Ngare Ndare (Maa for “goats water”) is a lush indigenous forest at the foothills of Mt. Kenya. 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 finalised with the Kenya Forest Service only as recently as 2009.
The communities that surround Ngare Ndare have been grazing their cattle in the forest for decades. However, as populations increase, so has the pressure on the natural resources, and there are several initiatives now in place to provide sustainable alternatives for the Ngare Ndare community.
Ngare Ndare boasts the only canopy walk(40ft high aerial brighe of wire mesh in East Africa. The one kilometer long boardwalk provides visitors with a monkeys-eye-view of the flora and fauna below, and often black rhino, elephant and buffalo can be sighted from up there too.
There is a number of walking and mountain bike trails that snake through the forest, and guides are available to accompany visitors who wish to explore them. For those who are brave enough to face the chill, the river pools provide a refreshing swim. Two campsites with basic facilities mean visitors can stay overnight, and all camping fees going to the Trust to help with running costs.
The walkway ends at a wooden platform 30ft. high, where you can relax and enjoy a view of the river from this elevated vantage point.
Swim in the natural azure pools glistering at the bottom of the waterfalls and adventure into the 200 year old trees in the forest that support a rich variety of bird and animal life.
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