Tag: nature kenya

Rock Climbers of Lukenya Hill

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Above: Close up of the rock climber on the cliff face of Lukenya belonging to the Mountain Club of Kenya. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: The East African Nation media

It looks like Spider-Man is inching his way up a gigantic cliff. He’s spread eagle and through my zoom l see his muscles taut as he gets a foot-hold in a tiny cervix in the rock as his hand grips another to move up. It’s tense but the climber is secured to a harness for safety. Finally, he reaches the top while his mates cheer him from below. A few minutes later, he rappels down in seconds.

Tiny figure of the rock climber on the cliff face of Lukenya belonging to the Mountain Club of Kenya. Copyright Rupi Mangat one time use only (800x600)
Tiny figure of the rock climber on the cliff face of Lukenya belonging to the Mountain Club of Kenya. Copyright Rupi Mangat

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Scents and Sounds of South Nandi Forest

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Above: Sunrise at South Nandi Forest surrounded by Nyayo Tea Zone at Kobujoi. May 2019. Copyright Rupi Mangat

It’s dawn. And magical.

In the first light, the rising sun illuminates the tea and forest-clad peaks of the South Nandi Forest as a white mist lifts languidly from the valleys. It’s so beautiful an image that we have to stop to take it all in. On the other side of the road that stretches from Kapsabet to Nandi Hills Town via Serem, the ancient rock-clad hills of Maragoli lines Lake Victoria that is Africa’s largest lake.

South Nandi Forest surrounded by Nyayo Tea Zone at Kobujoi. May 2019. Copyright Rupi Mangat. (800x450)
South Nandi Forest surrounded by Nyayo Tea Zone at Kobujoi. May 2019. Copyright Rupi Mangat.

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A Night with the Stars at Lake Naivasha

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Above: Evening light on shores of Lake Naivasha. Copyright Desire James Wainaina

Published: 20 April 2019

Grey shafts of light stream from the clouds to the lake casting an ethereal glow in the late afternoon. Fishermen stride into the freshwater lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. In the cooling day, shy waterbuck emerge from the grove of yellow fever trees nibbling the soft grasses along the swampy shores as dainty jacanas on long skinny legs trod the floating mass of water hyacinth while the cormorants deck the trees ready to settle for the night.

Lake Naivasha KWS ground Copyright Desire James Wainaina (800x600)
A walk in the yellow barked acacia forest at Lake Naivasha by the KWS ground. Copyright Desire James Wainaina

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Swan Lake: A Fascinating Performance at Lake Oloiden

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Above: Great white pelicans herding fish for breakfast. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Replace the swan with pelicans because in Africa we have pelicans and not swans. We’re sailing on Lake Oloiden that’s changes dramatically every so often that it keeps everyone guessing – what next? Salty or fresh?

 

We’ve woken up to a spectacular performance by the pelicans – that is the Great white pelicans – performing a ballet that’s captivating. On a blue lake, flotillas of the great white birds synchronize their dive in the water, upturning their white butts like a ballerina’s tutu while their enormous yellow bills vanish in the water to swallow the fish they have herded below. It’s spectacular.

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Underground River, Coffee and Birding in Juja

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Above: Osprey in Juja. Copyright James Kashangaki 

Published: 5 January2019

When Elspeth Huxley penned the Flame Trees of Thika, the road out of Nairobi in 1913 was very different from the Thika super-highway we are driving on to reach Juja, 40 kilometres away. Her description from the novel is of her as a six-year old with her mother on an ox wagon travelling out of Nairobi to meet her father who has just acquired virgin land that’s deemed to be great for coffee farming.

Pygmy Kingfisher. Copyright James Kashangaki (800x601)
Pygmy Kingfisher. Copyright James Kashangaki

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