- For other places of the same name, see Kakamega (disambiguation).
| Kakamega Forest National Reserve ((in)Kakamega Forest National Reserve (sw) Msitu wa Kakamega) | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Kenya |
|---|---|
| Region | Western Kenya Northern Nyanza |
| IUCN Category | II (National Park) |
| Administration | Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service |
| Area | 45 km² (central area) 230 km² (peripheral area) |
| Location | |
 0 ° 17 ′ 30 ″ N 34 ° 51 ′ 22 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
The Kakamega Forest National Reserve is located at Western Kenya in Kakamega County. Although the national reserve only covers an area of 45 km2, it is part of a larger forest domain, him, of 230 km2 and which is the last primary tropical rainforest of Kenya.
The main attraction here is the observation of monkeys and hundreds of species of birds, some of which are endangered. This observation of the animals present in the biotope is, moreover, greatly facilitated by the presence of forest guards who know perfectly well where to find a particular species.
Understand
The Kakamega forest is the last reminiscence, in Kenya, the ancient tropical rainforest that stretched from the coast of Guinea-Bissau on theAtlantic Ocean at kenyan coastline on theIndian Ocean. It is interspersed with more or less vast clearings created either by wild animals such as elephants or by man to graze his cattle. The altitude varies from 1 466 To 1 779 m.
It is divided into three distinct reserves:
- the national reserve managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), located in the north and corresponding to the forests of Buyangu and Kisere
- the forest reserve managed by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) which depends on the Ministry of Forests, Mines and Soil
- the nature reserve managed by the same ministry, being two areas enclosed in the forest reserve, one, Isecheno, in the center and the other, Lirhanda, in the south
In the national reserve, any human interaction is strictly prohibited and offenders are reprimanded with a fine of 5 000 KES or a three-month jail term. In the other two, the inhabitants of the region have been authorized, since 1979, to collect dead wood or to graze their cattle for a monthly entrance fee of 100 KES.
Physical geography
Relief and geology
The relief is that of an ancient eroded mountain range where the main rivers flow from east-northeast to west-southwest. The average altitude is between 1 500 m, in the valleys, and 1 600 m, on the ridges. The lowest elevation rating is 1 466 m where the Yala river leaves the reserve. The three highest points are, in descending order, Ikuywa Hill at 1 779 m, the hill of Lirhanda in 1 734 m and Buyangu hill at 1 633 m.
The subsoil is mainly made up of gneiss and phonolite that appeared during the formation of the Kavirondo rift which is a western lineament of the East African rift. Quartz or gold veins, as in Batcave, occupy the residual spaces of metamorphic rocks.
Weather
Daytime temperatures vary between 20 and 30 ° C. The lowest daytime temperature ever recorded was 11 ° C. Monthly atmospheric precipitation varies between 200 and 700 mm with a long rainy season between March and April as well as a shorter one between November and December. The driest months are January and February. The average annual rainfall is 2 080 mm. Two important rivers, the Yala and the Isiukhu, cross the forest thus increasing the humidity.
Historical
- 1820, the Kakamega forest covers 2 400 km2 and is contiguous with the forest of Nandi;
- 1910, opening of Shamba system (shamba means "farm", "field" in swahili) ;
- 1926, creation of the Kakamega forest reserve;
- 1933, registration in the official journal of the forest of Kakamaga as "True forest" ((in)True Forest) ;
- 1967, creation of the Yala (currently Lirhanda) and Isecheno nature reserves;
- 1979, introduction of taxes for the use of forest products;
- 1984, significant deforestation in the southern part to create the Nyao-Kaimosi tea-growing area, resulting in the separation of the Nandi forest from that of Kakamega;
- 1985, abolition of the Shamba system and creation of the integral reserves of Buyangu and Kisere;
- 1986, registration in the official journal of the integral reserves of Buyangu and Kisere as a national reserve;
- 1994, the women's group Mama watoto ("Mother of the children" in Swahili) helps its members to practice beekeeping and to afforest their own land with trees either intended for heating as the Grevillea robusta either intended to attract pollinating insects such as Calliandra calothyrsus ;
- 1995, creation of nurseries for native tree seedlings known for their phytotherapeutic or medicinal properties;
- 2001, breeding of native and endemic butterflies for lepidopterophiles and restocking;
- 2008, introduction of stingless bees for local beekeeping;
- 2010, the Kenya Wild Service submits a file to UNESCO for the national reserve to be included in the world heritage as a natural asset.
Bibliography
- Mikaël Poissonnet, Vincent Brudo and Mireille Dosso, “The protected forest of Kakamega (West Kenya) between two immediate futures: announced destruction or concerted management? ", Agriculture Notebooks, Montrouge, John Libbey Eurotext, vol. XV, n ° 5, September-October 2006, p. 409-415 (ISSN 1777-5949, read online [PDF])
To go
National reserve
By matatu and shared transport
From the market of Kakamega, take the matatu for Webuye and get off at Mwanza. There take a pikipiki or one boda-boda to Isukuti Guest House. You can also ask to be dropped off at the track towards Kambiri but then you will probably have to complete the 2,3 km remaining on foot.
