Loita Hills Walking Safari, Ndarara Route. Hiking and exploring in the Loita Hills are notable for the variety of their scenery, which ranges from rolling hills.
The Loita Hills are in the Southern Rift Valley. It is certainly one of Kenya’s last frontiers of unspoiled wilderness. Stretching from Maji Moto near the northern end to Entasopia at the base of the Nguruman Escarpment to the south. This mountain range is home to one of the few un-gazetted forests in Kenya. The local Maasai community has perfectly managed it. This covers a vast area through a savannah, a tropical forest with breathtaking landscapes, and the expansive Maasai Mara. It is a habitat of a wide range of wildlife and a dazzling array of wildflowers and indigenous plants.
Natural heritage.
Loita Hills offers some of the best hiking trails in Kenya at altitudes of over 2100m above sea level. There are panoramic views of distant mountains and lakes from various vantage points. The “Sacred Forest” is filled with cedar, podo and strangler figs, waterfalls, and spectacular birdlife. Furthermore, the area is inaccessible to vehicles; therefore, it has maintained relatively untouched wilderness. Colobus monkeys roam the treetops, while you’ll also likely encounter elephants, buffalo, baboons, bushbucks, bushpigs, leopards, and hyenas. Your private guided hiking safari features a route custom-tailored to your physical abilities and interests. It’s an adventure to thrill even the most seasoned hikers.
Cultural experience.
At the end of the trip, you will have learned a few survival tricks. See exhibitions and try your hand at throwing spears and shooting arrows. Practice battle by throwing natural sisal at other “warriors in training.” Make red ochre for marking your skin with natural stones and leaves. Learn how to make fire by rubbing a stick with wood and removing cow blood for drinking without killing. Enjoy traditional dancing, goat slaughter, and other traditional activities of the Maasai. A visit to Maasai boma, or homestead, to be introduced to the daily routine work of the women and the lives of the children. There will be time for sitting in the shade and making the famous coloured beadwork jewellery—necklaces, earrings, bracelets—and if they don’t meet professional standards, you can buy beautifully crafted jewellery from the women of the village as souvenirs.
Loita
Loita Hills borders the Great Rift Valley, and its inhabitants are the Maasai. The area’s wild scenery and variety of inhabitants offer a true African experience to the visitor. As well as the elephants and buffalo for which Loita Hills is famous, you may also encounter less well-known species such as Columbus monkeys, impalas, and rarely-seen dik-dik. These wild animals are not accustomed to vehicles and walking offers a unique opportunity to see the smaller but equally fascinating life of the bush. During our walk-in in these areas, you will see a wealth of birdlife and a concentration of game. This is a continuation of the expansive Maasai Mara biodiversity.
Day 1: Nairobi – Loita
Departing Nairobi at around 09:00 hours, you drive to the edge of the Great Rift, where you stop briefly to view this magnificent view before descending to the floor. You continue past Narok town and into the heart of the Loita Hills, close to the Tanzanian border. The transfer will take us to Maji Moto (Kiswahili means hot waters), where a hot spring bubbles out of the earth at the foot of the hills. A relaxing bath is a must as you visit Ndarara Mayatta for lunch. We meet our Maasai guides, who will accompany us for the next 6 days. Late in the evening, reach Ndarara camp for Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Ndarara – Letukunyi
After breakfast, leave Ndarara for Letukunyi, It will take you about 5–6 hours to walk through the scattered bushes and explore the beautiful Loita Hills in the Nguruman Escarpment through the forests, where you can see striking black and white colobus monkeys. Occasionally, we may see a leopard or bushbuck as you visit various secret waterholes. There are also a variety of highland birds to view, such as the turaco, parrot, hornbill, starling, sunbird, and birds of prey. Dine and stay overnight at Letukunyi camp.
Day 3: Letukunyi – Morinjo
Leave Letukunyi early in the morning for an enjoyable walk before the sun is too hot. Pass through Narosura for lunch or to buy what might be out of stock. After an hour or two in this remote town in Maasai land, proceed to Morijo for dinner and overnight at Morijo campsite.
Day 4: Morinjo – Enkutoto
After breakfast, leave Morijo and walk through the forest, one of the few remaining true-forested wilderness areas in East Africa. The walk will take 5–6 hours across the rolling highlands. Climb up to Ol Supuko, the summit of the Loita Hills (2,640 m). There are incredible views before descending to the camp. This is a favourite roost for velvet monkeys. Walk through the forests and glades in search of bohor reedbuck, East African Eland, Warthog, and the striking black and white colobus Monkeys. Occasionally, we may see Bushbuck as we walk to the Enkutoto campsite.
Day 5: Enkutoto – Nchoroi
After breakfast, leave Enkutoto, walking leisurely for 4-5 hours to Nchoroi campsite for dinner and overnight. On a clear day, enjoy an excellent view of the surrounding area, such as Lake Magadi, the Ngong Hills, and Lake Natron, all the way to the Tanzania border. Dine and stay overnight at the Nchoroi campsite.
Day 6: Nchoroi – Nguruman – Nairobi
After breakfast, descend the Escarpment through small farms to Nguruman town. Transfer back to Nairobi via Lake Magadi. Ololgesalie prehistoric site, which is 40 km from Nairobi. This is where the Leakey family discovered axes and tools thought to have been discovered.
