Ngong Hills
Encyclopedia
The Ngong Hills are peaks in a ridge along the Great Rift Valley
, located southwest near Nairobi
, in southern Kenya
. The word "Ngong" is a Maasai
word meaning "knuckles"
due to the 4 hill peaks of the ridge, which stands alone rising from the plain around Nairobi. The Ngong Hills, from the eastside slopes, overlook the Nairobi National Park
game reserve and, off to the north, the city of Nairobi
. The Ngong Hills, from the westside slopes, overlook the Great Rift Valley
dropping over 1000 metres (4,000 feet) below, where Maasai villages have been developed.
The peak of the Ngong Hills is at 2460 meters (8070 feet) above sea level.
During the years of British
colonial
rule, the area around the Ngong Hills was a major settler farming region, and many traditional colonial houses are still seen in the area.
In the 1985 film Out of Africa, the four peaks of the Ngong Hills appear in the background of several scenes near Karen Blixen
's house. Local residents still reported seeing lions in the Hills during the 1990s.
The solitary grave of Denys Finch Hatton
, marked by an obelisk and garden, is located on the eastern slopes of the Ngong Hills, overlooking the vast game reserve.
There is a walking trail along the tops of the Ngong Hills. Kenya Wildlife Service has a small post at the NE foot of the park. There is a KSH 100 fee. Local residents have sometimes held Sunday church services
on the southern peak, overlooking the Great Rift Valley
.
Near the hills is the town of Ngong
.
A wind farm is being built on the hills. http://planetark.org/wen/54080 There is an active wind farm now on the northern hills.
Many hikers have reported being robbed or mugged on the southern hills over the last few years. Kenya Wildlife Service offers guides/security to accompany you on your hike for an extra fee (KSH 1500).
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
, located southwest near Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, in southern Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. The word "Ngong" is a Maasai
Maasai language
The Maasai language is an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania by the Maasai people, numbering about 800,000...
word meaning "knuckles"
due to the 4 hill peaks of the ridge, which stands alone rising from the plain around Nairobi. The Ngong Hills, from the eastside slopes, overlook the Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is a national park in Kenya. Established in 1946, the national park was Kenya's first. It is located approximately 7 kilometres south of the centre of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, with only a fence separating the park's wildlife from the metropolis. Nairobi's skyscrapers...
game reserve and, off to the north, the city of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. The Ngong Hills, from the westside slopes, overlook the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
dropping over 1000 metres (4,000 feet) below, where Maasai villages have been developed.
The peak of the Ngong Hills is at 2460 meters (8070 feet) above sea level.
During the years of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
rule, the area around the Ngong Hills was a major settler farming region, and many traditional colonial houses are still seen in the area.
In the 1985 film Out of Africa, the four peaks of the Ngong Hills appear in the background of several scenes near Karen Blixen
Karen Blixen
Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke , , née Karen Christenze Dinesen, was a Danish author also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen. She also wrote under the pen names Osceola and Pierre Andrézel...
's house. Local residents still reported seeing lions in the Hills during the 1990s.
The solitary grave of Denys Finch Hatton
Denys Finch Hatton
Denys George Finch Hatton was a big-game hunter, and the lover of Karen Blixen , who wrote about him in her autobiographical book Out of Africa first published in 1937...
, marked by an obelisk and garden, is located on the eastern slopes of the Ngong Hills, overlooking the vast game reserve.
There is a walking trail along the tops of the Ngong Hills. Kenya Wildlife Service has a small post at the NE foot of the park. There is a KSH 100 fee. Local residents have sometimes held Sunday church services
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
on the southern peak, overlooking the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
.
Near the hills is the town of Ngong
Ngong, Kenya
Ngong is a town near the Ngong Hills along the Great Rift Valley, located in the southwest of Nairobi, in southern Kenya. The word "Ngong" is a Maasai word meaning "knuckles"...
.
A wind farm is being built on the hills. http://planetark.org/wen/54080 There is an active wind farm now on the northern hills.
Many hikers have reported being robbed or mugged on the southern hills over the last few years. Kenya Wildlife Service offers guides/security to accompany you on your hike for an extra fee (KSH 1500).
External links
- Photo of Ngong Hills from game reserve: showing entire ridge, with Rift Valley behind [Kijabe.org].
- Photos of Ngong area and from top of Ngong Hills.
- Photo of Ngong Hills from Blixen lawn: showing yard left of Karen BlixenKaren BlixenBaroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke , , née Karen Christenze Dinesen, was a Danish author also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen. She also wrote under the pen names Osceola and Pierre Andrézel...
house, with Ngong Hills behind [from AAAAmerican Automobile AssociationAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
-Calif.com]. - Photo of Ngong Hills from Great Rift Valley: showing severe drop, with Nairobi suburbs on opposite side [PBase.com].
- Photo of Ngong Hills from Great Rift Valley, closeup: showing vegetation, Nairobi suburbs on opposite side [PBase.com].
- Photo of Ngong Hills from Great Rift Valley, closeup: showing vegetation, suburbs [full webpage from PBase.com].
