-wildlife conflicts and is today home to Elephants, zebra, warthog, bushbuck, and a number of birds and reptiles.

  • Animal Sanctuary

  • Birding Site

Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park

The ecosystem covers a marine area with four small islands surrounded by coral-reef. Kisite island is covered in low grass and herbs while Mpunguti Islands have dense coastal equatorial forest. Major attractions include the dolphins, coral gardens and it is an important site for snorkelling, diving and bird watching.

  • Birding Site

  • Coral Reef

  • Marine Park

Boni National Reserve

This reserve sits in an indigenous open canopy forest which is part of the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. It was gazzetted as a dry season sanctuary for elephants and features a rich forest reserve hosting elephants, buffalo, giraffe, topi, gerenuk, Harvey,s and Aders duikers.

  • Animal Sanctuary

  • Birding Site

  • Forest

Dodori National Reserve

This reserve was named after the river ending in the Indian Ocean at Dodori Creek, a breeding place for dugongs. It encompasses an important woodland and forest area that historically supported large populations of elephants, lions, buffaloes, coastal topi, gazelles, antelopes and water birds

  • Birding Site

  • Forest

  • Swamp

Kiunga Marine National Reserve

This ecosystem incorporates a chain of about 50 calcareous offshore islands and coral reefs in the Lamu Archipelago. Attractions here include reptiles such as sea turtles, olive ridley, and reef fish. Surfing, diving, snorkelling, water skiing and sunbathing are other activities that are of interest to tourists.

  • Coral Reef