Some eight months ago we set out for a working trip in Tharaka Nithi County (0o18’S 38o0’E), some 175 kilometers North East of Nairobi. Being a local guide, I was certain to encounter some interesting and epic sceneries that the foot of Mount Kenya offers. True to my instincts through out the journey, snaking through the busy Nairobi - Meru highway, the rich and beautiful rice farms made the travel more interesting. Though not my first time to use the busy highway, being a rice growing season, the beauty couldn’t escape anyone using the route let alone the cool beautiful environment. After the epic journey, we finally checked in at Orient Hotel along the highway within Tharaka Nithi County. It was here that amazing stories of what we were to expect for the next eight working days emerged from some of us who had visited the county for reconnaissance. Lake Ellis and Kinondoni was narrated as the epitome of beauty and one that the creator indeed took time to corroborate to a majestic place for the wild. With this and images of such a scenic beauty being shared on our wall, I was certain its one of the places I want to set foot and indeed add to my local guide stories.
Nothing is more fulfilling than telling the world what to experience whenever they get to some places that indeed are interesting not to mention about the focus for tourism potential for our country that heavily relies on tourism as a major component of her gross domestic product and foreign exchange earner. I was more grateful to google for granting me such an amazing opportunity. As days passed by and work progressed, despite having so many interesting places including Kajuki Lodge, Kijege Hills, and River Athi at the county’s border with Kitui to mention but a few, I was burning with passion to have feet at the famed Lake Ellis and indeed Mt. Kenya Lodge. It so looked like a dream whose fulfillment was at least for the time being so close yet so far and uncertain.
Relying on common transport and being on a working trip made it so impossible to set out for a solo visit to this stop over as one climbs en-route the peaks of Mt. Kenya. As work progressed, it got more intense, we started panning out, tired and lazing for the tedious exercise we were engaging in until the chances of getting to this amazing place slimmed by. On the eve of the final day, there was no sign of heading to my fancied destination. We had by this time set feet at the feet of the mountain, seeing the Nyayo Tea Farms that surround the mountain, separating human settlement from Mt. Kenya Forest and acting as a buffer between wildlife and human just same to protecting the forest from human infestation, there was no hope of climbing at least to the stop over that is Kinondoni, home to Mount Kenya Lodge. By this time, colleagues were longing to be re-joined with their families and to take a rest after a hectic working marathon. However, a few of us never envisaged losing such an opportunity that was before us. We quickly discussed among ourselves and agreed how to quickly manage the remaining session so we could at least have a glimpse to the mountain. Having reached consensus, we ensured the days activities were hurriedly carried out, of course to the expectation and ideally to meeting the goal and objective of the work ethics that took us there, then we quickly had lunch hoping for an opportunity to have a climb to this amazing scenery. Beautiful stories had been told by now and everyone safe for a few were interested in getting to this wonderful place.
Upon clearing with the hotels, checking out and having lunch, a few wanted to get back to Nairobi soonest possible. This became a nightmare for us, we wanted to be a team. As if it were not enough, our drivers felt that they were tired and it was necessary that they all rest or at least be assured to get home that night so to take rest, and being a Saturday, prepare for Monday. Over the week, we had attempted to get to Kinondoni, the site for Mt. Kenya Lodge to no avail. One of the vans couldn’t climb the steep hill on the way to this destination. After several attempts of charging and recharging, up and down to restart the second steepest of the three that lay on our way, we were unsuccessful. While we struggled, the other van had made its way to the site and back to where we were doing our back and forth. Certainly, we knew who to engage to avoid a similar disappointment. We engaged on serious lobbying with other interested colleagues at this time turned tourists. True to our word, we convinced the drivers and the team divided into two, I was of course in the exploration team as the other team got back to Nairobi, we set out for this epic climb. Wow! Joy filled us, and we were already celebrating at imagination of what lay ahead of us. Some turning on the GPS so we can get clearest details of the heights we were due and record them at each and every stage.
Our first stop over was at a petrol station and we fueled our van, thank God it was a tour van, checked the tires and confirmed everything was okay before the long-anticipated climb. Here, we bought time as we waited for the car number two, we were certain it would climb being a Land cruiser, there were no doubts it was going to struggle getting to this destination. We then started off the rough road off the Nairobi - Meru highway at Chogoria. The most amazing journey had started. We drove through the rough road and the steep slopes at the feet towards the entrance of the mountain forest. At this point, were sure we were about to experience interesting moments at least the surety of getting to our highly admired destination had begun. We couldn’t help admire the rivers that crisscrossed the vast area within the settlements of Kijege Hills/forest that originate from the mountain. The scenery behind us was breath-taking and as we stood at the entrance, we knew the better was yet to come. A few instructions were issued by the warden. Key among them was the fact that the road is likely to be filled of wild animals especially the elephants, besides, we were required to be careful as we climb.
We set out from the entrance and snaked through the thick Alpine rich Mount Kenya forest. Its possibly hard to describe the identity of the indigenous trees that make up the Mount Kenya Forest but certainly, the environment and the intertwining of the thick forest is amazing. We couldn’t help but enjoy gazing out the van windows in awe of the wonderful creation of God. The thick forest perhaps shortened our sight and we couldn’t help imagine what really was inside the forest. Animal excreta particularly for elephant and buffalo was all over the way, we were sure they weren’t far away from our sight only that we couldn’t stop over to look for their whereabouts, certainly they were near sight. In a swampy, at the start of the second steep slope of the climb, we could sight at far all manner of animals feeding on the grass land. Our main undoing was lack of quality cameras that would aid zooming these wild creatures enjoying their life in the wild. We could only try our best to capture some of the beautiful moments of the breath-taking beauty. At this point, we couldn’t tell where our friends were, they were in a black car and we saw them forge ahead of us but couldn’t understand after five kilometers drive, we still could get along with them! Something was amiss, either we were on the wrong route if not so, they were lost. Nevertheless, we couldn’t stop.
