A kaya is a sacred forest, and for the Mijikenda peoples of the Kenyan coast it was once much more: a fortified hilltop village hidden in the trees, a place of ancestral graves, ceremonies and council. Kaya Jibana, belonging to the Jibana community, sits in the hills inland from the coast between Mombasa and Kilifi, and it is one of a group of kaya forests listed by UNESCO in 2008. People no longer live inside, but elders still guard it, and entry is regulated by customs that visitors should respect: guides, permission, and no cutting or taking.
The forest is a remnant of the coastal woodland that once covered this region, a dense patch of tall trees, vines and shrubs that holds rare plants, butterflies and birds in a landscape otherwise given over to farms. Around it, the hills are covered in coconut palms, cashew trees and mango orchards, with small villages of mud-walled houses and roofs of thatch or tin. Nearby Rabai is where the first Christian mission in East Africa was established in the nineteenth century by the German missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf, and a small museum there tells the story.
The roads in are a mix of tarmac and red dirt, which turns to slick mud in the rainy seasons, roughly April to June and October to December. Main roads, especially the Mombasa–Nairobi highway, are dominated by trucks, buses and matatus, and the motorbike taxis called boda-bodas weave everywhere. Inland, quieter murram roads wind through the hills with views back to the ocean on clear days. Riding at night is best avoided, given poor lighting, livestock and unpredictable traffic.
Fuel is available in Mariakani on the highway, as well as in Mombasa and Kilifi, but small villages may only have petrol sold in bottles. Carry water, a hat and sun protection, as the coastal heat and humidity are intense. Local food includes coconut-based dishes, cassava and fresh fruit, and roadside stalls sell mandazi, sweet fried bread, with spiced tea. Arrange your visit through the local community or the museums' office to ensure a guide is available.