Are you planning a days excursion away from the pearl sandy beaches of the Kenyan coast? Then Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary is the place to visit.

The Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary which forms part of the larger Shimba Hills Ecosystem is a major tourists attraction in Kwale County. This scenic sanctuary that lies approximately 45 km southwest of the coastal town of Mombasa, is home to the famous African Bush Elephant, the Loxodonta Africana. Formed in the early 1990s as a community ecotourism project to reduce human wildlife conflicts, Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary is mainly characterized by magnificent features including rolling hills, steep ridges, raised cliffs,  and winding water shades.

Courtesy: Shimba Lodge

Set in a serene environment that is surrounded by spectacular landscapes and abundant vegetation, the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary is a must visit destination. Elephants are the main attraction here. When you visit this 36 km² sanctuary, elephant groups or families are easily spotted as they move between feeding and water areas or maybe crossing to the adjacent Shimba Hills National Reserve.

Apart from being home to elephants which are among the big five game animals of Africa, the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary is also habitat to several other wild mammal species including the warthogs, baboons, bushbucks and monkeys. It is also a unique bird sighting area, as it is home to various birds species including the crowned eagles, African hawks, honey guide and sunbirds. 

This sanctuary also has distinct botanic importance as it is home to the endangered native African cycad plant genus biologically known as the encephalartos.
  

There are six species of cycads in Kenya, all of which are found in the expansive Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary. These beautiful evergreen plants can grow and survive to around 150 years if not disturbed.

Touring the magnificent Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary offers a memorable lifetime experience as one gets a chance to take beautiful photos of the calm surrounding, and at the tented Mwaluganje camp.

Located in the heart of the Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kwale County, the Shimba Hills Lodge lies about 30 km south of the coastal town of Mombasa, and is the only tree lodge at the Kenyan coast nestled in a diverse ecosystem. This elegant lodge is accessible by local safari cabs, and its approximately a 30 minutes drive from the beach resort of Diani.

Accommodation here is exceptionally superb. The Shimba Hills Lodge has two equipped suites each with a spacious living room, a bedroom, an en-suite bathroom and a wooden balcony overlooking a waterhole from where one gets a close view of game animals as they come in to drink water. The Shimba Hills Lodge also has three triple rooms, and 13 twin rooms all with small balconies overlooking the waterhole too. 

Courtesy: Shimba Hills Lodge

This award winning lodge has an open veranda restaurant with a sitting capacity of 80-90 seats, and a bar attended to by qualified staff. During lunch hours, curious resident squirrels normally frequent the restaurant probably to have a bite of mouth-watering cuisine too.    

While at the lodge a visitor enjoys various activities including game drives to the expansive Shimba Hills National Reserve exploring magnificent scenery like the Sheldrick water falls, as well as tracking wildlife living in this national game reserve including the African bush elephant, sable antelopes, giraffes, leopards, buffaloes, colobus monkeys, baboons and warthogs. The Shimba Hills National Reserve famously known as ‘Home of the Sable Antelope’ is also a unique bird viewing place as it is a habitat to various bird species such as the fish eagles, hornbills, African hawks, Guinea fowls, uluguru and the blue sun birds.

A visitor can also opt to take a walk into the thick Shimba rain forest on a long wooden tree top walk way to a platform at the end where he can enjoy a sun downer drink or a romantic candle light dinner while observing wild animals like waterbucks and bushbucks, and also some common reptiles like the monitor lizards in their natural environment. At this platform, bush babies also come craving for a bite of the delicious Shimba Lodge meals.

Courtesy: Shimba Hills Lodge

After dinner one relaxes as he unwinds and gradually drift off to the sounds of the rain forest’s nocturnal choir awaiting the wake up calls by resident fish eagles.

The peacefulness at the Shimba Hills Lodge gives one a unique lifetime opportunity to reconnect with mother nature whilst enjoying breathtaking views of the surrounding coastal rain forest that is home to over 1,300 tree species and over 295 butterflies species.

For adventure holidays, the Shimba Hills Lodge is absolutelty the place to visit!

