Great Rift Valley
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The Great Rift Valley, mostly known in Kenya as the East African Rift Valley, was formed between 2 and 7 million years ago. It is the longest rift on the surface of the earth. The Rift Valley starts all the way from Jordan, Middle-East, and runs through Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Congo, Malawi, and ends near the coastal town of Solada in Mozambique. The amazing quality about the Rift Valley is that once it reaches the Kenyan border, it diverges into two rifts, which later converge near Lake Rukwa in southern Tanzania.
The Great Rift Valley is approximately 4,000 miles (6500km) long and 35 miles (60km) wide. It was formed due to geological tension in the earth’s crust that caused a deep depression, while probably forcing the sides upwards. The floor of the valley is normally below sea level. In Kenya, the Rift Valley gave rise to many lakes that have become a habitat for diverse wildlife. The walls of the Rift Valley are called escarpments; the famous escarpments of Kenya being the Mau Escarpment. The Mau escarpments are famous for their height, which rise over 8500 feet (2600m). To the surprise of many tourists, geological movements still occur in the Rift Valley. In 2000, the British media, BBC, reported that Mount Kenya had reduced in height. Both Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro are almost adjacent to the Rift Valley.
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Lake Naivasha
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Lake Naivasha is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus. The lake is almost 13kms in diameter, but its waters are shallow with an average depth of five metres. The highest of the Rift Valley lakes, Naivasha lies at approx 1880m above sea level. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Naivasha completely dried up and effectively disappeared. The resulting open land was farmed, until heavy rains a few years later caused the lake to return to existence, swallowing up the newly established estates.
Afternoon wind and storms can cause the Lake to become suddenly rough and produce high waves. For this reason, the local Maasai christened the lake Nai’posha meaning “rough water”, which the British later misspelt this as Naivasha. The lake and its surrounds are rich in natural bounty, and the fertile soils and water supply have made this one of Kenya’s prime agricultural regions. Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the Yellow Fever-Tree. These forests abound with birdlife, and Naivasha is known as a world-class birding destination. There are over 450 species in the immediate area including the highland escarpments which surround the lake to the south and west. From October to March the resident bird population is generously supplemented by Palaearctic migrants. On the water, pelicans, and cormorants are numerically superior but the pride of place must go to the African Fish Eagle whose haunting call remains as significant to lake visitors, like the roar of a lion does in the National parks.
The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores. Giraffes wander among the Acacia Trees, Buffalo wallow in the swamps, and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops while the Lakes’ large hippo population sleep the day out in the shallows.
Optional Excursion near Lake Naivasha: Hell’s Gate National Park lies beside the lake. This Park was named for its pair of massive red tinged cliffs framing a geothermal active interior of steam vents and bubbling springs. The park is home to a profusion of plains game and birdlife. This is one National Park that people are allowed to freely leave their vehicles which makes it popular with hikers and cyclists.
Elsemere – home of Joy Adamson (January 20, 1910 – January 3, 1980). She was a naturalist and author, best known for her book, Born Free, which described her experiences in saving the life of a lioness, Elsa. She was born Joy Friedericke Victoria Gessner in Troppau, Silesia, Austria-Hungary (now Opava, Czech Republic). With her third husband, George Adamson, she made her home in Kenya on the shores of Lake Naivasha. She studied and painted animals in the wild, and became famous as a result of the publication of Born Free in 1960. Several sequels were also published, two films were made: Born Free and Living Free. In addition to her books about lions, Adamson also wrote two books about Pippa, a cheetah she took on in 1964, first meeting her in an elegant tea room in Nairobi.
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Lake Nakuru National Park
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Size: 188 sq km Location: Just outside of Nakuru town Most Famous for: Large population of white rhino, excellent leopard spotting area, and its ever colourful flamingos.
Nakuru in Kiswahili means “Waterbuck Haven”. Lake Nakuru National Park, close to Nakuru town, was established in 1961. It started off small, only encompassing the famous lake and the surrounding mountainous vicinity. Now it has been extended to include a large part of the savannahs. It has unusual but beautiful vegetation. The forest vegetation is covered with Euphorbia, tall cactus-like trees and acacia woodland. The forest region is a host to over 400 migratory bird species from around the world.
The park’s lake is internationally known for its lesser and Greater Flamingos. Ornithologists often describe Lake Nakuru as “the most fabulous bird spectacle in the world”. The Lesser flamingo can be distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and pink plumage unlike the greater, which has a bill with a black tip. The Lesser flamingos are ones that are commonly pictured in documentaries mainly because they are large in number. The flamingos feed on algae, created from their droppings mixing in the warm alkaline waters, and plankton. Lake Nakuru National Park is also shared with the white pelicans and the ever-snorting hippos.
