Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary: Located this hidden Nairobi gem yet?

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Are you looking for a multi-purpose cycling, running, and/or walking spot in Nairobi that is less crowded? I was recently in search of such a place, something different from the popular Karura Forest on Limuru & Kiambu Roads, especially as I was keen to get to cycle more regularly over the weekend when so many people also flock Karura Forest. A friend who cycles regularly recommended Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary (NRFS), also as they live nearby. I was excited! As a brief comparison, I learned NRFS is similar to Karura Forest in 7 key ways: (i) similar opening hours, that is, 6.00 AM to 6.00 PM, (ii) well-marked trails, (iii) picnic sites even for those with children (at NRFS it goes for only KES 200/about USD 2), (iv) management by the government-run Kenya Forest Service (KFS), (v) the bike rent model of KES 500/about USD 5 every two hours (though bikes at NRFS look much newer), (vi) car parking space is ample (and at the time of our visit, NRFS was cheaper by KES 100/roughly USD 1), and, (vii) expansive area (longest trail is about 22km, though NRFS also has another portion - Section 4 - that extends further southwards to the Southern Bypass road along Kikuyu area). The uniqueness of NRFS is that it tends to be quieter, less crowded, and also has sections with a less flat terrain, which makes it more thrilling when you’re looking for an extra push. 

When my friend and I met, we got to discuss why not so many people may be familiar with NRFS:

1. On my end, I got lost the last two times I tried to trace it…the first time, I thought it was in Ngong Town (about 35 km from Nairobi Central Business District), which would have been too much effort, and I got distracted. The second time, I still missed my way initially – while I now had found out that it’s located along Ngong Road (about 11km from Nairobi CBD), as it is located about 600 metres inwards from the main road, I still got lost – when I finally found my way, it was almost closing time so I just got a sneak preview of the place.
2. For my friend, they only got to discover the forest after a year of their having lived in the neighbourhood – and they found it almost accidentally. One time, they had visited the next-door War Cemetery and they saw some kids playing animatedly across the fence and got curious and went closer – alas, there was the forest entrance!

On the day we were to meet, my previous near-miss experiences made me get armed with google maps so I could find my way easily – below is a general map of the area for orientation purposes:

 

Map of NRFS and its environs

If you may still need an extra hand in locating the place, no worries! SoulBoosters connected with one of the helpful NRFS guides, who is happy to assist anyone experiencing difficulties in locating the place – feel free to reach out here if you need their mobile phone contact.

Now that the navigation blues are sorted out, once you arrive, NRFS has loads of activities one can do, regardless of the weather. 

Besides running, walking, and cycling, the NRFS signpost highlights 13 more activities one can do!

Despite the clear skies, it, unfortunately, started raining about 30 minutes upon our arrival. While we were initially disappointed we couldn’t get to cycle as it quickly turned muddy (the cotton soil terrain is a special case😂), the KFS guides were kind enough to push forward the bike hire money already paid to a later date, for those who had hired bikes. Unlike your other enclosed forest areas where you just need to call it a day and go back home when it rains, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that there is plenty that one can still do in the vicinity. While sheltering from the rain, we met with two other hikers we had been on trails with a while back, and together we figured out Plan B, which turned out better than our initial plan. We ended up having so much fun that we decided to form a group to reach out to each other whenever one is looking for company to the forest (it’s quite safe – as safe as the Karura Forest Limuru & Kiambu Roads one, but the more the merrier too, especially when cycling) – we fondly called ourselves the ‘Adveddies’.

Founding crew of Adveddies

Next door, the Nairobi War Cemetery is both a rich historic outdoor museum as well as a picturesque delight – here are some amazing shots we took in the rain:

War Cemetery historical details

Face view of the War Cemetery (photo courtesy of Faith Waavinya)

A Panoromic view of the War Cemetery (photo courtesy of Faith Waavinya)

And yes, the many tombs remind you where you are, and the mood turned sombre for a bit, especially when reading the tombstones - most of the dead are young souls (so many were around 20 years old at the time of their death - such young vibrant lives cut short way too soon).

There were many tombs, and many more names engraved on the walls

You can also take a walk in the quieter environs. In addition to it being a nice 6km gentle workout – you'll get to see some well-known sites - there’s Ngong Race Course, Nairobi Polo club, the annual agricultural show area, East Africa Motorsports Tracks, the weekly Car Bazaar grounds, among others.

 

The environs buzzing with activities, yet still tranquil

As we wrapped up our day's adventure, I thought that was the end of my NRFS experience – another pleasant surprise was awaiting. Remember the aforementioned Adveddies team-in-the rain? Well, the group has evolved into not only a company-seeking but also an accountability-holding group that’s working for both those in and out of Nairobi – we not only plan adventure trips together for those in physical proximity but also virtually share our diverse physical activity statistics (runs, walks, bike rides, strength training workouts, among others) from whichever part of the world we find ourselves in, which is super motivating!

 

If you've already discovered NRFS, let us know in the comments section below about your experience.

If you're yet to try out NRFS, and would prefer a consistent adventure plan or company or accountability, you’re welcome to join our growing community – reach out here to get connected to the Adveddies WhatsApp Group.