Still game

Published on Thursday 24 July 2008 16:51

IT'S HARD to imagine this is the same country that lit up our television screens nightly following last December's elections. In the midst of allegations of vote-rigging, the incumbent president was declared the winner, sparking weeks of unrest that left at least 1,500 people dead and hundreds of thousands of others displaced.

When we touch down in the capital, Nairobi, the friendliness of the Kenyan people quickly sweeps away any fears that I might have had in coming here. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www. fco.gov.uk) cleared Kenya for take-off back in April, when they relaxed their travel advisory after a power-sharing agreement was reached between the leaders of the two main parties. As a result, we have pretty much carte blanche to go where we like.

Our first port of call is the capital's bustling streets. We dart through the centre of what is a relatively small city, yet which is home to more than four million people. Again, the feeling is rather subdued, a world away from the bloody onslaught of a few months ago.

Our tour leader explains that the fighting was, in fact, fairly localised, mainly taking place in the slum areas. "Yes," he says, "there was localised violence and a demonstration in the nearby Uhuru Park, but when it's represented as the whole country warring, it's hard for people to tell what's truly going on." While we won't be venturing into Nairobi's slums, I do sense an immense degree of hope, as our guide tells us of their work with Solo 7, an artist who is painting for peace in neighbouring Kiberia and volunteering his work for the Crazy About Kenya campaign: a recent initiative aimed at raising the profile of the troubled destination.

Around 30 minutes from the airport, we pull up by the Boulevard, a two-star hotel with great views of the city, situated just five minutes from central Nairobi. I hastily unpack, knowing we only have a brief afternoon in the capital, and start by taking a dip in the pool. Refreshed and ready for action, I'm keen to check out the central market, which I've heard is good for souvenirs – as long as you can stomach the smell of butchered carcasses wafting down the street. The friendliness of the locals is readily apparent, and my only sense of the recent troubles comes from the street vendors, who seem to be more insistent in their selling tactics, more eager to grab my attention, after the short-lived tourist cull.

A few blocks from the boulevard, I find an idyllic bohemian haven – the Java Coffee House, on Mama Ngina Street. The chain serves great cappuccinos and brings in a small, but growing, lunchtime crowd. This gives me the chance to get my bearings, and I take to the streets of Nairobi again with renewed vigour.

Hailing a taxi, I head to the Karen Blixen Museum, once the home of the famous Out of Africa author. The memorabilia there provides an everlasting reminder of life in British East Africa. My cultural pursuits last for a couple of hours before rejoining my group for dinner at Meat at the Carnivore, and some livelier entertainment at the adjoining disco. It's an enjoyable evening, but I decide to leave my younger counterparts to party into the wee hours, as we have an early start.

Our journey out of Nairobi is a novel excursion – my 23 fellow travellers reclining in a spacious overland truck, heading for the Masai Mara. At the beginning of the trip, we're invited to partake in some Kenyan hip hop, and while my mind is fixed on taking in the splendour of the Great Rift Valley and getting to the wildlife action, I'm heartened to hear that this is yet another Kenyan plan to get the country back on track. For younger travellers, it's the right mindset – I salute the applause and know that my counterparts are feeling at home here as they dance to the modern-day African beat.

Heading west, as we skirt the edges of small towns, the derelict houses, burnt-out cars and large white tents housing many of the homeless are a savage reminder of the recent conflict.

Leaving the vestiges of the aftermath and somewhat rocky road behind us, we reach our permanent camp, located just five minutes from the Sekenani Gate. We are situated under low trees on the very edge of the Masai Mara, and you can almost smell the wildlife.

Within moments of our first expedition, we spot a lion resting under the shade of an acacia tree. He's unmoved by the clicks and whirrs coming from my camera, and makes a ready subject. It feels like we've struck gold at the first turn of the earth.

We wait in hope of some renegade wildlife action, but with none forthcoming, our four-wheel-drive vehicle moves deeper into the reserve. It's as though the sense of equilibrium in Kenya has touched even the king of the jungle himself, as it's quiet on the plains. Overhead, a vulture hovers, perhaps leading us to our next scoop. But it flies away into the distant skies almost as quickly as it had appeared.

The Masai Mara is not only home to the 'big five' – the buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhinoceros – but also extends to include the 'big nine', which takes in the cheetah, zebra, giraffe and hippo. Checklist at the ready, I hope to come up trumps on this expedition, but there are no safe bets here.

Back at camp, and after a frustrating brush with the wilderness, we are treated to a braai, or barbecue, which I devour in earnest before retiring to my two-man tent. My sleep is punctuated by the rustling of the cicadas, crickets and other night creatures; and as we are residing in the park itself, I can't help but think that all the wildlife action is happening under cover of darkness.

The next morning, we head off on a second game drive, and the unexpected proves to be spectacular. Hanging out by a muddy pond, warthogs grunt and squeal – with their long hair and stout bodies, they look like ageing rock stars.

We move across the dry and dusty plains in search of our prey, a group of hippos. They are wallowing in the water, popping their heads up every so often, as if to offer a welcome greeting to our eager group. After taking in their playful camaraderie, we move further downstream. Our catch for the day is a group of graceful cheetahs springing on a herd of wildebeest, their well-executed tactics taking down one of the calves. We're told by our driver that it's rare to see a kill on a game drive, but it's doubly rare to see cheetahs catching their prey.

This continuous game of survival is what gives the Mara its never-ending allure. As the Kenyan people continue to struggle with their political upheaval, I wonder if this isn't an appropriate analogy for the country as it works to lure tourists back to one of Africa's finest wildlife havens.

Fact file

Acacia Adventure Holidays (020 7706 4700, www.acacia-africa.com) offer 13-day overland trips from 595, plus a local tax from 185 a head. The price includes transport, road tolls and taxes, camping accommodation and cooking equipment, most meals and the services of a tour leader and driver. International flights, departure taxes, visas and transfers are not included.

You can fly to Nairobi from Scotland with KLM (www.klm.com) via Amsterdam, Emirates (www.emirates.com) via Dubai, and Kenya Airways (www.kenyaairways.com), with return fares starting from around 400.