Why I Love Kenya Issue 4 - Nov/Dec 2017

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE 4

The Turkana The people of the grey bull

Mombasa Town sun, sea and history

Tie the knot in Kenya

the eco-friendly destination

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Foreword

By Hon. Najib Balala, EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.

HON. NAJIB BALALA EGH, CABINET SECRETARY

K

enya is a land of close encounters: close encounters with the wilderness; close encounters with the wildlife; and close encounters with the Kenyan people themselves.

But in Kenya, our encounters are magical. Nowhere else on earth are there so many varieties of wilderness to encounter; from the Afro-Alpine slopes of Mount Kenya, to the butterflyfilled forests of the coast; and from the jade green shores of Lake Turkana, to the elephant-filled swamps of Amboseli.

As to the wildlife; close encounters with lions, elephants, leopards and all the other members of our fantastic wildlife cast are the rule rather than the exception.

But it’s the close encounters with the people of Kenya that we find our visitors remember most. Because here, Karibu (welcome) is our favourite word; and a smile is the most valuable currency we own.

In this issue of Why I Love Kenya, we encounter Malaika the leopard and her cub; and a pack of painted wolves on the move. We meet The People of the Grey Bull, who live on the wind-whipped shores of Lake Turkana. We also encounter a

troop of baboons at exceptionally close range; and a group of migrating monkeys.

And then we set off for the Indian Ocean and explore the ancient city of Mombasa with its fortress, old town, dhow harbour and maze of colourful streets.

Finally, we encounter some marvelously alternative wedding options, some gloriously inventive retail ‘finds’ and a range of high action sporting diversions that are guaranteed to inspire you to escape the world of everyday and enter the world of safari, sun, and simply stunning wildlife.

Only in Kenya can you encounter the magic. Only in Kenya can you interact with over 40 vibrantly different ethnic groups, visit over 56 iconic national parks and reserves, spot over 100 bird species in a single day, track a lion, climb a volcano, dive one of the world’s most stunning barrier reefs, or ride an ostrich.

Which is why WE love Kenya… and why we invite YOU to love Kenya too. It’s an encounter you will want to experience again and again.

Karibu… come soon.

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

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@DormansCoffee DormansCoffee WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

Contents

40 MANAGING EDITOR: Jane Barsby CONSULTANT - CONTENT & IMAGERY: Lyndsey McIntyre MARKETING CONSULTANT: David Stogdale, Chairman of the Marketing Committee, Kenya Tourism Federation SALES: Beth Litunya, Richard Steel, Laureen Gibson CREATIVE AND EDITORIAL TEAM: Mike Jones, Pam Kubassu Papa, Moses Ochieng, Sam Ndung’u PHOTOGRAPHIC AND EDITORIAL CREDITS: Angama Mara, Ariadne Van Zandbergen, Beverly Joubert, Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp, dbimages, Fairmont Hotels, Gautam Shah, H2O Extreme Diani Beach, John Warburton-Lee Photography, Mills Publishing Ltd, Mount Kenya Trust, Nairobi Fashion Week, National Museums of Kenya, Niels van Gijn, Paul Mckenzie, Paul Obuna, Rex/Inpra, Roberto Cornacchia, Sean Dundas Safaris, Selina Weich, Steve Taylor ARPS, Stuart Butler, Tanja Kibogo, The Anna Trzebinski Company Kenya, The Safari Collection, The Sands at Nomad, The Tamarind Group, The Whitley Fund, UNESCO, Virgin Limited Edition ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: advertising@colourspace.co.ke EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: editorial@colourspace.co.ke PUBLISHED BY: MJS Colourspace Ltd. Victoria Towers, Kilimanjaro Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0)20 2738004, 2737883 Mobile: +254 (0)727 794041

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

www.mountkenyatrust.org

Cover photograph: Stuart Butler Copyright © 2017 Why I Love Kenya Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publishers. The publishers do not accept responsibility for the advertising content of the magazine and nor do they promote or endorse products from third-party advertisers.

Printed in Kenya.

www.whyilovekenya.com

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01 Foreword 04 Zoom Lens 06 Wide Angle Lens: Cheetah shower 10 Cameo Shot: Paula Kahumbu on ‘Why I love Kenya’ 12 Moving Image: Troop sex 16 Cultural Contact: The people of the grey bull 18 Positive Take: Painted wolves in the morning 22 Capturing the Coast: Indian Ocean blues 28 Portfolio: Saying ‘Yes’ in Kenya 32 In Portrait: Alan Root - the man who shot Africa 34 Spotlight On: The Luhya legend of the zebra 36 Depth of Field: Of men and angels 40 In the Frame: Rumble in the jungle 42 Wild Action 44 Message from the Kenya Tourism Board 46 In Close Up: Discover Nairobi 48 Wide Angle: Why giraffes have long necks 50 Snapped: The best of Kenyan buys 52 Kenya Brief

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Photos © Mount Kenya Trust

King of the Kenyan mountain If you’d like to take part in one of Kenya’s most adventurous mountain biking events – then sign up for the Mount Kenya Trust 10to4 Challenge, which takes place on the magnificent Borana Conservancy February 16-18, 2018. Choose from the Extreme (154km 2-day climb) the Classic (62km 1-day) or the Slide (39km 1-3 hour). All proceeds go towards the conservation of Mount Kenya’s precious ecosystem.

For more information: www.10to4.org

© Nairobi Fashion Week

© Stuart Butler

The Chinese gazelle There’s a new animal on the plains in Kenya – it’s known as the Chinese gazelle, presumably because it leaps across the savanna with as much verve as the gazelle. Over the past decade, imports of Chinese motorbikes have rocketed in Kenya where they are used to transport everything from people to entire homesteads. As for the real gazelles in the conservancies around the Masai Mara, they’ve become rather blasé about the arrival of the piki-piki (Swahili for motorbike) in their midst. Most of them don’t even look up from their grazing.

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Little green bag

Arise and shine

In celebration of the United Nation’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, Kenya has bagged a place in eco history by banning all plastic bags. And, since the fines are heavy, Kenyans have adapted with alacrity carrying their groceries in everything from cardboard boxes to banana leaves.

Tourists are advised, however, not to import ANY plastic bags into the country – and that means duty free as well as airport security bags.

It’s that time of year again. November 24-26 will see the cream of Africa’s fashion gurus foregather in Nairobi for the fifth annual Nairobi Fashion Week Expo. This year’s show, entitled ‘Arise’ is expected to be an interactive multi-platform event, featuring runway events, exhibitions, workshops and, of course, countless opportunities to buy the work of Africa’s rising fashion stars. For further information visit: www.nairobifashionweekexpo.org

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

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International Cheetah Day December 4th is International Cheetah Day. Established by the Cheetah Conservation Fund in cooperation with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013, its mission is to focus the world’s attention on the plight of the cheetah, now Africa’s most endangered big cat.

IMAGE COURTESY OF FEDERICO VERONESI

And not a moment too soon. Cheetah numbers in the wild have dropped from 100,000 to less than 10,000 over the last ten years.

As declines go – this is drastic indeed. So much so, that unless it is reversed, the beautiful cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal, will be extinct within the next five to ten years.

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Monkeys are clever – we all know that. But the shy and beautiful de Brazza’s monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus) would appear to be brighter than most – as revealed through recent research by the Institute of Primate Research of the National Museums of Kenya.

Finding their existence to be increasingly threatened by deforestation and human encroachment in their historic Western Kenyan habitats, a group of 200-300 trail-blazing de Brazza’s has followed the example of increasing numbers of discerning tourists, and headed off to the remote, isolated and exceptionally beautiful Mathews Forest Reserve of northern Kenya. Smart move: smart monkey. Further information: www.primateresearch.org

There are many reasons for the decline in numbers: loss of habitat, human conflict, climate change and the fact that cheetahs don’t do well in protected game reserves due to the high numbers of other larger predators, which steal their food and kill their young.

But there is hope, especially in Kenya, which is acknowledged to be the world’s cheetah stronghold with a population of around 1,500.

Here, extensive research is being carried out to determine ways of protecting Kenya’s cheetahs.

And Mother Nature herself appears to have joined the research in so much as Kenya is the only area in the world where cheetah behavior appears to have adapted in direct response to the evolving threats. Remarkably, Kenyan cheetahs are now gathering into groups or ‘cooperatives’ consisting of one or two females, often with an accompanying male, to raise groups of cubs of assorted ages and parentage. Protected and fed by the group rather than by a solitary mother, the cubs have a much better chance of achieving maturity and having cubs of their own.

