Tag: travel

Critically endangered bird Taita apalis adult. Copyright Luca Borghesio

Hiking in the Hills of Taita

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Part 1 of 2

An ancient massif of endemic plants and animals

Published: Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper 13 January 2018

Above: Taita apalis – criticaly endangered – fewer than 200 survive today in fragmented forests of the Taita Hills in an area of five square kilometers (copyright Luca Borghesio)

The mist swirls and whirls, white and dense, hiding and revealing the valleys and peaks of the hills. We’re on a climb to reach the top of the ancient bare rock that tops the forest of Yale in the Taita Hills.

Indigenous plant of the mountains - Lobelia gibberoa on Yale hilltop that is part of Taita Hills. Copyright Rupi Mangat
Indigenous plant of the mountains – Lobelia gibberoa on Yale hilltop that is part of Taita Hills. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Continue reading “Hiking in the Hills of Taita” →

Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Copyright Rupi Mangat

Life at Lodwar

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Twixt the desert and the lake

Above Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Resort – Copyright Rupi Mangat

Publshed Saturday magazine Nation newspaper 6 January 2018

Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Copyright Rupi Mangat
Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Copyright Rupi Mangat

I’m in haven floating on the warm waters of the Jade Sea coined by Teleki. It’s the world’s largest permanent lake in the desert and the world’s largest alkaline body officially known as Lake Turkana on the northern reaches of Kenya’s once the ferocious Northern Frontier District.  It’s now a World Heritage Site.

Continue reading “Life at Lodwar” →

Landscapes of Lolldaiga

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Part 2 of 2

Published Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper 30 December 2017

Above: Desert warthog
Copyright De Jong & Butynski 

Learning more about lesser-known wildlife

There’s more than the Desert Warthog that we’re learning about in Lolldaiga and why it’s important to know all that makes for Kenya’s biodiversity.

“To be able to protect biodiversity,” states Yvonne de Jong of Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme “you need to know which taxa are where.” Continue reading “Landscapes of Lolldaiga” →

Elephant at entrance of Lake Arusha Naional Park Copyright Rupi Mangat

Arusha and the Momella Lakes

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Published Nation newspaper 16 December 2017

Above: Elephant at entrance of Lake Arusha Naional Park
Copyright Rupi MangatArusha’s a fascinating city on the foothills of Mt Meru –Africa’s fifth highest mountain at (14,968 ft). A dormant volcano it’s a stunning backdrop to the city and a great mountain to explore.

Lake Duluti Serena by the cusp of its crater lake
Lake Duluti Serena by the cusp of its crater lake Copyright Rupi Mangat

Continue reading “Arusha and the Momella Lakes” →

A meeting of the elders - the chimps of Gombe National Park - from the Kasakela group Copyright Rupi Mangat

Rendezvous with the Chimpanzees of Gombe

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Above: A meeting of the elders – the chimps of Gombe National Park – from the Kasakela group  Copyright Rupi Mangat

Click to watch the chimps of Gombe National Park

Published in Saturday magazine Nation newspaper 2 December 2017

Sunrise over Kigoma – copyright Rupi Mangat
local fishing boat belonging to Congolese fishers at Kigoma – in French – Notre Tresor – our treasure. copyright Rupi Mangat
local fishing boat being repaired at Kigoma – . copyright Rupi Mangat

The night air is fading as we make our way to the secluded bay on Lake Tanganyika at Kigoma to climb into the motorboat to Gombe National Park. It’s the only way to get there. Continue reading “Rendezvous with the Chimpanzees of Gombe” →