Days here are full of bright colors from flowers and birds everywhere I look. Though it’s winter here there’s still constant sun and during the day the temperature is rarely below 20C (70F). Nights get a bit cool but nothing I can complain about. And the sky fills with stars forming different constellations from the ones I know up north. When I walk home from work at dusk along the dirt road, I take in the view – a landscape filled with palms and acacia trees against the backdrop of the darkening sky. I can’t capture the image nor the feeling I have, I’m so lucky to be here. And pass the gates to enter my living complex there is one guard who smiles big every time as I greet him in the tiny bit of Kiswahili I know.
The last two weekends I was able to get out and see a bit. I went to Karura Forest, a beautiful forest within the city limits of Nairobi. Two of my colleagues from icipe joined me. We spent the day hiking spotting beautiful birds, butterflies and even some larger wildlife. We walked along a small river heading to the waterfalls. We also came across some caves that are a symbol of Kenya’s independence.
But the highlight of my time here so far was going on my first safari. Last weekend we organized a trip to Nairobi National Park. We left early in the morning, in hopes of seeing some predators. At the entrance we were greeted by a group of baboons, which tipped over a garbage can and fought for the food.
We were driven around in a safari van, which opens at the top so you can have a free range of vision. You aren’t allowed to walk around the park so having a removable roof is really necessary to really take in the park. The entrance of the park was a small forest but opened up into the vast savanna. It’s interesting to see buildings in the distance and apartment complexes right along the border of the park. The day was spent searching out wildlife which I can’t imagine anything more enjoyable. The animals here are so large and it’s just incredible to see them going about their days.
Although the park has lions, leopards and cheetahs they are quite rare to see. But we were lucky. We saw a pride of lions feeding on some prey when we entered, and again as we were leaving we came across a couple lions sleeping in the sun. But mostly our day was full of ungulates – gazelles, giraffes, hartebeests, impalas and so many more. Yet we had some other rare sights – black rhino which is on the verge of extinction. Granted it was incredibly far off, binoculars are also a must. To look out and see the beautiful savanna landscape with these incredible animals scattered across it feels like a cartoon more than anything else.
Going on the safari has only increased my desire to make time for more, hopefully, a longer one far away from any cities. But I was surprised that Nairobi National Park had so much considering the proximity to a big city.
ecoforager 