For more information: www.marameru.org or www.maracheetahs.org

Clever little

monkey

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WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

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Cheetah shower Shingo and her six cubs in the Masai Mara © Paul Mckenzie

> International Cheetah Day: 4th WHY WHYDecember I LOVE I LOVEKENYA KENYANovember-December September-October 2017

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DISCOVER

KWS PARKS

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON From an urban safari to the underwater world of Kenya’s Marine Parks & Reserves, to that hike atop mountainous terrains, to the complete wilderness and back to the wildlife sanctuaries, home to rescued animals from across the country, there’s something for everyone beyond the comfort of your living room.

Experience the excitement of staying overnight in various accommodation options located in our parks. These include selfcatering bandas and guest houses, campsites, lodges and hotels.

Grab this opportunity to catch an early morning game drive where you spot the peeking ball of sunrise among the woods as it brings to life yet another day for the wilderness actors, particularly the major carnivores who are habitual early risers for a morning kill. Keep calm and watch as the food chain hierarchy plays out.

Come savor some of the unspoiled places and spaces on earth.

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cameo shot

Photograph: Paul Obuna / WildlifeDirect

Kenya Why I Love

for Nature Award (AKA the ‘Green Oscar’) which recognizes the world’s most exciting grassroots conservation leaders, Paula is also holder of Kenya’s own ‘Order of the Grand Warrior’ for Environmental Services.

Paula Kahumbu, international campaigner

One of Kenya’s most influential conservation

for Kenya’s elephants and Executive Director

voices, Paula’s recent online campaign

of WildlifeDirect leads the global campaign,

(#Tweet4Elephants) reached 39 million people

Hands Off Our Elephants which was launched

worldwide. In this brief cameo, Paula tells us

in 2013. Winner of the prestigious Whitley Fund

why she loves Kenya.

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Paula at the ivory burning ceremony in Nairobi National Park, 30 April 2016 © Beverly Joubert

Receiving the Whitley Fund for Nature Award from HRH The Princess Royal © The Whitley Fund

‘I’m five years old and my brother, Dominic, and I are standing by the roadside staring up at a wild furry thing in the crook of a tall fig tree. A car pulls up and a gruff voice asks, ‘What are you children doing?’ We point innocently to the cat-sized creature. ‘Are you going to shoot it?’ the man asks. I am only 5 but I’m horrified, ‘No!’ I say. ‘Then why do you have a catapult?’ he asks. It’s a good question; and spot on - my brother shoots at everything and anything. ‘It’s a tree hyrax,’ the man says, ‘it lives a solitary life in the trees. If you want to know more about animals come to my house.’

want people to DO about this problem?’ My answer, blurted out, was ‘I just want them to get their hands off our elephants’. In that instant a campaign was born.

And that’s how it started. A regular pilgrimage to the home of the man who was searching for the missing link in human evolution: the world-famous conservationist, Richard Leakey. Remarkably, he never seemed to tire of us. He would pore over the tiny bones that we’d found beneath an eagle’s nest and tell us from which rodent they had originated. We learned about snakes, lizards, birds and insects; and how we should return all of them to the wild. He never warned us about stinging, biting or hissing things: just encouraged us to explore. So we did. And got bitten, stung, fell out of trees, raised orphaned owls and rescued injured monkeys. It was an inspiration that set me on a path I would follow for the rest of my life.

Thirty years later I was immersed in the task of raising awareness as to the plight of the African elephant. But nobody seemed to be listening.

Attending a radio interview, the interviewer gaped as I walked in. ‘But you’re Kenyan,’ she said in amazement. And I learnt a very important lesson: for most Kenyans, the nation’s wildlife is not relevant to their everyday lives; and elephants are for tourists. This was a mindset that had to be changed. By the end of the interview, a major PR company had committed itself to help me. But once in their boardroom, facing a table of PR executives I floundered. I belong in the bush not the boardroom. Finally, exasperated, the CEO said, ‘but, Paula, what do you

Over the next few months, increasing amounts of interest focused on the campaign. Eventually my conservationist friends were warning me to take care, to stop drawing attention to a sensitive issue, corruption. I ignored them. And then I was called to State House. My meeting, as it turned out, was with Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta. She listened quietly to what I had to say. But I saw how deeply the images of dead elephants moved her; I heard the emotion in her voice, and I knew she would help.

And she did. Margaret Kenyatta became the patroness of our cause.

She attended every event, penned numerous articles for the media and supported us every step of the way. Thanks to her, millions of Kenyans have fallen in love with elephants. Somehow, as our leading lady, she gave us the license to love our elephants; the license to mourn the poached matriarchs, the leading ladies of the elephant world.

Since 2012 the incidence of elephant poaching in Kenya has declined by 80 per cent. And we did it. Not just me or the campaign, not even the First Lady, but ALL Kenyans.

And that’s why I love Kenya – because of our phenomenal capacity to change hearts and minds. And to make this great country an even better place.’

To find out more or to donate to the campaign, please visit: www.wildlifedirect.org

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 11

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Troop

Sex Words and photos by Stuart Butler

I’d been told to stand bolt still and not look at him. It was easier said than done. A metre to my rear a large dominant male baboon was staring me up and down with what I could only imagine to be a sneer written across his face. I’d never been so close to a baboon before and prior to this moment I’d thought of them as merely rather amusing safari animals – the kind whose antics could be relied upon to make granny blush. Now that I was being glared at by one from such close quarters, I reassessed this image and came to appreciate the baboon for the large and powerful animal it actually is.

A fully-grown male, at the pinnacle of his strength, walks with a serious swagger and looks like a cross between a Rottweiler and a grizzly bear; only more aggressive. So being told to stand still and pretend this one wasn’t there… wasn’t going to work. Besides, if I was about to be torn limb from limb, surely I deserved some warning. So I turned to look at him.

»

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tab title I was visiting the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project in central Kenya and was increasingly coming to the conclusion that this little-known attraction was one of Kenya’s unsung tourist highlights. Here, for the past three decades, a group of Kenyan and American scientists has been studying three troops of baboons, who, after years of having every aspect of their lives scrutinised, have become perfectly habituated to humans. Each troop contains around a hundred members ranging from tiny black, and almost cute, new-born babies to cavorting teenagers looking for love. And from busy mothers fretting over their youngsters to grumpy old boys who’ve lost their place at the top of the pecking order.

And, so habituated have the baboons become, that visitors can, for a few hours at least, almost become a member of the troop – following it at close quarters as it moves like an army scouring the hills for food.

My guide, and translator of baboon behaviour, was a clipboardclutching scientist and, in between jotting down notes on what each baboon was up to, he regaled me with the kind of baboon trivia that’s guaranteed to enliven any dinner party. For example, did you know that in baboon society sex is used as a greeting in much the same free and easy manner that we humans air kiss old friends? I didn’t. Nor did it appear, from my own brief observation, that the baboons were greatly fussed as to whether they were ‘air kissing’ other males, other females, or even the kids. My guide, however, assured me that baboon society features much more than early morning immorality.

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Affairs, it seems, are everyday occurrences...

Baboons, he said, often pair for life, though he tempered this vision of happily married baboon couples by describing their relationships as ‘fiery’. Affairs, it seems, are everyday occurrences with the older females frequently taking a toy-boy on the side; jealously is also common. When a younger, unattached female, is on heat, for instance, she’ll be trailed by a pack of potential suitors. But, behind them, come the older females, keen to keep an eye on what’s happening. And, should one of ‘their’ men try his luck with the temptress, all hell will break loose.

Of course, baboon life doesn’t entirely revolve around sex. It also revolves around food (so you’re probably coming to the conclusion that baboon society has an awful lot going for it?).

My guide explains how the omnivorous baboons are very adaptable when it comes to finding food. One of the more intriguing examples of this adaptability involves prickly pear cactuses.

Originating in the desert regions of the Americas, prickly pears were only recently introduced to Kenya. Thriving in areas of patchy rainfall, the hilly habitat of the baboons suits the cactus perfectly, and their fruit is sweet and refreshing.

But you have to know how to avoid getting a mouthful of tiny irritating spikes when you bite into it. The baboons have learned quickly. First they pluck the fruit; then they rub it carefully on the ground to remove the spikes. Evolution, I couldn’t help thinking, was speeding up.

All such baboon trivia, however, had been learnt earlier in the day. Now, at the end of the day, I was under close scrutiny from a very large male baboon. I turned to look at my aggressor: our eyes met. He held my stare without flinching; and I realized how great had been my mistake in ignoring my guide’s advice.

My heart was racing. Any second now I was going to have my arm torn off.

But then, quite suddenly, the baboon flung back his head, as if in disgust at my puniness, and swaggered off in pursuit of a passing female. Time for an ‘air kiss’….

