Life at Lodwar

Twixt the desert and the lake

Above Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Resort – Copyright Rupi Mangat

Publshed Saturday magazine Nation newspaper 6 January 2018

Lake Turkana from Eliye Springs Copyright Rupi Mangat

I’m in haven floating on the warm waters of the Jade Sea coined by Teleki. It’s the world’s largest permanent lake in the desert and the world’s largest alkaline body officially known as Lake Turkana on the northern reaches of Kenya’s once the ferocious Northern Frontier District.  It’s now a World Heritage Site.

Landscapes of Lolldaiga

Part 2 of 2

Published Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper 30 December 2017

Above: Desert warthog
Copyright De Jong & Butynski 

Learning more about lesser-known wildlife

There’s more than the Desert Warthog that we’re learning about in Lolldaiga and why it’s important to know all that makes for Kenya’s biodiversity.

“To be able to protect biodiversity,” states Yvonne de Jong of Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme “you need to know which taxa are where.”

Landscapes of Lolldaiga

Above: Bright’s gazellle
Copyright: De Jong & Butynski 

Lolldaiga Hills Landscape Copyright Rupi Mangat

Part 1 of 2

Pubished Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper 23 December 2017

An enticing kladeiscope of rugged hills, valleys, plateaus and plains

Mount Kenya from Lolldaiga Hills Copyright Rupi Mangat

Standing on one of the many hills of Lolldaiga in east Laikipia, the view is unbelievable. In the 360-degree of my eye as l swivel around slowly on the windswept pinnacle, there’s the peaks of Mount Kenya to the south, followed by Mukogodo Forest and the iconic loaf-shaped Ololokwe in arid Samburu pointing north, and looking west over the ancient pre-Cambrian bare-faced hills of Lolldaiga, I catch glimpses of the Aberdares.

Arusha and the Momella Lakes

Published Nation newspaper 16 December 2017

Above: Elephant at entrance of Lake Arusha Naional Park
Copyright Rupi MangatArusha’s a fascinating city on the foothills of Mt Meru –Africa’s fifth highest mountain at (14,968 ft). A dormant volcano it’s a stunning backdrop to the city and a great mountain to explore.

Lake Duluti Serena by the cusp of its crater lake Copyright Rupi Mangat

The World at Olorgesailie

Millions of years ago, our ancestors left their calling cards to unravel a world that once was

Published: Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper 9 December 2017

In the depths of the Great Rift Valley Maasai herders leading their cattle to greener pastures Copyright Rup Mangat

We’re in the depths of the Great Rift Valley driving to Olorgesailie prehistoric site 70 kilometers south of Nairobi, the city. The landscape changes from the green of Ngong Hills to the dry scrub of the valley’s floor edged by its walls and mountains where our ancestors lived millions of years ago.