Kenya Parks
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.
Shimba Hills National Reserve protects one of the last large coastal rainforests in East Africa. It is a stronghold for the rare subspecies of sable antelope: Roosevelt's sable. This is not a Big Five reserve, but several of the usual safari animals, as well as some interesting forest animals, can be found here.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Shimba Hills is a refuge for many forest species. Elephant and buffalo are the only Big Five animals you’re likely to see. Predator sightings are rare, but Masai giraffe has been introduced and many interesting antelope species occur here naturally. Some of the delightful smaller inhabitants include the red-bellied coast squirrel and the greater galago, both of which have become habituated at Shimba Hills Lodge.
Scenery
The reserve’s habitat consists of coastal rainforest and grassland interspersed with woodland and coastal bush. Shimba Hills is considered to be one of the most diverse of the forested ecosystems on the Kenyan coast, supporting more than 1,000 plant species. Sheldrick Falls has a lovely plunge pool, perfect for cooling off.
Weather & Climate
An ever-present breeze tends to take the sting out of Shimba Hills’ heat and humidity, though it never really gets that cool. Even at night it stays warm. You can’t fully escape the rain here, but it’s more widespread in October and November, and can really rain hard in April and May. Sunny days are typical in the intervening dry periods.
Best Time To Visit
The drier seasons (December to March and June to September) see the animals gather around local water sources, making them easy to find. You can still track them in the wetter months, but it takes greater effort as they’re more dispersed. You won’t really be bothered by other visitors here at any time of year, as the park doesn’t tend to attract crowds.
