We’re all ready and breakfasted by 09:00. Abraham was on site by 08:45 already. Today’s walk is from a pre-discussed parking spot down to the Yala river. It should be about 3 hours. The other walks are up to one of 3 vantage points to see the entire forest. Annelie is quite keen to do both, so let’s see how it goes
We all load up and drive to the Forest offices where we each have to pay 600 KSh (divide by 10 for Rand. Divide by another 13 for Quid) for entry. One walk is 500 KSh per person. Back into the vehicles and we’re off to the parking spot, a short drive into the forest proper. It’s quite east to tell right from the get-go that Abraham is very knowledgeable on the forest. He shows us many interesting plant species and trees, most of which I have now forgotten. Some interesting highlights are trees that basically consume an existing tree (mostly of the fig tree family). They start at the top and slowly envelop the existing tree until only the fig tree remains. That’s why you sometime see totally hollow trees, because the primary tree has totally died off and disappeared.
Many of the trees in the forest have strong medicinal properties, up to 80% of them. As such, their well protected by the government and forest rangers. Many cancer curing remedies can be harvested from the forest. Seems a shame that more research into these remedies aren’t funded or allowed. Saw an interesting tree that has sandpaper leaves! Very popular among the local woman, who use it to file their nails. We continue on through the forest, Abraham stopping us at intervals to explain the significance of one or other plant or tree, to point out monkeys (blue tail, I believe) or to see butterflies and so on. 240 Tree species and 260 plant species.
The walk brings us to a grass land clearing. Abraham points out that the part of the forest we just walked through was once grassland but the forest claimed it back. He said in about a few years hits patch of grassland will also be overgrown.
We reach a bank next to the roaring Yala river. Very cool! Snap a few pics, water is nice and cool and runs clear. Lots of rocks and rapids here, I kinda feel like jumping it. Another path takes us back to the cars, but along we way we are treated to more butterflies and loads of orchids. Ok, so my idea of a orchid is a bit skewed, all the orchids we’ve seen look like little dying twigs. But oh well.
3 Hours of walking I tell Annelie I’m done walking today. Abraham pointed to a hill and says that that it one of the vantage points. I reckon nooit, I’m done, and hungry, and sweaty. The forest is cool, but still humid. On the way back to Savona we stop by Ronda Retreat, just to see what the others were talking about. Wow. Wow wow. Huge, well manicured lawns, very well tended little cottages and tall tees. It really is another dimension to the world outside. Abraham shows us more orchids... meh. We come across nuns doing a photo shoot. No there’s a first.
All done and back to camp for lunch. We thank Abraham and pay him his well deserved 500 KSh each. The dude has way more knowledge and scientific names of things that we could ever care about, and he clearly loves what he does. If you ever need a full blown tour of Kakamega Forest, feel free to contact him on kakmegaforest[at]yahoo[dot]com :)
Lunch consists of Dorito’s Fiery Habenero chips, with cut cheese, tomato and avo (I had a hankering for Nachos, this was the best I could do). Delicious, and super unhealthy. We lounge by the pool even take a quick dip (which cost me 100 Ksh. Apparently I had to pay for the privilege).
Helped Mattie with his canopy, the seals have come out and as such was now leaking water into the back each time it rains. Had a quick afternoon nap after that, having placed our order for dinner 1st. Having the grilled chicken tonight, since it looked like a safe bet last night. And it was, very tasty. Kitty was there again, pawing me for food, he got a few scraps.
Leaving for Uganda tomorrow (get your safety dance on!). Leaving just after breakfast at 08:00. Spoken to Mattie, Annelie and I would dearly love to go see the gorillas, if we can get in (only 30 tourists a day, and at $350 per person, it aint cheap) and we wanna do some white water river rafting in Jinya (best in the world, or so I’m told.) Spoken to this American chick at the bar tonight, but I lost interest after all the “it’s extreme”, “not so extreme,” “totally extreme”, “extreme man, EXTREME” extremes she simply insisted on using. I gathered it was a pretty cool thing to do when you’re in town, so, that's what we’ll do.
[G & A], out
Who’s got the rain
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