Hiking Trails in Taita Taveta
Vuria Hill: The Everest of Kenya’s Coast Region
From Wundanyi town a good road winds through Taita Hills westerly heading for 16 km to Mwanda, and the traditional launching place up to Vuria Hill, the highest peak on the complex at 2,208 metres (7,244 feet). Rising abruptly on a steep ridge with just a fleck of its summit covered by forest, an upshot of deforestation, Vuria Hill is undoubtedly the prospect of unbeatable views. The surrounding 51-hectare forest has for decades now beheld a sweeping diminution, similar to other forest fragments on the complex left bare from wanton logging and austere regulations.
Just the same, the bare summit of Vuria Hill, with a natural rock ledge, offers 360o viewing deck. All the better, as Taita Hills has many peaks with stunning outlooks. Past the homesteads and villages the hike up Vuria Hill by ways of a beaten trail has switchbacks of forest glades, towering ferns, grassy natural clearings, bush and springs; many perfectly safe to drink from. It is an exacting hike, not however exceeding a moderate kind, and is all told fulfilling, often in clouds of mist. Not to be missed en-route is a Mwangeta Caves once used by the natives as a hideout and rendezvous point during the Mwanda rebellion of 1892 opposing colonialism.
The summit, which takes an hour to two to reach, with the great accolade of being highest area in the Coast Region, rewards the hiker with one of a kind breathtaking view, well worth the trouble. Total walking distance covered is about 5.5 km with an elevation gain of 480 metres. And while it still 500 ms shy of the halfway point to the snows of Kilimanjaro, seen to the far west, it is still a significant altitude and everything in betwixt looks miniature except for the plains that unravel endlessly.
With prior arrangements and booking through Kenya Forest Service camping is allowed at the summit of Vuria. By night, the wide view of the African night skies is stunning and watching the constellations from here is a dreamlike transposing fix. It gets really chilly at night and it is advisable to carry warm clothes and blankets. The descend takes about an hour. A good place to stay at Wundanyi is Taita Rocks Hotel, where the management can organize for local guides. Alternatively, you can get in touch with Nature Kenya for organizational arrangement to hike Vuria Hill.
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.
Index of Hiking Trails Around Kenya
Elgeyo Marakwet - Kessup Falls, Torok Falls, Embu County - Kirimiri Forest & Nthenge Njeru Falls, Irangi Trail (Mount Kenya), Homa Bay County - Homa Hills, Mount Kwitutu, Kajiado County - Ngong Hills, Mount Olorgesailie, Mount Suswa, Nguruman-Entasopia Falls, Ol Doinyo Orok, Mount Kilimanjaro, Kakamega County - Kambiri Hill, Kiambu County - Gatamaiyu Camp, Kirinyaga County - Kamuruana Hill, Kamweti Route, Kisii County - Sameta Hill, Machakos County - Ol Donyo Sabuk, Kanzalu Range, Lukenya Hills, Kiima Kimwe, Makueni County - Nzaui Range, Mbooni Hills, The Kenze Gorges, Meru County - Kaithandu Hill, Sirimon Route, Chogoria Route, Themwe Route, Marania Route, Nairobi County - Ololua Forest Trail, Karura Forest, Nakuru County - Mount Longonot, Eburru, Table Mountain, The Sleeping Warrior, Nandi County - Ngabunat Cave, Nyandarua County - Kijabe Hills, Ragia Forest Trail, Elephant Hill, Rurimeria Hill Trail, Satima Trail Aberdare Range, The Table Mountain, Kinangop Hill, Nyeri County - Njigari Forest Trail, Samburu County - Mount Ololokwe, Mount Poi, Taita Taveta County - Vuria Hill, Trans Nzoia County - Wagagai Peak, Koitoboss Peak - Mount Elgon Park
Situated in south-western Kenya, and part of the Coast Region of Kenya, Taita-Taveta County is known for its stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage. The county features diverse landscapes, including the Taita Hills, which are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and the vast plains of Tsavo, which are part of Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks – Kenya’s largest wildlife preserve.
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Guide to Taita Taveta County
A Summa Digest of Taita Taveta
About Taita Taveta Way Back When
85 Destinations in Taita Taveta County, arranged as one would visit these - north, west then south - with aid of in-depth narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:
Chyulu Hills National Park, Kisula Caves, Kampi ya Kanzi Lodge, Tsavo West National Park, Kamboyo Lodge, Mzima Springs, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, Ancient Roaring Rocks, Ngulia Hills, Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, Kitchwa Tembo Hill, Chaimu Crater, The Five Sister's Hills, Shetani Lava, Finch Hattons Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Chala, Crystal Lake Chala Caves, Voyager Ziwani Tented Camp, Sniper Tree, Gicheha Ziwani Farm, The Njoro Springs, Grogan’s Castle, Mokine Hill, Lake Jipe, Lake Jipe Eco-lodge, Salaita Hill, The Taveta Military Cemetery, Maktau Indian Cemetery, Maktau Railway Station, Taita Hills Game Lodge, Taita Hills Museum, Sarova Salt Lick Lodge, Mwashoti Hill, Maili 27 Bridge, Mwakitau Hill, Lumo Game Sanctuary, Lions Bluff Lodge, Lualenyi Camp, Ndolwa Game Sanctuary, Dembwa Falls, Bura Mission Church, Vuria Hill, Taita Hills, Wesu Rock, Taita Rocks Hotel, Malowa's Shrine, Taita Skull Caves, Taita Research Station, Kilangarenyi Falls, Ngangao Forest, Kenyatta Caves, Mount Sagalla, Rev. Wray Memorial Museum, Ngutuni Wildlife Sanctuary, Volunteer International Camp Tsavo, Mount Kasigau, Kasigau Base Camp, The Maungu Plains, Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary, Wushumbu Conservancy, Teita Sisal Estate, Mbulia Conservancy, Tsavo East National Park, Ithumba Elephant Nursery, Yatta Plateau, Tsavo Springs, Emusaya Wilderness Arc, Galdessa Little Camp, Lugard's Falls, Mudanda Rock, Voi War Cemetery, Lion Hill Lodge, Kanderi Swamp, Voi Wildlife Lodge, Aruba Dam, A. Aruba Lodge, Nyiri Desert
Know More About Taita Taveta County: Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
The mean temperature in Taita Taveta is 23 Degrees Celsius, cooler around the hills and hotter on the Nyika where the Tsavos sit. Rainfall distribution is uneven, with the highlands receiving higher rains than the lowland areas.
Taita Taveta County is divided into two major topographical zones: The upper zone high zones, and the lower zone consists of plains of Tsavos.