English
Gede ruins, wrapped today in lush vegetation, are colonized by monkeys, tell of a beautiful city mysteriously abandoned. Gede is also called the “ghost town”. The local tradition beliefs make this place magical and at the same time feared, the local tribes speak of spirits who watch the ancient forest in which the remains of Gede.
Contact usArabuko Forest is a small part of the largest tract of indigenous coastal forest that survives today in East Africa.
Moreover it has been declared the second most important forest in Africa for bird conservation, and it’s currently considered for the status of a world heritage site.
The two rare and small mammals, shy and difficult to be spotted are considered the stars of the park.
Their name are: Cephalophus adersi and Rhynchocyon chrysopygus.
The first one is also known as the duiker of Zanzibar because it was firstly discovered here, it is a small antelope only 35 cm high, partly nocturnal, which lives hidden in the forest and in pairs; the second 0.5 meters long and almost half of it belonging to the tail, leads a solitary existence and is diurnal habits.
This is only a brief and overall preview of what you can find in this green environment not far away from our resort.
Very close to the forest there is another site not to be lost: Gede.
This primordial forest is a sacred place for the locals and also the habitat of many wild species, some of which are endangered, such as the golden elephant shrew rump, a small mammal that is usually found in association with a bird, the robin.
Along the coastal road, in the south of Malindi and in the middle of the Arabuko Sokoke forest, lies one of those places surrounded by mystery and unanswered questions.
In fact, the city of Gede Swahili (or Gedi) is an enigma, as, despite the notoriety gained during its five centuries of history, there are no writings written about it.
The city was founded in the 12th century by the Swahili Arabs, who populated the coast and already established cities like Pate, Lamu and Malindi. The remains allow to conclude that the city, far from the sea and secluded in the coastal forest, was flourishing, rich and as large as Mombasa.
The place is also home to its own mythological animal, the local version of Bigfoot or Yeti: a supposedly Duba creature that looks like a huge sheep. What you should be careful about is a much smaller threat: siafu ants (siafu means only “ants” in Swahili), destructive insects that usually emerge from the ground after the rains.
Our staff will be more than happy to help arranging your trip providing you with all the necessary!
Please read our FAQ before sending us a message.
All excursions are organized by Malaika Beach Villas.
Yes, you can also book the excursion directly at Malaika Beach Villas.
No, the price of the excursion is not included.
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