Kenya – Hiking For A Bird's Eye View and Cycling Hell’s Gate National Park

August 21, 2024 Posted in Travel / The Honey Badger Diaries

Just swiping through these photos was enough to lift my mood. The radiant colours, cerulean sky, cotton ball clouds and endless views buoyed my flagging spirits. These Kenyan days were first-class. We were back on the farm with the Krugers. A kaleidoscope of giraffes and a lone gazelle welcomed us back. “They missed you”. The little one seemed to say, stretching his neck to be noticed.

Butch pirouetted nimbly out of the truck to greet Carole, who was waiting for us at the campsite. A big smile and a hug make anyone feel at home.

The following day we woke up bright and breezy, Butch’s friends were sending messages, all about their childhood memories of Moiben. “Well,” I said, “in that case, we need to get to the top of the hill to see the lay of the land Butch.” Butch’s dicky knee was acting up, he said, and he didn’t want to chance his luck on the rocky, uneven path. I would do it solo.

The 360˚ views are unsurpassed. My mission was to take photos of the farms far below as a reminder to Butch’s friend Boy who phoned regularly to share his memories and to encourage us to visit some of his favourite landmarks.

Circling like an eagle on the wing, I spotted the Honey Badger far below, cradled in a forest of trees where all sorts of critters lurked. I could not see my beloved.

The climb was enlivening. Indigenous shrubs and trees teased me upwards and restrained me from galloping downwards. I loved my hike, a confirmation that being outdoors was exhilarating.

Meeting the shepherdess taking a break under a shady tree was all I needed to stop, breathe, chat, and drink water before setting off on a goat path. I think she was somewhat surprised to see me stumbling through the undergrowth.

My descent was a lot easier because I could follow a well walked path, the upward stretch was a case of bundu bashing through the brush. Both have advantages though, I could enjoy the flaura around my feet.

Once back to earth, I walked on a cloud all the way home. The two giraffes watching me with their beady eyes and long eyelashes had me backtrack, climb a gate, and navigate through a gazelle field, keeping the tall ones in my view at all times. Finally, I wrestled and wriggled between two barbed wires, getting snagged twice to escape them.

Awaiting my arrival was my beloved, who’d prepared a delicious fruit smoothie.

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Lo and behold, I was invited to join Butch, Fanie and Jannie on a boy’s night out. As promised, Jannie made a reservation at the world-renowned Kaptagat camp, where Kenyan elite athletes and stars Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon train.

The centre aims to create a space where young athletes can access good facilities and coaching. Under the mentorship of elite athletes, young runners are coached in the sport and taught life skills while living a simple life, here athletes devote themselves to their training.

Athletes who live at the camp train every day except Sundays. At the Kaptagat camp, there are minimal comforts and everyone is required to part-take in all domestic chores, including the preparation of meals. Until recently, water had to be fetched from the communal well.

While entry to the camp is strictly limited, local runners join training runs on surrounding roads, hoping to be spotted and recruited.

One of its most well-known residents, who has been training there since its founding, is athletics legend Kipchoge, regarded as the world’s “most excellent runner of all time”. Unfortunately, he failed to finish the exceptionally hilly Paris Olympics course this year, dashing his hopes of a historic third straight gold. After the race, he admitted back pain had overwhelmed him and made him stop.

Faith Kipyegon, another resident, blazed to victory in the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 women’s 1500m to claim a gold and Olympic record on the final night of track action at the Stade de France. She is the first athlete to win gold in the event at three different Games.

Faith Kipyegon was disqualified for jostling with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay before reinstating her silver medal. The pair of runners were involved in an ugly mid-race tussle, with the two seen pushing and shoving at the front of the pack.

A few days after our visit, we learned that Kenya’s world-record marathon runner, Kelvin Kiptum, was killed in a car accident. Kiptum, a Kenyan hero, was the overwhelming favourite to win the Paris Olympics.

The gardens are expansive, with views overlooking farms and villages far below. As the sun set and the sky turned pink and mauve, we joined trainers and athletes on the veranda for sundowners and supper later.

