Map of Shimba Hills National Reserve
Map of Shimba Hills National Reserve : One of the biggest forest reserves in East Africa’s coastal regions is Shimba Hills National Reserve. This is one of the numerous national reserves in Kenya, home to a wide variety of animals. The reserve is more abundant in flora and fauna and is home to the greatest concentration of forest elephants in all of Africa, not just Kenya. The southern Mombasa shoreline is only 33 km away from the reserve. Kenya Wildlife Services is in charge of overseeing the 1968 establishment of the Shimba Hills National Reserve. A small national reserve called Shimba Hills is located in Kwale County, Kenya, which was formerly part of Kenya’s coast area. Mombasa is 33 miles away, while the shoreline is 15 km away. The reserve is a significant location for plant biodiversity, containing grasslands, woodlands, and coastal rainforest. The Simba Hills are home to more over half of Kenya’s 159 rare plant species, including several threatened orchid and cycad species. Additionally, it is a nationally significant place for butterflies and birds.
Large herds of elephants
With over 700 elephants, Shimba Hills National Reserve is well known for its large elephant population. However, in the early 2000s, the elephant population became unmanageable, so Kenya Wildlife Services decided to move some of the elephants—roughly 150—to Tsavo East National Park. This was the largest elephant translocation in the history of the animal planet, and it was all done to lessen conflicts between humans and animals at the reserve. There are more than 700 elephants in the reserve, which leads to tense clashes between the local subsistence farmers and animals. Elephants have a migration corridor thanks to the boundary shared by the Mwalunganje Elephant Sanctuary and Simba Hills National Reserve, which was created to assist lessen conflict.
Sable antelopes
The last remaining breeding herd of sable antelope in Kenya may be found in Shimba National Reserve. In addition, you should be on the lookout for these massive ebony-coloured antelope with their scimitar-shaped horns.
How to get there
By Road
Access to the 300 square km Shimba Hills National Reserve is possible from Mombasa’s coastline region. The reserve is reachable in about an hour by car on a decent asphalt road from Mombasa or Diani Beach. It takes nine or ten hours to travel over Mombasa Road, commonly known as A109, if one is in Nairobi.
By air
As an alternative, you can take one of the several flights that depart daily from Wilson or Jomo Kenyatta International Airports to Mombasa, where you can begin your hour-long drive to the reserve. Because of the long drive, this is the most practical option.
Attractions of Shimba hills
Shimba Hills National Reserve was gazetted as a national forest reserve in 1903, and it gained significant popularity when additional grassland was added to the reserve in 1924. The small reserve offers amazing wilderness and breathtaking waterfalls amid the equatorial forest, providing a breath of fresh air after the warm temperatures of the Indian Ocean coastal tour.
Wildlife viewing
On Kenya safari tours, this park is known for having the most elephants, Shimba Hills National Reserve is a fantastic place to see wildlife. Rarer creatures can be seen in the reserve, including sable antelope, African and forest elephants, giraffes, leopards, hyenas, buffalo, bush pigs, bush babies, blue duikers, galagos, and many more. Every one of these natural species draws Kenya safari tourists.
Birdwatching
The Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to more than 100 different bird species, making it a haven for fantastic birdwatching. Fifty-two bird species—including the Ostrich Eagle, Falcon, Cuckoo, Guinea-fowl, Honeyguide, Hornbill, quail, Uluguru, and others—are native to the coast.
Sheldrick Falls
Sheldrick Falls, which is 21 metres high, is situated in the centre of the Shimba Hills National Reserve. One of the main draws of the reserve named for the first-ever visitor to the falls, conservationist Sheldrick, is this.
Elephant Hill
The Elephant Hill is a viewpoint where visitors can get up close and personal with large herds of elephants, and they can walk the hill escorted by an armed game ranger.
Marere Dam
Marere Dam is an important water catchment area for wildlife, and more games can gather here, especially during the dry season, making it easy to spot the wildlife at the park.
Forest
The Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to approximately 1100 different species of trees, with forests covering about half of the reserve. The majority of shrub researchers visit the area primarily to conduct research and identify various tree species.
Things to do in Shimba Hills National Reserve
Game viewing
Savour the fantastic game viewing experience with the park’s numerous, crying elephants. Enjoy the breathtaking views of several creatures, including hyenas, giraffes, elephants, leopards, bush babies, and more. The reserve is endowed with a wide variety of species, which adds to the enjoyment and significance of your visit. The Shimba Hills National Reserve is a top wildlife location for game viewing, and its compact size makes it simple to do quick, enjoyable game drives.
Bird watching
The Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to over 200 different species of birds, including 20 endemic species that are extremely rare. The rain forest, which is made up of various tree species, has made ample space for a variety of bird species, and the reserve’s warm and cold climate has drawn more water animals to the area as breeding grounds. A few of the reserve’s bird species are the Cisticola, Guinea Fowl, African Hawks, Fish Eagles, Hornbills, King Fishers, and Sunbirds, to name a few.
Hiking
The topography of the reserve is more varied and is marked by hills and woods. The park ranger provides guidance while hiking. The various hills provide excellent vantage points from which to observe wildlife, particularly the vast herds of elephants, as well as an overhead perspective of the reserve. The most notable hills are Elephant Hill and Shimba Hills, which visitors walk following their 0p game drives.
Visit the waterfalls
Nature treks are permitted, particularly the hike to the breathtaking Sheldrick Falls, which are 21 metres high. The falls bear the names of well-known Kenyan conservationists. Swimming at the base of the falls is one option, as is sightseeing at the falls.
The size of Shimba Hills National Reserve never detracts from the wildlife experience there because the reserve is home to an abundance of animals. This is the starting point for the Kenya wildlife safari and mixed coastal tours. For honeymooners who want to experience the beauties of nature in a romantic yet eclectic way, this is the ideal location.