To learn more, download the Walk with Baboons brochure: www.baboonsrus.com/resources/PDF_Twala_BaboonWalks.pdf

Baboons R Us, the people behind the walking with baboons experience are based in the very small village of Il Polei about two hours drive west of Nanyuki.

Accommodation is limited to the basic bandas of the Twala Womens Group.

See www.baboonsrus.com for more information.

The author of this piece travelled to Il Polei with Adventure Upgrade Safaris & Car Hire in Nairobi (www.adventureupgradesafaris.co.ke; Tel: 254-20-228725).

The author flew from Nairobi to Nanyuki with AirKenya (airkenya.com) who link Nairobi with all the major national parks and reserves in Kenya as well as coastal destinations. The international flight was provided by Kenya’s flagship carrier, Kenya Airways (kenya-airways.com) who fly direct from Paris, London, Amsterdam and eleven different Asian cities to Nairobi.

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cultural contact

The people of the

grey bull In the far north of Kenya, on the searingly-hot, wind-whipped shores of Lake Turkana, lives a group of people known to their fellow Kenyans as the Turkana. They call themselves The People of the Grey Bull. Tall and elegant with finely etched faces, these people speak a language called Turkan while their name, Turkana, is thought to translate as ‘the people of the caves’. In this lies the clue to the ancient mystery of where the Turkana came from. Nilotic by race, some say they came from Sudan, others from Ethiopia, but all agree that around three hundred years ago the Turkana settled in a mountainous region of northeastern Uganda where caves are plentiful.

As to why they left this place, the Turkana, who are lyrical storytellers, have their own explanation. It goes something like this »

© Stuart Butler

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Many moons ago, our people lived in a land of mountains and forests. One day, a group of young warriors were herding their long-horned Zebu cattle across the wide plains when the leading bull, a massive grey beast with horns set so far apart that a man might not touch the tips of both at once, raised his head, cocked his ears and set off at a brisk trot. This was unusual: the plains were hot and the herds tired; but, knowing that the other cattle would follow the grey bull, the warriors set off in his wake. Many days passed as the warriors followed the tracks of the bull; he was moving fast. Finally they arrived in a deep valley bordered by lilac-grey mountains and set about with berry-laden bushes. In the distance sparkled a vast jade green lake. In the foreground grazed the grey bull.

The warriors rushed forward to rope the bull, but a voice stopped them. ‘Leave him in peace,’ it said, ‘he has brought you here according to my will.’ It was an old, cracked voice that whistled like the wind; and it came from an old lady who sat beneath a bush, her lap filled with ripe berries. ‘I am Neyace’, she said, ‘follow me and I will take you to a place of peace and fertility where I will teach you to make fire. Bring your cattle.’ Awed, the warriors followed as, stick in hand, the old lady led them forward. As night fell, they entered a silent valley filled with berry bushes. ‘Live here,’ said Neyace, ‘and send back for your maidens.’ Impressed, the warriors did as they were bid. Henceforth, these people were known as The People of the Grey Bull.

Today, the Turkana still herd their cattle, which provide them with meat, milk and blood; they are also very fond of berries. Brave warriors, inspired creators of delicate weaponry, and skilled basket-makers, they work with leather, wood, shells, horns, gourds and plumes to make headdresses so fabulous that each man carries a small stool upon which he might rest his head, resplendent with feathers and blue-dyed mud, at night. Dwellers in a harsh land, these proud and restless nomads are born survivors, but even they cannot control the one factor that dictates whether they will live or die: the rain.

Akuj controls the rain. Some say he lives among the stars, others that he dwells amid the lilac-grey peaks, but all agree that when Akuj is pleased he sends rain; and when he is angry he withholds it. Wayward like his people, however, Akuj often forgets all about the Turkana and has to be reminded as to their existence by song, dance and sacrifice. Only certain people can define Ajuk’s moods. They are known as emuron or dreamers. To be a dreamer, a man must be ‘called away’ by Akuj and led to a land of lush grass and plentiful cattle. When he returns he is mystically changed and can ‘read’ Akuj’s will via his dreams.

Though increasingly diversifying into fishing and agriculture, the Turkana are herders at heart. And a man’s ability to build his herd determines whether or not he will marry. Bride prices are high, sometimes calling for over one hundred beasts. So you will often find a man to be much older than his wife; and to have more than one wife to help him keep his herds. A man with only one wife, says an old Turkana proverb, is like a man with one leg.

Marriage is the traditional goal of all Turkana maidens. Around their necks are wound strings of yellow, green, blue and red beads, which are given to them by their fathers. When they marry, the beads must be handed to their sisters and replaced with those presented by their husbands. If a woman is widowed she must wear pure white beads. Traditionally both men and women wear rectangular wraps made from woven material or animal skins.

The men wear them knotted on one shoulder, the women decorate them with ostrich-egg-shell beads. There are no clans in Turkana land: every man is born into one of two ‘alternations’ – leopards or stones. If a man’s father is a leopard; then he is a stone; and so on until the end of time.

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© Roberto Cornacchia / Alamy Stock Photo

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Painted

wolves in the morning

T

he early mornings are celestial on the Athi Plains about an hour’s drive south of Nairobi. Clear blue skies, cloud free; rolling savannah backed by quartzglinting hills. Far away the occasional gleam of the ‘Lunatic Line’, the colonial railway track that winds all the way down to Mombasa. And, if you’re very lucky, there might be a guest appearance by Mount Kilimanjaro. Silver grey, she appears and disappears like a vast pink mirage; a giant Christmas pudding lilactopped with snow.

There’s a plaintive keening of hornbills and the bubbling coo of the emerald spotted wood doves. But this is no national park. Not even a reserve or a conservancy. It’s just a vast swathe of land once teeming with wildlife, later converted to sprawling colonial cattle ranches. But both are gone now. Africa has taken back her own and now the Athi Plains are just mile upon mile of scrubby bush punctuated by an ever-increasing number of settlements. They do, however, provide ideal territory for painted wolves.

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The ears arrive first, pricked in the long grass. Round and black like so many radar dishes. Heads appear. Then there’s a cautious peering and sniffing. A decision is communally made: two humans walking in the bush don’t present a threat. And the pack of wild dogs emerges.

At first you wonder if it’s a pack of mongrel dogs. Then you realize that mongrels don’t look like this. They’re not so rangy, so watchful, so much of a cross between a wolf and a hyena. Nor are they painted in such fantastic colours, splashed with rust and white; dripped with black and grey – a gorgeous hybrid print of wildebeest and leopard. And domestic dogs don’t move with one accord, flowing over the landscape as if all part of the same organism.

The wild dogs don’t stay long. They’re on a mission of their own.

The signal is given and the liquid pack, now an amorphous mass of black, brown and rust so brilliantly camouflaged that it appears like a brief shadow on the landscape – is gone.

But we have been immensely privileged. The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is one of the most endangered creatures on the planet. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there remain only around 6,000 across the entire African continent. And their numbers are plummeting. It’s not just that these whimsically beautiful beasts are affected by diseases such as rabies or canine distemper, both of which are passed on to them by domestic animals; or that their range has been radically encroached upon by man. It’s also that farmers across Africa are killing them in the belief that the dogs have killed their livestock. In reality, however, wild dogs typically hunt only wild animals.

But there’s a greater threat: recent research has revealed that the wild dog is being threatened by climate change. A group of scientists from the Zoological Society of London, the University of Johannesburg and the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust

contend that rising global temperatures have affected the dogs’ ability to hunt and, by inference, to produce healthy pups.

Extinction looms.

In Kenya, however, there is hope. The Kenya Rangelands Wild Dog and Cheetah Project has devoted over 15 years to concocting a cocktail of measures designed to allow the dogs to survive in a human-dominated landscape. Domestic livestock has been inoculated against rabies and pastoralists have been taught how to construct more efficient bomas (pens) for their livestock. They’ve also been encouraged to revert to the old ways of land use whereby land is set aside for dry season grazing thus leaving areas in which the dogs can run free. Farmers have also been persuaded to donate land for ‘wildlife corridors.’ And in return they’ve been given a share in the proceeds of tourism that the wildlife attracts. Outreach programmes have been established to monitor the movement of the dogs by means of radio tracking collars or scouts. And local herders are alerted to the fact that a pack of wild dogs are in the neighbourhood and that their vigilance should be increased.

The results have been startling. Over the last decade the numbers of wild dogs in the Samburu-Laikipia region have increased eightfold.

