Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Thursday, 19 February 2015

Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve is one of the lesser-known national parks, but is nevertheless teeming with life.
Situated alongside the Ewaso Nyiro River, there is plenty to attract wildlife from the surrounding savannah plains.
The reserve is rich in wildlife with an abundance of ra

re northern specialist species such as the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the beisa oryx (also referred to as Samburu Special Five).
The reserve is also home to elephants and large predators such as the lion, leopard and cheetah. Kamunyak the miracle lioness that adopted the baby oryx was as a resident in the reserve.
Wild dog sightings are also a common attraction to this unique protected area. Birdlife is abundant with over 450 species recorded.

Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 square km and is situated in the environs of Lake Naivasha about 90 km from Nairobi. The park is 14 km after the turnoff from the old Nairobi-Naivasha highway.



It is characterized by diverse topography and geological scenery. It is an important home of the lammergeyer (The Bearded Vulture).
Hell’s Gate has two gates that are used by visitors – the main Elsa Gate and the Olkaria Gate. The latter also serves the Olkaria Geothermal Station that is located inside the National Park.

Tuesday, 17 February 2015

Snow in Kenya?! Check this out

Heavy rains experienced in Kenya this week, but who would have thought this would happen too?


Lamu Old Town

The World Heritage Committee inscribed Lamu Old Town on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001



The town of Lamu began life as a 14th century Swahili settlement, but the island has seen many visitors and influences, including Portuguese explorers, Turkish traders and the Omani Arabs.
All left their mark, but Lamu developed its own particular culture, which has ultimately endured.
Lamu’s narrow streets remain unchanged, and in the markets and squares around the fort life moves at the same pace as it always has.
There are no vehicles on this island, and the donkey and the dhow remain the dominant form of transport.
The people of Lamu are great believers in tradition and custom, and this is a strong society built on a respect for the past.
For the traveller, Lamu is a hypnotically exotic experience, made even more enjoyable by the relaxed and welcoming attitudes of the locals.
To visit Lamu is to enter another world, and the visitor finds themselves becoming a part of this world. Life slows down, and long days are spent strolling along the waterfront, exploring the town or relaxing on the beaches.

Thursday, 12 February 2015

Mijikenda Kaya Forests

The Mijikenda Kaya Forests consist of 11 separate forest sites spread over some 200 km along the coast containing the remains of numerous fortified villages, known as kayas, of the Mijikenda people.
The kayas, created as of the 16th century but abandoned by the 1940s, are now regarded as the
abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained as by councils of elders.
The site is inscribed as bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link to a living tradition.
The World Heritage Committee inscribed Mount Kenya National Park on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997

Ol Pejeta Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Ol Pejeta Ranch has created a sanctuary for Chimpanzees, working in close conjunction with the Jane Goodall Institute. While Chimpanzees are not native to Kenya, small endangered populations are found in the rainforests of neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda, and throughout Central and West
 

Africa.
The refuge at Ol Pejeta has been designed as a safe haven for Chimps from Central Africa, rescued from the bush meat and pet trade.
All of the Chimps at Ol Pejeta were rescued from these kinds of conditions. They now roam free on a large island at the centre of the ranch where they have formed a large social group, and interact and breed freely.