Accommodation
Rondo Retreat offers basic but clean self-catering rooms & has a good reputation.

Several self-catering bandas & campsites are located in the Reserve.

Best known for
This is the only tropical rainforest in Kenya and has been protected since its vital role in the ecosystem was recognized in the 1930's. In 1986 nearly 4,000ha of the northern portion of the forest together with the adjacent Kisere Forest were gazetted as Kakamega Forest National Reserve. It protects a number of endemic and endangered species of mammals, birds, butterflies & snakes. A short drive from the Kakamega Forest Reserve one can see the Weeping Stone, which is an eight-metre high rock upon which a smaller rock is balanced. From the base of the smaller rock a continuous trickle of water emerges regardless of the season.

Location
The Kakamega Forest Reserve is located in Western Kenya, 418 kilometres from Nairobi.

Size
Kakamega Forest Reserve covers a small area of 45 square kilometres.

Wildlife
This Reserve offers a particularly good selection of primates including: Black and White Colobus monkey, Blue monkey, Olive baboon, and the Red-tailed monkey. The De Brazza's monkey is found in the adjacent Kisere forest area. Other mammals found in the forest include: bushpig, civet, clawless otter, grey duiker, leopard, porcupine, potto, suni, and tree pangolin. A staggering 350 species of birds have been recorded in the Kakamega Forest Reserve.

Environment
The Kakamega Forest Reserve is at an elevation of about 1560 metres above sea level. The reserve is situated along the northeastern edge of the Lake Victoria basin. Along its eastern edge rises the partially forested Nandi Escarpment which runs along the western edge of the Rift Valley. The forest is an important water catchment area with the Isiukhu and Yala rivers flowing through it. The terrain is undulating with often-steep sided river valleys.

Vegetation
This tropical rainforest remains from ages past when dense rainforest covered central Africa from the west to the eastern wall of the Great Rift Valley. A complex ecosystem exists in such a rainforest environment featuring birds, insects, wildlife, butterflies, mosses, and stunning wild orchids sitting on the branches of other trees. Elgon teak, red and white stink woods, several Croton varieties, and Aningeria altissima are a few of the impressive 125 species of tree found here, and some are over a hundred years old. The trees are massive towering over the rest of the plant species forming a canopy that provides deep shade.

380 species of plants are found in the swamps, riverine and hardwood forest areas, glades, and the shallow forest that surrounds the reserve. The grassy glades found in the reserve vary in size and shape and the origin of them is unsure, although some are thought to be from large mammal (such as elephant and buffalo grazing), others are believed to have been cleared by humans.

Climate and When To Go
The best time to visit the Kakamega Forest Reserve is during the rainy season from April to July when the flowers in the rainforest are at their most beautiful. The average rainfall per year is high at 2.08 metres. The long rains are in April and May, with a slightly drier June, and the short rains occur in August to September. January and February are the driest months. Temperature is fairly constant throughout the year, with mean daily minimums of about 11 C and mean daily maximums of about 26 C.

Activities
There are trails within the reserve and ranger guides that escort visitors through the forest. One of the trails well worth doing is the walk to Buyangu Hill from which one has a great view of the forest. Night game walks are also on offer.

How to get there
By Air: Kakamega airstrip located outside the reserve and 4 km outside Kakamega town can is used for charter flights into Kakamega.
By road: The reserve located 418 km from Nairobi is well served by several tarmac roads that link it with all major urban centres in the country. The park can either be accessed from Kakamega town on the Kisumu - Kitale A1 road or from Tindinya on the Kisumu - Eldoret road.