Kijabe Hill Hiking in Kenya : Kijabe Hill is located in the North West of Nairobi and is part of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment, the escarpment has got major attraction sites like Williams Hill, Gatamaiyu river line walk, Kijabe or Kiharu circuit, Kereita Forest and waterfall.
The hike begins a few kilometers past Mai Mahiu and takes about 6 to 7 hours to complete, on the hiking safari the tourists can enjoy the magnificent views of Lake Naivasha, Mount Longonot, Kikuyu escarpment and all the entire surrounding plains from the top here the tourists do test their limits as they engage with this adventurous steep trail. Hiking the Kijabe hills presents a good challenge to every adventure-seeking lover of the outdoor, as you discover the magic of the Kijabe Hills Hike.
Kijabe Hill Hiking starts at 9 km from Mai Mahiu a point that is almost halfway to the Longonot town, the starting altitude is 2010 masl and the hikers take a northerly direction on a trail that climbs straight and steady until the railway line, this may be good place to pause and take stalk of where you have come from as you sip some water and energize yourself. Here the tourists enjoy and adventure the breathtaking gracefully just a few kilometers across.
The Kijabe hill is a ‘miniature’ of Mount Longonot, the hill rises at an altitude of 2688 meters above the sea level, it offers settlement to a population of less than 7000 people, and provides land for agriculture, on the leeward side the hill is characterized by the tarconanthus, grassland and the acacia vegetation providing grazing area for the local community, the top of the hill provides the take off point for para-gliders and also providing a good view point of Lake Naivasha, the uphill is abit hot and it is advisable to bring some drinking water with you on your hiking safari, then as you ascend the escarpment it gets colder thus a jacket or sweater would be the most efficient one.
The trail the changes direction north east and the gradient in-creases somewhat, the hiker is advised to stay to the path chartered by the guide as the gullies, from the erosion and the tectonic earth movement as deep and treacherous, as the thorn bushes do get quite shot but the arrogant after this point attacking the ankles and lower legs mercilessly. But it is not all gloom because while it does not save you the cost of a tattoo, it means you are too busy evading the pricks to the notice such tedious climb. As such you barely notice time pass as you get to the rocky part where the gradient ratchets a notch higher, hiding the true peak and thus making one believe that over those rocks is the peak.
When you get to the summit of the hill, unfortunately there is nowhere to hind from the vagaries of the weather, be it the chill of July, the windy March or the sun, but however you are well rewarded on your safari with the view all around you as you soak in the beauty of the surrounding country, as the what catches the happiness of the hiker is the hiking opportunities that are displayed around the area.
There is Suswa to the South, then Longonot to the west, the Elephant hill to the east and the ridges of the Eastern Escarpment of the Great Rift Valley Kinare, Kihare, Nathan’s and William’s hill), as you enjoy the safari up there and the apparent calm below you cannot help but the marvel at the IDP camps down below and the resilience their gallant dwellers, as there is an island of the green tall trees in the middle of the stunted grass around all.
The return journey is quick is it is just two hours downhill, you walk eastwards down the hill, cross the railway line, and trudge on to the abandoned old Kijabe town. From here, walk another one hour west along a motorable road until you get two the highway about four kilometers from where you have started from. Then if you are using the private means the vehicle will be waiting here, after you can easily hail down on a Matatu to the Mai Mahiu for your lunch.
