EASTERN AND NORTH EASTERN

Covering the frontier town Maralal, Marsabit, Embu, Machakos, Kitui and Makindu the little explored Etani lava Flows, North Eastern and Eastern Kenya are ideal tourist destinations for the tourist looking for the unconventional safari. This destination tempts the sports enthusiast with its fascinating sports calendar to fit any and all die-hard sport tourist. The area also boasts of some of the finest handicrafts on sale. the home of the desert ship, the African elephant, the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro and a town that turns lavender when its Jacaranda trees flower. North Eastern and Eastern Kenya is also home to Ahmed, Kenya’s most renowned elephant celebrated as having the largest tusks ever recorded in Africa.

For the treasure hunter you will find exquisite wood carvings and soap stone sculptures made by the Kamba communities in Machakos and Kitui. of course to get the best bargains you will need to charm them by using some of the local language in your conversation.
Where to Visit

The lavender town Embu is the provincial headquarters of Eastern Province. As you get into the city you will have the opportunity to see the rice paddies in Mwea and if you are up to it venture into the seven forks dam where most of Kenya’s electricity is generated.

For those travelling by road to Mombasa you will be sure to spot the Makindu Sikh Temple. The origins of the temple stem from the early 1900’s when a lot of sikhs came to Kenya to help build the Railway from Port Florence (currently Kisumu City) to Mombasa. In present day the Gurdwara, as it is otherwise known, offers free rest and nourishment to travellers on the highway. However you are free to leave a donation of your choice.

Further south in Tsavo is the Etani Lava Flows make for spectacular sight and photography for those travelling by air. This area is completely bare of plant life and the volcanic eruptions are deemed to be as a result of evil spirits by locals. The 200 years old Etani lava flows and caves are an amazing treat for the adventure seeker. Remember to carry a torch when going for an exploration. There is a walking trail at the Chaimu lava Flows that can take one to the very rim of the crater.

Looking for the ultimate wildlife safari? Then look no further than the North Eastern and Eastern Kenya. To the North is Marsabit small town located on an isolated million year old extinct volcano in the vast northern desert. Here you will find the 2,090 km² Marsabit National Park and Reserve and diverse cultures of the Rendille, Boran and Gabra.

As you head further North you will find the most scenic crater lake aptly called, Lake Paradise. This lake was made famous in the early films and writings of Martin Johnson and Vivien de Wattville and is one of the three lakes that are home to a wide array of birdlife.

In the 1,500 sq km Marsabit National Reserve you catch sight of the grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, the greater kudu, a large antelope with distinctive curved horns and oryx not forgetting large herds of elephant. This reserve was once home to Ahmed of whom it is told that due to his massive tusks, Ahmed became a target for poachers. In 1970 he was declared a protected animal by the state and was placed under 24 hour guard until his death at the age of 55. He is preserved at the Nairobi National Museum.

The Shaba National Reserve is home to elephants, lions, cheetahs, grevy’s zebras, giraffes, gerenuks, buffalos, oryx, grants gazelles, dikdiks and waterbucks. This was also where the renowned Born Free author Joy Adamson spent her final years. shaba was subject of her final book Queen of Sheba..

To the East you will find five national reserves Arawale, Tana River Primate, Boni, Dodori, and the shimba Hills and one national park Arabuko sokoke all part of the Eastern National Reserve.

Arawale National Reserve a 553sq km bushland was created in 1973 to protect the rare hunter’s antelope sometimes called the hunter’s hartebeest a species only found north of the Tana River and as far up as the Border of somalia. The reserve can only be accessed through four wheel drive vehicles.

The small Tana River Primate National Reserve protects two primate species, the red colobus and the crested mangabey. Here you will also find the oryx, buffalo, lesser kudu, Maasai and reticulated giraffe and the common and grevy’s zebra. The Tana River is also abundant with spectacular water birds and crocodiles and hippos.