Lush indigenous forest at the foothills of Mt. Kenya
Ngare Ndare is a lush indigenous forest at the foothills of Mt. Kenya. Azure pools glisten at the bottom of waterfalls, and 200-year-old trees stretch into the canopy, supporting a rich variety of bird and animal life. The forest is a vital corridor that links the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mount Kenya and one that elephants have been using for centuries. In the 1980s, farmland became more developed on the southern side of the forest, and farmers came into regular clashes with elephants. In an attempt to alleviate fatal human-wildlife conflict, the forest was fenced off from southern farmland in 1992. Yet the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust wasn’t registered until 2004, and a concession management agreement was finalised with the Kenya Forest Service only as recently as 2009.
Ngare Ndare is the only indigenous forest in Kenya with an expanding canopy cover, and some of the ancient African olive and red cedar trees within it are thought to be around 200 years old. Elephants and buffalo are frequently seen here as they make their way from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to the rich grazing on the hills of Mt. Kenya. The Ngare Ndare River originates from a spring in the forest and creates paradisiacal blue pools that go on to provide water for the wildlife along its banks and the surrounding communities. The tree nursery set up by the Trust grows 100,000 indigenous seedlings a year, 50,000 of which get re-planted in degraded areas of the forest in an annual tree-planting ceremony attended by many of the community members.
6:00 Am: Depart Nairobi for Nanyuki.
Pick up from the point of your choice and depart for Nanyuki (Ngare Ndare). A breakfast stopover in Karatina town for snacks or bites {breakfast can be made upon arrival}. The Drive takes approximately four and a half hours to Nanyuki town
11:00 Am: Arrival in Nanyuki.
Have a brief stopover at the equator. A demonstration to ascertain the north, south, and the line itself is done.
Kenya is among the 13 countries in the world where the equator passes through. Ascertaining this is easy by setting up the experiment. All you need is a jug with a hole at the bottom, an empty bowl, some water, and 2 floating pointer sticks.
Demonstrating the Coriolis Effect.
- We’re a few metres north of the supposed equator, steps beside the sign. Pour water into the funnel; water begins to rotate as it exits by the bottom and drops into the bucket; put a match in the moving water. The stick turns right {clockwise}. Well, we are in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Move a few metres to the other side of the sign, where it is supposed to be the Southern Hemisphere. Redo the same process. Puts the match in moving water, and… the match turns left {anti-clockwise}… Wow, it will be true that the imaginary line passes more or less where the sign is placed.
Stand by the sign where, theoretically, the line of the equator is. Pours water, but… the water begins to come down with no movement, neither right nor left. Put the match in the water, and the match is stagnant!
11:20 Am: Depart for Ngare Ndare.
Leave Nanyuki, heading to Meru/Isiolo until Timau. Divert to a dirty road via the Lewa Conservancy route as you enjoy a variety of wild game, including the Grevy zebra. The gates are open to the public from 12:00 pm to 11:50 pm.
12:26 Pm: Arrive at Ngare Ndare Forest.
Enjoy your picnic lunch at the wooden platform deck
1:00 Pm: Hiking around.
Begin a 2-3-hour hike in the company of a trained and experienced tour guide. Take a walk on the 12-metre-high suspended canopy running for 450 metres.
3:00 pm: Visit Ngare Ndare Falls.
Hike to the Ngare Ndare Falls, which is about 3.5km from the Canopy Walk. Indulge in the azure blue pool of water below the falls. Swimming and diving are also permitted for those who are brave enough to face the wrath of the chilled waters.
4:00 Pm: Detour back to Nairobi.
After a long day of adventure, you relax in the green scenery as we enjoy the cosy environment and depart later for Nairobi.
8:00 Pm: Arrival back in Nairobi.
Arrive back at your pick-up point in Nairobi.
Includes:
Vehicle hire, fuel and driver’s allowance
Transport to and fro,
Guides and rangers’ fees,
Conservancy and community fees,
Equator demonstration fee,
Excluded
Tips and gratitude,
Food: lunch, bites and drinking water,
Any other item or service not listed above.
What to bring:
Wear comfortable walking shoes or trainers and loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen may also come in handy. It is also important to carry drinking water, binoculars, a camera, and wildlife books, especially for birds, in addition to picnic equipment.
