Ngong Hills
A ridge of seven peaks with the Rift Valley on one side and Nairobi on the other.
Duration
5 hrs – 7 hrs
Difficulty
●●○○○
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
The Ngong hills form a ridge of seven summits whose name comes from Maa, the Maasai language: enkong'u, the knuckles, because they look like the joints of a closed fist.
The ridge separates two worlds: on one side the Great Rift Valley opening all at once, on the other Nairobi and its plain. The trail linking the seven summits runs about twelve kilometres and takes five hours. Karen Blixen buried her lover Denys Finch Hatton here, and his grave is on the slope.
Getting there
Twenty-five kilometres south-west of Nairobi, an hour by road. The trailhead is at the Ngong Hills Forest gate.
What the price covers
a small forest reserve entry fee, rate to be confirmed
What to bring
- Walking shoes
- Windbreaker
Rules on site
Muggings have been reported on the ridge: an escorting ranger is hired at the gate for a modest sum, and that is the local rule. The wind is constant and cold up there, even in fine weather.