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Tag: Travel Video
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Our Mini Cross-Country Road-trip
It’s not often that you get people to hop in on one of your crazy spontaneous adventures. Or at least, going by the number of times I’ve had to either cancel or find alternatives for my plans; the level of dedication by friends who promise to tag along is always on an all time low. For this one time though, things were different; Oprah contacted me regarding an idea for a different sort of road-trip across the country to show around one of her friends who was flying in. We figured there was much more to travel than just the typical ‘mzungu‘ touristy locations to which we’re used to; therefore we decided to have a different take. Since we had ‘Matilda’ with us we resorted to having at least 2 more people to tag along but it really didn’t happen, the usual last minute cancellations and a bevy of excuses to support the same despite the number of convincing we had them through. We ended up going just the 3 of us and here’s some of what we encountered along the way covering 2600KM in 11 days across Kenya. Nairobi being our start point, we ended up in South Coast a week later having passed through Kisii, Rongo, Apondo, Kisumu, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapsabet, Eldoret and Muhoroni.
We had a booking at a camp in the Mara but we got there too late (park closes at 6:30pm) and weren’t allowed in so we ended up getting a pretty affordable and cosy guest house in Sekenani. Up early the following morning we took a self drive game drive with a local Masai as our guide.
Chilling by the Mara river watching hippos and crocs. 
Elephants in the Mara. 
Obligatory selfie at the viewpoint along the Maai Mahiu route 
Picnic in the savanna. 
The Mara Sunset on a rainy day. 
Oprah at the shores of L. Victoria 
Paul sorting groundnuts in  Apondo. They’re later used to make ugali, porridge, peanut sauce and homemade peanut butter. 
Fish from L. Victoria 
Matilda parked by the roadside at Nandi Hills. 
Winding roads on your way to Eldoret through Nandi Hills. 
Sugarcane tractors in Muhoroni. 
No roadtrip is complete without car trouble. But ours was on the extreme! It took us almost 3 hours on a route that’s usually 45 mins 
Gorgeous landscapes 
Rift Valley 
Nandi Hills tea plantations 
View at Kerio 
Our cottage in Diani. 
Young, Wild and Free!?? Points to Note:
- Always ensure that your vehicle is ready for long journeys, it’s advisable to have a full mechanical check at least a week before you start.
- Home-stay & camping are the most efficient cost saving means of getting around if you’re on a budget.
- Plan your trip well to avoid delays and inconveniences.
- Interact with locals, you’ll get more insider information and more tips to help you with your adventure.
- Camping during the rainy season isn’t a good idea, I learnt!?
- It helps when you research your destinations beforehand, especially with regard to the topography, weather and activities you can have while you’re there.
- Ensure you have time to rest at least a few hours everyday to avoid getting fatigued.
I have always loved to travel, and while struggling through with no car- I piggyback a lot of trips with friends a lot just to get out of town. A week, a weekend, even just an hour on the road makes me feel alive.
Any interesting cross-country trips? Let me know.
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Wildlife in the Cityâs Backyard
I recently had the privilege of visiting the Nairobi National Park. It is one of Kenyaâs twenty three National Parks. However, what makes it stand out is the fact that it is regarded as the âWorldâs Wildlife Capitalâ. This is because of itâs strategic location that is only a short drive away from the Nairobi Business District. Now how cool is that?
However, despite itâs proximity, majority of Nairobiâs city residents have not paid a visit to this home of upto 100 mammal species and over 400 bird species.
Zebra grazing within the Park copyright @RootsofAfrika
The Nairobi National Park is home to four of the big five animals. Can you guess which among the big five is not found in the park? Itâs not the Rhino, nor is it the Lion, Leopard or Buffalo but the Elephant. There are various Park activities and Park attractions to enjoy alongside the spectacular wildlife. You may opt to have a game drive where you get to spot various wildlife busy grazing, browsing or simply napping and walking against the city scrappers as their backdrop. This is a spectacular sight to behold and one that will forever be etched at the corner of valuable memories.
 Giraffes strolling within the park. copyright @RootsofAfrika
 The rhinoceros with its young one. It is among the endangered species at the park. Copyright Ceri_KanjaThe park also hosts the Nairobi Safari Walk and the animal orphanage. The Nairobi Safari walk offers a relaxed stroll as you gaze upon different types of animal species such as the Hippo, Leopard, Cheetah, Rhino, Ostriches, Water bucks among many more. The facility also offers childrenâs wildlife classes and this together with the animal orphanage provide a good platform for you as well as the little ones to learn more about the wildlife and interact with them fondly under the supervision of the parkâs guides.
The wooden platform within the Nairobi Safari Walk. Copyright Ceri_Kanja
A leopard basking within its confines at the Nairobi Safari Walk. Copyright Ceri_Kanja
One of the Protected White Rhinos within the park. Copyright Ceri_Kanja
The park equally boasts of spacious picnic sites and camping sites thus making it ideal for group hangouts as well as overnight stays at the park. So why not spend the night there around a cozy bonfire just to get away from the bustles of the City life? And the best part is that you do not have to travel far and wide to do this thus very budget friendly to the city dweller.
Local Tourists enjoying the park’s view. Copyright @RootsofAfrika
The Parkâs rates as well as full list of attractions and park activities can be easily found here