By taxi, ask the driver to take you to Isukuti Guest House (price in 2014: 1 500 KES).
By car
From Kakamega town hall, take the road A1 towards Webuye and, after 15,6 km, turn right onto the track towards the Kenya Wildlife Service offices.
Nature reserve
By matatu and shared transport
From the market of Kakamega, take the matatu for Shinyalu. There, simply turn the corner on your right and, at the Khayega Stop, take a pikipiki or a boda-boda to the Forest Rest House in Isecheno. Otherwise, on foot, turn the corner on your left until you reach the Isecheno primary school, then turn left onto the track towards the Forest Rest House (distance 6,3 km).
By taxi, ask the driver to take you to the Forest Rest House (price in 2014: 1 500 KES).
By car
Departing from Kakamega Town Hall, take the aerodrome road (Khasakhala Road) on 10,7 km until Shinyalu, turn left on the track towards Isecheno on 5,5 km, at the Isecheno primary school, turn left onto the track towards the Forest Rest House.
Circulate
Access to the national reserve is possible all year round from 6 h - 18 h and the entrance fee for foreigners is 25 $ per adult and 15 $ per child between 3 and 18 or per student under 24 with their international student card (ISIC card). The right of access is only paid in fiduciary currency (USD or KES).
Access to the Isecheno Nature Reserve is from 600 KES, also between 6 and 18 h, while that of the forest reserve is free and without time limit.
motor vehicles are prohibited in the national reserve apart from the track leading to the two housing sites of Buyangu. Two dirt tracks in good condition but very popular with local residents cross the forest reserve. One connects Shinyalu to Chepsonoi and the other Lunyu to the previous track. Various perfectly maintained and marked trails can be traveled on foot or by mountain bike.
If the visitor will remember to bring neither a pair of binoculars, a camera or a camera, he will also be advised to put on good walking shoes and to bring food water. , a headgear and waterproof clothing, especially in March and April or during morning excursions when the mist hangs in the valleys. On night trips, it will be wise to coat the bare parts of the body with a repellent such as a solution containing 30% DEET for adults and 10% for children under 12 years old. Another precaution will be to have at least one stick per group of visitors in order to keep snakes away and remember that hitting them with this stick is totally prohibited.
To see
Wildlife
If large mammals are rare there because elephants and buffaloes have been removed from the ecosystem, the different species of birds, snakes and butterflies listed are very varied:
- 400 species of butterflies including Acraea, from Junonia, from Tirumala, from Limenitidinae euphaedra and Charaxes ;
- other arthropods such as the goliath beetle (Goliathus goliatus), mantids (Mantidae) and centipedes (Myriapoda) ;
- 367 species of birds including numbers of turacos (Musophagidae) and more particularly the giant turaco (Corythaeola cristata) as well as timaliids (Timaliidae) whose Kakamega poliothorax and souimangas (Nectarinia) including the Kakamega Green-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia rubescens kakamegae). Rarer, the Psittacus erithacus erithacus, one of the two subspecies of the jaco parrot (Psittacus erithacus), whose population is estimated at ten individuals as well as Chapin's flycatcher (Muscicapa lendu) whose species is also threatened;
- 40 species of snakes like forest cobras including the black and white cobra (Naja melanoleuca). The Gabon viper (Bitis gabonica), the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) and the green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) are also present;
- other squamates like chameleons (Chamaeleonidae), geckos (Gekkota) and agamas (Agama) ;
- amphibians like Phrynobatrachus, toads and the Ptychadena mascareniensis ;
- monkeys like Brazza's cercopithecus (Cercopithecus neglectus) which is an endangered species and is only found in the Kisere forest, the guéréza colobus (Colobus guereza), the silver monkey (Cercopithecus mitis), ascagne (Cercopithecus ascanius), the olive baboon (Papio anubis) and other primates such as Bosman's potto (Perodicticus potto) which is reputed to be the slowest mammal on earth;
- other mammals such as squirrels, including the giant forest squirrel, the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), the African civet (Civettictis civetta) and the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata), the potamogale (Potamogale velox) and the red bush pig (Potamochoerus porcus).
- Butterfly trip reports – List of butterflies recorded in Kakamega forest in 1993 (in).
- Checklist of birds – Complete list of birds recorded in Kakamega forest in 1989 (in).
Flora
It is characterized by massive trees. Among the 350 species of plants identified, 160 are indigenous, including many ferns and orchids as well as camphorated basil. (Ocimum kilimandscharicum) very popular in the composition of essential oils but also in herbal medicine as an antiseptic or as a poison against snakebites.
