Where to begin? Well, this trip was one of my most enjoyable days in Kenya. The whole process was incredibly easy and relaxed. Booking the tour was swift and without... read more hassle: two emails, quick responses, and clear instructions. Dennis came to collect me in the morning from my hotel and was well on time in the car park ready to go.
We left and headed for the viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley. It is a fantastic sight but do bear in mind that vendors will know immediately that you are tourists and will try and sell you things that are far cheaper at the lovely Maasai market, which you will visit later in the morning.
The bike ride through Hell’s Gate was a blast. Gadaffy stuck to my pace and I even had the opportunity to climb the Central Tower, which was a tad terrifying but offered an awesome view of the landscape.
Cycling further on, I saw herds of Grant’s zebra, eland, buffalo, impala and the odd wildebeest too. We also found the tracks of the night-time critters, including bat-eared foxes and a mating pair of leopards in the dust. As for other members of the Big 5 you won’t see them as Hell’s Gate does not have elephants, lions or rhinos.
Reaching the Maasai market near the viewpoint to the Gorge is a wonderful experience. There is a mix of genuine handmade jewellery that has been made with care by the women here and then, to be honest, there is generic tourist tat that will have come from Nairobi and will be sold across much of Kenya.
After the market, it was the cycle back through the Park, taking in more of the sights and wildlife. Make sure to stop on route occasionally to: A) have a breather and B) to take in the sights as you will often find yourself concentrating on the loose track ahead rather than the stunning views surrounding you.
Once out of the Park, we headed for lunch at a gorgeous lodge near Naivasha. The buffet here was varied and delicious, including curries, rice, chapattis and soups. Then it was on to the tour of Lake Naivasha. I paid 3,000Ksh for this and it was worth every penny. David, the guide, was calm and collected and knew the wildlife and Lake very well. On this tour we saw several pods of hippos, African fish eagle, yellow-billed stork, long-tailed and white-necked cormorants, night and grey herons, coots, egrets, waterbucks, zebras and even a Friesian cow to remind me of home. The highlight for me had to be the pied kingfisher, which flew beside us and dove into the Lake to catch a fish before carrying it off in its beak.
My only teeny tiny criticism was that I was expecting to walk through the Gorge at Hell’s Gate and while I appreciate that its closure was out of the control of African Beast, it would have been nice to have been made aware of this beforehand as it was included in the initial itinerary sent to me.
Other than that, it was a superb day, and the issue above won’t be a problem for you as the Gorge was expected to reopen the day after my visit so it was just bad luck for me.
Thank you, Dennis, Shadrack and Gadaffi for an excellent day and keep up the fantastic standard for other future guests.
Asante sana African Beast!