The next day, while cycling our routes around the farm, I realised my mediocre athletic prowess. I pondered how dedicated and disciplined an athlete or sportsperson must be to excel at their discipline: the sacrifices they make, the fortitude they have to succeed, and the tremendous loss they must feel when things go awry. It must all be genetic and imprinted in their DNA. Watching the Olympic Games makes one realise their passion, commitment, humility, natural leadership, focus, acceptance of criticism, optimism and self-confidence.

I lack the self-discipline, and my warm bed, a cup of steaming coffee or a message from my grandchildren put paid to my paltry efforts to get going.

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Carol, Jenienne and I soon got back into our supper schedules. With my secateurs, I returned to the vegetable patch to harvest a basket of fresh vegetables. I snipped a bushel of new spinach, another armful of rhubarb and a bucket of earthy new “Irish potatoes” as they’re known in this neck of the woods.

On our bikes, Butch and I re-explored favourite paths and roads and even discovered a few new ones filling our memory bank with the magnificent landscapes we saw; every time I looked up at the koppie I imagined being there at the very top, looking down to where I now stood. I know we will never forget the privilege of being there. Our footprints and tyre tracks are forever imprinted on those dirt roads.

On our last evening with the Krugers, Jenienne went all out with little bowls filled with delicious toppings for a pizza evening. Jannie, a master braaier, built a massive fire to warm the area on a chilly night and demonstrated his locally built pizza oven—a masterstroke in ingenuity.

We packed up the Honey Badger with a heaviness of heart, stowing all our bits and pieces. I rolled Carol’s Jams and chutneys in bubble wrap to ensure no bottles broke, and Butch strapped on our bikes.

Over coffee Fanie and Butch went over routes, marking maps and punching in weigh points on the GPS. I made notes of favourite haunts Jenienne visits when she’s in Nairobi, and I took Carol’s sister’s telephone number in Diane Beach. The conversation became stilted, and the silence lasted longer. We couldn’t delay our departure any longer.

Nothing we say can adequately convey our appreciation for everything you, the Krugers, did for us. You opened your hearts and hearths to us. You are family. Our last group photo remains one of my favourite pics.

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At the farm gate, the Askari saluted and waved. We needed cheering up. We had severed our Kruger umbilicus, and we were adrift once again.

Our journey would take us through towns, villages and districts, and the names were all Swahili—Keiyo, with its beautiful green vistas and fresh vegetables.

Nyaru and then the Eldama Ravine with its patchwork fields, magnificent trees, and good tarred roads. Timber and wood are major commodities here, and local farmers sell piles of heavy logs along the highway or lug heavy loads to villages where their heavy burdens are sold at markets or to carpenters and builders.

The vibrant town of Rongai is famous for its lively music scene, local art, and cultural festivals celebrating Kenyan heritage. Traditional crafts, performances and markets add to a rich cultural experience.

The freshest peas were being harvested, and buckets of shelled peas were sold along the road by ladies and children. Irresistible. We bought a bucket of peas, filling an extra-large Ziploc bag, which we snacked on all the way to our next stop—crunchy green pearls of sweet deliciousness.

We decided to stop in Njoro, a few kilometres from Nakuru, and camp on a working farm overlooking the Great Rift Valley. Kembu Cottages and Campsite. This large estate was established in colonial times and boasts a range of activities for everyone of every age.

The campsite nestled in the garden on terraced lawns was perfect, and we soon had the Honey Badger parked under gigantic flamboyant trees.

Off came our bikes the following morning so that we could explore our surroundings. The tranquil farm with paddocks where horses grazed lazily gave way to cattle, and like Old McDonald, we dodged chickens, pigs and goats on our ride. We were very energised and decided we needed a longer ride.

The village beckoned. Njoro is an agricultural town southwest of Nakuru that is 2423 meters above sea level. Njoro is a station on the meter gauge railway line between Nakuru and Kisumu, near the Mau Forest, (which is a global environmental issue).

The town was first settled by pastoralist tribes, the Kalenjins and Maasai, before the arrival of British settlers to the Kenya highlands. Today, the city is an essential agricultural research, education and development centre and home to the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and Egerton University campus.