This is good news. Because not only does the wild dog provide a supreme example of the efficiency of the pack – which works with one accord and for the good of all – but also because the wild dog can trace its ancestry back 40 million years to a creature known as Miacis, which was the ancestor of all wolves and foxes. And, of course, of ‘man’s best friend’ the domestic dog.

Post script If you spot a wild dog in the Laikipia region the Laikipia Wildlife Forum would love to know. Simply send an image and the location in which it was taken to www.facebook.com/laikipiawildlifeforum/ hashtag #WildAboutWildDogs

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 19

capturing the coast

Indian Ocean Blues Mombasa is everything that Nairobi is not. At nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, Nairobi’s air is champagne clear and every breath seems to fill you with energy. In Mombasa you’re enveloped in a warm, humid, sometimes spice-scented blanket; and the temptation to lie down and luxuriate in it is overwhelming. In Nairobi everyone seems to be rushing to get somewhere or do something. In Mombasa nobody rushes. And everyone seems languidly content to remain exactly where they are.

In Nairobi, the call of the wilderness is strong: there’s an underlying urge to get out and get on with the safari. In Mombasa, the Indian Ocean rules supreme. Its impossibly clear, warm, blue waters; silver sands and waving palms encircle the island. And the only call is that of the beach; or the blessed shade of the coconut palm.

Diani Beach © The Sands at Nomad

22 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

7

Diani Beach has recently been voted ‘Africa’s Leading Beach Destination’ for a record fourth consecutive year at the prestigious World Travel Awards - the ‘Oscars’ of the global travel industry.

© The Sands at Nomad

Mombasa beaches… and beyond

Mnarani ruins, Kilifi is the remains of two mosques dating back to the 15th century

Protected by its own barrier reef, the Kenyan coastline rolls serenely north of Mombasa via the endless beaches of Bamburi, into the quaintly pretty Kilifi Creek, and on up to the lazy languor of Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. To the south, it swings through the magnificent crescent of Diani Beach and on down to the Tanzanian border. For much of its journey, the Kenyan coastline is backed only by waving coconut palms. Occasionally it is punctuated by the bustle and brilliance of hotels, beach bars, camels and skittering kite surfers; sometimes by the coral-grey ruins of an ancient Swahili settlement; sometimes by a buttress of bulbous baobab trees; sometimes by a deserted mosque. Behind the southern beaches, though, rise the elephant patrolled woodlands of the Shimba Hills: behind the northern beaches the red-dust reaches of Tsavo East National Park. But above all, the Indian Ocean coastline is a journey: from past to present and from holiday paradise to pristine wilderness.

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 23

capturing the coast

The Tamarind Dhow © The Tamarind Group

Mombasa eats Swahili cuisine prevails on the coast, a glorious mix of spices, coconut, tamarind, fresh chopped herbs and chilli. Easily Mombasa’s most famous restaurant is The Tamarind, which excels in fish and runs The Tamarind Dhow, a Swahili sailing ship that tours the harbour for lunch and dinner (all meals and cocktails on board). Best ‘on-the-street food’ includes freshly cooked samosas and cassava crisps fried in old oil drums outside Fort Jesus, best eaten hot with fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of chilli powder.

Spices for sale at MacKinnon Market, Old Town, Mombasa © Ariadne Van Zandbergen / Alamy Stock Photo

A century ago...

This is what Mombasa harbour would have looked like when Dr and Mrs Boedeker arrived in 1896.

She was a member of the British aristocracy, he was a Parsee from India, and they had left England to escape the condemnation of what was then considered a ‘scandalous marriage’. She was beautiful, he was a brilliant doctor and they had fallen deeply in love. Now they planned to make a life ‘somewhere in Africa.’ Her luggage contained velvet gowns, ostrich-feather trimmed hats and exquisite lace; he carried a plough. It took them six weeks, but they walked from Mombasa to Nairobi. When they arrived, having traversed nearly 500 kms of wilderness alive with lions, elephants and every other form of wildlife, their clothes were ripped to pieces and they were coated head to foot in heavy red dust. The Boedekers did, however, make a life for themselves in Kenya where she raised the family, always impeccably dressed, and he practiced as a doctor, sometimes using a railway carriage as an operating theatre.

Photos © Mills Publishing Ltd

24 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

Fort Jesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 to protect the port of Mombasa, it is one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th century Portuguese military fortification

Mombasa must see Heading the hit list is the magnificent 16th century Fort Jesus, a red-streaked Portuguese bastion that broods, blind-eyed over the harbour and boasts a hauntingly tragic and bloody history. Next up is a walk around the Old Town, which echoes that of Lamu and Zanzibar. Dating from the 13th century it’s a place of winding streets, magnificent carved doors, delicate filigree balconies and dimly lit emporiums. There are also six magnificent mosques to be admired before taking a wander around the Old Dhow Harbour, where numerous traditional dhows bob on their anchors and sleek white cats prowl (the old fish market stands next door and is still functioning). © UNESCO

The Old Dhow Harbour © John Warburton-Lee Photography / Alamy Stock Photo

Mombasa Old Town © dbimages / Alamy Stock Photo

Left: The narrow streets of Mombasa’s Old Town

© Steve Taylor ARPS / Alamy Stock Photo

Above: Moi Avenue is Mombasa’s primary thoroughfare, famous for two pairs of giant aluminium elephant tusks crossing the dual carriageway. The tusks were commissioned in commemoration of a visit to Mombasa by Princess Margaret in 1956.

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 25

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portfolio

Saying

yes in Kenya

If you’re planning on saying ‘I do’ in the near future, you’ve probably got a wish list that includes guaranteed blue skies and sunshine for the big day; a wedding venue with a show-stopping backdrop and photo ops galore; a magical honeymoon hideaway that doesn’t require hours on a plane; and the chance to escape the daily grind and encounter wildlife, wilderness and a culture that’s utterly unique.

Look no further. We have it all.

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28 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

portfolio

‘To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish…’ - The Book of Common Prayer

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 29

Eco-chic weddings It’s the very latest trend, an ecologically sound wedding. And with good reason, because the average wedding emits 14.5 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere while the average person emits 12 tons of CO2 per year. So… how can a Kenyan wedding help you to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding slipper? Here are five gloriously green ideas: 1. Forget the confetti and use rose petals – Kenya is one of the world’s largest rose growers so we’ve got plenty to spare. Alternatively throw birdseed – we have over 1,100 recorded bird species and are considered one of the world’s most rewarding ornithological destinations.

2. Looking for the ideal green wedding gift? Why not allow the bride and groom to help a family in Maasai land by donating a goat or a cow – this will provide nutrition for the family and income to put the children through school. For further information: Maasai@maasai-association.org 3. Cut down carbon miles and stage your wedding, your reception and your honeymoon in the same place. We’ve got venues ranging from Indian Ocean idylls to rhino sanctuaries. And guest entertainments from lion-tracking to turtle preservation.

4. Instead of using paper for your place cards, use local leleshwa leaves, which when bruised will emit a subtle camphor fragrance and are traditionally used by the Maasai as deodorants. Simply print the name of the guest on a tiny piece of paper and pin it to the leleshwa leaf.

5. Cut down on plastic by using recycled water bottles.

Photo: Tanja Kibogo // www.kibogophotography.com. Model: Olivia Sang // @olivia_sang_ Dress: Deepa Dosaja // www.deepadosaja.com. Jewellery: Adèle Dejak // www.adeledejak.com

Tropical shower To those who live in the chill and windy reaches of Northern Europe and North America, nothing is more alluring than the thought of guaranteed sunshine for the big day, blue-chip skies for the pictures, and a gilt-edged invitation to run barefoot along the beaches of the Indian Ocean. Consequently, Kenya’s coastline is one of the world’s hottest beach wedding venues. Many hotels also offer a dive school, where you can arrange for a wedding beneath the waves.

For further information www.magicalkenya.com

30 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

portfolio tab title

Hot air hitch If you’d like to avoid the hot air that inevitably surrounds the wedding hype, you might like to consider getting married by balloon. Rising high above the jaded conventions of limousines and horse-drawn carriages, this will allow you to blow into the ceremony on the wind of romance, and hurl your bouquet down to your fighting girlfriends from a basket suspended from a rainbow-coloured globe.

© Fairmont Hotels

© Angama Mara

© Virgin Limited Edition

Safari spin For those in search of a sublimely safari spin on the wedding wardrobe, inspiration can be gleaned from the Nairobi workshop of Anna Trzebinski who merges Maasai and Samburu inspired beadwork with cashmere, feathers and leather to create a series of unique and exquisite creations.

