Leaving the city lights behind, we slowly snaked our way out of Nairobi heading north towards the wilds of northern Kenya! Our destination – Kitich Camp on the upper slopes of the Mathews Forest.
For sheer mystical enchantment…Kitich Camp has few rivals…a nostalgic safari in the true pristine wilderness of Kenya’s northern frontier.
Driving up into northern Kenya is always a dusty, colourful adventure and this trip was no different! Three hours of steep luggas, corrugated murran, sore bums and warm beers (we forgot the ice for the cool box) we were starting to become despondent with no sign of an oasis forest in sight we were very confused as there is only one road to Kitich
Arriving into Kitich is like stepping into a sea of green of trees, shrubs, wildflowers – you instantly feel cooler and calmer! Watch out for the Forest Elephant neighbours as they like to come and cool off in the shade of camp too.
This classic camp is set overlooking a glade of the Ngeng River. A scene out of A Midsummer Nights Dream – the greeny hues, iridescent light coming the over the hills and through the forest is mesmerizing – bird song echos through the river bed. Your gaze is constantly drawn by the glade.
Days are spent on foot, exploring this ancient forest with dedicated ‘guardians of the forest’ the local Ndorobo and Samburu. Giant Cycads dot the landscape, orchids add vibrant splashes of colour against the Sandalwood trees and other endemic trees species. For any nature lovers, a paradise for all ages…
The calmness of the landscape, the distant trumpeting of forest elephants, the closeness to nature, seems to feed your soul with tranquility, clearing your mind of the ‘baggage’ we carry in the hustle and bustle of everyday life!
Revel in exceptional experiences , bush picnics, swimming in hidden rock pools or witnessing Samburu culture.
At night, the atmosphere is magical, and the glade is lit, look out for elephant, bushbuck and buffalo, as they come a drink by the river. Fall asleep to the sound to trumpeting elephants in the nearby forests.
Story By: Nat
Original Blog Source: New African Territories