The largest and oldest tree is found in the forest of Isecheno. Locally known as mama mutere, it's a Maesopsis eminii over 40 m and aged about 250 years. The bark of this native species is of great value in traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach ailments. Some say it is also beneficial in the fight against prostate cancer.
Other points of interest
- 1 Isiukhu Fall – Falls of the Isiukhu River as it enters Buyangu Forest.
- 2 Buyangu hill – Viewpoint in the national reserve at 1 633 m altitude.
- 3 Lirhanda Hill – Point of view and 2e highest point of the reserve at 1 734 m altitude.
- 4 Batcave – Old gold mine that can be visited where you can observe bat colonies.
Do
The Kenya Forest Service organizes excursions departing from the Forest Rest House in Isecheno as well as activities:
- bird watching and recognition of their song, duration 2 h and departure at 6 h 30 or to 16 h 30, 500 KES per person ;
- visit of a village and its market, duration 2 h , 500 KES per person ;
- night excursion, duration 2 h , 1 200 KES per person ;
- contemplation of the sunrise on Lirhanda Hill and visit of the Batcave, duration 3 h and departure at 5 h, 1 200 KES per person ;
- like the previous one but contemplation of the sunset, duration 3 h and departure at 17 h, 1 200 KES per person ;
- Isiukhu Fall and Buyangu Hill with motorized transfer between Isecheno and Buyangu, duration between 3 and 5 h , 2 000 KES per person. ;
- Yala river, duration between 5 and 7 h , 2 000 KES per person.
- presentation in Shibuye or Khayega of a mchezo wa ng'ombe, that is to say a traditional fight (without killing except accidental) between two bulls, organized one weekend each month; price to be discussed with the officer in charge of the Isecheno site.
- evening, at the Kenya Forest Service site in Isecheno, focused on Luya culture with representation of the traditional dance known as Isukuti, scenes based on oral traditions and bringing local knowledge on medicinal plants; price to be discussed with the officer in charge of the Isecheno site.
Eat
Apart from the places listed in the section below, “Staying” does not exist where to receive a prepared meal. These meals can be ordered by all visitors whether they are staying or not, except at Rondo Retreat Lodge where meals are reserved for residents.
The picnic is not prohibited as long as the place is left in the state preceding this picnic. However, it is strictly forbidden to light a fire outside the zones provided for this purpose in the camping sites of Udo's bandas and Isecheno KEEP bandas.
- Eat in the area – Restaurants at Kakamega.
Housing
- 1 Isukuti Guest House (in Buyangu forest),
254 56 30603, e-mail : [email protected] 
60 USD. – Three pavilions for two people each, all comfort. - 2 Udo's bandas (in Buyangu forest), 254 56 30603, e-mail : [email protected] 40 USD for 2-person pavilions and 80 USD for the 4-person pavilion, 15 USD for a campsite. – Three pavilions for two people each and one pavilion for four people, basic comfort, camping site.
- 3 Forest Rest House Off Shinyalu-Chepsonoi Road (in the forest of Isecheno), 254 726 951764 (cellphone), e-mail : [email protected] 500 KES per person per night, breakfast: 350 KES, lunch: 500 KES, dinner: 500 KES. – Lodge for eight people and two lodges.
- 4 Isecheno KEEP bandas Off Shinyalu-Chepsonoi Road (in the forest of Isecheno), 254 726 951764 (cellphone), e-mail : [email protected] 900 KES per lodge and per night, breakfast: 350 KES, lunch: 500 KES, dinner: 500 KES. – Five bungalows with basic comfort for a maximum of 21 people and a camping site.
- 5 Rondo Retreat Lodge Shinyalu-Chepsonoi Road (in the forest reserve near Lirhanda Hill), 254 733 527702 (cellphone), e-mail : [email protected] – 18 double bed rooms in a retreat center at Trinity Fellowship Christian Church.
- Accommodation nearby – Kakamega Hotels.
Security
 | Emergency telephone number: All emergency services:112 |
The national reserve, i.e. Buyangu and Kisere forests, is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) while the nature reserve, i.e. Isecheno and Lirhanda, and the forest reserve , that is, everything else, is managed by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
- Kenya Wildlife Service , 254 20 2418419, 254 20 2654658
- Kenya Forest Service , 254 726 951764, 254 771 806284 (cellphone)
- Kakamega Police , 254 60 322032
It is absolutely forbidden to light a fire outside the zones designated for this purpose in the camping sites of Udo's bandas and Isecheno KEEP bandas. Considering the presence of poisonous snakes, it is strongly advised not to leave the tracks and trails.
Around
- 1 Kakamega – City on the eastern edge of the reserve.
- 2 Ilesi Crying Stone – Quartzite rock top 40 m. It is one of the rocks that "weep" listed in the region. No matter how dry the season, water constantly springs from its base.
- 3 Kaimosi Tea Estate – Tea plantation, guided tour possible by appointment ( 254 56 52403).
