Kenya Chalbi Kite Crossing | 2011

we left Baringo mid morning and drove through beautiful landscapes to Kembu Campsite near Nakuru. Kembu is owned by Andrew and Zoe Nightingale.
When we arrived we were all ready for a cold drink and a nice lunch. After lunch we all went on a farm walk. Beautiful horses, cows and ofcourse the ladies that run the Kenana Knitters.
We were later joined by Andrew and Zoe for a beautiful dinner all things from the farm, chicken that they home grown and beautiful veggies and salads.
As our safari coming to an end we are all starting to look forward to our creature comforts at home.

Enjoy the pictures

2. Lovat breaking glasses bowls and bottles

3. on our way to Kembu Camp

4. Boris and Oblix having fun

5. sight seeing on the farm

6. the boys ....cowboys!!!!!

7. everyone having shot to keep warm

8. dinner and drinks with Andrew and Zoe

9. Oblix

10. the happy couple

Two days in Mugie Conservancy is exactly what the crew needed after the rough days in the desert and Lake Turkana. We are back in green scenery and mild weather around a good campfire.

We have been welcomed by Claus Mortensen,manager of the of Mugie Conservancy on the Laikipia Plateau (www.mugie.org). Mugie sanctuary hosts populations of lion, oryx, elephant, giraffe, cape buffalo, gravy zebra, eland, as well as over two hundred unique bird species. We are very lucky to have been allowed to set up camp in the conservancy for two nights. Mugie is one of the core study areas of the ‘Laikipia Predator Project’, a research study aimed at improving the conservation of large carnivores throughout Africa. Across most of Africa, people have eradicated predators such as lions, wild dogs and hyenas, largely because theses animals are a threat to livestock.

Laikipia District is one of the few areas where people, livestock and predators coexist. The Laikipia Predator Project is aimed at understanding how such coexistence is possible. Claus spent time with us explaining the predator project and we even went on a game drive trying to locate a lioness with the tracking device (some of the lions have collars). That morning we spotted 4 little lion cubs on their own looking very skinny and lost. Claus explained that 3 weeks ago the mum had been killed by a male lion. Another lioness (with a collar) had started to care for them and this is the one we tried to track, but unfortunately we did not find her.

When Claus came to pick us up at camp to look for the lioness, we could check out the few holes in his Land Cruiser we had been told about. Two bullet holes from poachers (an attack from 6 bandits in the conservancy two years ago) and the other large hole from a rhino horn. Check out the photos below.

The big highlight of Mugie is also the Rhino Sanctuary, which takes half of the 46,000 acres of the conservancy. If you know how hard it is in Africa to keep rhinos alive and protected from poachers, you can appreciate Claus' work even more. The sanctuary has electrified fencing making it a secure home for the rhino with gaps to allow other wildlife to move in and out. In 2002 the first two rhinos to arrive on Mugie were Boyo and Victoria. The white rhino now have their own private sanctuary to avoid conflict with the black rhino. Claus said there is a total of 26 rhinos at the moment, there are counted every day and the team ensures they are healthy and protected. We spotted about 5 of them on the game drive and what a treat that was!

The campsite was lovely and chilled...expect for Lovat's close encounter with a puff adder (very very venomous) as he was just about to answer nature's call by a tree. With a stick and a kite line we "relocated" the snake to a distance away from the camp, to ensure good nights of sleep! Amazing what you can do with kite lines I must say, we should make a list one of these days.

The weather has been cool and showers the last few days, the cars have been washed by the rain and the overzealous night guard at Maralal Lodge. The guys were horrified when they found the cars clean. I guess the dirt and mud are something we grow fond of as proud badges of the rough terrain we plowed through.

After saying goodbye to Justin and Isabelle at Mugie Ranch the rest of the crew carried on with the road to Baringo.... see our short trip there through beautiful landscapes.

Cheers everyone and enjoy the pics below.

By far this has been the toughest and longest drive, but also a very beautiful one.

We left Lake Turkana around 7 am with howling winds already, we could barely keep our hats on in the car if the windows were down. We drove along the lake and its stark and wild beauty again was captivating. There were a few long wooden boats on the shore and looking at the rough white caps and waves this was not very inviting. Even the kiters thought that with these conditions, the off-shore wind, and not to mention crocs, this was not a good idea at all!

Once the lake was behind us we drove for another 8 hours across valleys, steep rocky ridges and we got more rattling and shaking in our bones. Some parts were quite challenging and the cars were in 1st gear, low ratio and it was determined once and for all that Isabelle hates steep rocky hills....something about that feeling that the car will not make it to the top...I guess we all have our demons!

We made it to Maralal late afternoon. It is a medium size frontier type town with a little lodge were we all opted to get a bed. Very little energy to pitch tents and cook tonight, so we treated ourselves.

Today is off to Mugi ranch. A short drive but we think it will be muddy as there was rain in the last few days. We'll try to get some good dirty muddy pictures!

Cheers everyone and thanks for the comments on the blog and on our Facebook pages.

Goodbye the Chabi desert and hello Turkana.

If you live in Kenya and have never been to Turkana, you must put it on your list of places to see. It is the most unusual sight that appears from the harsh desert: the Jade sea in the most turquoise/green color that just draws you in. The lake is so vast that it looks like staring at the sea horizon. The Turkana people look like no other tribe in Kenya and once again we wonder how people and their families find a way to live in such a remote and harsh place. Very little shade, round huts made of wood sticks and anything else to act as a cover, burning hot temperatures, rocks, sand and this wind that won't stop blowing. That is Turkana for you.

We are staying in Loiyangalani in the southern shore of the Lake. We are at a nice little campsite near town where 3,000 people live. We went for a walk into the small town and as we were the only tourists we drew quite a bit of attention. We were able to take some photos of some Turkana ladies and you will see how proud and charismatic they look. The layers after layers of beads around their necks give them this striking posture.

We are all quite tired from the dry heat and this is an early night. Enjoy the pics everyone.