Other wildlife in the Lake Nakuru National Park include: The famous Black and White rhinos. The Black rhinos have been slowly multiplying over the years, and are well-protected. Thanks partially to the government of South Africa. Lake Nakuru National Park also boasts an increase in white rhinos. There are plenty of waterbuck, impalas, dik-diks, grants gazelles, lions, and leopards. In 1977, the Rothschild giraffe was introduced to the Park. The park also has large sized python snakes that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees.
Lake Nakuru National Park is the only park in Kenya that is completely fenced.
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Masai Mara National Park
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Size: 1,510 sq km Rainy Season: It rains in April and May and again in November to February and this can cause some areas of the Mara to be inaccessible due to the sticky ‘black cotton’ mud. Dry Season: July to October is dry and the grass is long and lush after the rains. This is a good time to come and see the huge herds of migratory herbivores. Hottest time: The warmest time of year is December and January. Coldest Time: June and July are the coldest months. Most famous for: Annual wildebeest migration and indigenous Maasai Tribes.
The Maasai Mara is one of the most well known and most popular reserves in the whole of Africa. This is also partly because of the tall red-robed Maasai people whose lifestyle has changed little over the centuries and jointly with the government own the Maasai Mara which is its reasoning for being a Reserve rather than a National Park. As with most game parks in East Africa, there is no border fencing which gives animals the liberty to move outside the park into huge areas known as ‘dispersal areas’. There can be as much wildlife roaming outside the park as inside. Many Maasai villages are located in the ‘dispersal areas’ and they have, over centuries, developed a synergetic relationship with the wildlife.
In a short stay during the wildebeest migration you could see thousands of animals, at other times there are still hundreds. The plains are full of wildebeest, zebra, impala, topi, giraffe, Thomson’s gazelle. Also regularly seen are leopards, lions, hyenas, cheetah, jackal and bat-eared foxes. The black rhino is a little shy and hard to spot but is often seen at a distance. Hippos are abundant in the Mara River as are very large Nile crocodiles, which lay in wait for a meal as the wildebeest cross on their annual quest to find new pastures. Due to their generally relaxed state once in the water, there is the opportunity to leave the vehicle and with a park armed guard to walk high along the river bank to view the crocodiles and hippos lazing in the sun.
The Mara is a bird lover’s paradise with great variety and colour including common but beautiful ones like the lilac-breasted roller and plenty of large species like eagles, vultures, and storks. There are 53 different birds of prey. Game driving in the Mara is done in the comfort of our ATC truck, which allows great height for game viewing! ATC has their own camp on the border of the Maasai Mara and it is at this camp, Acacia Camp that all trips stay. The campsite has great facilities and clients overnight in pre-erected safari tents for the duration of their stay.
ATC has a 3 day Maasai Mara Safari (NN3) that departs from Nairobi daily with a minimum of 2 passengers. This safari can be sold as a standalone product but is most times taken up as our bonus safari offer (clients receive the trip price of the safari for free only needing to pay the local payment on any trips ten days or longer starting or finishing in Nairobi. Please note the free safari only departs the Thursday before or the Sunday after the main tour.
Staying in the Maasai Mara between tours: This is possible if you take up our Free Maasai Mara Safari before doing the trips that start in Nairobi. These trips do visit the Masai Mara region, so you will be travelling the same route twice if you do the free trip. There is an option for you to do the free trip (Thursday to Saturday) and then remain at the campsite (this saves you having to do the full days drive on not the greatest roads). The campsite has great facilities and all clients stay in pre-erected safari tents whilst in the Mara. This option is highly recommended as the Acacia Campsite in the Maasai Mara is a very beautiful campsite. The truck will arrive at the Mara Campsite on Saturday and then return to Nairobi to meet the rest of the clients who chose not to do the Free Maasai Mara Safari. You will then have Saturday afternoon until Sunday afternoon (when the truck returns) to relax, reading a book, soaking up the African sunshine and even visiting the local Masai villages. There is also an option to go on a game walk in the conservation area or again visit the Manyata. Any game drives undertaken are at your own cost.
The cost to stay at the campsite for the Saturday night after the 3-day tour ends and before the gorillas trip group arrives on Sunday is US$ 85. This is settled directly with the campsite. This US$120 (2012 price) includes accommodation in Walk-in tents on Saturday night, lunch, and dinner on the Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday (excludes any activities).
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Nairobi
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Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. Founded in 1899, the city was handed capital status from Mombasa in 1905. The city was named after a water hole known in Maasai as Ewaso Nyirobi, meaning “cool waters”. Nairobi has the highest urban population in East Africa, estimated at between 3 and 4 million, since its foundation as a railway camp in 1899, Nairobi has grown to become the largest city in Kenya, and one of the largest cities in Africa. Nairobi is now one of the prime cities in Africa politically and financially. Home to many companies and organizations, it is established as a hub for business and culture and a main starting/finishing point for many of our safaris.
ATC trips that start in Nairobi usually leave on that same day so it is needed for clients to arrive the day before departure. Trips finishing in Nairobi generally arrive late morning/early afternoon and it is advised for clients flying out that day to only book evening flights should the trip be delayed.
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