Ngong Hills

A ridgeline of four rounded peaks on the edge of the Rift Valley, with a walking trail and views over the escarpment

The Ngong Hills rise to the south-west of Nairobi, a ridge of four rounded summits at 2,460m — high enough to be cool and often misty in the afternoons. The hills mark the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley; from the ridge you can look one way across the Rift Valley and the other back over Nairobi and the plains beyond.

A walking trail runs along the ridge between the four peaks, a route of about 8 km that can be done in a half day. Kenya Wildlife Service rangers accompany walkers for a modest fee, which is advisable given that the hills were historically unsafe for solo walkers — the trail is now patrolled and incidents are rare, but a ranger escort remains recommended practice.

The hills are about 25 km from downtown Nairobi. Buses run from Ngong town at the base; taxis are straightforward. Mornings are clearest, before cloud builds on the ridge.

things to do sight hiking
A story
Karen Blixen described the Ngong Hills repeatedly in Out of Africa, and her grave — along with that of her companion Denys Finch Hatton — is on the hillside. The hills are visible from her former farmhouse and she asked to be buried here in view of them. Both graves remain and can be visited.

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