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English, Swahili (optional)
Solo, Family, Couple, Group
What?
Step into the world of the Digo people with a guided walk through the sacred Kaya Kinondo Forest, followed by a hands-on coconut oil workshop in a local village. Discover the forest, learn about Digo culture and history, then spend time with Mama Asha learning how coconut oil is made from scratch.
Where?
Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest in Kinondo, near Galu Beach, followed by a visit to a nearby local village where you’ll experience everyday Digo life.
When?
Available throughout the year.
Why?
This experience takes you beyond the beach and into the heart of local life. Explore a forest that holds deep cultural and sacred meaning for the Digo people, meet the community and discover the traditions and everyday practices that make this part of the coast so special.
How?
Start with a guided walk through Kaya Kinondo Forest, where you’ll learn about its nature, history and cultural significance. Then head to the village to meet Mama Asha, try your hand at grinding fresh coconut and follow the process all the way from coconut milk to oil, with plenty of stories and local conversation along the way.
Your visit helps support the protection of Kaya Kinondo Forest, a sacred natural space that is deeply connected to the Digo community. The entrance fees goes back into the community and helps support conservation and improvements around the forest.
A portion of the forest entrance fees contributes towards the local school in Kinondo. Your visit therefore helps connect conservation with opportunities for children in the surrounding community.
The coconut oil workshop takes place at Mama Asha’s home, you’re directly supporting her and her community. Your visit helps empower a local livelihood while giving you the chance to learn a skill from someone who knows it best.
This is about more than seeing a forest or making coconut oil. You’re stepping into everyday Digo life, sharing stories, meeting local people and learning directly from the community. It’s a meaningful experience that you’ll definitely remember.
With the option of pick up: your local guide will pick you up from your hotel around Diani and take you towards Kinondo. Begin at Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest with a warm welcome and briefing before entering this special and protected space. As the forest is sacred, you’ll also learn about the local customs and a few important rules to follow during your visit.
Set off on a guided walk through the forest, taking in the tropical surroundings while learning about the nature, culture and history of the Digo people. The walk takes around 30-40 minutes and there is plenty to discover along the way, including trees you can swing from!
After the forest, continue to a nearby village and get a little glimpse into everyday Digo life. See how water is collected from the well, meet local families and enjoy some time with the children before meeting Mama Asha.
Now it’s time to get your hands involved! Mama Asha will show you how coconut oil is made from scratch, starting with grating the coconut using swahili traditions and extracting the fresh coconut milk. Have a go yourself, follow the full process and listen to stories about village life along the way.
You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase some of Mama Asha’s freshly made coconut oil to take home, directly supporting her family.
Say goodbye to your new friends and leave Kinondo with a deep insight into the people, traditions and everyday life of the Digo community. Take home your coconut oil, new stories and hopefully a few good memories from a side of the Kenyan coast you might otherwise have missed.
Not at all, reach out and we can customise the tour for you based on your interests and needs.
The drive time depends on where you are staying in Diani, but we’ll organise the meeting point and timings around your location.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes suitable for walking, along with sun protection. As the forest is sacred, you’ll also be guided on the appropriate traditional attire and local customs.
Yes! Kaya Kinondo is a sacred forest, so there are a few cultural rules to follow during your visit. Your local guide will give you a briefing before you enter.
Nope, transport is not included, but we can help organise transport from your hotel at an additional cost.
It is approximately 4 hours long
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