{"id":300,"date":"2022-03-08T10:26:46","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T10:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wild-springs.com\/blog\/?p=300"},"modified":"2022-03-08T10:26:46","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T10:26:46","slug":"kihuri-forest-riverline-trek-and-jungle-swim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/kihuri-forest-riverline-trek-and-jungle-swim\/","title":{"rendered":"Kihuri Forest Riverline Trek and Jungle Swim"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"Kihuri-Forest-Bathing-Trek-&amp;-Jungle-Swim-Mt.-Kenya-Prep\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/kihuri-forest-bathing-trek-jungle-swim-mt-kenya-prep.jpg\" alt=\"Kihuri forest bathing magic, kihuri forest hike, kihuri forest  trail, hiking in Nyeri\" class=\"wp-image-1310\" style=\"width:512px;height:342px\" title=\"Kihuri Forest Bathing Trek &amp; Jungle Swim - Mt. Kenya Prep\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Kihuri forest straddles at Othaya Nyeri, about 125km north of Nairobi. Kihuri is among <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/hiking-trails-in-nyeri\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hiking trails in Nyeri<\/a>. Other hiking trails in Nyeri apart from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/kihuri-forest-trek\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kihuri Trekking Trail<\/a> include; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/gatangu-waterfalls-chase\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gatangu Hiking Trail<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/wild-springs.com\/category-tours\/hiking-trips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gura riverine Trek Hike<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/wild-springs.com\/tours\/njigari-forest-forest-bathing-trek\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Njigari <\/a>forest bathing Hike. Kihuri is part of the southern Aberdare National Park block. The hiking track commences at the Othaya treatment plant, also known as the Kihuri water treatment plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The forest covers about 4,894 acres. Kihuri Forest has several bodies that manage it. They include; Scout forest guard, community forest association, Kenya Forest Services, and Kenya Wildlife Service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The forest is an integral part of the water cycle. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/njigari-forest-bathing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kihuri<\/a>, Zuti, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/njigari-forest-bathing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Njigari<\/a> forests make up a larger <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/7-must-visit-trails-in-aberdares\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aberdares<\/a> Southern block that includes Gura Forest in its midst; all five form crucial &#8220;water towers&#8221; for Kenya&#8217;s population needs&#8211; Mt Elgon Mau Complex with its abundant rainfall supplies much-needed drinking water. At the same time, Cherangani Hills helps collect resources around Nakuru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"h-attractions-at-kihuri-forest\"><strong>ATTRACTIONS AT KIHURI FOREST<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"wildlife\"><strong>Wildlife<\/strong> of Kihuri Forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Kihuri forest is home to wildlife species: Elephants, Buffalo, Hyenas, etc. It is ideal for avid tourists, ornithology persons, or generally birds&#8217; lovers. Coming to contact with an elephant would not be a surprise. However, there are always two rangers to ensure the safety of tourists. The rangers&#8217; reaction depends on the elephants&#8217; actions. Over 150 species of birds call kihuri forest home. Some bird species include Laughing Dove, Golden Weaver, Common Starling, Pin-tailed Whydah.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Kihuri hikes are suitable for any age, children and the elderly included. A day hike would take about 16-18 km. With beautiful rivers, including the Golden Gura River, tourists can enjoy a jungle swim known as &#8216;Duff Mpararo.&#8217;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The forest also has very beautiful primary and also secondary plantations as a result of planting back the cut down primary trees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"weather-seasons\">Weather Seasons in Kihuri Forest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The terrain of kihuri depends on the weather at the time of visit. Therefore, it&#8217;s essential to know the seasons of the area. Jan, Feb, and half of March are considered dry with occasional rain. April, May, and part of June, there are lots of rain with just less than 5hrs break in a day. The other part of June, July, and part of August intense mist and extreme cold. September, the rains start to December. However, in November and December, the rain showers are pretty heavy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"cost-per-person\"><strong>COST PER PERSON<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Kenya Citizens kes 3500<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Kenya Residents kes 4250<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Non-residents 60$<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"inclusives\"><strong>INCLUSIVES<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Entrance fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Guide fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Photography<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Facilitation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"exclusives\"><strong>EXCLUSIVES<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Tips and Gratuities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Anything else not mentioned in the inclusions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"what-to-carry\"><strong>W<\/strong>hat to carry For Kihuri Forest Hike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The weather can be unpredictable at some point, so it&#8217;s advisable to carry all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/hiking-essentials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">essentials for Hiking<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>INCLUSIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; Entrance fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; Guide fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; Photography<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; Facilitation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EXCLUSIVES<\/strong> of Kihuri Forest Hike<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Tips and Gratuities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Anything else not mentioned in the inclusions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>What To Carry For Kihuri Forest River Line Trek<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The weather can be unpredictable at some point, so it&#8217;s advisable to carry all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/hiking-essentials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">essentials for Hiking<\/a>. