Kereita/Gatamaiyu Forest Day Hike

This is a moderate hike that starts at the southern edge of Gatamaiyu Forest reserve and finishes near Kimende town. The hike initially starts with a slow descent to a waterfall through dense jungle type of vegetation, then slowly back up through open forest, near “The Forest” premises and then back into woodland forest. Towards the end we pass through some farms and exit on a murram road a few km from Kimende township. The route through the forest is not always fixed and this results in a total hiking distance of 11-12km

It takes about 1.5 hours to get to the starting point and the roads are mostly smooth. The distance to the starting point is about 55km. We’ll depart the city at 6am

We’ll use Waiyaki Way – Nakuru highway up to Kimende where we will then turn towards Gatamaiyu forest

1. Hiking level – moderate – needs prior forest hiking experience or reasonable level of fitness and stamina. Total hiking distance is 11-12 km. Factors contributing to moderate hiking experience include slippery wet slopes, medium distance, thorny trees, humid environment, rough terrain and long stretches of gentle climbing

2. Main attractions – rainforest type vegetation, waterfall, river, birds, butterflies, woodland forest

3. Type of hike – forest type of hike through wet rainforest, woodland forest and open spaces

4. Atmospheric conditions – humid air in the rainforest, possible chances of rain depending on season

5. Slipping hazard – high during the trek to the waterfall due to the mud, wet slopes, wet forest sections. This is a hike you will definitely get dirty. We’ll also possibly be crossing a river where the water is a foot deep

6. Steepness – most sections are gently sloping. Total elevation change is almost 250m with the highest altitude being 2470m in the middle and the lowest being 2230m at the beginning

7. Hiking path condition – first 3km or so are through wet, slippery rainforest trails, after which is dry, firm open trails through forest for another 8km or so. The last few km will be through woodland forests, which can be dense in places

8. Water usage – medium – recommend a minimum of 2 litres

9. Route visibility – can be missing in places, especially in the rainforest – thus the need to keep together

10. Biodiversity – numerous species of insects, birds, fungi, trees and some domestic animals

The hike begins with a quick walk through the rainforest which continues to get denser and denser and we start to slow down. Even though the weather might have been cold at the starting, inside the forest is warmer and humid and some of us will likely be sweating

Part of the river downstream from the waterfall

The waterfall we hiked to see

The open forest paths after climbing up from the waterfall

Planted forest section near “The Forest”

Some images of the biodiversity found during the hike – from butterflies to splendid flowers to strange and colourful fungi

• Good hiking boots – these are really needed due to the slippery terrain
• Trousers and long sleeve shirts – due to the dense thickets and thorns, there are high possibilities of being scratched. Bring gloves if you can to make it easier on the hands
• Sun hat – to protect against the sun and overhead branches
• Water – at least 2 litres
• Lunch and snacks – the hike is long and we recommend you to carry some snacks and lunch. Snacks can include fruits, nuts and energy bars