Summary Card

Introduction

Ngare Ndare Forest is a chill, scenic day hike offering dense indigenous forest, a suspended canopy walkway, and turquoise pools fed by glacier melt from Mount Kenya.

It’s accessible, beginner-friendly, and perfect if you want a chill outdoor day with the option to swim.

Location & Access

Ngare Ndare Forest sits on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya, between Timau and Lewa Conservancy.

Google Maps: Ngare Ndare Forest Trust

Nearest towns

• Timau (30 mins)
• Nanyuki (60 mins)

Access

• Self-drive is common. High clearance vehicle is ideal.
• You drive to the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust office/forest gate, where you park and handle entry formalities.
• Mobile signal is usually good up to the office and then becomes patchy once you’re inside the forest.

Entry Requirements

Ngare Ndare Forest is managed by the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust. Details can change, but the general pattern is:

• Operating hours: 08:00–17:00
• Entry fees: paid at the forest office ( 2000 for residents plus 1000 for armed guide)
• Booking: required - you need to reserve an armed guide.
• Guides: required.

Kindly double-check current fees and rules with the forest office before you go.

Route Description

From the forest reception, follow the 4x4 track as it heads gently downhill into the forest. The path is wide, easy to follow, and quickly becomes cooler and shadier as you enter thicker indigenous forest with tall red cedars and wild olive.

After roughly 30 minutes, leave the main vehicle track on a short forest detour that drops steeply into the river bed. This leads you to the famous Blue Pools; clear turquoise water fed by Mount Kenya. It’s a natural rest spot and a good place for a snack, photos, and (for the brave) a cold plunge.

From the pools, continue a short distance along the river bed to reach the waterfall. It’s a tall cascade with a deep plunge pool at its base. The final descent is steep and can be slippery, so take care.

Most groups return the same way back to the forest reception. From there, continue to the start of the canopy walkway. The 450 m suspended bridge crosses a tree-filled valley, sways gently, and offers great views over the forest. It’s beginner-friendly and popular with families.

You can find this route visualized inside the Savanna Guides app.

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Highlights

Indigenous Forest & Wildlife

Ngare Ndare is a proper forest rather than a plantation:

• Red cedars, Sycamore figs, wild olive, podocarpus, and other indigenous species
• Plenty of birds; you may also see monkeys
• Larger wildlife such as buffalo or elephants can pass through the area, which is one reason going with a guide is important.

Blue Pools

The Blue Pools are glacier-fed and very cold, even on a hot day.

• Clear turquoise water.
• Deep enough for plunging.
• Great for a short plunge or a quick swim.
• Slippery rocks around the edges.

Canopy Walk

The canopy walkway is one of the reasons Ngare Ndare is so memorable:

• Long, suspended bridge system above the trees
• Gentle sway, but solid underfoot
• Great viewpoints for photos and short videos
• Nice place to look for birds and monkeys

Trail Conditions

This section focuses on how the trail feels and behaves, not just the numbers.

• Terrain: mostly forest tracks and paths, with some rocky or rooty sections near the river
• Gradient: generally gentle with a few short, steeper segments on the river banks.
• Surface: can get muddy and slippery after rain; in dry season it's mostly firm.
• Navigation: straightforward with a guide;
• Phone signal: generally weak or absent inside the forest, better at the office and on some higher ground
• Facilities: basic toilets and a small office area near the gate; no facilities at the pools themselves.

Gear & Packing List

Essentials

• 1.5 L of water per person
• Snacks or a packed lunch
• Comfortable trail shoes or sturdy trainers
• Hat and sunscreen
• Light, breathable clothing that can dry quickly
• A small daypack

Nice to have

• Swimwear and a light towel
• Dry bag or zip-lock for your phone and camera
• Light fleece or windbreaker (especially mornings or cloudy days)
• Simple first aid kit (plasters, painkillers, blister care)

Safety & Tips

• Weather: prefer the dry season.
• Swimming: the water is very cold and pools can be deep. Life jackets are offered free of charge.
• Wildlife: stick with your armed guide.
• Leave no trace: pack out all rubbish, including food wrappers and bottles.

Best Time to Go

• Season: the drier months (roughly June - October and January - March) offer the easiest walking and driving conditions.
• Time of day: starting mid-morning works well.
• Weekdays vs weekends: weekdays are quieter; weekends and holidays can be busy at the pools.

Notes

Ngare Ndare Forest is an excellent hike for people who want something more adventurous than a park walk but less intense than a big mountain. The combination of forest, canopy walkway, and cold blue pools packs a lot of variety into a relatively short day.

