Chinese bewilderment'

Chinese bewilderment'

The Waiyaki Way fig tree too can breathe easy as it has also been spared.

When I visited the site this week, the workmen had drawn plans for how the trenches they were digging would skirt around it.

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Signal to transfer power

Signal to transfer power

For the Kikuyu people of central Kenya, the most populous ethnic group in the country, the fig tree known as "mugumo" has traditionally been a shrine, a place of worship and sacrifices.

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But it is no ordinary tree.

But it is no ordinary tree.

The majestic fig tree, which is 100 years old and towers over a section of Waiyaki Way in the 

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Coronavirus cases have spiked recently in Kenya

Coronavirus cases have spiked recently in Kenya

If the referendum does go ahead and is approved by the people, it will allow a major change to the constitution, that will restructure 

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Why Kenya's giant fig tree won over a president

Why Kenya's giant fig tree won over a president

In our series of letters from African journalists, media and communication trainer Joseph Warungu looks at the power trees seem to have over Kenyan politicians.

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Lake Nakuru in Kenya Africa

Situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley 160 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, Lake Nakuru is a bird watcher's paradise. A unique game-viewing venue and a notable spot for the Rothschild giraffe and home to the black and white rhinos. The lake is world-famous as the location of the “greatest bird spectacle on earth” by renowned ornithologist Roger Peterson, for its spectacular bird life particularly the myriads of flamingos that congregate the shallow soda lake together with tens of thousands of other bird species. Lake Nakuru is one of the world's première wildlife destinations.

Lake Nakuru was declared a national park in 1961 and covers 188 square kilometers of land of great ecological diversity - from lake water, woodland, bush grassland, to rocky ridges. It is the most accessible and most visited of the soda lakes of the Great Rift Valley. The national park was created mainly to protect the flocks of flamingos and other species in the hills and plains around the lake. Its algae-soaked waters attract the millions of lesser flamingos and the greater flamingos in the park that turn the shores pink.

Apart from the spectacle of the flamingoes, Lake Nakuru National Park offers its visitors great wildlife - a special sighting at the park is a number of rare Rothschild giraffe, trans-located for safety from western Kenya beginning in 1977. Moreover, Lake Nakuru National Park has recently expanded to include a large part of the savannahs to accommodate and provide a sanctuary for both white and the rare black rhino. The park boasts the most number of leopard per square kilometer than any park in Africa. Because of the park's proximity to nearby towns, the park is fenced to prevent the animals from wandering into town and most especially to keep the poachers out, not restricting the movement of wildlife. Nakuru officially became the shelter for protection for these endangered animals in 1987.

At the park, you will also see a healthy population of predators like lions and hyenas, black and white colobus monkeys, hippo and crocodiles, zebra and fish eagles, antelope and buffalo and large-sized python snakes that dwell the dense woodlands. The best vantage point to track the lake shore and watch huge flocks of feeding flamingos is from the Baboon Cliff. Other viewing spots are from Lion Hill and Out of Africa.

Thus, this lake offers one of the world's most spectacular wildlife sights. So if you are looking for the best possible wildlife photography opportunities, Lake Nakuru is the perfect place to be as animals are never out of sight. And if you still have the luxury of time, an overnight stay in here, will definitely complete your safari travel adventure.

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Sports Tourism in the Great Rift Valley

Tourists visiting the Rift Valley region of Kenya brace yourselves for an enjoyable safari across it's scenery as well as the sporting facilities in the high altitude training areas. This region has rich sports history with many world record holders originating from this region. The region is also famous for its good climate for athletes and outdoor sports where international sportsmen and women could hold training sessions. Virtually, the Rift Valley is home to runners who have their base in Eldoret from the legendary Kipchoge Keino to Henry Rono, Patrick Sang to Paul Tergat with world titles under their belt by smashing records and breaking records. This region attracts a lot of domestic and foreign athletes and non-athletes who come to experience the high altitude areas where the great Kenyan athletes train.

Accommodation facilities are available at pocket friendly rates to cater for tourists accommodation while visiting this region e.g. Wagon Hotel, Hotel Sirikwa, White Castle, Assis Hotel among others. There are very beautiful tourist sites and attractions which the sports tourists can enjoy as part tourist packages covering the western circuit of Kenya e.g. Iten, Kaptagat, Tea farms (agro tourism), the culture of the local people etc. Go across the prestigious High Performance Training Centres (HPTC), one of the only six of the world when you visit Kenya's Rift Valley. The other six are situated in: Senegal (for sprints and jumps), Mauritius, Australia, North American, Egypt and Germany. The Kenyan High Performance Training Centre is specifically for long and middle distance runners. Within the Rift Valley there is also the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten at an altitude of 2400 meters.

The idea behind the High Performance Training Centre is to give young talented athletes, mainly girls, a place to train and live under near ideal training conditions. There are already well packaged safaris for which may be tailor- made depending on tourists' wishes. Such packages cover the National Parks and other tourist attractions around the region and some parts of Western Kenya. Take your safari in a Land rover 4 wheel drive with driver/ guide for the visitors while visiting this region. The High Altitude Training Camp offers an excellent opportunity to train and also enjoy Kenyan wildlife and tourism attractions conveniently. Kenyans are believed to do exceptionally well because of the high altitude advantages and it is for this reason that more and more foreigners are coming to train in Kenya so that when they go back to their countries where altitude is much lower, they can perform well. Indeed in Kenya talent is natured and Sports tourism is always highly upheld

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Cultural Tourism in Kenya

Tourism can be referred to as travelling for discovery or for pleasure to places that are of great interest. Tourists have an interest in people of the places they visit. They want to familiarize with their culture, their lifestyle and their practices. In Kenya, cultural tourism is practiced with an aim of understanding the origins of a people's culture, their attachment to some practices, their norms and taboos as well as their outlook on the meaning of life. Cultural experiences provide tourists with an experience that they would otherwise not get elsewhere.

Cultural tourism in Kenya mostly targets the indigenous communities that are still holding on to their traditional way of life. Among the communities that are targeted by tourists are the Masai, Samburu and Turkana, who are known to be rich in traditional songs and dances, not forgetting that, they form the population of cattle herders and pastoralism. Their food culture is also another aspect that seems to promote cultural tourism in Kenya, bearing in mind that their most favorite drink is milk mixed with fresh animal blood.

So much about these groups of people; let's not forget that Kenya has 42 different tribes and as such, 42 different cultures. Each of these has some cultural practices that would interest any tourist keen on cultural tourism. All these cultures are spread throughout the nation of Kenya. While the aforementioned communities of the Maasai and Samburu most occupy the Great Rift valley, others like the Swahili and Digo are to be found in the coastal region of the country. The cultural tourism around the area goes hand in hand with coastal tourism that is mainly an attraction due to the Indian Ocean, the coral reefs and the ferries. The coastal people have numerous festivals and ceremonies that are marked with traditional dances that are quite attractive to tourists.

To the west of the country are the Luo and Luhya communities. These are known to be the occupants of the Great Lake (Lake Victoria). Their culture is marked with fishing, and tourists enjoy engaging in the activity as well. Cultural tourism in Kenya has helped the Kenyan communities to hold on to their cultural practices. It gives much joy and pride when people travel from all over the world just to come and interact with the people of Kenya and to have a feel of what it is like to have some traditional practices to identify with. This culture gives a sense of identity and belonging to the whole Kenyan community.

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