2-Day Shimba Hills Safari from Mombasa & Diani

About this journey

Shimba Hills National Reserve is the closest wildlife escape to Mombasa and Diani: a cool, forested plateau above the south coast, about an hour inland. This 2-day Shimba Hills safari from Mombasa combines a game drive with one of the coast's finest walks, down to the 82-foot Sheldrick Falls.

Shimba is a different kind of safari from the open plains of Tsavo. Its mix of coastal rainforest and grassland is home to the endangered sable antelope, found nowhere else in Kenya, along with elephant, buffalo, giraffe, bushbuck and colobus monkeys, and far more birds than most beach visitors expect.

You spend the night at Shimba Hills Green Lodge, then return to your beach resort before lunch on day two, so it fits easily into a coastal holiday without losing more than one beach day.

Good to know: the Sheldrick Falls walk follows a forest trail down to the river valley and back. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a swimsuit if you want to swim in the plunge pool at the base of the falls.

Who it suits: families with children who find long drives hard, keen walkers and birdwatchers, and anyone who has already done Tsavo and wants something different. The reserve is small and close to the coast, so you spend more time looking at wildlife and less time on the road.

Shimba Hills is also one of the few places on the coast where you can walk with a ranger in elephant country. The plateau sits at around 400 metres, so evenings at the lodge are noticeably cooler and less humid than on the beach. Bring a light jacket, insect repellent and shoes with grip for the forest trail.

Highlights

• Guided walk to the 82-foot Sheldrick Falls and its plunge pool
• Sable antelope, found in Kenya only at Shimba Hills
• Coastal rainforest, elephants and colobus monkeys
• Overnight at Shimba Hills Green Lodge
• Back at your beach resort before lunch on day two

What's included

Day by day

Where you stay