For further information: sales@annatrzebinski.com © The Anna Trzebinski Company Kenya

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 31

positive take

Alan Root the man who shot Africa

S

ir David Attenborough dubbed him the man ‘who made natural history filmmaking grow up’. It was a well-coined phrase. Because when Alan Root trained his lens upon Africa, the whole world fell in love. Millions watched spellbound as his film, The Year of the Wildebeest, traced the annual migration of the wildebeest from the plains of the Masai Mara to the Serengeti. In the film, he described the wildebeests’ unceasing cyclical journey as the quest for ‘the place where the grass meets the sky’. And now, perhaps, he has gone to that place himself. Because, on August 26, Alan Root died. He was 80 and is survived by his third wife, Fran Michelmore, and their two sons.

Born in London, Alan Root moved to Kenya at a young age and, once in possession of a camera, his natural talent soon became obvious. Footage from his first project, filming lily-trotters on Lake Naivasha, impressed visiting filmmakers, Armand and Michaela Denis, with whom he began working for their BBC series, On Safari. Then, in 1956, he collaborated with father and son team Bernhard and Michael Grzimek, on their Oscar winning film, Serengeti Shall Not Die (1959). In 1961 Alan married animal enthusiast, Joan Thorpe, and over the next twenty years the couple released a formidable array of award-winning wildlife films.

Above & Left: Close to the action during the annual migration © Paul Mckenzie

Famous for their innovative cinematography techniques, the couple captured the pounding energy of a thundering wildebeest herd in their 1974 production, The Year of the Wildebeest, by placing cameras at ground level and protecting them with tortoise shells.

positive take

Their first international success came in 1973 with Baobab: Portrait of a Tree and in 1975 they completed the first balloon ascent over Mount Kilimanjaro for their epic aerial film, Balloon Safari, which was watched by 96 million people in 26 countries. Famous for their innovative cinematography techniques, the couple captured the pounding energy of a thundering wildebeest herd in their 1974 production, The Year of the Wildebeest, by placing cameras at ground level and protecting them with tortoise shells. In 1978 their documentary on life in a termite mound, Mysterious Castles of Clay, earned them an Oscar nomination and the same year a behind-the-scenes Survival Special, Two in the Bush, brought their legendary risk-taking to light.

Described in the New Yorker magazine as the ‘The Man Who Was Eaten Alive in Africa’, Root’s rashness was legendary. Describing himself as ‘a compulsive risk taker’, he crash-landed Jackie Kennedy from a hot air

balloon into a field of maize, was bitten on the behind by a leopard, on the thigh by an enraged hippo, and in the calf by a gorilla. He later described the gorilla as charging at him like ‘a Doberman on steroids’ and entertained visitors by putting a Coke bottle through the hole it had bitten in his leg. His missing index finger, meanwhile, stood testament to a confrontation with a puff adder while Joan had her diving mask bitten off by a hippo and encouraged a spitting cobra to spit in her face so that Alan could film it in slow motion. Together, they introduced Dian Fossey to her first mountain gorillas.

Alan and Joan separated in the 1980s and Alan went on to complete projects for various corporations including Survival, National Geographic and the BBC. During his long career Alan was honoured by over 60 awards and in 1994 received an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Wildscreen Festival.

Joan and Alan Root filming for ‘Survival’. © Rex/Inpra

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 33

spotlight on

The Luhya legend of the The Luhya are one of the largest ethnic groups in Kenya. A member of the Bantu ethnic group, their name means, ‘people of the hearth’ and they live in Western Kenya. Great story-tellers, the Luhya are famous for their legends. Here is one of them.

Zebra Many moons ago, when the earth was new and all the animals were free, Man went out to hunt. At that time there were no farms and no domesticated animals. There was just the sky and the wilderness. It was early morning and the antelope were grazing on the plains with their black and white tails twitching in the grey veil of the morning mist. Creeping up upon them, Man shot one with his bow and arrow. The others took no notice: this was the way of the world.

Man tied the animal’s feet together and hoisted it on his back, but he had wandered further than he had intended, and it was a long way home. After an hour, the antelope began to weight very heavily upon Man’s back and encountering a wild donkey, he observed how wide and flat its back was; and how sturdy its legs. And Man had an idea. Walking softly up to the donkey, he put a rope around its neck. Then he put the antelope on its back and together he and the donkey walked home. Arriving at his hut, Man fed the donkey some grass. The donkey appreciated this and stayed with the man.

But then the word went around that donkeys could be used to carry loads.

And everyone wanted one.

The donkeys became worried. Observing how their fellows were being made to carry heavier and heavier loads while being fed less and less grass they decided to run away and hide in the forest. But it was of no use: man came after them.

Eventually the donkeys called a crisis meeting and the decision was made to consult the wisdom of Hare.

‘Come to me tomorrow morning,’ said Hare, ‘I will solve your problem.’

Arriving at Hare’s burrow the following morning, the donkeys found him armed with a large can of whitewash and a brush. ‘Who’s going to be first?’ he said, dipping the brush in the whitewash. Now donkeys are stubborn creatures, so it took some time for one of them to step forward. But, when he had done so, Hare painted white stripes all over his brown coat. ‘Now,’ said Hare, ‘Man won’t know you’re a donkey and he won’t treat you like one.’

This seemed like an excellent plan and all the donkeys rushed forward eager to receive their stripes. It took a long time, but eventually Hare had painted almost half of them.

They were busy admiring each other and standing close together to see whose stripes were larger. The unpainted donkeys, however, were becoming impatient and began to jostle their way to the front of the queue. ‘Stand still!’ said Hare.

But the donkeys would not.

In the fracas that ensued, a hoof went into the can of whitewash over it went.

Hare was furious, ‘how stupid can you be?’ he said, ‘that’s the end of the whitewash. I can help you no more.’

Alarmed at the stupidity of their fellows, the painted donkeys made a hasty decision. ‘Let’s call ourselves zebras,’ they said, and galloped away into the bush. As for the unpainted donkeys, they had no option but to stay behind and work for Man. Which is why they are still called donkeys today.

34 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

Where hippo own the night and lions claim vast territories...

Here we submit to the supreme power of wild Africa and take our lead from Mother Nature‌

In the Heart of Maasailand

Tel: +254 204450035/6, +254 702 692648 Email: reservations@atua-enkop.com Website: www.atua-enkop.com

WHERE WE BELONG

W W W. A N GA M A .CO M

TNB3646_ANGAMA_MagazineAD_WILK2017-FA.indd 5

2017/03/15 1:15 PM

Elephant Bedroom Camp - Samburu

Mbweha Camp - Lake Nakuru

Mara Ngenche Safari Camp - Masai Mara

Tipilikwani Mara Camp - Masai Mara

depth of field

There’s a moment, on the equator, just before the sun finally sinks, when everything is tinged a soft reddish gold: when every blade of grass is pink-gilded; when every ear of the characteristic red oat grass is outlined. And then the sun plunges over the horizon, the light shafts flare, the sky is lilac-tinged, and a sudden chill falls.

Of men

& angels In the open-sided safari vehicle there was a general zipping up of fleeces and a turning up of collars. We were heading back to the tented camp after a late afternoon game drive. The rough track was familiar: one more gear-wrenching grind, a brief splash through the rocks of the river and we’d be home. Time to shower: time for supper: time, not too distant, for bed. Abruptly, the driver swung off the track and set off along the line of rapidly darkening blue-grey bush clumps that marked the winding course of the river. Further up stream a hippo emitted a lengthy chortle. ‘Where are we going?’ somebody said. But the driver, now swathed in his red Maasai shuka, made no response. A little further on he pulled up and switched off the engine. We stared somewhat disinterestedly into the gloom.

There comes a point in a game drive when you’ve seen enough. Or so you think.

© Sean Dundas Safaris

36 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

© Gautam Shah

‘Can you see her?’ said the driver and pointed into the undergrowth.

We peered. ‘She’s very well camouflaged,’ he said. We leaned forward to peer more determinedly into the grey-blue of the shadows. And there she was; neatly seated like an Egyptian statuette with her tail curled around her paws and her head bent at a politely enquiring angle. A leopard. ‘That’s Malaika,’ said the driver, ‘the name means angel in Swahili.’ And angelic she was.

failed: she hadn’t shaken us off. Resigned, she lay down on her back in the long grass and wriggled. The riverbank was scored by a number of inlets, like cracks in the lips of a life-long smoker: or miniature canyons.

