The kayas are patches of forest scattered along the coast of Kenya, each one once the fortified village of a Mijikenda community, hidden deep in the trees for protection. The Mijikenda, nine related peoples of the coastal hinterland, later moved out of the forests, but the kayas remained sacred places, where elders held ceremonies, buried their leaders and made decisions, and where cutting trees or harming the forest was forbidden. That protection has preserved precious remnants of coastal forest, rich in rare plants and animals. In 2008, a group of them, including Kaya Kauma near Kilifi, was listed by UNESCO as the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests.
Visiting a kaya means respecting its rules. Entry is controlled by the council of elders, and you should only go in with permission and a guide, often through a local community or conservation group. Some areas are off limits to outsiders altogether. Inside, the forest is dense and cool, with tall trees, lianas, birds and butterflies, and paths lead to clearings where ceremonies are held. Photography may be restricted, so always ask first.
Kilifi, about thirteen kilometres away, is a relaxed coastal town on a wide creek, crossed by a long bridge. It has a beautiful beach at Bofa, sailing on the creek, and the ruins of Mnarani, a medieval Swahili town with mosques and tombs, on a hill overlooking the water. Further north, the ruins of Gede, another Swahili town, hidden in the forest, are fascinating, and Malindi and Watamu have beaches, coral reefs and marine parks.
The riding along the coast is a mix of good tarmac on the main road between Mombasa and Malindi and rougher roads inland, with potholes, dust in the dry season and mud in the rains. Traffic includes matatus, trucks, tuk-tuks and boda-boda motorbikes, and pedestrians and animals are always on the roads. Ride carefully, especially at night, when unlit vehicles and obstacles are common. Kilifi has fuel, shops and restaurants. Try Swahili dishes such as pilau, coconut fish curry, or chapati with beans, and fresh coconut water from a roadside stall.