Call of Chyulu

I spend two nights and two days in deep green. The main campsite is already occupied by 6 holidayers from England and Sweden in two cars which I did not expect because these hills are supposed to be empty of humans but full of birds, generally smalller animals and some East African cats instead.
The first day I go for an extensive hike to climb three surrounding summits. I am longing for a western view on Kilimanjaro and indeed find it's snow-covered tip glimpsing through the clouds for a few moments but the rest is just hazy air. The juicily green hills are wonderful! The soil is basically brownish-greyish-black volcanic ash. A variety of grass grows here, especially because it must have burned not too long ago. Half of the day's hike the grass nipple-high and I wonder if I might stumble across hiding predatory animals waiting to rip me apart. So far I have just been warned to stay away from the patches of pristine forest because buffaloes like to hide in there. I encounter just one tiny snake, baboons and an orange-backed monkey and a lonely hartebeest on the opposite hill. Bigger animals are scrace or stay just for a short time because there seems to be no water at all up here. There are many herby bushes around. Just roll a leaf between your fingertips, smell it and drift into tasty dreams! A pollen-saturated bee visits me and licks my sweat frantically. After having been invited for late lunch by the englishified Swedes on my way back we spend the evening together and have a lot of fun!
The next sunrise is powered by distant growling of a lion coming from the valley north of the campsite. Holy banana! I thought that there are no big cats around here! After breakfast three rangers from Big Life Foundation appear to warn us about apparently two lions not far away. They offer us to walk there and to scare them away. Their most sophisticated equipment consists of GPS devices and short sticks. Very trustworthy :-D Unfortunately the lions seem to have already left the last spot where they have been seen. The others return to Nairobi and I start my 4-wheeled adventure to examine the tracks further south which appear on OpenStreetMap. A wild, bushy "road", difficult to followup because it just consists of vague tracks in high grass and suddenly ends being totally overgrown. Only a foot path continues which is used by Maasai and their cattle. I have to turn back. Hmmpf, ok. Later the rangers tell me that this road has not been used for almost three years. To satisfy my curiosity I then try to find another access road down to the western side of the hills through which I was unsuccessfully trying to get into the hills two days ago. I am indeed successful and arrive in a huge Maasai community down there. Now I can finally update the map! :-) It is just early afternoon and I spontaneously decide to go all the way back up and through the hills to Kibwezi because it is just pure offroad fun driving up there!! The car is incredibly eating every track I'm throwing at it. Low range 2nd gear and you have a rocket on 4 wheels! But a very comfy rocket, so rather a rocket sofa on 4 wheels.
After passing the Kisula Caves I check out of the park in the East but spend the last night on the headquarters' campsite. So, I entered from the West without a gate and found a different way out to the West without a gate. In the end I could have ended the trip without paying anything but I think it is just fair to support the official conservancy work and all the park infrastructure. Looking back on all the fun I had during these few days it is the least that I can do!Read more