Small, exquisitely marked and imperiously enigmatic, the young leopardess’s opaque-green almond eyes looked at us, and yet through us – as if her gaze was directed towards more heavenly things. ‘Can you see the cub?’ said the driver. Cub! This was a bonus: we strained our eyes into the gloom. And there he was, his rounded ears mimicking the leaves of the croton bush under which he sat and his tiny spots causing him to appear and disappear ghostly in the changing light. Malaika’s tail twitched. The cub, as if summoned, moved stealthily forward into the silvery light. In the vehicle there was a collective intake of breath and a bumbling, fumbling noisy reach for cameras. A yanked zip shrilled. Malaika’s gaze focused and then sharpened upon us. Danger. She rose, flicked her tail, and within seconds she and the cub had disappeared. We let out a collective breath. Phew. It had been brief, but we had seen a leopard. How lucky was that?

The ears came first; then the triangular pink nose, and the kittenishly round eyes – now completely intent upon his mother.

She ignored him. One paw crept up the bank, then the other. The cub paused, utterly motionless on the muddy brink. Then in a whirl of spots and tail he hurtled from his hiding place and pounced triumphantly upon his mother. Paws flailed briefly, then she batted him away. She was indulgent: he was learning; it was a master class in poise and precision. The cub gave his head a determined shake and disappeared back down into his canyon. Three more times he made his attack, each as enthusiastic as the first until, tolerant but tired, Malaika rose to her feet. And set off towards our vehicle. We froze as she stalked past, tail swishing. Haughty. On the river bank the cub stared after his mother. Then, avoiding the vehicle, he made a tail-whirling dash for the shelter of a bush to our right. Without a backward glance, Malaika padded off into the khaki shelter of the long grass. Beneath his bush, the cub quivered, pricked his tiny ears, and then launched himself heroically in her wake. His learning curve had been steep.

The driver started the engine and we retraced our tracks. The suspension wheezed as we lurched down into the riverbed and up the other side. But instead of heading for the lights of the camp, now clearly visible in the deepening gloom, the driver turned off to follow the riverbank again. Then, switching off the engine, he put his finger to his lips. Malaika emerged daintily from the bushes: a ballet dancer from the wings. She eyed us disdainfully. Her ploy had

Supper was over. We sat in a circle warmed by the orange glow of the dying fire. A family arrived. They were wide-eyed and breathless. ‘We’ve just seen a leopard and her cub,’ they said, ‘just outside the camp. Right there!’ They finger-stabbed excitedly into the dark of the bushes beyond the lights. Poor Malaika: always pursued: always watched and always waited for. But such is the fate of angels…

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 37

I am the lord of this land Lions in the wild lead hazardous lives; a false move or ill-judgement in attack or defence may lead to serious injury or death from the horns or hooves of their prey, or tooth and claw of their own kind.

But it is their life, unchanged for millions of years, since long before the ancestors of man learned to walk upright. According to the Korokoro the lion’s roar translated into English goes: WHO IS THE LORD OF THIS LAND?... Who is the lord of this land?... I AM... I AM... I am...I am... I am!

George Adamson, Bwana Game

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in the frame

rumble in the jungle Words and photos © Niels van Gijn

Photographer Niels van Gijn enjoys a ringside seat in Amboseli National Park.

We were in Kenya to photograph Tortilis Camp, located in the private Kitirua Conservancy that borders Amboseli National Park. The Park is famous for its big herds of elephants set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Bouncing along in the back of a Toyota, wrapped in Maasai shukas against the early chill and squinting into the low sun, we were all determined to see something special.

We hadn’t gone far – the camp was still in sight – when clouds of dust and the sound of breaking branches suggested, rather unsubtly, that something big was afoot. Whatever had happened, we missed it…

Two huge bull elephants had clearly been scrapping – it sounded impressive – but they were now wandering off nonchalantly in opposite directions. Now we come to the first lesson in wildlife photography: know your subject, or if you don’t, get yourself someone who does.

Fortunately we had our fantastic guide, Jonathan, who confidently reassured us that these two grumpy gents would almost certainly go another round. The second lesson is respect. Jonathan insisted

40 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

that we left the engine running. These were huge and enraged powerhouses, heavy in musth (aggressive behaviour caused by a rise in testosterone), and no photo is worth being trampled on. So we waited… Which brings us to our third lesson: patience. Our two enraged elephants did, indeed, square up again… and again… and again. Each time for a few seconds, each time after an achingly long 20-minute breather, and each titanic tussle frustratingly obscured by bushes and trees.

I used those breathers to take test shots; working out camera settings and framing, gradually going cross-eyed as I stared through my viewfinder in the increasingly bright sunlight. When our warring wildlife eventually did us the courtesy of clashing in a clearing, we were ready. I managed to fire off about ten frames and then it was over. The loser turned suddenly on his mighty heels and fled, the victor in hot pursuit.

Our rumble in the jungle may have lasted just six short rounds, but the raw power of each left us feeling drained, emotional and humble.

A quick dust bath in between rounds

Squaring up

About Niels I run a small design and photography agency, specialising in travel and lifestyle brands. Every year I spend a few months abroad, often in Africa, taking promotional photos for upmarket hotels and lodges. I usually travel with my wife and two small children. Because we look after clients’ websites, brochures and brand in general, it makes sense to do the photography as well. I grew up in Mozambique and Tanzania, and have run camps in Botswana. Africa is utterly addictive, so my wife and I spend our lives dreaming up ways to go back as often as we can.

For more information, visit: www.silverless.co.uk

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 41

wild intab portrait action title The entrance to Kitum Cave on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Kenya’s second highest mountain of volcanic origin

© John Warburton-Lee Photography / Alamy Stock Photo

Calling all cavemen Indulge the Neanderthal in you; revisit your far distant past; discover the thrill of caving. Unsurprisingly, since Kenya is acknowledged as the place where all life began, we excel in our caves. Most famous are the Elephant Caves of Mount Elgon National Park, which are seasonally mined for salt by wandering herds of elephants. These can be explored in the company of Kenya Wildlife Service rangers (contact: www.kws.go.ke). In Tsavo West National Park is the Shaitani Cave of which 100m is accessible to the public and which forms part of a fascinating series of lava tube caves, the largest of which - Leviathan - is the 7th longest in the world. On the coast there are numerous coral caves, some of which can be explored by means of guided tours (the Shimoni Caves make a good start) and one of which has been turned into an utterly fascinating restaurant - Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant (www.alibarbours.co). For general advice on caving in Kenya: info@cavinginkenya.com

© Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp

From camping... to glamping In the early days of the safari, everybody camped.

Although, admittedly, in some considerable style. In those days people thought nothing of carrying grand pianos, chandeliers and crates of champagne into the bush. And, if you still fancy doing things in style there are numerous companies who will equip and host a personalized camping trip for you. Alternatively, the Kenya Wildlife Service offers campsites in most of the national parks. Some of the most picturesque and accessible are in Hell’s Gate National Park – a couple of hour’s drive out of Nairobi – but a full list of campsites can be obtained by contacting KWS via www.kws.go.ke

42 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

wild action

Bulls eye

© Angama Mara

If you’d like to try your hand at the ancient art of archery, then head to the Lake Elmenteita Serena Safari Lodge where, on the shores of one of the most idyllically beautiful lakes in the Great Rift Valley, you can not only luxuriate in 5 star bliss but also take a ride along the flamingo-fringed shores of the lake and take in a spot of archery.

Bows, targets and instructors are all on hand, and you can even learn a little about the history of this sport whilst you’re practising. For more information: www.serenahotels.com

Become a warrior It’s the work of a lifetime to become a Maasai warrior and the knowledge stretches back to the dawn of time. But when you’re here on safari you can take the fast track. At lodges and camps all over Kenya, you and the family can learn how to track a lion, use a bow and arrow – even make fire by rubbing two sticks together. Not for everyday use, of course. But FUN nonetheless.

Stand up… and be counted It’s the fastest growing water sport in the world and it’s also one of the easiest to adopt. Stand up paddle-boarding (SUP to the cognoscenti) was born in the USA in 2004. But now it’s top of the global paddle parade. Anyone of any age can do it – and you can even take the dog along for a ride. It’s also very good for you. Almost every muscle in the body is used; it stabilizes your center of gravity while giving a work out to core back and abdominal muscles. And it is soothes stress. So, what’s not to like? SUP is available all along the Kenyan coast, but one of the most fascinating places to try it out is in Mida Creek, Watamu. Stretching inland from the Indian Ocean, Mida Creek is one of Watamu’s hidden treasures. For further information on SUP in Watamu, visit www.tribe-watersports.com; for SUP on Diani Beach, visit: www.h2o-extreme.com

© H2O Extreme Diani Beach

kenya tourism board

Welcome to Kenya:

Magic Land

© Stuart Butler

Welcome to Kenya, a land of endless magical adventures. Set against an unforgettable backdrop of dramatic vistas, pristine wilderness and fascinating wildlife, Kenya promises an unrivalled fusion of stunning destinations, cultural insights, high-action pursuits, impossibly romantic hideaways and illuminating family fun. We’ve got something for everyone.