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Comfortable hiking shoes with an excellent Grip. <a href=\"https:\/\/wildsprings.co.ke\/shop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shop Here <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Hiking Cargo pants or Fleece&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Hiking Synthetic or Polyester Top\/T-shirt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Binoculars if you are keen on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/birdlifekenya\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Birdlife<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Drinking water (Not less than 2 Liters)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sunscreen lotion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Heavy snack or packed Lunch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Energy Bars for a quick bite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Hard Shell rain Jacket and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/blog\/rain-ponchos-your-ultimate-guide-for-a-dry-hiking-adventure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Poncho<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Accessories: Sunglasses, Sunhat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp; Equipment; <a href=\"https:\/\/shorturl.at\/fAM47\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trekking Pole<\/a>, Hiking Backpack,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Camelback to carry water<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; Safety Essentials: a headlamp or Hand Portable Spotlight, Lighter matchbox or usual matchbox and whistle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>CONCLUSION&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The forest has some challenges and others faced by people around it. They include;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Poaching<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The forest is under 24 hours clock surveillance. However, poachers still manage to sneak in and kill elephants for their tasks. Most conservation areas hosting wildlife are experiencing. It is a menace that the necessary bodies fight to reduce, if not eradicate. Arresting lawbreakers ensure they serve as an example to all poachers and future poachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Illegal Logging<\/strong> in Kihuri Forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The kihuri forest has some of the best indigenous trees for wood. The timber industry generates money, which is tempting for some loggers to cut down trees without permission from the government or owners of that land. Illegally cutting down trees is not only dangerous but also illegal. The government protects our forests by implementing a sustainable conservation policy. The policy dictates loggers buy trees for damaged areas and plant new ones. In addition, if they don&#8217;t meet the rules with the consequences of serving a jail term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Conflicts of Parastatals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, the parastatals that govern the forest don&#8217;t cooperate. As a result, people on the ground, such as tour guides, end up suffering. For instance, 15 guides completed tour guiding training last year. However, currently, only three are left working in the forest. The reason is that they only wait until they have visitors to get paid, and the parastatals don&#8217;t agree on who to pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Tour Guides Safety<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When pre-visiting an area before tourists come. Guides face the risk of meeting with illegal loggers or poachers that, with no hesitation, beat them up badly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Community Benefits<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When the neighboring communities would receive a monthly allowance, they got only a few months of it. Then this stopped. motivating the communities to offer watch care services to the forest is generally a sustainable conservation effort. Importantly, it develops a sense of ownership.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Livestock Attack by Wild Animals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The neighboring community&#8217;s livestock gets attacked and killed by Hyenas, especially at night, and they also endanger the people&#8217;s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">However, the forest also has some advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; The community benefits from the forest at a lower price. They pay KES100 monthly for the collection of firewood. They also pay another KES 100 Bob monthly to feed their livestock.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Please Note<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The pick-up location &amp; time can change if a private group with a different Pickup location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Charges can change if the number of participants changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Camelback to carry water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&nbsp; &nbsp;Safety Essentials: a headlamp or Hand Portable Spotlight, a Lighter matchbox or usual matchbox, and a whistle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Kihuri Forest Hike Tour is available throughout the year. Also, Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WildSpringsAdventures\/events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weekend getaways<\/a> to see when this trek is scheduled again. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Enjoy a day tour of the beautiful Kihuri Forest in the southern Aberdare range. The hike offers beautiful views and an opportunity to explore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[24,45,46,67,399],"class_list":["post-300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hikes","tag-aberdare-trails","tag-best-day-hikes-in-kenya","tag-best-outdoor-groups-in-kenya","tag-easy-day-hikes-in-kenya","tag-tour-agencies-in-nairobi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildsprings.co.ke\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}