Oloolua Nature Trail is a peaceful escape surrounded by beautiful forest and fresh air. The walking trails are well maintained and perfect for a relaxing hike. I loved the huge trees, natural scenery, and the quiet atmosphere. It’s a great place to reconnect with nature and enjoy some peaceful time away from the city. I highly recommend visiting if you’re looking for a hidden gem near Nairobi.
Second time here for us; do the bamboo forest/ waterfall loop as a first up walk; then try the 5 and 10km walks, which are less travelled and hence quieter. More chance of seeing/hearing prjmates and birds. **Tip: log onto their wifi when you first arrive, which will speed up the fee payment process (via eCitizen) - see photo. ** Recommended
Came here for a hike, with minimal research and not knowing what to expect, and I ended up having an amazing time! We came across the bikes for hire and couldn't refuse. Definitely worth it.
Got here on a Sunday morning and registered for entry at the office. It was a quick and a straightforward process done through ecitizen with the receptionist assisting along the way.
The hike and bike trail itself was great. Weather was nice, mix terrain was just right and bike condition was good. The only reason I gave a 4 star is because the pathfinders are confusing, and definitely need updating. Nonetheless, will be coming back for sure.
The place is beautiful. However the payment process through Ecitizen is long and daunting. The team at the gate could be more friendly in communicating on the no plastic policy and it should be explicit in their website.
I’ve now visited Oloolua Nature Trail twice, and unfortunately both experiences were disappointing.
The first time, I came with my husband and a local friend for a picnic. We had prepared homemade food and packed everything in containers. At the entrance, a male guard stopped us because one of my containers was reusable plastic. I understand rules are rules, but it felt inconsistent and unreasonable.
We spent about 15 minutes discussing this until a manager came and approved it. Other staff also said it was fine, so the situation felt unnecessary and frustrating. To be clear, this didn’t feel like a situation about asking for tips — it felt like we were being treated more strictly than others for no clear reason, which was uncomfortable.
The second visit (Friday, 12 June 2026) was even worse. I went with a local female friend to give the place another chance, but the trail signage is extremely unclear. There are multiple paths with no proper direction — you can’t tell which route is 5km or 10km, and when paths split, there’s no guidance at all. There were also no guards or staff along the trail.
We ended up getting lost around 4:30pm as it was getting dark. We even met another woman who was also lost, and the three of us tried to find our way back together. We attempted to retrace our steps, but still couldn’t find the correct route.
We called the official number for help, and the staff at the entrance provided additional contact numbers — but none of them were answered. At the same time, we noticed several open access points where boda bodas could enter the forest, which raises serious safety concerns.
Eventually, we had to find our own way out through the main road — not even part of the forest. We were lucky nothing happened, but as three women alone, this situation could have been dangerous. When we finally made it back to the main entrance around 5:57pm, there was barely any staff present and no one seemed concerned that visitors were still inside or possibly lost.
Another concern is security. Based on other reviews and what we experienced, there is very little monitoring of who enters or exits, and cars are left outside with minimal supervision. This makes it feel like your vehicle and personal safety are entirely your own responsibility, which is worrying.
What’s most disappointing is that this trail charges more than places like Karura Forest or Ngong Forest, yet offers far less in terms of safety, organization, and professionalism. In those forests, signage is clear and there are guards present — here, there is none.
To make things worse, someone finally returned our call around 7–8pm — long after we had already found our way out ourselves.
This place has potential because the nature is beautiful, but management seriously needs to improve signage, safety measures, and staff attitude. Right now, I would not recommend it, especially for first-time visitors or anyone going alone.
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MajeDonalds
2 months agoOloolua Nature Trail is a peaceful escape surrounded by beautiful forest and fresh air.
The walking trails are well maintained and perfect for a relaxing hike.
I loved the huge trees, natural scenery, and the quiet atmosphere.
It’s a great place to reconnect with nature and enjoy some peaceful time away from the city.
I highly recommend visiting if you’re looking for a hidden gem near Nairobi.
Gavin Dixon
2 months agoSecond time here for us; do the bamboo forest/ waterfall loop as a first up walk; then try the 5 and 10km walks, which are less travelled and hence quieter. More chance of seeing/hearing prjmates and birds.
**Tip: log onto their wifi when you first arrive, which will speed up the fee payment process (via eCitizen) - see photo. ** Recommended
Khadijah Kamit
5 months agoCame here for a hike, with minimal research and not knowing what to expect, and I ended up having an amazing time! We came across the bikes for hire and couldn't refuse. Definitely worth it.
Got here on a Sunday morning and registered for entry at the office. It was a quick and a straightforward process done through ecitizen with the receptionist assisting along the way.
The hike and bike trail itself was great. Weather was nice, mix terrain was just right and bike condition was good. The only reason I gave a 4 star is because the pathfinders are confusing, and definitely need updating. Nonetheless, will be coming back for sure.
Jane W Shirima
3 months agoThe place is beautiful. However the payment process through Ecitizen is long and daunting. The team at the gate could be more friendly in communicating on the no plastic policy and it should be explicit in their website.
Sheila Mae
3 months agoI’ve now visited Oloolua Nature Trail twice, and unfortunately both experiences were disappointing.
The first time, I came with my husband and a local friend for a picnic. We had prepared homemade food and packed everything in containers. At the entrance, a male guard stopped us because one of my containers was reusable plastic. I understand rules are rules, but it felt inconsistent and unreasonable.
We spent about 15 minutes discussing this until a manager came and approved it. Other staff also said it was fine, so the situation felt unnecessary and frustrating. To be clear, this didn’t feel like a situation about asking for tips — it felt like we were being treated more strictly than others for no clear reason, which was uncomfortable.
The second visit (Friday, 12 June 2026) was even worse. I went with a local female friend to give the place another chance, but the trail signage is extremely unclear. There are multiple paths with no proper direction — you can’t tell which route is 5km or 10km, and when paths split, there’s no guidance at all. There were also no guards or staff along the trail.
We ended up getting lost around 4:30pm as it was getting dark. We even met another woman who was also lost, and the three of us tried to find our way back together. We attempted to retrace our steps, but still couldn’t find the correct route.
We called the official number for help, and the staff at the entrance provided additional contact numbers — but none of them were answered. At the same time, we noticed several open access points where boda bodas could enter the forest, which raises serious safety concerns.
Eventually, we had to find our own way out through the main road — not even part of the forest. We were lucky nothing happened, but as three women alone, this situation could have been dangerous. When we finally made it back to the main entrance around 5:57pm, there was barely any staff present and no one seemed concerned that visitors were still inside or possibly lost.
Another concern is security. Based on other reviews and what we experienced, there is very little monitoring of who enters or exits, and cars are left outside with minimal supervision. This makes it feel like your vehicle and personal safety are entirely your own responsibility, which is worrying.
What’s most disappointing is that this trail charges more than places like Karura Forest or Ngong Forest, yet offers far less in terms of safety, organization, and professionalism. In those forests, signage is clear and there are guards present — here, there is none.
To make things worse, someone finally returned our call around 7–8pm — long after we had already found our way out ourselves.
This place has potential because the nature is beautiful, but management seriously needs to improve signage, safety measures, and staff attitude. Right now, I would not recommend it, especially for first-time visitors or anyone going alone.