Location: The Reserve is situated in western Kenya, 15 km from Kakamega town, and about 50 km from Kisumu city.
Size: 44km2.
History:
The park, which is found in the vast Kakamega Forest that 240km2, was established to protect and preserve the fragile ecosystem of the only remnant of natural tropical frainforest that once ran from West Africa across Central Africa to to the highland areas on the west and eastern walls of the Great Rift Valley. In 1985, nearly 4400ha of the northern portion of the forest together with the adjacent Kisere Forest were gazetted as Kakamega Forest National Reserve.
Geography/Habitats: The forest is the only remnant in Kenya of the unique Guineo-Congolian forest ecosystem that once spanned the continent. The terrain includes hardwood forest, swamps and rivers, glades and shallow forests around the edges The sheer size and grandeur of these immense trees, some over a hundred years old, is impressive with open areas of grassy glades that have small trees.
The Kakamega region’s vegetation is normally dominated by central African lowland species, but due to its elevation (predominantly between 1500 m and 1600 m) and proximity to the formerly contiguous Nandi Forests it also contains highland elements and is thus unique, whereby half of the park is dominated by indigenous forest. There are about 160 tree and shrub species, many of Congolean lowland forest affinities, including a number of endemic plant species, mostly ferns and orchids.
Animals:
There are over 27 species of snakes. The forest is also home to primates ( the endangered DeBrazza monkey, black and white colobus monkey and vervet monkey) and wildlife such as the Bush Pig, Duikers, Bushbuck, Clawless Otter, Mongoose, Giant Water Shrew, Squirrels, Tree Pangolin, Porcupine. nsects are abundant and some are quite spectacular, such as giant Goliath beetles and numerous colourful butterflies. Lizards and chameleons are also common sightings in the reserve as well as frogs. There are over 300 bird species in the forest.
Of Interest: Forest nature walks, camping, hiking, bird watching, butterfly watching, game watching and camping.