It’s beginner-friendly, photogenic, and a great way to introduce friends to hiking without intimidating terrain. The canopy walk alone makes the visit worth it, and the swim at pools is the perfect finisher.

If you’re spending time in Nanyuki or around Mount Kenya, it’s an easy recommendation. Remember to book in advance.

It had been over a year since I last did a long hike in Mount Kenya and on the last days of December, last year, I went back - partly to spend free time and partly to close the year on a high.

The weather wasn't the best, the wet season was nearing its end and the mountain kept cycling between having clear skies, overcast, light showers and ultimately heavy rain. It was, nonetheless a good time on the mountain.

The Route

I had not planned to summit, rather I did a two-day loop on the Sirimon side of Mount Kenya accompanied by a guide: from Old Moses to Shiptons via the usual Mackinders valley and back via the Likii North route. The highest point was the Hausberg Col (4592 M), a short detour from Shiptons camp.

At its best, the route gave us the classic Mackinder’s Valley moments - clear views of the peaks, giant lobelias fields and the calming streams flowing down the mountain. At its worst, ponchos came out to shelter from the rain and the climb up to Likii North humbled us.

A false start

The trip started with a refusal.

I got to the Sirimon Gate towards end of the day, my plan had been to camp and begin my hike the next day. It turned out that I couldn't hike alone and needed a guide.
The park rangers were kind enough to help me - I got a guide coming off the mountain, who was willing to turn around for another trip.

I camped at the Judmeier campsite (KWS campsite) near Old Moses camp, where I met a group of porters and mountain crew who welcomed me to their tent for tea and turned what would have been a dull night into a loud and warm encounter.

Gentle climbs, gentle showers

The first day started out with clear skies and a warm morning sun.

We set out from Old Moses, traversing tussock fields, crossing two river valleys (Nyariginu and Likii) and reaching the viewpoint rest point. By now the weather had slowly turned to being cloudy and overcast.

We had our lunch at the viewpoint, talked with fellow hikers and then started our gradual ascent towards Shiptons camp in the Mackinders valley. It rained quite a bit on the way but cleared up on the last couple of kilometers.

We camped at the KWS Campsite, wonderfully situated next to small winding stream, and enjoyed the amphitheater views of the mountain peaks.

A high point with no views

The next morning, we started the climb toward Hausberg Col—the route’s high point at 4592 m.

It was a steep, slow climb to the top of the col, with the air thinning as we went up and the lobelia fields giving way to bare rocks and loose soil.

At the top of the col, there is supposed to be a great view of the Hausberg tarns on the other side of the mountain. Unfortunately the foggy weather that morning had closed off the view. We however had great views of the Shiptons camp below us.

After our small detour to the Hausberg Col, we descended to Shiptons camp, picked our bags and headed back on the Mackinders valley, this time, aimed for Likii North campsite.

The hike to Likii North was uneventful except to the notable climb out of the Mackinders valley to the Likii North valley, on which the campsite is situated.

The weather remained overcast while we were on the Mackinders valley, became light showers as we hiked up out of the valley and proper rain as we descended to the Likii North campsite for our lunch.

After a brief half-hour lunch stop we proceeded towards Old Moses, crossing boggy sections and jumping over small gaps in the trail that had been eroded by the rains. The rainy weather made this section dull but my guide mentioned that there are excellent views of the peak in clear weather.

We arrived back at Old Moses around 4:30 in the afternoon, the weather had cleared again and I was dry except for my soaked trail runners. This was the end of my two days hiking trip.

FIELD NOTES

34 km • +1650m/-1630m • 4592m high point • Loop • Wet season

🗺️ Conditions

• Weather: rapid changes; assume rain even in clear mornings 🌧️
• Terrain: Mackinder’s gradual, Likii North boggy in wet conditions
• Altitude: noticeable above 4000m; steady pacing pays off

🥾 Recommendations

• Hausberg Col: worth the climb even without views
• Footwear: waterproof boots + gaiters for wet season
• Pacing: boring = safe at altitude, especially on wet rock

⚠️ Risks / Gotchas

• Likii North: bog, washouts, and slick footing after rain
• Weather shifts: rain typically after midday
• Guide requirement: no solo hiking; arrange before or at Sirimon Gate

🧰 Checklist

• Waterproof boots / gaiters
• Poncho or rain shell
• Dry bag / pack liner
• Trekking poles
• Thermal layer for Shiptons night
• 2L water + electrolytes

Parks Fees for Locals

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