Kwale County Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, is rolling out a project named Increasing Small Holder Productivity and Profitability through Good Agriculture Practices (IPP-GAP), which is anticipated to bring change in the county’s agricultural sector. This project focuses on production change whereby farmers will improve their productivity through adaptation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) such as use of improved planting technologies and use of improved seeds to enable them move from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

In Conservative Agriculture, farmers mainly focus on three key farming principles which are continuous minimum soil disturbance, permanent organic soil cover, mixed cropping and crop rotation. To minimize soil disturbance, farmers in Conservative Agriculture use shallow weeder to get rid of the weeds.

Jipe Moyo Women Group L-Lunga receiving seeds  / Neema Mwachome

The project also sustains crop yields while saving on production resources, maintaining or improving soil fertility and conserving water and the environment to achieve acceptable and sustainable profits. Therefore through CA farmers can achieve both sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods; farmers are enabled to receive an increased profit per unit and with the large volumes leading to optimized profits.

On Monday 11th December, 2017, Kwale County Director for Agriculture Mr. David Wanjala, flagged off the caravan distributing seeds, fertilizers, animal-drone and tractors drone implements to farmers within Lunga Lunga, Matuga and Msambweni sub counties.

The IPP-GAP Project that started back in 2015 targets 150 farmer groups from Kwale County and it is expected to run to 1st June 2018. Targeted farmers are trained by Kwale County Agricultural Extension Officers on how to specialize implements for planting and applied fertilizer. Trainings are carried out at a central demonstration farm belonging to one of the farmers group. The group mentorship involves meeting each group for a minimum of 3 hours each week for a total of 15 weeks per cropping season.

Besides increased productivity, Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA) links Kwale farmers to the markets. ‘’We want to ensure that farmers in this County produce quality, quantity and consistent produce.” said Mr.Wanjala. “The farmers should seek advice from the County Agricultural Officers to know which crops do better in their areas.’’ He added.

Among the many beneficiaries of the project which focuses on Semi-arid areas with little rain, is Jipe Moyo women group of Lunga Lunga with 26 members which started in 2009 with poultry farming, before adopting Conservative farming in 2015.

On her side, Agnes Gitahu, the chairlady of the Jipe Moyo women group said Conservative farming reduces costs. “We use herbicide to get rid of weeds and plant our crops; this herbicide is cheaper compared to the tractor service charge we pay when preparing our farms.” She said. Jipe Moyo women group farmers rotate from one farmer to another in a merry go round way to help each other in planting, and they mainly grow maize, green grams, cow peas and cassava.

Source: Neema Mwachome

Voted Africa’s best beach destination for four consecutive years, Kwale County’s Diani Beach Resort is a picturesque setting of pearl white sand blending into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. This beautiful beach that stretches 10 km from Kongo Mosque to the north to Galu beach to the south, is located 19 miles south of the coastal town of Mombasa. Its unblemished white sand expanse combined with the tranquility and hospitality here brings out an exclusive African beach holiday experience.   

Sky Diving at Diani /Photo: Susan Nyamawi

This unique and diverse resort is a beehive of activities from dawn to dusk, with local and foreign tourists flocking to Diani making this beach a lively place to visit. The Diani beach curio businesses are a unique feature here, as visitor buy themselves sculpture souvenirs or even beautiful African attire ranging from kikois, to batik shirts, Maasai shukas, safari chapeaus, t-shirts, bracelets among other artifacts. Many sporting events take place in Diani beach including sky diving, kite surfing, jet skis, beach volleyball, swimming, camel riding among others. With the famous sky diving, one gets a memorable chance to experience the thrills of free fall and a magnificent canopy flight over the coastline of Diani at a  height of 12,000 feet or 3,600 meters.

Apart from these activities, one can take a trip to see the protected colobus monkeys of Diani, tour the nearby sacred Kaya forests or opt to visit the historical Kongo Mosque. You can even organize a day trip to the neighboring Shimba Hills National Reserve to view a variety of wildlife including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, sable antelopes, and water bucks. At the same time you can decide to go further south to the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve for snorkeling, dolphin and turtle sighting, and dhow tours to Wasini and Funzi islands.

Accommodation in Diani is best with most of the hotels and lodges spread along the Diani beach road, beautifully hidden behind a line of forest. In these beach hotels visitors enjoy well cooked African cuisine as they get entertained by live band performances especially during lunch hours and dinner times.