Idyllic Indian Ocean A place of silver-white sand, sapphire sea, waving palms and yearround sun, the Swahili Coast boasts some of the world’s finest water-sporting activities. But that’s not all: there’s also a string of magical offshore marine reserves to be explored alongside butterflyfilled forests, elephant-patrolled hills, ghostly ruins, magnificent 15th century fortresses, picturesque dhow harbours and winding streets packed with fascinating emporiums.

Safari splendour The original safari destination and still the world’s finest, Kenya’s national parks and reserves are unrivalled in the glory of their diversity.

In Tsavo you’ll find volcanoes, vast herds of elephants, crystal pools full of hippos and great prides of lions. In Mount Kenya National Park, you’ll find equatorial snow-capped peaks and glaciers. The Masai Mara National Reserve is home to the global spectacle of the annual migration of the wildebeest; Saiwa Swamp, the last home of the sitatunga antelope. The Shimba Hills provide sanctuary for the majestic sable antelope, while Amboseli guarantees show-stopping

44 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

images of long-tusked elephants against the might of Mount Kilimanjaro. In the far north-west, towers Mount Elgon, home of the salt-mining elephants of the Kitum Caves. And then there are the gorgeously painted deserts of Samburu, Meru and Kora, where the long-necked gerenuks find their home. Along The Great Rift Valley, you’ll find the shores of Lakes, Nakuru, Elmenteita and Bogoria to be coral-fringed with millions of flamingoes. In Hell’s Gate National Park you can trek amid teeming wildlife and spewing geysers, while in the burning heat of Lake Turkana, you can walk amid fossilized forests seven million years old, and visit the birthplace of mankind where Homo Habilis walked some two million years ago.

Cultural fusion With over 40 ethnic groups, Kenya offers a cultural tapestry like no other. Vibrant, lyrical, and steeped in tradition we pride ourselves on our unique fusion of harmony and our hospitality. Here you can visit a traditional Maasai village, experience the hauntingly beautiful music of the Swahili people, take tea in Kericho; or take a Tusker lager and some nyama choma (roast meat) in Nairobi. You can also visit the mysterious stone-age monuments of Western Kenya, the world-famous streets of Lamu’s Old Town, or patrol the forest caves of the Aberdares where once the Mau Mau freedom fighters fought for Kenya’s independence.

So much to see. So much to do. So much to take away.

Welcome to magical Kenya. Once visited, never forgotten.

A sable antelope in the Shimba Hills

© H2O Extreme Diani Beach

© National Museums of Kenya / www.museums.or.ke © Angama Mara

© The Sands at Nomad

Voted Africa’s Leading Tourist Board for the 6th year running at the 2017 World Travel Awards

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Africa’s Leading Tourist Board

Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Re Towers, Ragati Road, Nairobi. Tel: +254 20 2749126. Take a tour: www.magicalkenya.com

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 45

discover

Nairobi It may be the ‘Safari capital of the world’, but Nairobi is also one of Africa’s most dynamic cities, so it’s well worth a couple of days’ exploration at either end of your safari. Obvious ‘must dos’ are Nairobi National Park, the National Museum of Kenya, Karen Blixen’s House, the Railway Museum, the Giraffe Centre and the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. But there are plenty of other delights to be discovered.

Giraffe Manor © The Safari Collection

Ring tones There was once a tourist, or so the story goes, who stuck out his state-of-the-art phone to take a picture of an orphaned ostrich in Nairobi Animal Orphanage. Now, as it happens, ostriches are very fond of bright shiny things. So the ostrich swallowed the phone.

And, adding insult to injury, the phone continued to ring from within its stomach. Maddened, the tourist had to wait for nature to take its course. But whether or not the phone still functioned when it finally emerged is not known.

The Orphanage cares for formerly wild animals that have been recovered by the rangers of the Kenya Wildlife Service and makes a gentle diversion en-route into the park itself: www.kws.go.ke

Fast forward Nairobi has a long and fascinating history. Originally established in 1899 as a campsite at the head of the so-called Lunatic Line, which ran from Mombasa to Lake Victoria, this chill, damp collection of tents rapidly blossomed into the original ‘Safari Town’ sending out safaris so huge that the line of porters stretched for miles.

Magnificent buildings sprang up during its colonial days; while today its architectural profile is one of the most glittering in Africa. To compare past and present, and to benefit from a really alternative insight into the ‘Green City in the Sun’, pick up a copy of Nairobi Then and Now (also makes a great gift). For further information, please visit: www.millspublishing.com

46 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

in close up

Tick the rhino box If you’d like to tick off one of the ‘Big Five’ just hours after landing in Nairobi (or if you weren’t lucky enough to spot a rhino whilst you were ON safari) then head straight to Nairobi National Park. Just ten minutes from the city centre, this 117 sq km pocket of pristine wilderness promises an oasis of golden savannah, acacia-fringed rivers, leopard-stalked cliffs, plunging gorges and murky hippo pools. It’s also the only place on earth where you can find a black rhino grazing against the silhouettes of the skyscrapers of one of Africa’s most vibrant cities. Visitors tip: ask the park wardens as you enter the park and they’ll tell you where the rhino have been most recently sighted. For further information: www.kws.org

Say CHEESE Head to the leafy green hills of Limuru, just half an hour’s drive out of Nairobi and you can take a tour of Brown’s Farm. Established in 1979, Brown’s produce seventeen varieties of globally award-winning cheeses using milk from over 3,000 local farms. You can also taste the cheese, which is made using eco-friendly and traditional methods, and check out the range of breads, jams, chutneys and salads.

For further information: www.brownscheese.com

Health, hope and happiness in a bag For a truly uplifting experience that takes you into the heart of one of Africa’s largest slums, you might like to visit the Kawangware Vision Centre where orphans and former street children are taught to design and print eco-friendly gift bags, T shirts, and greeting cards from recycled materials. The children, and their mentors, who are the founders of the project, Morris and Agasto, will be delighted to meet you and show you around. You can also find out how this truly remarkable project provides not only health, happiness and hope for the children but also basic education, computer training, a series of kids clubs offering photography, dance, theatre and art AND a job placement service. For further information: www.africabags.com

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 47

wild action

why do

giraffes have long necks?

© Angama Mara

It’s a good question.

Indeed, the debate as to why giraffes have such long necks has raged for many years, even Charles Darwin touched upon it in On the Origin of Species. He explained that the species had obtained its very long neck by small, successive stages, each individual with a slightly longer neck being able to survive on average a little better than their shorternecked relatives. Subsequent research into fossil evidence, however, has suggested that the giraffe grew its neck in response to changing climatic conditions. Giraffes, it seems, acquired their necks between 14 and 12 million years ago, a period during which Africa became significantly more arid and its forests gave way to savannah. Consequently, as the number of trees diminished, so competition for each tree increased, thus favouring the evolutionary selection of a long neck.

In the mid-1990s, however, some biologists began to raise objections to both these theories, claiming that observation had proved that giraffes did not actually use their long necks much at all to browse at height. In fact, at times when competition for food was fiercest, the females could spend up to half their time with their necks held horizontally rather than exploiting their height advantage. It was then argued that the giraffe had a long neck so that it might use it as a weapon in fights between males. Male giraffes, it seems, indulge in bouts of ‘neck fighting’ to gain access to the females, swinging their necks at each other violently and using their heavy heads as coshes. Clearly then, a giraffe with a thicker and longer neck than its rival will reproduce most successfully.

48 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

Finally, in 2007, further research revealed that giraffes do indeed use their height to access food. It was then revealed that hourglass-shaped ‘browse lines’ can be seen on the underside of the woodland canopy, which are formed by the ‘hedge-clipping’ activities of the giraffes. Giraffes, we are told, browse on all the suitable trees in an area taking just a few small sprigs from the surface of each. The trees then respond with a thickening of the surface and this, in turn, provides a greater leaf table area for the giraffe.

