FEATURE: From hilly Rwanda to the flat coastal plains of Kenya

A few weeks back something different from the usual happened. Unusual in the sense that I had managed to get very acquainted with my usual office work without taking leave for over two years and then ..whump!!!...a trip to Kenya came up, don’t ask me how but I definitely had to go. Well, I often travel away but many a time it is within the confines of home – hilly Rwanda. As a first time visitor to one of our neighboring countries, I got an insight of what I could or could not come across during my expedition. My Kenyan colleagues had forever told of their motherland’s beauty accentuating how beneficial it would be for other East African people to have a glimpse of their homeland’s natural splendor especially with the integration which allows “free movement of people” in the member states. Do you understand what I am saying? I mean they practically jumped up with joy after reading my itinerary claiming that I am one hell of a lucky individual so they quickly gave details of the places I was supposed to visit. This prompted me to expect even more than I had actually anticipated. Well, it did not take donkey years for the moment to become a reality. In fact, within a few days of processing the necessary documents I was on ground at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. For a first time visitor, it was quite conspicuous that every activity in this country, right from the airport to the Intercontinental Hotel where I stayed, happens so fast. Nairobi is such a big densely populated city that despite their wide roads that can accommodate over four lanes of cars on either side, traffic jams at rush hours must be a part of one’s day. Kenya just like my motherland Rwanda is indeed a land of unimaginably unique beauty. While my country engraves all her physical splendor in the famous “a thousand hills,” Kenyan beauty speaks out in a fascinating combination of the Great Rift Valley coupled with lakes and low-lying coast lands. My experience clearly gave a different impression of everything I encountered. Frankly the last time I saw Zebras and Elephants or even birds, I simply nodded in appreciation of wildlife but certainly could not clearly justify how or why nations make so much foreign currency out of God-given nature. This takes me back to the sole reason why I had travelled anyway. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in conjunction with Kenya Airways (KQ) had decided to officially invite guests from across the African continent to witness the country’s political recovery after the post election violence of last year and have a feel of Kenya’s rich tourism sector. In this regard, these organizers were determined to do whatever it took to ensure that we had a great time. My team’s first destination after a night in Nairobi was the Samburu National Reserve, located in Northern Kenya. A national reserve is a natural habitat for wild animals. So you can imagine the whole idea of residing in a luxurious tented camp in the wild grassland, home of the most dreaded species on earth. Samburu Intrepids…yes, that is the name of the camp. The area is also home to the Samburu people who are also commonly referred to as cousins to the Masaai of Kenya. They welcomed us with a unique traditional dance, as the men took to the heights….nodding their heads and jumping high, the ladies sweetly sung. It is a rich culture but what is mainly outstanding is their colourful warrior dress code and loads of bead embroidery. Honestly, I was very impressed. The hospitality of the staff here is equally unfound considering that customer care in my country is still a dream yet to be realized! In a nutshell, we quickly started our adventure with a prop of magnificence. Did I also mention that the Intrepids is perched on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River in the wild heartlands of the Reserve and it enjoys a unique perspective of one of Africa’s most remote and untamed wildernesses? I marvelled as my eyes saw velvet monkeys leap from one branch to another within the same vicinity. James, one of the staff assured me that they were indeed harmless. “They really love visitors,” a guard at the lodge reassured us. By 6:00am the next day we were up to take the long awaited game drive. Under the capable hands of our tour guide, Antonio Wambui of the express travel group, the drive was pure adventure. It is completely breathtaking to have a close encounter with Samburu’s shier species including Lions, elephants, leopards and not forgetting Samburu’s famous “special five” – the reticulated giraffe, long-necked gerenuk antelope, Somali Ostrich, Grevy zebra and majestic Beisa Oryx. Sooner than later there were more tourist vehicles in the park and with time, drivers started tipping each other once they saw big attractions like the tough buffalo. At a certain point, it seemed like a dream to see a lion commonly referred to as the ‘King of the jungle’, yawning, just a few metres away, an elephant bring down a huge tree or even forcing its nose through the ground in a bid to trace water. Groups of long towering giraffes and others! Anything is possible in the Samburu national reserve, I imagined…With a relaxed mind and beautiful impressions of my adventure, it was time to head back to my tent. Surprisingly, the so-called cute monkeys had made their way to my tent. I had a roommate who was convinced beyond doubt that they (monkeys) could sneak into the tent and do anything with our property but instead the unbelievable animals lay comfortably on our balcony. However, Vivian surprisingly ran away from them. The monkeys took no notice and went-ahead to have their blast. Hoping from one branch to another they followed her. I could tell that they were enjoying the game with their scared visitor. What hosts!! The monkeys. I was deeply fascinated. Could not hold back my tears of joy because the scene was like one I watched years back on a certain animal Kingdom clip. It is amazing to get that up-close and personal with such animals….I was clearly having a great time! The old adage “time flies when you’re having fun,” has proved to be so true for 2009. No sooner had I assimilated the fact that indeed, I was visiting the one reserve that is home to the celebrated “curious creatures that defy nature,”- you know that incredible story of a lioness that adopted baby antelopes… right? Yes…than I had to leave. I was sad. The Intrepids had become home to me and it was time to leave. That was not all however; we visited Lake Naivasha, gazed at the flamingos and slept over at the lavish Great Rift Valley lodge. It is right to say that in such cross-border luxury, one is totally cut away from reality. This was the tip of the iceberg; little did I know that the coastal experience would be another great experience. The next day, we took the 45 minute drive to Mombasa from Nairobi. Finally, we were at the famous East African coastal area. My….. ..my….my…that place is d*!n hot…I mean the temperatures are unbelievable that many people begin to remove their shirts and heavy attire at the airport premises…….but that is why my experience here remains unforgettable. We stayed at the Voyager Beach Resort at Nyali beach. Moored seven kilometres north of Mombasa city centre, the resort’s convenient berth gave us a perfect feel of an ideal cruising ship considering that this is the theme of the hotel. We were treated to the finest variety cuisine including Kenyan, sea food and Indian…honestly it was easy to be lost for choice. Instead of rooms, we resided in cabins, there were no duty managers but officers on call with the General Manager being referred to as the captain and so on…. imagine everything else that is supposed to be on a huge classy ship…we had it. The all-inclusive treatment was unbelievable as it is composes of all the best services, ranging from water sport, entertainment, 24-hour bars and restaurants, massage, salon…name it..! Did I mention that the Kenyan people are very hospitable? “This is just the perfect way to end my holiday,” I thought. With such a rich tourism potential, there is plenty to expect as far, development of the entire East African community is concerned. Although my beloved country has a variety of unique attractions, there is no doubt that a country like Kenya can equally stand out as Africa’s pride. I saw it all with my own eyes. I had not gaped, smiled, laughed and explored so much splendour in such a short time. Hopefully our very own ORTPN will make some East African journalists happy with a tour around our beautiful nation’s natural attractions! And they are many! Contact: virenam@gmail.com