We made it over the second steep that paved way for amazing sceneries. On our left was a deep valley that played host to multiple wild animals. We couldn’t see its vicinity but assuredly, we enjoyed its wonderful creation. Filled with grassland, grazers enjoyed their stay under the shadow of its elevation. The sun couldn’t be visible but rather on the lower elevation of the valley while animals grazed at its floor. At this point, we were mesmerized by seeing tourist enthusiasts who were making their way to the mountain peak by trekking. We couldn’t, believe the danger they exposed themselves to besides coveting their willingness, ability and keep fit experience let alone the experience of their beautifully crafted environment they were in. we couldn’t imagine how they enjoyed every bit of the step they made up their way to the destination. By now, the thick forest had changed to bamboo woodlands. Thick and amazing to gaze at. Interesting and amazing in their whole. No words could describe this experience. We couldn’t imagine having missed this and gone back to the city while so close.
The climbing became further steep. Our vehicle started struggling. Those who in mid-week had made it there assured us we were almost arriving. Attention had now shifted on whether we are to leave the car and up by trekking if we were so close or if we would be patient and see the van maneuver through the woodlands that had started decreasing in intensity paving way for open grassland and amazing sights. More, our concern increased on the whereabouts of our friends on the other car, they held the key for us going beyond Kinondoni, the stop over for mountain climbers, and accommodation for them at Mount Kenya Lodge. Hardly little had we been dump struck over by these issues than we sighted the receptionist and the wooden houses that welcomed us. Alas! We had made it to Kinondoni. Having being narrated about spending the night here, the cold breeze of the night, the possibility of come head to head with wild animals, we were thinking about the next episode.
We made vain attempts to go beyond this point. Our friends who held the rights for our passage to Lake Ellis had not made their way here. We weren’t even allowed to go to the lodge side. It was in the evening. The sun had started immersing itself at the other end of the mountain. An amazing breeze was calmly passing by. Campers and mountain trekkers stopping by had erected their tents on the sweet grass. We could sight up the mountain peaks and farthest east and west but challenging to see farther away from the route we used to get here. Without mobile communication network, there was no way we would reach our colleagues. We had no idea their whereabouts. After taking a few shots and experiencing the magnificent beauty of what we could sight around, we realized it was getting dark every passing second and we had to find out what went wrong. We took a few pictures, had little fun jogging around and sleeping on the grass and so we set out back. At least, we made it to Kinondoni. I had a story to tell local guides in google. No! Not local guides, the world indeed!
We hardly made five hundred meters before we sighted the black Land cruiser. Not certain whether it was our colleagues, we decided to go on. We realized they had challenging times climbing the steep slopes of the route and they also had made a stop over on the way and that explained their lagging behind us. We turned, supported them and made way to Kinondoni together, this time with optimism we can make it to the elephant maternity and Lake Ellis. By this time, the campers had increased in their numbers while more made their way through trekking and buses that dropped others. Most of them were determined to make to the peak of the mountain, at least the highest peak, Batian some 5,199 meters or at least the other lower peaks of the mountain. We still couldn’t make our way to the Elephant Maternity or Lake Ellis owing to security reasons originating from wild animals and it was already getting dark. Albeit, we were allowed to the Mount Kenya Lodge, we were able to see clearly the scenic beauty of the mountain peaks, its glacier and diminishing ice.
Further, a swampy area near the lodge provided breath-taking sceneries. It is mainly source of water for wildlife, a few were present at the time we were going back to Nairobi or to meet our colleagues at least according to the warden. We could of course belief him since by the time we reached there, we could feel their noises deep in the thickest forestry around the scintillating beauty. Of course, we captured wonderful memories, I was certain I needed them for local guides and possible future guests. We were a bit lull by our inability to reach at least to lake Ellis, but we had enough time and fun. The photos could tell it all. While a camera held by a friend lost its memory and we couldn’t get all the pictures we captured, at least those we did with our simple phones hold.
Kinondoni, site to Mount Kenya Lodge is itself breath-taking. From naturally manicured grass, so sweet to lay on in the calmly passing cold breeze to the well-organized trees and the wood made houses that make up the accommodation, to the scenic view of the skyline from the mountain peak, to the amazing melting glacier/ice in the sweet looking mount Kenya peaks all to the amazing setting of the sun. You can’t help admire spending time here. I can’t help but tell about this well-crafted natural beauty. The greatest joy is the opportunity to tell the world about is through google local guides program. And indeed, I can’t wait to have time to climb the mountain to its peak.
As if it wasn’t enough, after enjoying the cold water and pure quality air in the amazing environment, we set out for our long journey back to Nairobi. More climbers were still trekking their way to the lodge as we drove down the slopes of the mountain. All we couldn’t help was to sight a leopard crossing the road. Drove slowly, stopped by and captured some amazing images. We were fulfilled. We didn’t care whatever animal we met. This is the rarest of them all, if we found this, we found all we needed and our passion and desire was fulfilled. By this time, our friends had reported through the group chat they had joined their friends in Nairobi, we were boasting and sharing photos of the Leopard we had just come across. Two hours and half hours later we were at Nairobi, fulfilled and ready to update my google map local guide with details. There was no prompt but later it came. I hadn’t yet learnt to create places. The journey is still on. I can’t wait to share more amazing memories and update them on google maps as I continue learning to use the map. Google lens helped confirm that indeed we had sighted a Leopard, and I can’t be more grateful.