Adventure Camping in Kenya: Feedback
In November of 2002, we (five friends) took off an adventure of a lifetime in Kenya. We searched extensively for an environmentally friendly safari that not only introduced us the animals and people of Kenya, but also left a light footprint on the Earth. This operator did that and more for us! They put together a trip that was environmentally sensitive, and one in which the people of the areas we visited benefited. We had quite the adventure and the people became a huge part of our trip!
We started in the Aberdares National Park where we camped in blissful isolation amongst the green hills, rain, and animals. We never knew that this part of Africa could be so green! Or cold! Lying in our tents at nightwe could hear the Buffalo eating right outside our tent and peeked out to see duikers and reedbuck passing by as we had camped near a game trail! No leaving the tents at night!
After leaving the Aberdares, we enjoyed a few nights at the Lake Nakura Lodge. Wow! This was an exceptionally beautiful place overlooking the lake and with an endless flow of animals passing by our room. The people that worked there were so friendly and left a lasting impression as some of the nicest people on our journey. The pink flamingo lined lake was awe-inspiring! Truly breathtaking!
Lake Baringo . . . hippos! This was a great place to camp with the added bonus of BIG visitors at night! The hippos would come up at night to the edge of the campground and you could hear their voices rumble through your tent and your body! The days were filled with visits from the locals and a trip to the lakeshore where we hired a local resident to take us around the lake and show us all the hippos, crocodiles, and fishing eagles. We also learned a great deal about the history and politics of the lake.
Then onwards to Lake Naivasha, it was beautiful area; we really enjoyed the surrounding countryside. At the beginning of our journey we went to Amsterdam and went to Aalsmeer, home of the largest flower market in the world. So it was so neat to come full circle and find out that many of the flowers we saw in Holland were grown at Lake Naivasha!
The most memorable experience of our trip was with the Masai in the village of Maji Moto in the Loita Hills. We spent 4 days here hanging out with the Masai going on walks with them and learning about their life in the Mari. We spent one afternoon trekking in the foothills discovering how they use the plants of the Mari for medicine, food and ceremonies. This was definitely a cultural immersion for us. The local people were very curious about us, especially the children. We had many visitors come by to see us. Charles, the son of the village elder interpreted for us as did Hellen, the local schoolteacher. They were as interested in learning about us as we were in learning about them. We had the honor of sharing our camp with an incredible Masai man named Ole Ntutu, who guarded the perimeter of our camp from lions and hyenas. This is also where Todd and Vanessa choose to renew their wedding vows in a traditional Masai wedding ceremony. The ceremonytook place in one of the small villages and people from all over the Mari attended the ceremony! News of the wedding had reached villages several days walk away. The wedding had been set up for us through the coordination of the local schoolteacher, Hellen. The whole village was very excited about it. They had never before had tourists be so interested in participating in their culture.
The wedding day was amazing! We walked to the village and met the elders. Then both Todd and Vanessa were taken to separate huts to get dressed in their traditional wedding clothes. The women were so excited about the ceremony that they kept running to their own huts to bring back items for Vanessa to wear. The happy couple was then presented to the village elders again to be blessed and married. After this, they had to walk around the village and enter through the gate as a married couple. This is where the bargaining for Vanessašs dowry took place. She stood at the gate waiting while Todd with the help of the men in the village offered many goats and cows to "give" to her family in exchange for her. When a number was agreedupon, (the woman were helping Vanessa to bargain) Vanessa joined the village and the marriage was complete. The village then celebrated with a feast for all, including the many visitors from the other villages.
They following day we went back to the village for the naming ceremony. When a woman marries into the village, she gets a new name as well as a new village. They chose the name "Kisaru" meaning one who gives or helps. The elder told them that they were now part of his family and his village, and we all felt that we had become part of a new family. It was very difficult to leave our new "family", yet as planned, we left for the last leg of our trip, Dream Camp on the Masai Mari.
Dream Camp was an environmentalists dream come true! Composting toilets, solar water heating, solar power, re-use of shower water to water trees being grown to help re-forest the surrounding area, and local Masai as safari guides. Again, we were constantly guarded by the Masai. At night they would fade in and out of the darkness around the tents, carrying spears. We felt very safe! Every night we heard the hippos and hyenas as they would cross the river and walk around the camp. Each tent had itšs own bathroom and shower so you didnšt have to go wandering around at night to use the facilities. Dream Camp was really impressive. The manager makes a point to meet and socialize with all of the guests. Everyone who workedthere was very friendly.
The game drives took us around the Masai Mara. We finally saw lions here as well as 2 lion kills. There were huge families of elephants and we saw the tail end of the wildebeest migration. Tonkei, our Masai guide, took us to a place along the river where we saw at least 20 hippopotamus in a group. It was amazing to see zebra, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, Topi, Hartebeest, Impala, Thompsonšs gazelle, Grantšs gazelle, giraffe, elephant, hyenas, warthogs and more together in one place.
