Kenya

Soaking Up the Kenyan Sun

I can’t believe I got to visit Kenya. Actually I can… How could I not visit this republic? It’s probably on every travellers list. I didn’t know much about Kenya or the African continent apart from what we learned about the general history of Africans. However, what brought me to Africa is their reserve and Maasai Mara people. After 5 days I was left hungry and eager to learn more about the many cultures on this intriguing and beautiful continent.

When I arrived around 4am,  a tour guide picked me and the other guests up.   Usually I love exploring alone but in Kenya I wanted more of a group experience, and  I do not recommend doing it alone. It took us 5 hours to get to our campsite at Maasai Village. We stopped for lunch on the way and at the rift valley viewpoint.  I still can’t believe I managed to last 3 days at the village. Masai people lifestyle seemed to have changed very little over the years. Our site was as clean as a primitive campground can be with tents, beds, washroom and flushing toilets surrounded by trees and guarded by locals holding poles and machetes. The residential section on the reserve had a wire fence which did not prevent animals from freely moving outside the reserve. Elephant, lion or any other animal capable of running or jumping the fence could venture into the village. It happened enough; the week before I arrived for example, a mother buried her son who came face to face with an elephant as he was walking around the dispersal areas where the villages are located. Throughout the village, rocks and a rod are placed at the location where people were attacked by predators. All the lodges and campsite were for the most part powered by a generator. Electricity at our site was provided only from 5am to 10 am and 6pm to 10pm. The village power also was shut off prior to ours maybe around 9pm I recall hearing some sort of musical instruments every night around 8:45pm to inform locals to return to their homes right before everything got dark. The luxurious lodges kept their power on for a bit longer than the basic camp. Our meals were very basic Mara dishes; nothing special yet nothing to complain about. After all I wanted the most authentic Mara experience and I got just that.

All 3 days we drove for hours through the reserve; which is mostly an open grassland with unique acacia tree in search of the big five. Unfortunately I did not get to see rhinos or leopard in their natural habitats but instead elephants, buffaloes, zebras, ostrich, lions, cheetahs, hippos, gazelles, wildebeest, topi, baboons, crocodile, giraffes, silver back jackal, warthogs, vultures, helmeted guineafowl, secretary birds and crowned cranes. The second day after a long drive through the reserve in the afternoon we visited an un-changed Mara community. They welcomed us with a cultural dance and thought us a few traditional performances orchestrated for different occasion. The resident allowed us inside of their homes as they gave us an overview of their everyday life. The third day was similar we went back into the reserve until Noon attempting to spot animals we didn’t see before heading to Nairobi.

Made it back to Nairobi by 5pm and after those 3 restless and adventurous days all I wanted to do was lounge by the pool and sip on cocktails at the bar. The next day with a new guide Alex offered by my hotel, we visited the Nairobi Museum, Giraffe Center, Mamba Village and David Sheldrick Wildlife. Our last stop was for dinner at the Carnivore restaurant. A popular restaurant where waiters serve roasted meat on traditional Maasai swords and cooked over a huge charcoal pit.  In the evening my guide invited me to go “dunda” meaning clubbing with his friends at Tribeka a local lounge where the DJ played contemporary African beats from Nigerian, Kenyan and some International hits.

On my last day before my evening flight, I decided to get a day pass with Alex at the Stedmak Gardens and Recreation Centers. A serene place with live music, floating restaurants, heated swimming pool, animal sanctuary, sky lounge for exclusive guest, spas, etc.…

I suggest if visiting Nairobi to stay in the city of Karen. It is a beautiful suburban area away from the chaos of the city yet at proximity to experience local lifestyle. To explore the very best Kenya has to offer the visit must be of at least 6 full days. It was fairly affordable and exciting once I started travelling with Alex. No visit to Kenya is complete without a day trip to Lake Nakuru National Park and Lake Navaisha. Lake Nakuru is ideal for bird watching and to spot rhinos. The lake is 2 hours and half from Nairobi day trip. Daily excursions are offered through the city hotels. Lake Navaisha is just 2 hours from Nairobi. Daily tours from the city starts at 7am for the boat excursion followed by Crescent Island walking safari and ends at Hell’s Gate National Park for biking and hiking. I had the best time in Kenya and only wished I had seen more. See you next time dear Kenya and fellow readers lets meet on my next adventure!