Is Shimba Hills Worth Visiting? Shimba hills, is located in the Southeastern region of Kenya which is one of the small national reserve found in the former coast province of the country and it takes about 33 kilometers from Mombasa and around 15 kilometers from the coast to be able to access the hills. Shimba hills national reserve was established in 1968 spanning over a total surface area of 300 square kilometers. more so, this national reserve is a protected area which is surrounded with coastal rainforest, grasslands, woodlands, lush forests and touring around Shimba hills offers one with a diverse range of experiences more especially for wildlife lovers while captivating wildlife and cultural attractions among others. Shimba hills are considered to be one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa after Arabuko-sokoke forest and it is rich in flora and fauna hence famously known for hosting the highest density of African elephants in the country and there so many other reasons why tourists should opt to visit in Shimba Hills national reserve and these include the following below;
Beautiful Scenery.
Shimba hills national reserve has a stunning natural beauty, which is one of the most compelling reasons as to why one should visit around this national reserve because its landscape is characterized by beautiful deep valleys, rolling hills, dense forests hence creating a picturesque backdrop of your exploration. More so, for tourists to capture well this breathtaking scenery, they can decide to trek through or drive along the winding roads making it a paradise for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
Wildlife encounters.
One of the main reasons, which draws tourists, to go to Shimba Hills National Reserve is due to its abundant wildlife. This national reserve is a home to a wide range of wildlife species whereby some of these are rare and endangered and exploring around different areas of this reserve gives tourists opportunities to look at the species. Shimba hills national reserve is famously known for being a resident of African elephants due to the fact that it hosts the largest of elephants and other majestic creatures can be spotted roaming freely in the park while searching for food giving individuals unforgettable opportunities to observe them within their natural habitats and some of these species include; sable antelopes, hyenas, giraffes, leopards, genet, civet cat, African bush baby, bush bucks, coastal black and white colobus monkeys, blue duikers, bush pigs, buffalos, bush duikers, red duikers, greater galago, black vervet monkey, serval cat, black and red shrew and many others.
Shimba hills national reserve is also seen a birders paradise because it harbours around 100 bird species which include; fischers turaco, African eagle and more several colorful sunbirds such as; crested Guinea fowl, golden pipit, yellow throated long claw, white eared barbet, black headed oriole, olive sunbird, Zanzibar greenbul, red winged lark, tiny greenbul, golden oriole, bearded scrub robin, coastal cisticola and many others.
Cultural Heritage.
Shimba hills is not only seen as a natural wonder but it is also considered to be a destination of a cultural significance due to the fact that this national reserve is inhabited by the Digo people who have stayed around this area for centuries. Therefore touring the reserve, tourists can get opportunities can visit within local communities and get to interact with the local people which gives them chances to learn more about their rituals, customs, traditions and their way of lifestyle such as; observe the dress codes, how they speak and observe how they prepare their local meals.
And apart from the above mentioned, there are more other reasons as to why tourists should choose to visit within Shimba hills and some of these include; touring around this reserve gives you chances to see the sheldrick falls which is commonly referred as Gwaluni falls and what makes this waterfall unique is that it is a hidden gem nestles with the forested landscape. More so, shimba hills national reserve is easily accessible due to the fact that it is locate just a short drive from the popular coastal destinations such as; Mombasa and Diani Beach therefore, tourists can also opt to combine their safari with a beach vacation hence blessing tourists with a great experience of both natural beauty of the interior and the coastal charm of the country.
Exploring around Shimba hills national reserve offers tourists with a wide range of adventure activities that they can engage in and learn new experiences as they create remarkable memories such as; hiking and trekking which are considered as popular pursuits while going through numerous trails within forests, guided nature walks, wildlife viewing, bird watching and many others.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information why Shimba hills National reserve is worth visiting and then book with our tours and travel companies such as; Focus East Africa tours who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Kenya.