Kakamega Forest – a top destination for Herpetology tours and safaris in Kenya
Kakamega Forest is one of the top destinations to visit when per-taking a Kenya Herping Safari Tour. A comprehensive herpetology tour or safari in Kenya often includes a few nights in this great place. The main reason for visiting Kakamega Forest is that it hosts the Easternmost Guinea-Congolian Equatorial Forest Habitats in Africa. The Guinea-Congolian Equatorial Forest is a biodiversity hotspot, with many species being found only in this biome.
Kakamega Forest is great location for Kenya Snake Safaris, with many species here being only found in this forest and nowhere else in Kenya. Some of the exciting species of snakes found in Kakamega Forest include Rhinoceros or Rhinoceros-horned Viper, Gaboon Viper, African Green Bush Viper, Prickly or Rough-scaled Bush Viper, Jameson’s Mamba or Jameson’s Green Mamba, Forest Cobra, Brown House Snake, Lichtenstein’s Forest Night Adder, Kaimosi Blind Snake, Jackson’s Black Tree Snake, Gold’s Tree Cobra, Central African Powdered Tree Snake, Mt. Elgon Large-eyed Green Tree Snake, Black-lined Green Snake and Thirteen-scaled Green Snake.
There are also many great lizards in Kakamega Forest. Lizards are always very well-represented on all our Kenya Herpetology Tours. In Kakamega Forest, these include Elliot’s or Montane Side-striped Chameleon, Boulenger’s Pygmy Chameleon, Mt. Elgon Forest Gecko, Hinkel’s Red-flanked Skink, Western Forest Limbless Skink, Western Serpentiform Skink, Grass-top or Long-tailed Skink, Common Striped Skink, Jackson’s Forest Lizard, Multi-scaled Forest Lizard, East African Highland Snake Lizard, Blue-headed Tree Agama and Kaimosi Rock Agama.
Frogs and Toads are also a great aspect to enjoy on a Kenya herpetology tour or Kenya herpetology safari. Kakamega Forest is very well represented when it comes to amphibians. Some of the exciting species of amphibians found in the forest include Kisolo Toad, Flat-backed Toad, Nutt’s River Frog, Nile Ridged or Rocket Frog, Grassland or Striped Rocket Frog, Small Rocket Frog or Dwarf Grass Frog, Senegal or Bubbling Kassina, Mackay’s Forest Tree Frog, Kakamega Puddle Frog, Natal or Snoring Puddle Frog, Lake Victoria Clawed Frog, Kivu Reed Frog and Cinnamon-bellied Reed Frog.
Kakamega Forest is indeed a great herpetological tour destination. It can be done as a stand-alone destination or as part of a longer herpetology safari, combined with other Kenyan destinations. It features on many of our regular Kenya Herping Safari Tours.