We had the journey of our lives, on all levels, it was everything we had ever dreamed of! Our adventure in Kenya has had a profound affect on our lives. Can't wait to go back!
Vanessa Rogier
We started in the Aberdares National Park where we camped in blissful isolation amongst the green hills, rain, and animals. We never knew that this part of Africa could be so green! Or cold! Lying in our tents at nightwe could hear the Buffalo eating right outside our tent and peeked out to see duikers and reedbuck passing by as we had camped near a game trail! No leaving the tents at night!
After leaving the Aberdares, we enjoyed a few nights at the Lake Nakura Lodge. Wow! This was an exceptionally beautiful place overlooking the lake and with an endless flow of animals passing by our room. The people that worked there were so friendly and left a lasting impression as some of the nicest people on our journey. The pink flamingo lined lake was awe-inspiring! Truly breathtaking!
Lake Baringo . . . hippos! This was a great place to camp with the added bonus of BIG visitors at night! The hippos would come up at night to the edge of the campground and you could hear their voices rumble through your tent and your body! The days were filled with visits from the locals and a trip to the lakeshore where we hired a local resident to take us around the lake and show us all the hippos, crocodiles, and fishing eagles. We also learned a great deal about the history and politics of the lake.
Then onwards to Lake Naivasha, it was beautiful area; we really enjoyed the surrounding countryside. At the beginning of our journey we went to Amsterdam and went to Aalsmeer, home of the largest flower market in the world. So it was so neat to come full circle and find out that many of the flowers we saw in Holland were grown at Lake Naivasha!
The most memorable experience of our trip was with the Masai in the village of Maji Moto in the Loita Hills. We spent 4 days here hanging out with the Masai going on walks with them and learning about their life in the Mari. We spent one afternoon trekking in the foothills discovering how they use the plants of the Mari for medicine, food and ceremonies. This was definitely a cultural immersion for us. The local people were very curious about us, especially the children. We had many visitors come by to see us. Charles, the son of the village elder interpreted for us as did Hellen, the local schoolteacher. They were as interested in learning about us as we were in learning about them. We had the honor of sharing our camp with an incredible Masai man named Ole Ntutu, who guarded the perimeter of our camp from lions and hyenas. This is also where Todd and Vanessa choose to renew their wedding vows in a traditional Masai wedding ceremony. The ceremonytook place in one of the small villages and people from all over the Mari attended the ceremony! News of the wedding had reached villages several days walk away. The wedding had been set up for us through the coordination of the local schoolteacher, Hellen. The whole village was very excited about it. They had never before had tourists be so interested in participating in their culture.
The wedding day was amazing! We walked to the village and met the elders. Then both Todd and Vanessa were taken to separate huts to get dressed in their traditional wedding clothes. The women were so excited about the ceremony that they kept running to their own huts to bring back items for Vanessa to wear. The happy couple was then presented to the village elders again to be blessed and married. After this, they had to walk around the village and enter through the gate as a married couple. This is where the bargaining for Vanessašs dowry took place. She stood at the gate waiting while Todd with the help of the men in the village offered many goats and cows to "give" to her family in exchange for her. When a number was agreedupon, (the woman were helping Vanessa to bargain) Vanessa joined the village and the marriage was complete. The village then celebrated with a feast for all, including the many visitors from the other villages.
They following day we went back to the village for the naming ceremony. When a woman marries into the village, she gets a new name as well as a new village. They chose the name "Kisaru" meaning one who gives or helps. The elder told them that they were now part of his family and his village, and we all felt that we had become part of a new family. It was very difficult to leave our new "family", yet as planned, we left for the last leg of our trip, Dream Camp on the Masai Mari.
Dream Camp was an environmentalists dream come true! Composting toilets, solar water heating, solar power, re-use of shower water to water trees being grown to help re-forest the surrounding area, and local Masai as safari guides. Again, we were constantly guarded by the Masai. At night they would fade in and out of the darkness around the tents, carrying spears. We felt very safe! Every night we heard the hippos and hyenas as they would cross the river and walk around the camp. Each tent had itšs own bathroom and shower so you didnšt have to go wandering around at night to use the facilities. Dream Camp was really impressive. The manager makes a point to meet and socialize with all of the guests. Everyone who workedthere was very friendly.
The game drives took us around the Masai Mara. We finally saw lions here as well as 2 lion kills. There were huge families of elephants and we saw the tail end of the wildebeest migration. Tonkei, our Masai guide, took us to a place along the river where we saw at least 20 hippopotamus in a group. It was amazing to see zebra, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, Topi, Hartebeest, Impala, Thompsonšs gazelle, Grantšs gazelle, giraffe, elephant, hyenas, warthogs and more together in one place.
We had the journey of our lives, on all levels, it was everything we had ever dreamed of! Our adventure in Kenya has had a profound affect on our lives. Can't wait to go back!
Vanessa Rogier