Travelling to Diani is either by plane from Nairobi Wilson Airport directly to Ukunda airstrip. One can also take a plane from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi to Moi Airport in Mombasa and from there hire a cab from various tour companies, or even board public means of transport (matatu) to Diani. However when you set your foot on the pearl sand of Diani Beach keep in mind one very important thing! High standards of environmental management and conservation are observed here, hence littering is a taboo.

Litter bins along Diani Beach

On Tuesday 12^th December Kenya marked her 54^th Jamhuri Day, a day celebrated each year to commemorate the day when this country became a republic after gaining full independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. Regarded as Kenya's most important day, Jamhuri Day is marked at National, and County levels.

This year Kwale County held its celebrations at Shimba Hills in Kubo South ward, colorful celebrations led by H.E Governor Salim Mvurya and the County Commissioner Ngumo Karuku.

In his speech Governor Mvurya urged the residents of Kwale County and Kenyans in general to co-exist in peace and not to allow divisions along tribal and political lines. The Governor who is serving his second and last term in office reiterated that Kenyans from all communities and political divides have a right to be served equally without any sort of discrimination in Kwale County.   

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya / Photo: Ali Kipapuro.

"Everybody is your neighbor irrespective of which community they come from. You will only go to your neighbor to ask for salt. You cannot go to Nairobi to borrow salt but to your neighbor." The Governor explained.

He emphasized that peace and unity are key to political and economical stability in any nation in the world. At the same time Governor Mvurya asked Kenyans to shun political leadership that incites one people against the other, calling such leadership a catalyst for destruction.

He has also called upon leaders from all levels and political divides to strive in uniting Kenyans for ease of better service delivery to the nation.

"Elections are over now, and every leader needs to fulfil the promises he gave to his electorates during the campaign period." He said.

Touching on the issue of education in Kwale County, Governor Mvurya assured that all students from this county who will get admission to national schools will get full sponsorship for the secondary education under the County Government’s ‘Elimu Ni Sasa’ initiative. His assurance comes at a high time when Kwale County produced the 4^th best student in the country, in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations, a big achievement to this County.

At the same time Governor Mvurya stated that Kwale County Government will continue working hand in hand with the National Government in an aim to achieve set development agendas especially in the infrastructure and health sectors. Currently the upgrading projects of Samburu-Kinango and Lunga Lunga-Vanga roads to bitumen, and the expansion project of Ukunda airstrip are underway.

Kwale County Commissioner Ngumo Karuku / Ali Kipapuro.

The Governor also touched on the health sector saying that the County Government of Kwale is devoted to ensuring that Kwale residents enjoy quality and accessible healthcare services. Already Msambweni Referral Hospital has a modern ICU unit, an equipped dialysis room, a blood bank among other modern facilities.

On his part, Kwale County Commissioner Ngumo Karuku assured Kwale residents that his administration will work together with County Government for easy of service delivery to all citizens. He also called upon the people of Kwale to co-exist peacefully and maintain law and order all the time.

The colorful County Jamhuri Day celebrations held at Shimba Hills were filled up with entertainment from various groups including youth groups invited to showcase their talents. 

Parade

Kwale Arts

Sky Blue

Several officials from both levels, the County and National government attended this ceremony among them County CEC member and administration officers.

Located 30 km southwest of Mombasa town and 15 kms inland from Kombani junction off the Mombasa - Lunga Lunga highway, Kwale town that borders the Shimba Hills National Reserve is famously known for its unique public garden, The Baraza Park.

Travelling uphill from Kombani, one is accorded a warm welcome to this town by the serene environment characterized by long coconut palm trees that sway swiftly, whilst enjoying a panoramic view of the India Ocean at the Matuga, Vuga and Kwale hill tops.

People relaxing at the precious Kwale Baraza Park.

On reaching Kwale town, a few meteres from the Kwale County Headquaters is the magnificent Kwale Baraza Park, which has its uniqueness from the presence of tall, old indigenous trees that offer a cooling effect to the town and its environs.

The Kwale Baraza Park is a haven well conserved and protected by the local authorities and the larger community. Its tranquility and ease to access has made this garden a frequently visited spot where people from the milieu come to relax. For years now the Kwale Baraza Park has also been a main venue for national, county, community and other important functions.

