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Kiima Kimwe

Hiking Trails in Machakos

Kiima Kimwe: The Akamba State House

A hike up Kiima Kimwe to the upper reaches and the summit, one of lighthouse hiking launches in Machakos County, is a memorable and rousing experience. It offers a compelling facility for taking in the landscapes and superb photographs. And, way back when before colonial rule, the area occupied by Machakos town, below Kiima Kimwe, presently known as Ulu ( or highland), was a native trading post, with the geographical advantage of being surrounded by hill on three sides – Iveti and Mua Hills forming a wide curve around it and Kiima Kimwe Hill standing above the top open end. Quite unmistakable and easily recognizable by its deep gulleys, the bulk dome of Kiima Kimwe is an imposing and conspicuous landmark.

Reaching 6,078 ft east of Machakos Peoples Park and south of the main Machakos town, the isolated hill, where Rivers Liyini, Maruba and Miwongoni converge, was traditionally cherished as ‘The State House of Akamba’ serving as a base for Local Native Councils. Or again, it is on the Kiima Kimwe that the memorialized Prophet Masaku of the Akamba People is believed to have lived in the 1700’s. Still, there are yet more fascinating allegories to beckon the hiker to Kiima Kimwe: On the hill is a crater they believe Masaku drew water from but due to prolonged drought it has since dried up and a hulking 26 ms high rock that was child’s play for Masaku to leap over. Kiima Kimwe is located 1 km from the main town via C97 Kitui Road.


Hiking in Kenya offers a diverse range of landscapes and trails, from lush forests to arid deserts, and from high-altitude mountains to scenic coastal paths. The apex hiking trail in Kenya is Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest peak. There are eight hiking routes about it, the most popular of these being Sirimon and Chogoria.


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Part of the larger Ukambani alongside Kitui and Makueni, Machakos County is a nexus between Maasailand, the coast region, the central highlands, and Nairobi. The northern area of Machakos, being a dormitory zone for the capital of Nairobi and a peri-urban buffer for Kiambu, is developed with useful amenities. Southerly heading the ecology is continually semi-arid and the countryside more desolate.

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Generally speaking, Machakos has a temperate to warm climate with average annual temperatures ranging from 12°C to 27°C. Climate in much of the area is pleasant and similar to that of Nairobi, and finest below the hill ranges. Rain is heaviest in March, April and September.