The economic activities are agribased industries, including vegetable and milk processing, large-scale wheat and barley farming, and greenhouse flower farming. Light manufacturing industries such as timber milling, canning, and quarrying are also a mainstay of the local economy.

That evening, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner in the restaurant. Roses on the dining room table were perfect blooms showcasing the flourishing rose-growing industry of the districts.

The farm is a favourite getaway for folk living in Nairobi, where families can partake in the many activities. Day trips to Lake Nakuru, one of the Rift Valley lakes south of Nakuru and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park. The lake’s abundance of algae attracts a vast quantity of flamingos that famously line the shore.

Our neighbours Vic & Drishti Chawla, their children and their friends Jaspal & Shaminder Kalsi introduced themselves, not because we are sensational but because the Honey Badger is such a people magnet. They are seasoned travellers, and we found ourselves drawn to their lively conversations and exotic lives. Unbeknownst to Drishti, I did a Google search to find and peruse her magnificent fine art inspired by the natural world around her.

While we spent time with Drishti and Shaminder – vegetarians, in the restaurant, Vic and Jaspal sat around their fire preparing an authentic Mumbai lamb curry. Later, Butch couldn’t resist the flavours wafting over and soon found himself seated at the men’s table. I left them to it and tried to identify the spices, turmeric, ginger, star anise and green cardamom from my cosy bed but soon fell asleep.

The following day Butch couldn’t wait to tell me, “Vic loves rugby, he attends all the World Cup matches!” that, and the men’s curiosity about business, traveling, overlanding, and sport ticked all our mutual boxes. I could detect a faint sense of loneliness in Butch when the two families departed.

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This part of Kenya is known for its flower industry, and soon, we found nurseries lining the pavements and verges. Enormous hothouses took over from wheat and cornfields, and it was evident that soil was being prepared for new seedlings, and roses were being pruned and ready for the next season’s blooms.

‘Kenya is the lead exporter of rose cut flowers to the European Union (EU). Approximately 50% of exported flowers are sold through the Dutch Auctions, although direct sales are growing.

The main production areas are around Lake Naivasha, Mt. Kenya, Nairobi, Thika, Kiambu, Athi River, Kitale, Nakuru, Kericho, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Eastern Kenya.

The farmers utilise technologies, some of which include drip irrigation, fertigation systems, greenhouse ventilation systems, net shading, pre-cooling, cold storage facilities, grading, bouquets, fertiliser recycling systems to prevent wastage, wetlands for wastewater treatment, artificial lighting to increase day length, grading/packaging sheds, and refrigerated trucks.’

Unfortunately, we saw the impact of Covid19, where greenhouses are overgrown and dilapidated, and production has ceased because of the worldwide lockdowns and subsequent travel restrictions by national governments in most countries, which disrupted supply chains across the globe and seriously affected the floriculture industry in Kenya in many ways.

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The rustic family-owned Camp Carnelly, situated on the shores of Lake Naivasha, was our destination for a few days. On a carpet of green lawn amist tall acacia trees and swamps fringed by papyrus, we parked and set up our camp in time to sip our sundowner drinks overlooking calm waters and sunset. In the morning, we enjoyed our coffees, watching fishermen going out in their boats and dugouts for the day’s catch.

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Hell’s Gate National Park lies south of Lake Naivasha in Kenya, northwest of Nairobi.

Our mission while staying here was to cycle to Hell’s Gate National Park. We couldn’t wait.

Hell’s Gate National Park is named after a narrow break in the cliffs, once a tributary of a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley. The Park was established in 1984.

A century ago, much of the landscape was covered by ash from the Longonot eruption.

The Park is famous for its geothermal station, Lower Gorge, and spectacular sceneries of towering cliffs, scrub-clad volcanoes, water-gouged gorges, and plumes of geothermal steam, which we only saw from a distance.

The Park features grassland dominated by red oat grass (Themeda triandra) and whistling thorn bush (Acacia drepanolobium). In the high ground are the dense leleshwa (Tarchonanthus camphoratus).

