Ngong Hills

A friend had requested I should join them in hiking, I thought this was a great idea since I had once done Mt Longonot many many years ago, LOL! It was the first time I did Ngong Hills, I thought it would be a nice leisurely Monday morning stroll! Not at all! Be prepared that this is not an easy hike. If you are very fit, you can try to do all 4 hills, but remember that you then have to turn around and come back again too. After the first 2 hills, I started to feel the intensity of the wind! mind you I had no Marvin that would cover my ears neither did I have a heavy jacket, OMG! I wanted to go back to the car, seat, and wait for them, unfortunately, this was not possible, my friends were determined to do all 7 hills, the only option was I do 2 more hills and wait for them with one guard, while they could continue with another guard. Be prepared, I cannot stress this…it is not so many technical difficulties but more endurance that you need. The hills are not that steep, except the last one, but you do need to be careful on the down parts. I strongly suggest going there well protected against the wind. It is so windy at some point I think I was almost carried away by the wind! hahaha, I will never forget! I liked the fact that the area is easily accessible by any means imaginable really. Entry fees for citizens are Kes. 200 and the facility is managed by the Kenya Forest Service. Visitors are admitted from 6 am and the hills should be cleared by 5 pm. My take! DO NOT Bring kids for the hike, you will curse them after the first hill. Carry Snicker Bars and Water, not Soda and Crisps/biscuits. Have warm Sweaters even on a sunny day. It gets really windy once you get to the Highest Point (hill 4). DO NOT be misled, the Hills are Serious Climbs and Descents. Have light shoes with good grip and Start off Early. Around 10 am is the best time to start the hike when the sun isn’t beating down on you too hard. With a good pace and no breaks, it will take you 3 hours from Corner Baridi to The Turbines. If you have vertigo, stick close to your partners, there are some places you will wish you never went for the hike. When Starting off, use the phone masts as markers or targets. There are no directions once you pass the check-in gate. Do not try to use maps me or those fancy hiking apps…waste of phone battery. Speaking of Phones, Carry a Good Camera the views are stunning!!. You have the vantage point of looking at Nairobi town yonder and clearly at that too!. The windmills (very loud) line the path for quite a distance, after which the climb now begins. There may be Buffaloes along the way but do not stop to ogle at them, they don’t like it. Keep Moving. DO NOT LITTER THE FOREST!

This is one of the most popular hiking spots in Nairobi. It’s located in Ngong town, 30km from Nairobi City Centre. You can choose to trek from Ngong town police station or, if you have private means, drive to the wind turbines and start the hike from there. The entrance fee is KES600 per person. I would advise anyone coming here to carry a sweater. It gets cold as soon as you approach the turbines. The wind turbines are such a wonder. They are huge! It’s a great spot for picnics especially at noon because any earlier or later, it gets cold. For those who want to trek, there are 4 hills that you hike for about 5 hours. If you plan to do this, get there early enough. You can get a tour guide for KES2000 although it is not a necessity. Make sure you carry water and snacks. The view from either of the hills is spectacular making it a great spot for photoshoots too. 10/10 would recommend visiting Ngong Hills.

Ngong Hills Forest Reserve gives the best and most convenient out of town daytrip getaway from the city due to its proximity to Nairobi and has been one of my most exciting experiences yet. It is located near Ngong Town with its hiking trail beginning at Ngong Town Police station amd ending at Kona Baridi. The whole trail takes about 4 to 5 hrs to complete however not being quite the fitness gurus my friends and I decided to just hike a few kilometers. The best picnic areas are normally after the first two hills so we braced ourselves for quite a walk across the hilly terrain. Entrance fee was Ksh 212 per person which I found quite affordable and worth the experience. After trekking about 2 km we got to the wind farm, it gets quite windy here but luckily it was sunny so it didn’t get thaaat cold for us. However I’d recommend one carries a scarf at least because it can get quite breezy and cold even if its sunny. Since we had started off early, we managed to take a break on the second hill first, took a rest and some snacks then went ahead for a few more miles. We set up on top of the fourth hill with a marvellous view of the ragged terrain and the Great Rift Valley on the right. The hike was quite steep and soooo tiring but definitely worth the view. The great thing about a hike on Ngong hills is that after the picnic one can engage in the various activities offered there including archery, ziplining and bike riding at a fee. Bike riding here is Ksh 500 for a 3hr ride. It is quite tiring riding due to the steepiness of the grounds here but was a much needed exercise. An experience here is definitely a 10/10 highly recommend for me.