The indigenous trees present here are also a feeding spot and a habitat to several bird, reptile and insect species. The Kwale Baraza Park is also a remarkable place for sighting the brave and fearless Shimba Hills baboons and monkeys which come out of National Reserve to take a walk in town.

Talking of the Kwale Baraza Park one has to commend the County Government of Kwale under the leadership of Governor Salim Mvurya for successfully rehabilitating this gem,  which was untended to in the past.

Today, the podium in the park where meeting are done is in good condition. Additionally there are adequate relaxing benches, toilets, a restaurant block, unique galana walk ways and ample parking space in this public facility. The rehabilitation project also encompassed flowers planting in the garden. From time to time the Kwale Baraza Park is cleaned by youth from the National Youth Service (NYS), making it a clean place to visit.

Shifoga Gardens Cafe in the heart of Kwale Baraza Park

Apart from being a recreational site and an ideal venue for hosting national, county and community functions, the presence of indigenous trees in this garden has a significance to the Kaya elders who to them the trees are sacred.

Near the Baraza Park are important facilities including the Kwale Hospital, Equity and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) bank branches and ATM points, several mosques and churches, government institutions such as the Kwale Huduma Centre, and some safari lodges and guest houses.

Transport to this park is either the use of public means where one takes a matatu from Likoni Ferry or from Kombani, or even one can use a private car or a taxi. 

From Likoni it is approximately a 40 minutes drive to Kwale town.

Kwale Baraza Park is a unique enchantment, and its inherent features give you a feel of nature and a memorable lifetime experience. Don’t be left out! Take your time to visit this magnificent recreational park.

Situated on the southern coast of Kenya near Shimoni and south of Wasini Island of Kwale County, the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve is a key tourist attraction. Made up of four scenic coral islands namely Kisite, Mpunguti Ya Juu, Mpunguti Ya Chini and Jiwe Jahazi, the park covers an area of 39 square kilometers (Kisite Park 28km² and Mpunguti Reserve 11km²). It is home to a wide range of endemic marine animals and also a breeding zone for migratory birds.

Tourists at Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park / Photo: Juma Chigodi.

Nicknamed the ‘Home of The Dolphin’ Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve is a unique diving and snorkeling location at the Kenyan coast. Its pristine coral reefs comprising of 56 coral genera are a habitat to over 250 fish species among them the whale sharks, moray eels, groupers, rays, snappers, angel fish and the scorpion fish. Two species of sea grass and numerous sponges are also found in this park. Many tourists visit this park for dolphin and turtle sighting. Three species of dolphins spinner, humpback and bottle-nosed dolphins  are found in Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve alongside two species of sea turtles, the green turtle and the hawksbill. Though the park is open all year round, diving and snorkeling is best between the months of October and March when visibility is good. Apart from diving and snorkeling, visitors can also enjoy sunbathing and bird watching.

Kisite Mpunguti Marine park is accessible by dhow or private boat hired in Shimoni, which is the starting and ending point of the park excursion. Tours to the park normally start at around 0800 hours at Shimoni and later tourists are taken to various hotels in Wasini Island or even Shimoni where they enjoy well cooked Swahili sea food lunch comprising of mangrove crabs, fresh fish, coconut rice and fresh drinks. 

Shimoni dhows / Photo: Susan Nyamawi.

Back in Shimoni, visitors can tour the Shimoni Slave Caves, a historical site which is a primary attraction in the area. The Shimoni caves were used by slave merchants during the times of the Indian Ocean trade centuries back as a holding pen for slaves who were on transit to the Zanzibar slave market where they were sold and shipped to the Middle and Far East. The cave which is home to bats has also been used as a shrine by the local community.

Also the Shimoni Forest which is one of the smallest East African Coastal Rain Forests is home to the famous Angolan black and white colobous monkeys, and over 117 birds species. A local group Friends of Shimoni Forest can organise forest visits for interested tourist.

Among the hotels and lodges of Shimoni are the Pilli Pippa, the famous Betty's Camp, Shimoni Reef Lodge, Shimoni Gardens Resort, and the nearby Mwazaro Mangrove Lodge in the neighboring Mwazaro village. 

Amidst huge ancient baobab trees at the northern most part of the exotic shoreline of Diani, lies the Kongo Mosque, a unique monument that has stood for ages. Believed to have been built in the 14th century by the early Arab merchants who visited the East African coast, Kongo Mosque formerly known as the Diani Persian Mosque has been documented as one of the oldest mosques in the region.

