Full Review: Diani Shimba Hills Tour & Sheldrick Falls

Planning a trip to Diani Beach and thinking that you should do the Shimba Hills tour, that, too, includes Sheldrick Falls? Well, that’s just perfect! This detailed review should help you get to grips with what the trip actually involves, covering what you can expect and whether or not, maybe, it’s a good match for how you like to travel.

What the Shimba Hills & Sheldrick Falls Tour Promises

So, usually the Shimba Hills day tour makes quite a few promises. People can expect an opportunity to spot wildlife, get an up-close look at local plant life, and just spend some time at Sheldrick Falls. Basically, it’s billed as something like a full day of discovery, getting visitors right into Kenya’s lovely coastal landscapes and showcasing a slice of what East Africa has to offer. Plus, nearly all packages that tour companies offer should include transportation from and to your accommodation in Diani, park entry fees, and, often enough, a packed lunch, really, so it feels like quite a solid, all-inclusive deal.

The Drive & First Impressions

Right, so the tour gets started usually with an early pickup. From Diani, the drive to Shimba Hills might take somewhere close to an hour. The initial thing, though, that somebody could notice is how quickly the scenery transforms – the moment you depart from the beach zone. Things become much lusher, the environment shifts from touristy to truly very local life along the route. Upon reaching the Shimba Hills National Reserve entry point, you can definitely sense that you are about to go somewhere special. The air feels much fresher and you’re just surrounded, almost, by an enormous mass of green.

Game Drive Expectations and Reality

So, let’s talk about the game drive. So many expect to see a wildlife bonanza akin to the Maasai Mara. Shimba Hills is definitely much smaller, so sightings are, at times, harder to come by. In any case, you should anticipate some really beautiful views, and that chance of maybe seeing elephants, maybe some graceful giraffes, possibly a few shy antelopes, plus a bunch of colorful birds. What might be good for you to know is that, often enough, the tour vans have open roofs, so this does offer a brilliant viewing platform and photograph opportunity. But anyway, sometimes the animals prefer to hide, it just happens, and maybe patience becomes a true virtue during the search.

Trekking to Sheldrick Falls

Well, now, Sheldrick Falls is a proper highlight of the trip, arguably. So, there’s this hike that, actually, most people consider that it’s reasonably manageable, even though some areas will be fairly steep and perhaps a little challenging. Still, you are rewarded, you know, the moment you actually see the falls – its such a lovely sight. Getting close and just enjoying the crisp water is really special. You could easily spend one, two or even three hours there enjoying nature. Also, it might be worthwhile knowing that there are some pretty safe pools to have a little paddle around in.

Lunch & Other Amenities

Right, so typically, lunch will come as a packed meal that could be, might be eaten near Sheldrick Falls or a designated picnic spot within Shimba Hills. It’s fairly standard fare, that lunch, even though some tour operators might provide better spreads than others, I feel. What could be interesting for potential visitors is that amenities within Shimba Hills are generally simple; so just think about packing extra water, snacks, and, crucially, your repellent against insects.

Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary Option

Also, what someone may be interested to find out is that, in some cases, tours can sometimes offer the option to add on a visit to the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary. So, Mwaluganje is pretty special; its the first community elephant sanctuary actually in Kenya, and maybe this visit presents an incredible opportunity for observing the elephants inside an environment that focuses specifically upon conservation. However, it’s a decent drive outside Shimba Hills and whether it seems worth doing depends upon individual priorities.

What Could be Improved

Alright, so, basically, to get something very clear here: not every single trip runs perfectly. Sometimes, tours might feel a little bit overcrowded, particularly around Sheldrick Falls. And animal sightings can, sometimes, feel few. So what? So, to counter the possible negatives, it is often preferable to go with small-group tours where possible, to increase the intimacy, maybe, of the viewing experiences. Furthermore, just managing expectations related to what wildlife may be spotted seems crucial to everyone experiencing satisfaction from that visit.

Is the Shimba Hills & Sheldrick Falls Tour Right for You?

Right, so now is the time to actually think about how the Shimba Hills tour fits with the travel preferences that people may have. Should they love nature, even if slightly unpredictable nature, and if that person likes active outings, then I guess this could well be worth doing. Furthermore, for travellers on limited timelines in Diani, it becomes, truly, a very efficient means by which to mix beach relaxation by getting to see some of Kenya’s wilder offerings in a trip that just lasts a single day. Though, one ought to not go on that tour anticipating “big five” sightings or an experience that’s free of any tourist crowds; managing the personal anticipations truly improves satisfaction.

Booking Tips and What to Watch Out For

When it comes to reservations, looking around and seeing just what a range of different tour operators offer turns out to be worth doing. Just try to find an operator who’s got solid reviews and is actually crystal clear regarding what’s covered within the price. So it will be good for them to check whether meals are actually included, find out if there’re any optional extras and double check how big each group might become. Plus, to guarantee responsible tourism, one needs to possibly question operators regarding any conservation initiatives that the firms take part in, basically checking the firms act sustainably.

Final Thoughts

Alright, so, to summarize it: A tour of Shimba Hills along with Sheldrick Falls out of Diani becomes really an engaging excursion which offers what I would regard as an appealing mix of landscapes with wildlife watching and some light adventure, too. Even though it probably doesn’t replace anything like a longer safari tour, it still provides an obtainable taste of Kenya’s interior environment for someone without all that much time and a more reasonable amount of funds available.

Anyway, in a way, what someone takes out of this excursion is tied fairly strongly into their own expectations combined with preparedness for whatever comes up. In order for everyone to make the absolute most of what’s going on, remember to remain flexible, and be conscious towards their setting and accept those things that differentiate eco-tourism away from merely package holiday encounters.