So what’s the answer to the question? Well, debate continues to rage, but the current view is that all the above theories are correct.

marketplace

MASIKIO LTD

Cargen House

Mezzanine Floor, Suite 103, Harambee Avenue, P.O BOX 69573, 00400, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0) 20 221 6631 Mobile: +254 791496622 +254 720837145 +254726388004 Email: info@aloboosafaris.co.ke

MASIKIO

SAFARIS TRAVEL AGENCY

P.O Box 17808-00100, Nairobi Contact: Gabriel Muisyo Tel: +254 (0) 20 246 6180 Cell: +254 (0) 772 318 758 Email:operations.kenya@masikiosafaris.com www.masikiosafaris.com

TOURS & TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION TEAM BUILDING CAMPING CORPORATE EVENTS Rhodes tours

@ Rhodes tours

+254 722 173 886/ +254 720 744 938 P.O. Box 28835-00100 G.P.O NAIROBI

Email: tours@rhodesafrica.org

H

OENI

X

P

www.aloboosafaris.com

Founded in 2008, Masikio Ltd is a Nairobibased tour operator specialising in safaris in Kenya and Tanzania. Masikio Ltd offers a wide range of highly-flexible tours for individuals, groups and companies, covering some East Africa’s beloved destinations, including the Masai Mara National Reserve and Mount Kenya.

With more than 15 years of experience, we offer professional services for tailor-made dream holidays in Kenya and East Africa – at reasonable prices:

WE GUARANTEE EXCELLENCE AND FLEXIBILITY It is business as usual during all seasons and we have a tailor-made package that will suit your interests and budget. Just as good wine matures with age, we have continued to become better with age, organizing safaris for hundreds of clients every year. For all your safari requirements All Seasons Safaris & Tours is your best partner.

All Seasons Plaza - Ruai - Off Kangudo Road P.O Box 50379 - 00200, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0) 724 565 350 +254 (0) 738 908326 Email:info@allseasonssafaris.com www.allseasonssafaris.com

S

S

AF I AR

• Unique Wildlife Safaris • Relaxing Beach Holidays • Authentic African Culture • Trekking, Climbing & Adventure

Mobile: +254 (0) 792 639963 Email: info@sheerdropkenya.com Website: www.sheerdropkenya.com

We have our own fleet of safari vehicles with experienced driver guides!

GET IN TOUCH www.phoenix-safaris.com +254 20-50 10 200 or +254 721-650 889 www.facebook.com/phoenixsafaris

Need more business? Then advertise here!

Like to reach over 100 thousand potential international and local tourists?

Like to help us in promoting Kenya as she should be promoted?

Yes? Then place a classified advert in Marketplace! Why? Because this magazine is unique - it goes out electronically to over 100,000 (and rising) local and international recipients – AND the gorgeous print copy of the magazine can be found in hotel rooms, airline/safari vehicle seat backs, airports, restaurants and bars - all over Kenya. AND it’s handed out by the Kenya Tourism Board at all the major travel exhibitions AND sent to all of their overseas representatives.

In our widely distributed electronic magazine, all your website and e-mail links are live. So you’re just a click away from your next booking! Book your Marketplace classified display ad today: 1/9th page @ Kshs 30,000 + VAT or 1/18 page @ Kshs 15,000 + VAT. Artwork services are available.

Call us today to book your slot. Tel: +254 (0)727 794 041

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 49

snapped tab title

The best of the

Kenyanbuys In a world where retail choices are increasingly anodyne and mass-produced, the Kenyan shopping experience is as exotic as its wildlife.

So, whether you’re a heritage hunter, a craft sleuth or a fashion fanatic, prepare for the chase. Some prowl the backstreets of the old town of Mombasa, where there are still quirky antique bargains to be found; some trawl Nairobi’s craft markets; some do their shopping at the gates of the major game parks where there is always an impromptu line-up of delights from the local women’s community groups, which are both ‘Fair Trade’ and ecologically sound. Here are a few retail kills that are guaranteed to make you sharpen your shopping claws. © Selina Weich

Ruffled feathers Gone fishing Looking for a gift for the man who has everything?

Well, if he is a fisherman, look no further than a bespoke hand-tied fly. Kenya is world famous for the intricacies of her feathered flies, many of which are art pieces in their own right. For more information head for: Gone Fishing: www.fishingfliesandlures.com

Take home an elephant Like the wildlife so much you’d like to take some home with you?

No problem, head to Matbronze Wildlife Art Gallery, where they’ve taken the stars of the wildlife cast – and cast them in bronze. www.matbronze.com

50 WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017

For the ultimate in ruffled feathers, why not take home an exquisite feathered choker, hand-crafted from sustainably collected Kenyan feathers. Other items in the range include feathered earrings, tiaras, collars and hair ornaments guaranteed to make your hair stand on end. For further information: www.kapoetabyambica.com

tab title

Festive shopping Looking to do some festive season shopping? Take note of the following Nairobi craft fairs.

Xmas Box

17-19 November, Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen, Nairobi. Visit www.thebox.co.ke

Bizarre Bazaar

11/12 November, Karura Forest, Gigiri, Nairobi.

Visit www.bizbazevents.com

Spring Valley Bazaar

25 November, Bendera Lane off Peponi road, Nairobi. @SpringValleyBazaar

Cap it all You can’t miss Kenya’s matatus (privately-run public transport vehicles). They’re fast, furious, filled to capacity and often unforgiving (to say the least). But you can get your own back by snapping open your Tusker beer with a bottle opener made from melted down and recycled matatu engines. For a range of eco-friendly gifts, visit: www.bananabox.co.ke

ArtDeco No need to have your denim commercially ‘distressed’ when you can invest in an inspirationally recreated one-off fashion statement made from recycled denim. Shake the Tree is a mother-and-daughter partnership that literally turns rags into riches. For more information: www.facebook.com/shakethetree.ke

California Wines by Rose California Wines by Rose is your premier retail, wholesale and special events supplier of American wines in Kenya.

Sourced directly from renowned winemakers in California and Washington state, our wines are unmatched. They’re high quality, elegantly refined and very fruity. Choose from our collection of award-winning and fine Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling and Rosé among others. Try it for yourself and experience the difference in quality and taste.

We deliver FREE within Nairobi CBD.

Night light Recreate the soft golden light and scented nights of a classic Kenyan safari with an ecologically friendly, hand-made candle made out of pure Kenyan beeswax and naturally scented with frangipani, moonflower, jasmine or queen of the night. For more information contact The Candle House: robertsinafrica@gmail.com

KENRAIL Towers, M3, Westlands, Nairobi.

Tel: +254 700 004 499 info@californiawineskenya.com www.californiawineskenya.com

WHY I LOVE KENYA November-December 2017 51

kenya brief

Need to know For full information on Kenya visit www.magicalkenya.com

Climate

Historical sites

Telephone

The coast is always hot with an average daytime temperature of 27-31 degrees centigrade whilst the average daytime temperature in Nairobi is 21-26 degrees centigrade. Temperatures elsewhere depend on altitude. July and August mark the Kenyan winter. Typically, January-February is dry, March-May is wet, June-September is dry, OctoberDecember is wet.

Kenya has over 400 historical sites ranging from paleolithic remains, 14th century slave trading settlements, Islamic ruins and the 16th century Portuguese Fort Jesus.

International telephone code +254.

Time GMT +3 all year-round. Kenya maintains an almost constant 12 hours of daylight, sun-up and sun-down being at around 6.30 and 18.45 daily, and varying only by 30 minutes during the year.

National Parks and Reserves Kenya has 56 national parks and reserves covering 44,359 sq km.

Fauna There are 80 major animal species and around 1,137 species of birds. Spotting over 100 bird species in a day is not uncommon.

Currency Kenya shilling. ATMs are available countrywide with 24-hour access. All major international cards are accepted.

Language English (official), Kiswahili (national), multiple ethnic languages (Bantu, Cushitic and Nilotic language groups).

Electricity 220-240 volts, with standard 13-amp square three-pin plugs.

52 WHY I LOVE KENYA September-October 2017

Entry To enter Kenya, a valid passport, not expiring for at least six months, is required as well as a valid entry visa (obtainable on arrival for a fee of US$50 or online via evisa.go.ke)

Health A number of vaccinations are recommended (check with your doctor in advance). A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required ONLY if you are arriving from an infected country.

Malaria is endemic in tropical Africa and protection against it is necessary.

Travelling to Kenya Numerous international carriers serve Kenya, and Nairobi is the hub of the East African region. Kenya has two international airports: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is half an hour’s drive from Nairobi’s city centre, and Mombasa’s Moi International Airport is even closer to the town centre. Taxis are readily available at both airports (officially regulated tariffs should be displayed).

The Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) is the umbrella body representing the interests of the tourism industry’s private sector. Its mission is to provide a single voice for the industry, to enhance standards, and to engage with Government on issues affecting its members. In recent years, KTF has taken an active role in destination marketing and was the driving force behind the Why I Love Kenya campaign.

The KTF member associations are: Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC); Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO); Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA); Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO); Ecotourism Kenya (EK); Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) and the Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK).

For more information visit: www.ktf.co.ke

The Kenya Tourism Federation gratefully acknowledges the support of our Gold Sponsor, Swahili Beach