The Kongo Mosque of Diani.

The name Kongo was derived from a name found inscribed on a stone on one of the ancient graves at the mosque compound, where one Muslim faithful Swaddiq Kongo was buried centuries back. This mosque was abandoned when the Arabs left the East African coast and it ended up being engulfed in a thicket. However 300 years ago, it is said that a native Muslim scholar by the name Sheikh Mwinyi Kombo had a revelation while in his sleep, directing him to look for this mosque. After a couple of days searching, Mwinyi Kombo found the mosque and him together with the local community then cleansed it and from that time onwards it has been used for prayers.

A historical monument lying on a serene environment overlooking the Indian ocean, the Kongo mosque is a remarkable attraction to local and foreign tourists. Its unique architectural design makes it mosque distinct. But being a sacred building, visitors who come to the area are required to observe sanity while in the mosque compound. Here alcoholic drinks, music and people entering the mosque compound wearing swimming costumes are things that are not allowed at all.

Kongo Mosque area.

The story of Kongo mosque does not end there, meters into the ocean there is a huge round stone. The locals believe that the stone is a sacred, and in the past many people frequented it to make rituals. It is narrated that the stone used to revolve but nowadays it has stopped, for reasons not known by the present day narrators. The stone can be accessed during low tides but when the tide is high, it is completely coverd by water.

Seated on an 18 accre peace of land, the Kongo mosque has ample parking space for muslim faithfuls and other visitors going there. But as you ponder visiting the Kongo mosque or Diani beach as a whole for a swim, it is advisable to follow instructions given out by the life guards deployed here by the local authorities for your own safety.

Situated in Kwale County, Shimba Hills National Reserve famously known as ‘The Paradise of Sable Antelope’ sits on the second largest East African Coastal Rain Forests in Kenya, about 33 kilometers south of the coastal town of Mombasa. 

The National Reserve which has an area of 250 square kilometers is among the major tourist destinations not only in Kwale County, but Kenya as a whole.

Eastern sable antelopes. Photo courtesy Shimba Lodge

Shimba Hills National Reserve is the home to the only sable antelope population in the country.

The name Shimba Hills comes from the words ‘Vilima vya Shambi’ which to the local communities living around the park meant the hilly terrain they referred to as the hills of the shambi, a Mijikenda name for the sable antelopes.

There are four subspecies of sable antelopes which inhabit the East African woodland savannah south of Kenya, and in the Southern African region. The Kenyan subspecies found in Shimba Hills National Reserve is known as the eastern sable (hippotragus niger roosevelti).

Apart from the sable antelopes, Shimba Hills National Reserve has different species of other animals, birds, snakes, over 295 species of butterflies and more than 1,300 identified species of trees. Some of the tree species are endemic to Shimba Hills National Reserve and are not found anywhere else in the world, such as the vangueriopsis shimbaensis.

Local tourists enjoying at the Sheldrick Falls.

Shimba Hills is a scenic and a special interest reserve. Inside this reserve is the unique Sheldrick Falls, and the highest hill top of Pengo where visitors can have a panoramic view of the surrounding environment.

The reserve is also a key water catchment area, and a source of the Marere Springs which provide house hold water to many areas of Kwale and Mombasa counties.

Also this area has rich history dating back to the East African slave trade and colonial eras. Here there are ancient graves and also trenches used during the times of the world war. Inside the Shimba Hills National Reserve is the Kaya Kwale, a sacred forest to the Digo community.

Shimba Hills National Reserve is a unique camping area with several camping and picnic sites. Also there is the Shimba Hills Lodge which is privately owned.

Shimba Hills Wildlife:

Sable antelopes, elephants, colobus monkies, giraffes, leopards, civet cat, hyenas, waterbucks, bush pigs, buffaloes, African bush babies, bushbucks among others.

Birds of Shimba Hills:

Ostrich Eagle, African Hawk; Falcon, Cuckoo; Guinea-fowl, Kenya Crested; Honey guide, Greater; Hornbill, Crowned; Quail, Blue; Sunbird, Uluguru.

Reptiles of Shimba: Python, Cobra, Lizard, and Gecko.