Wandering in Vuria and Iyale on the Mist Mountains of the Taita Hills

Above: Tree Fern Forest in Vuria. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: 29 December 2018

Giant lobelias in Vuria. Copyright Rupi Mangat

It’s a hide-and-seek game with the mist and the mountains. Standing at the base of Vuria, the rock peaks vanish in the white mist only to reappear and vanish time and again.  Vuria is the highest hill of the Taita Hills. The hill tops are draped in ancient forest surrounded by local homesteads and farms of the Taita people.

Terrific Time in the Mist-Clad Taita Hills

Part 1 of 2

Above: Ngangao Cliff face that is part of the Taita Hills. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: 22 December 2018

Nestled in Ngangao on the ancient hills of the Easter Arc Mountains

I love the forests of the Taita Hills because they are one of the most amazing places on earth. Rising from the plains, the massifs of the magical mist mountains straddle the skyline near Voi and are the northern extreme of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Like beads on a string the first to show by the side of the road is the single massif of Mbololo, followed by the Dabida cache of hills and then the Sagalla Hill that frames the town of Voi surrounded by sisal plantations on red soils.

Magic in the Mara

Above: Female elephant in Talek River, Maasai Mara – Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: 15 December 2018

It’s sunrise but there’s still a full moon in the sky. The dawn light is magical while the sprawl of the Mara is enchanting. In the soft light, the gazelles gambol and the warthogs graze on knees bent, their necks too short to reach the ground.

Dawn in Maasai Mara – Copyright Rupi Mangat

New-born foals suckle at their mothers’ breast while the tiny warthog babies vanish into the grass nervous of people. It’s the season of plenty for the herbivores with so much grass around. Well-fed and healthy, they give birth soon after the rains turning the vast grasslands into a nursery.

Cave into Camping Culture for Christmas

Above: Elephants in Amboseli with Mount Kilimanjaro – Copyright Maya Mangat

Published: 8 December 2018

Kenya is the greatest safari destination on the planet and if you’re wondering what to do for Christmas and New Year’s on a budget, camping’s a superb way to venture into stunning destinations around the country. For starters, invest in some good camping gear which nowadays is available from most mega-markets and online. A tent, sleeping bag and a few other camping luxuries go a long way. As a matter of fact, you can set up your own ‘glamping’ with the array of camping accessories available now.

Living it up on Lukenya Hill

Above: Giraffes on top of Lukenya Hill. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: 1 December 2018

We’re on the hill lurking in Nairobi’s south-eastern skyline where ancient humans lived. I’ve always been intrigued by Lukenya Hill, the flat-topped rocky outcrop emerging from the Athi-Kapiti plains. In my mind’s eye, l see our ancestor, the Homo erectus scanning the volcanic plains below to make a hunt. It’s simply surreal.

Lukenya Hill. Copyright Rupi Mangat

The Era of Stone Age