The Red stinkwood (Prunus africana) and the East African Sandalwood (Osyris lanceolata) are two species of indigenous trees that flourish in the Park. Both have medicinal uses, and their timber is used to manufacture household products such as axes, hoes, and furniture.

The East African Sandalwood (Osyris lanceolata) is a shrub or small tree found across a vast range of Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe. However, there are concerns that subpopulations are being over-exploited in parts of its range due to its scented wood (sandalwood) and essential oil.

Giraffe, eland, hartebeest, buffalo and other small gazelles and antelopes are common in the grassy plains. Lions, leopards, and cheetahs also occur but are rare.

There are small troops of klipspringer and rock hyrax, both living in rocky areas. The rare Chanler’s mountain reedbuck is also present here.

The Park boasts 103 species of birds, and the cliffs are home and nesting places for birds, which are abundant at Lake Naivasha. The large white droppings on the rocks indicate nests of vultures, eagles and augur buzzards.

Rare species are the Verreaux’s eagle and the Lammergeyer, Ruppel’s griffon and hooded vultures have been recorded.

The Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) are considered endangered The Chanler’s Mountain Reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula chanleri) is listed as endangered and. The Leopard (Panthera pardus) is listed as vulnerable.

We saw, albeit at a great distance, Critically Endangered raptors breeding within Hell’s Gate National Park. These include the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus), which has been recorded as flying to the Maasai Mara to forage there.

Other raptors recorded include the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and Ruppell’s vulture (Gyps rueppelli). Hell’s Gate National Park hosts Kenya’s only protected Ruppell’s vulture colonies.

It has been reported that The raptors’ populations have declined due to human disturbances, lead poisoning, direct poisoning, electrocution (by powerlines), collisions with wind turbines, reduced food availability, and habitat change.

Other threatened birds include the Grey-crested Helmet-shrike and the Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is classified as vulnerable.

We crisscrossed the Park on our bikes leisurely, enjoying the company of many other cyclists. Seeing wild animals on the hoof is always exciting, and enjoying the sunshine, bird chatter, and rolling fields of gold is a privilege we do not take lightly.

Hearing different languages in this neck of the woods was unsurprising because Kenya is a favourite destination for people worldwide. Local Maasai guides who are extremely well trained are there to assist and guide guests.

Once we'd completed our loop through the Park we returned to our campsite exhausted yet energised.

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All the reports we’d read about Camp Carnelly testified to the great food served at the restaurant. We can confirm that to be true.

We returned to the restaurant during the late afternoon after our cycle and stayed for supper. Here, we could connect to the wifi while enjoying a refreshing drink and Pizza.

Our palates screamed for more, and we would return to the restaurant for more delectable Thai and Vietnamese offerings. There were so many mouth-watering dishes that we decided on a taster selection. We had earned every morsel we reckoned as we licked our spoons.

Lemongrass, galangal, lime, Thai basil, and kaffir lime are the foundation of countless Eastern dishes served in the restaurant, offering a spectrum of tastes and aromas that captivate our senses. We savoured the authentic taste of Thai cuisine, where the principles of incorporating essential spices and herbs in their cooking. The chef diligently showcased the five essential salty, sweet, spicy, sour, and creamy elements.

Our stay at Camp Carnelly was highlighted by our explorations of Hell's Gate NP, the fabulous food, the great location, the friendly staff and a relaxed vibe.

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Much to Butch’s exasperation, he relented and we stopped for coffee at a popular coffee shop, recommended to me by Jenniene, en-route to Niavasha. While the barista updated her blackboard, we sipped piping hot cappuccinos.

While Butch spent a penny, I went shopping in the delightful gift and décor shop where local arts and crafts are sold—a colourful razzmatazz of fabrics, ceramics, art, clothing and toys. A feast for the eyes. But I could only browse and soon heard the revving of a diesel engine outside.

My greatest surprise on this leg of our journey was spotting, and photographying, the Mai Mahiu Catholic Church, also known as the ‘Travelers Church’. Constructed by Italian prisoners of war tasked with building a road. The chapel became a place of worship for the Catholic Italians who couldn’t reconcile their faith with the Anglican British colonisers. It is the smallest church in the country.