Kakamega Forest National Reserve- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Kakamega Forest National Reserve in western Kenya is the country's last surviving remnant of the Guineo-Congolian tropical rainforest, a type of forest that once stretched from West Africa across Central Africa. At around 240 square kilometres, the reserve shelters steep river valleys, swamps, riverine zones, glades, marshy and hardwood forest, and shallow edge-forest, all contributing to its complex terrain and high rainfall (approximately 2,000 mm per year in the southern parts). Flora and fauna in Kakamega are unusually rich and show interesting biogeographic ties with West and Central African ecosystems. The forest supports around 380 species of trees, more than 300 bird species (with dozens that are rare or restricted in Kenya), over 400 butterfly species, and at least seven primate species including black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkey and the obscure De Brazza's monkey. Its soil and hydrological functions are critical: the forest helps maintain water flow in the Yala and Isiukhu rivers, supports local climate stability, protects soils from erosion, and provides medicinal plants, fuelwood, and resources for the surrounding Luhya and other communities.