Aberdare Forest – Where Heritage Lives

In present day Nyeri and Nyandarua counties we find the Aberdare Ranges – a group of mountains that breathe life into the wonders of our fortuned country. This physical layout is home to several treasures including the Aberdare Forest.  

First gazetted in 1943, the Aberdare Forest carries with it has a historical memory. During the resistance against the British officers, this forest was an essential post office for our fearsome Mau Mau warriors. This group of men and women who dedicated their lives in pursuit of Kenya’s freedom against the colonial regime used the Aberdare’s Mugumo tree to communicate with each other in ways only they understood. Their livelihood in the forest was no easy feat but they adapted and even became familiar with the wild animals that they encountered in the forest. 

While we ponder on the thought of human encounters with wild animals, the Aberdare Forest is home to a variety of them, both rare and endemic. 52 of Kenya’s 67 Afrotropical Highlands’ species can be found in this forest. From the bongo antelopes that are estimated to be 65 in number within the forest to the Kenyan leopard and the black rhinoceros. The African elephant can also be found within this historical canopy. The giant forest hog, the spotted hyena, the African golden cat and a population of lions are among the rare species that too call the Aberdare Forest home. In plenty are the Aberdare mole-shrew and Aberdare mole rat that have evidently taken on the name of the forest in a sense of belonging. The montane viper can only be found in this forest throughout Kenya. 

Picturing the location of this tourist attraction is easy, a simple navigation from the Aberdare National Park which sits on one of the mountains, the forest is situated on the lower slopes of the ranges. If geography is still crucial in your daily life, you are aware that forests are by far the best water catchment areas. This forest acts as a source for the Tana River system, the Ewaso Nyiro River as well as Lake Naivasha. Did you know that also the entire capital benefits from the water from the Aberdare Forest? 

This is our forest tale. What do you love about the Aberdare Forest? Any interesting stories? Please share them with us. 

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Colobus monkey. Image credits: Magical Kenya

Elephants grazing in Aberdare. Image credits: KWS rhino program