1 Day Shimba Hills

Visit Shimba Hills to experience cool sea breezes, frequent mists and early morning clouds. Known for waterfalls, forests and bird viewing. The reserve is about 30 kms south of Mombasa and a quick 10 Kms from Diani beach. The tour starts on a luxury roof hatch tour van to Shimba Hills National reserve located 56 kilometers from Mombasa. The park is 74 Square Miles in size (192.51 km2). Your game drive will start from the gate, where the roof of the safari van is lifted up to enable you to look for the many game animals found here, such as Elephant, Giraffe, Buffalo, Warthog, the rare Sable Antelope and Leopards if you are lucky.

The coastal ecosystem consists of a heterogeneous habitat including forests, exotic plantations, scrubland and grassland. The ecosystem includes one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa after the Arabuko – Sokoke forest. The nature reserve is rich in flora and fauna and is home to the highest density of African elephants in Kenya. Other species found in the area include the sable antelope, the black and reddish-brown bushy elephant shrew, mongoose, and other small mammals such as the flying fox. The forest is an important bird sanctuary and has a rich bird life, while the meadows are home to local species such as the Red-throated Francolin, the Strichelcist Cisticola, and the Fire Weaver (Euplectes nigroventris).

Climate

Hot and humid, but cooler than on the coast with strong sea breezes and frequent fog and clouds in the early morning hours. The annual rainfall is 855mm – 1682mm. The average annual temperature is 24.2 degrees Celsius.

Sights and attractions Sable antelope Elephant habitat Sheldrick Cases Various viewpoints Mwaluganje Forest Wildlife

Endangered sabre antelope, elephant, giraffe, leopard, genet, civet cat, hyena, waterbuck, bush pig, buffalo, galago’s (Galagonidae or Galagidae) – also called bush babies, bushbuck, black and white stump monkeys, Blue duiker – also called blue goat, bush duiker, red duiker, giant galagos, southern green sea cat, white-throated sea cat, serval cat, black shrew and red tooth shrew and other shrew species.

Birds

111 bird species have been registered, of which 22 are endemic to coastal regions: Ostriches, African Bonelli’s Eagle, Falcons, Cuckoos, Guinea Fowl, Crested Hoods, Guinea Fowl, Honey Scorpion, Double Hornbill, Blue Quails, Lobelia Sunbird

Reptiles

Python, cobra, lizard, and gecko Insects Butterflies , mosquitoes , beetles