Enjoy the songs of nature in the great rift valley

By Eric Wamanji

The occident is splashed ember as we arrive at Robert’s Camp, on the lips of Lake Baringo. The bronze-coloured stripes reflect on the rear mirror briefly before dissolving and disappearing in the undulating Tugen Hills.

It is humid here and the air is pregnant with a saline smell. Off road, about 100 metres, the black gate gently opens in a welcoming move. And suddenly, we stumble on a spectacularly tranquil, even sumptuous vista altogether. The compound is dense with assorted trees and saplings, a crisp air and sentimental twilight tunes from nocturnal birds. It’s so unreal; I have to pinch myself to confirm I’m not dreaming.

A hot spring in Lake Bogoria

Today, it has been a hilarious but mostly turbulent drive, tumbling over winding vales and often, unannounced dry-river-beds. Occasionally, I had to jump on the breaks to let dik-diks or timid antelopes skitter across the road, or swerve to avoid knocking obstinate cattle. No need to have blood on my hands when going on holiday.

Forget the Coast or Naivasha, which have become holiday clichÈs. A fresh frontier, just 350 kilometres from Nairobi, remains a little secret yet, a sparkler, offering a sating dose and an electrifying safari.

And here we are — in an idyllic sanctuary that’s divine for a weekend sojourn. Right at the gate is the ‘Thirst Goat Restaurant’. I am not thirsty, at least not yet, but I still crave for my usual caffeine. Shortly, the smell of freshly ground coffee seeps to the air, reminding me of my watering hole, many miles away — at Nairobi Java House.

Edwin Koech, the barman, a charming fellow entertains us this evening with tales of Robert’s Camp. To him, though spoilt with a number of wines and spirits, Captain Morgan remains his choice for the night. "But, no, thank you sir. Not today, perhaps I’ll give it a shot another day," I offer; he smiles.

Perched on a high stool at the counter I can still see the floodlit garden whose hue softly fades to caress the darkness in the trees, painting a rather deep elegiac feel. A lovebird is enjoying drinks at the garden; just behind us, members of the British force — locally known as "Johnnies" — on training, are drowned in a chit-chat of their own.

Then, unannounced, the staring night owl, as Shakespeare would note in Winter, belts out "Tu-whit, tu-who!" This resident owl resuscitates nostalgia. And so, beckons the white starched cotton sheets.

Tugen artistry

Accommodation galore here — tents for the adventurous, bandas for the free spirited and

An artistic bed in one of the cottages

cottages for those desirous of a little pleasure. This is an ideal weekend escape sanctuary. And a taste of art has not escaped the designers either. Look at the beds, look at the bandas a cast from the Tugen artistry. Look at the cottages stashed in foliage, and at night these gardens relieve a delicate fragrance that relaxes your nerves.

The homely, full-board or self-catering chalets are en suite. Windows are hidden by whitish Venetian blind but they open to offer a stunning vista either to the lake or gardens. The interior is artistic and relaxing. Over the artistic beds hangs white mosquito nets, and the bedside lockers roost bed lamps; some cottages are complete with baby coats. The kitchenettes are fully equipped, with cookers and refrigerators. It is in these cottages that you have a rich collection of books and magazines. Writers like Robert Sylvester in To Live Again and Ngugi wa Thiongo in Petals of Blood grace bookshelves here. For the reading type, the serenity abounds to keep you immersed in literature.

Still, if cooking is not your stuff, there is an a la carte restaurant whose cuisine is, well, a little treat especially when away from the ravages of life. And you can have your meals at the terraces, on the veranda overlooking the lake or by the shores.

Here, the vast verdant landscape slopes into a sun-kissed lake whose shoreline is pasted with hippos, crocs and tens of over 400 bird species — a scenic wonderland indeed that humbly seduces for indulgence.

This world offers many-fold opportunities. For the sporty, bike rides or boat excursions are just for you. A local youth group hires out mountain bikes for Sh800 a day, and a boat ride is Sh3,000 for two hours. For the green at heart and those who just want to relax and imbibe the glow and idyll of a lakeside resort, where the song of nature streams to your nerves and your soul, come along too.

Lakeside amble

A boat ride on Lake Baringo is a breathtaking venture. You can briefly stop at ‘Island of Love’ and feel its air and sounds, before proceeding to ‘Devil’s Island’ for enchanting sunsets.

And thus, on the floor of world’s famous Great Rift Valley, lolls a tiny capsule of adventure where man and beast mingle; andpeople are still gracious to visitors. On the floor of the Valley, where the sun rises before elsewhere, and nature sings you songs of spring, you are mollycoddled and elated with equal vim.

For photographers, this is a picturesque haven where a million postcard frames can be shot; poetic lines are inspired and broken hearts mended. From the gigantic cliffs, to the tiny Lake Baringo archipelago, from angular shots at bays to capturing a cock on a tree, or a lone Ilchamus boy passionately paddling his raft across the tea-coloured waters. This charming panorama is like strokes of a masterful painter’s brush on canvas.

A sample of the cottages at Robert’s Camp

Strolling around Robert’s Camp is like taking a charming walk in an arboretum. A monitor lizard clutching on a rough bark rolls his eyes and then, up the boughs he glides. We pass an anthill and skip over fresh hippos’ dropping, then into the woodland and follow that path to the lake whose waters stretch to hug a sapphire horizon to the east.

A morning lakeside amble is a treat. This is the time the pool beckons the hippos; the birds are out to twitter; and the duck and her ducklings enjoy the bliss of gorgeous sunrise elegantly swashing this way and that; and young crocs come to the banks for a bask.

At the shores, children and women are fishing with their rods; men on rafts venture deep sea for their nets. If fishing excites you, locals are willing to lend their tools and you can enjoy sport fishing, even from your boat. Please, carry sunglasses, a binoculars and your camera. Temperatures here are very high — above 30 degrees, therefore, light dressing would go a long way in making your excursion, enjoyable.

Bird watching

Just a few minutes before noon, the coxswain gives the Eagle’s engine a pretty single kick, and the vessel buzzes, causes a concentric wrinkle on the water, and soon, we are seaborne, leaving behind a dazzling silvery streak on the seemingly waters of pleasure.

We are with Robert Kiptosok, a local expert in feeding the eagles. He spots one, whistles then the bird elegantly responds, and he throws a fish into the water where the predator furiously descends sharply to crush on the sea, and up goes with the catch. On Kiptosok’s fingertips too, itches all the names of the birds that flap around.

Small wonder this world is a tourist belt that is gaining currency by every sunset. It’s rich in unique fauna and flora, some which are highly medicinal. The terrain too offers thrilling avenues to cruise.

Mornings are excellent for bird watching too. I join birders to identify the bishops, doves, eagles, and the weaver birds at Kapsoi Bird Watching site. In this site too, numerous films have been shot. And here, you are in touch with stunning geographic formation that would easily leave you speechless.

The trip is incomplete without shopping at Marigat township. It is hilarious. Mama mbogas scurry to our car offering the most absurd prices for melons, paw paws, tomatoes and onions. Thus our boot goes pregnant with a collection of fresh farm produce you can hardly get in the city. Honey too oozes here, still at much sweetened rates. And children and women of the semi-arid, brandishing honey bottles, religiously wave you down — for a city pence. Please make a purchase; they need the cents, however, modest.

After a day-long riotous escapade, and when the sun is smiling again in the west, it is time to visit the Thirsty Goat today for a chilled Captain Morgan, for my sojourn here has come to an end.