Kenya – Rift Valley (20. – 26.05.2009)

We are leaving the Timau River Lodge for the Rift Valley with mixed feelings since we loved the place a lot. Mr. Wason, the owner, gives us a hint for a shortcut to the Rift Valley. This track will pass by a private ranch where we can see some animals from the road. And so it happens, while driving by the fence of the ranch, we see  some rhinoceros.

We climb the mountains to the Rift Valley. On top of the mountain in 2500 meters height, we pay a visit to the Thomson’s Falls, with 80 meters Kenya’s highest waterfall. We take a hike to the base of the fall and notice that the 3 weeks in the car with little exercise have deteriorated our  physical condition quite a bit. 

On the way down to the Rift Valley the big rain comes. So far we have been lucky since we got little rain even traveling in the rainy season.

 

 

 

 

In Nakuru we look for a campground and drive to the Nakuru Lake National Park, which is famous for the enormous number of flamingos coming to this place. We have experienced that the parks in Kenya are expensive but here we are told that the fee to enter the park is USD 60 per day & person and for camping they charge another USD 25 per person. In Kenya every outdoor activity seems to cost a lot. The cheapest we have done so far was a 3 hours hike along the base of Mount Kenya which was USD 3 for a guide. So we camp in the garden of the Hyrax Hill Museum for USD 5. Our neighbors are big and lazy turtles collected from this area.

On our way to Naivasha, we stop at Lake  Elementaita since we see a  lot of flamingos while passing by. We take a walk from the Lodge down to the lake to watch the millions of flamingos. An unforgettable experience. Camping in the garden of this Lodge is wonderful. We can use the swimming pool and enjoy the view over Lake Elementaita. We feel a little like the settlers in the old days who rest after a day of work on their porch and let their view go over their huge estate.

A short drive takes us to Lake Naivasha, where we spend 3 beautiful days. Fisherman’s camp is a nice place on the shore of the lake with big trees and only a few people. As usual we are approached by tour guides who offer overpriced boat trips to see the hippos and the local parks.

  At sunset, we are astonished to see  a hippo at the boat dock at very close distance. It is strange to read that most people in Africa are killed not by lions but by hippos. When we are ready to go to bed we see a group of 10 hippos just 20 meters from our tent. We can hear them eating and fighting and making strange noises the whole night, until, at sunrise, they disappear back to the lake. What an experience …  it’s good that they have installed a little electrical fence to protect the people! Unfortunately the next nights we don’t see them but can hear them in the distance late at night.

We do daytrips to the Green Crater Lake, a private park around a little lake in an old volcano. Again we are amazed how close we can get to these wild animals.

Strange feeling not to be the tallest!

 

 

 

 

To have a look over the Rift Valley we drive to Mt. Eburu which offers one of the best views over the Rift Valley.

It is hard to leave this beautiful area, which has very nice temperatures, since it is located between 1800 and 2600 meters (and therefore no mosquitoes), offers a great landscape and a lot of small and big animals.

We have decided to go south east from here towards Mombasa at the Indian Ocean.

Our first stop is Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Originally we didn’t want to stay here in “Nairobbery” (safety seems to be an issue in certain parts of the city). However, when we see the big Toyota shop downtown, we decide on short notice to make our anyhow overdue service. Beside some minor repairs, the car is in a very good shape. We spend the night at “J.J’s”, “Jungle Junction”, a nice campground in one of the better areas of Nairobi.  The next day, we enjoy the first big shopping malls and supermarkets since a long time. This gives us the opportunity to complete our supplies. Now it’s Tuesday evening and we are sitting in the living room of J.J’s, waiting the big rain to stop. The first real rain challenge for our tent!!

Our trip through the Rift valley took us from Timau over Nyahururu, Nakuru to Naivasha and on to Nairobi. Roads have been normally good but we have also seen parts with big potholes that often come unexpected.

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This blog was completed on the 26.05. and uploaded at J.J’s during the big rain.

 

 

 

 

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Kenya – Marsabit to the Equator (16. – 19.05.2009)

We are lucky! Jambo! The parts for Juan’s car really arrive Friday at noon. Quickly we bring them to the car repair shop, where they tell us they can fix it in 3 hours… 3 hours become 10, but at least we are ready to leave Saturday morning. At 9 am we leave, however, Juan suddenly discovers he lost his mobile! He wants to go back to town to look for it.  So we continue alone – the second 250 kilometers of the “worst road in Africa”… We manage this part of the road in 4 hours and are not sure which part was worse. Corrugation at its best, potholes we have never seen before and more than once we think the car will fall apart. Another traveler said, you can only do this road if you hate your car, and he was right.

We are more than happy to finally arrive in Samburu National Park. We arrive at a perfect time, in the afternoon, when the big animals come to the river to drink. We are overwhelmed to see herds of elephants, giraffes, zebras, etc. And all of this just some meters away from us!

 

 

 

We put up our tent next to the river, and spotting elephant shit all over the place makes us a little nervous! When we sit in the dark, having dinner, we suddenly hear breaking wood, and we  discover a huge elephant just some meters away from our tent!  Thomas tries to make a photo, which unfortunately didn’t work (maybe due to his trembling hands?).

 

The next surprise is waiting early next morning. While preparing breakfast, suddenly two monster baboons enter our car! When Thomas is trying to kick them out, they knock over the table, spill the coffee and steal our milk powder. Some meters away they stop, open within seconds the lid and enjoy eating it. Only now we remember that the guards warned us that the baboons even open the tents to find food! But only if nobody is around!?!?!

On our way out of the park, we meet Juan, who arrived late at night and tells us the horror story of his mobile. It has been stolen and it took him and the people in the village half a day to locate the thief and get it back! Nevertheless everything turned out to be fine and we are happy that he also survived the horror road.

Together we continue south to Isiolo and then to the highlands around Mount Kenya. The countryside changes completely since we are over 2000 meters now, and the weather as well. It’s cold and raining. We feel a  little like in Germany with all the green and huge grain fields. In Timau, we stop at the Timau River Lodge and like this place so much that we decide to spend the night here. In the end, we stay here for 3 nights.

View from the Lodge to Mount Kenya (5199 m).

 

 

 

Our hot shower is prepared.

 

 

 

From here we go to the Sweetwater Reserve where we see even more big animals.

 

 

Our favorite picture during a visit to the open air toilet.

 

 

 

On the way to this park, we cross the Equator three times in one day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are surprised how road  conditions can change after some rain!

 

 

 

Here in the Timau River Lodge it’s time so say good-bye to Juan, who will head for the coast while we plan to go to the Rift Valley. Unfortunately, we will not see him again, since he is in a hurry and has to be in Johannesburg in 3 weeks.  Adios Juan, have a safe trip, hope to see you in Spain or Germany, it was really fun travelling together…

 

 

Our route in Kenya so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog done in the Timau River Lodge on 19./20.05.2009