Kenyans and overseas tourists will soon be able to visit attractions within Karura Forest and enjoy the beauty of this pristine natural resource during there kenya safaris.

Key Attractions

Among the attractions that visitors will be able to enjoy are Mau Mau caves, scenic waterfalls, picnic sites, bamboo forest, nature trails and wildlife such as monkeys.

The forest has now been fully fenced off with help from the Friends of Karura and is considered totally suitable for excursions and picnics inorder to make kenya holidays suitable.

Karura Forest is a 1063ha urban forest located in Nairobi, bordering Runda, Gigiri and Muthaiga estates.

Conservationists, including 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Wangari Maathai have in the past carried out extensive campaigns to save this unique forest.

Wildlife in Karura Forest

Mammals: include Harvey’s Duiker, Grimm’s Duiker, Bushbucks, Bush pigs, Genet Cats, Civets, Bush babies, Porcupines, Syke’s Monkeys, Ground Squirrel, Hares and the Epauletted-bat.

Reptiles: Include pythons, green snakes and monitor lizards.

Birds: The forest hosts around 200 species of birds including Ayres Hawk-eagle, the African Crowned Eagle, the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, the Hartlaub’s Turaco, the Narina Trogon, Owls, Crested Cranes, Sparrows, Doves, Weavers and Vultures.

Butterflies: Include the African Queen and Desmond’s Green Banded Swallowtail.

Plants in Karura Forest

Plantations: Cover 632 hectares. Species found include Araucaria cunninghamii, Eucalyptus saligna, E. globula, Grevillea robusta, Cupressus torulosa and Cupressus lusitanica.

Indigenous trees: Cover 260 hectares. Species include Olea europeae subsp. auspidata, Croton megalocarpus, Warburgia ugandensis (Muthiga), Brachyleana huillensis (Muhugu), Uvaridendron anisatum, Markhamia lutea, Vepris nobilis, Juniperus procera (Cedar), Craebean brownii, Newtonia buchananii, Salvadora persica, Ficus thonningii, Trichilia emetica, Calondendrum capense and Dombeya goetzenii.

Shrubs: Include Strychnos henningsii (Muteta), Erythrococca bongensis (Muharangware), Vangueria madagascariensis (Mubiro), Rhamnus prinoides (Mukarakinga), Caesalpinia volkensii (Mubuthi), Solanum incanum (Mutongu), Elaeodendron buchananii (Mutanga) and Rhus natalensis (Muthigio).

Other plants: near the tree nursery, and; small wetlands that are important habitats for birds. There are groves of Arudinaria alpina, Kenya’s native bamboo species along the riparian belts of Gitathuro and Ruaka rivers; exotic giant bamboo Dendrocalamus giganteus along Karura river

Other areas of special interest Karura Forest

Other important attractions that visitors to Karura Forest enjoy are: 
• Mau Mau caves
• Scenic waterfalls and rivers
• Picnic sites
• Marked walking trails
• Small wetlands that are habitats for birds
• The incinerator formerly used by Central Bank of Kenya to burn old currency notes
• The area about which the late Professor Wangari Maathai carried out a campaign against illegal acquisition of forest land.

Activities available
In Karura Forest, one can undertake the following activities:
• Forest walks
• Forest drives
• Bird watching
• Butterfly watching
• Cycling
• Running
• picnicking

Getting there & getting around
By private transport: The main entrance to Karura Forest is on the Limuru Road just after the Belgian Embassy. However, one can also use either the KFS main gate which is off Kiambu road and opposite CID Headquaters, or the Old Kiambu Gate which is on Old Kiambu road.

By public transport: Matatu (public service vehicle) numbers 11B, 106, 107, 108, 114 or 116 from Nairobi City Centre will get you to the main entrance on Limuru Road. To use the KFS main gate on Kiambu road, take matatu numbers 100 or 120.

Taxi hire from the city centre costs approximately Ksh 1,000.

One can easily get around Karura Forest using the existing network of driving tracks and walking trails. Most sections of the forest are accessible by saloon cars.

What to wear and carry
Comfortable walking shoes or trainers, drinking water, binoculars, camera and wildlife books especially for birds and butterflies.

Climate
There are two wet seasons: April-June (long rains) and October-December (short rains). In between, days are sunny and dry except for July and August which is usually cool and cloudy. The average annual rainfall in Karura is 930 mm.

Important things to remember when visiting Karura forest:
• Enjoy yourself; in addition to seeing, pause and listen regularly.
• Stop to allow wildlife to move off the tracks before you pass.
• Do not feed wild animals.
• Do not start fires in the forest.
• Do not take away animals, animal products, plants or plant parts.
• Do not mark or deface tree stems, stones and other features.
• Avoid unnecessary noise as it disturbs both wildlife and other visitors. Do not exceed 40kph when driving in the forest.
• Take all the litter that you brought away with you.
• Keep to the designated tracks and paths when walking and always be sure of where you are headed to or coming from as orientation in forests can be difficult.

For more information visit kenia safaris to enjoy safari of your lifetime.