Our Kenya experiences
I visited Kenya in October 2006. It was my first time to East Africa, having already visited many parts of Southern Africa. Having read Karen Blixen's Out of Africa before the journey I looked forward to falling in love with the country as much as she did.
Sarah's Kenya Experience
I began my journey, as most travelers do in the hugely diverse and very exciting city of Nairobi. My accommodation for the night was Ngong House which is situated in the suburb of Nairobi called Karen. Karen is named after Karen Blixen the author of Out of Africa and was originally the area of her farm. This is largely where the wealthy of Nairobi live. My room in Ngong House was in fact a tree house all to myself! During my stay in Nairobi I visited the Karen Blixen museum as I had just read the book and was interested in seeing the house in which she has lived.
The next day, together with the small crowd I was travelling with, I headed to Lake Naivasha to spend the next couple of nights. We stayed in a wonderful country house called Loldia House. It is situated right on the lake amongst beautiful gardens. It is backed by a working pea, bean and tea farm which also houses villages of labourers, and had a variety of game as well. On the afternoon of arrival we went on the lake in a small boat and came really close up to hippos, pelicans and fish eagles. Following this we were treated to sundowners high above the lake. This was when I started to relax and feel very happy to finally be back in my beloved Africa.
The next day we were taken to Lake Nakuru National Park but unfortunately it was raining that day and the views were rather obscured. Luckily this did not prevent us seeing the famous flamingos for which the park is well known. We saw plenty of white rhino and buffalo and were treated with a fabulous sighting of a leopard. After a long and bumpy drive back Loldia House we were warmly welcomed by Peter (often described as 'probably the best butler in the world) and treated to a delicious dinner.
My last morning in Lake Naivasha I spent horse riding. It was lovely to see the game such as eland, impala, zebra and warthogs along side you on a horse. It was early in the morning and the lake was sparkling and it was a truly enjoyable ride.
Peter then took a few of us to the local school which he asks guests to help support. I went into a few of the classrooms and the children greeted us warmly and sang us a few songs. The school is flourishing amongst all the poverty of the area. Coming from a teaching background myself I was astounded at the work of the teachers in such trying circumstances. Three of the pupils have just been accepted to university in Johannesburg so there is great hope for those pupils who can be sponsored.
It was then time to move on to the famous Masai Mara to which we were flown in a small 12-seater plane. The first views of the Mara from the air were just as one would imagine it to look – endless savannah plains. Our first camp for the night was Little Govenors Camp and it was my first real experience of an East African luxury tent. Our first game drive had us seeing a lioness and her cub. These lions had just recently been featured on the 'Big Cat Diaries' in the UK so I felt as if I personally knew the animals.
That evening I flashed my torch to have my Askari (watchman) escort me from my tent to the main bar area. As he walked with me his light moved around and we noticed six elephants within 5 metres of us! They were happily chomping away at the trees in the camp. I moved slowly to the bar and ordered my gin and tonic. With drink in hand I watched these magnificent animals and thought what a special way to spend a Monday night – far better than sitting on my couch at home watching Coronation Street!
The next morning we were up early for our balloon safari which was as you would expect, spectacular. It was great to see the animals from above in the silence of the morning light. On landing we were greeted in the bush by champagne and a hot cooked breakfast which we heartily enjoyed. On game drives that day we got a real view of the migration which was coming to an end in the Mara and the wildebeest and the zebra were making their way towards the Serengeti. There were hundreds of animals on the move which was a sight to see.
That night we spent the night in another camp Governors Camp called Il Moran. This camp is smaller and much more exclusive and luxurious. It was wonderful to fall asleep to the sounds of the hippos outside my tent as well as baboons, crickets, frogs and many other unidentifiable noises.
Our final morning in the Mara was spent on a walking safari. This was with a Masai and a South African guide. They were both excellent and I enjoyed seeing the smaller animals that you miss on the drives such as a boomslang (non-poisonous tree snake), a tortoise, a yellow haired bat and a few spiders. We also played CSI when encountering the carcass of a wildebeest. Who killed it and when? Very thrilling! I loved being right out on the bush that way, far away from all the other safari vehicles and so close to nature. I am now totally hooked on walking safaris.
Sadly we had to leave the Mara for our last destination, Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria. Again another light aircraft transfer afforded wonderful views of the Kenyan coast and the islands of the lake. Initially I thought we had had an aborted landing but then realized that the pilot was just clearing the runway of donkeys and people! Mfangano Island is largely composed of fishing villages. We were immediately boated out to a small island called Bird Island which we encircled to get the up close views of fish eagles, white egrets, cormorants and various others. It was also exciting to see water monitors and beavers.
This was a lovely relaxing end to the trip. Lake Victoria is very hypnotic and perfect for those looking for a few days to relax after a hectic safari. Fishermen are drawn here for the Nile Perch but I was more than happy to simply enjoy the fish from my plate! The staff and locals were so friendly that again, it was difficult to leave. Following a light aircraft flight back to Nairobi I headed back to London. It was awful to leave Africa again – I can identify with Karen Blixen's last chapter of Out of Africa and her pain at the thought of never returning.
Kenya is a fantastic safari destination, but is offers more than that. Its varied cultures and smiling faces are what make this country so special. There is so much more of Kenya to explore and I will be back!