Yesterday has been by far the most interesting day off we've had so far! A day of adventure and exploitation...
We left home around 8am for Hell's Gate National Park in Naivasha. Not long after we set out, we bumped in to a passerby asking to promote his CD. His name was Sandy. I politely declined and as he started walking off I asked him how to get to Hell's Gate NP. I felt a little rude since I needed his help, but did not buy his CD. He was nonetheless very helpful and took us to the matatu station in town, where there were about 70 matatus waiting for business. As usual, everyone shook our hands as we walked by, calling us random Kiswahili names. (Most of the time we had no idea what they were saying, but then again it was better not to). We bought out tickets for 150ksh ($1.85) and said goodbye to our first friend for the day.
Naivasha is an agricultural town and a convenient base for tourists but nothing more than that. In Nakuru it's not impossible for us to spot another mizungu now and then, but in Naivaisha we were alone. The matatu station there was smaller than the one in Nakuru, but 10 times more chaotic.
Before we even got off, two motorbikes had pulled next to us offering us rides to wherever we needed to go. We, of course had no idea where to go from here on and our driver conveniently told us that he would be happy to drive us to the main gate of the park. We were extremely happy about this until he told us it was 1,500ksh ($18.60) for the 22km trip for all of us. (The trip from Nakuru was 70km). We were outraged but did not have much choice as he started driving to the park anyway. In the end we managed to bargain the price down to 1,200ksh ($14.90). He even got a friend to hop in the front to give us a ‘tour’ by pointing out lodges, banks and basically anything.
The unique thing about Hell’s Gate is that you can ride through the park unguided. I cannot even begin to describe the experience. It’s so much different being on ground level with the animals, rather than in a vehicle or up high. Your senses are heightened and knowing that lions, cheetahs and leopards are unheard of makes the whole experience that much more exciting! The scenery is very dramatic, with rich ochre soils and savannah grass squeezed between looming cliffs of rusty columnar basalt (compliments of LP). You feel so tiny and insignificant.
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| Journey through hell |
Our first stop was at Fisher’s Tower (named after some German dude who got massacred by the Masai in the 1800s). There was a school group there and again, we were more photographed than the tower itself. There was even a school student taking a video of us for a really long time. Hm... it was kind of strange.
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| Fischer's Tower - a 25m volcanic plug, all that remains of an ancient volcano |
We then headed for the Central Tower which was roughly a 6km ride. The road was bumpy and I could tell I was going to get a sore butt by the end of the day. We arrived at a picnic site where we rested and ate the little food that we had (apples & cookies). A friendly ranger woman came up to us and asked us whether we wanted to do the Gorge Walk. Of course it was another 1,000ksh ($12.40) for the three of us. (One thing that I will never miss in Kenya is the extra charges that you get hit everywhere). We decided to cough it up and go.
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| Central tower - larger volcanic plug which leads to the Lower Gorge |
Our guide was Joe. He raced ahead of us jumping down the cliffs, whilst wearing sandals and holding a walking stick (more like half a curtain rod). It wasn’t long until we found out that he was a Masai. No wonder!!
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| Joe showing us how easy it is |
The Ol Njorowa (Hell’s Gate Gorge) was a really awesome walk and I’m so glad that we did it. It’s basically a narrow sandstone ravine sculpted by water and there are these cool shadows everywhere casted from the sunlight. Several movies have been filmed here including, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle to the Grave.
Although the descent was steep, I was amazed to see the same school group at the bottom of the gorge. We had lots of fun climbing up and down rocks and getting wet from the cold and hot springs. I also really admired Joe’s poise and agility. He was walking and climbing cliffs with such elegance and speed. A true masai warrior!
At the end of the walk, we had the choice of taking the exit back up or going for the ‘long walk’ to some thermal springs. 30 minutes there and 30 minutes back. That‘s what Joe said. It probably would’ve been a perfect day if we had gone back, but we decided to go on.
Joe said getting back was easier as we would know where to go. Ha! Easy for the masai warrior to say. Walking back, it truly felt like we were in hell. The sun was at its strongest and there was barely any shade. We were burning from the heat above and below us. I could not even bare to think about getting back on the bikes.
Joe and Waltraud were at full steam ahead and often had to stop to wait for us. Eva and I were struggling so much we couldn’t help but laugh at how steep the climb was and how much further we had to go. Every now and then we would stop to rest behind a tree when Joe wasn’t looking, but most of the time he was too busy showing Waltraud some special plants that the Masais use to rub under their armpits to keep the animals from tracking them.
In total, it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes for the ‘long walk’. Obviously, it only took 1 hour for Joe, not for us. At the last viewpoint of the gorge, it was amazing to see how much we had walked. I would never have even dreamed of doing it, but somehow I survived.
We must have looked so buggard by the time we reached the picnic site because Joe told us he had arranged for us to get a lift back to the gate, so we didn’t have to ride our bikes back. I was so relieved!! We were so tired that we didn’t even care when he told us that it was another 1,000ksh ($12.40) for the ‘long walk’.
His friends Jack and Jarrad pulled up in a van to take us to the gate. We were all wondering how much we had to pay for the ride. In the end we didn’t have to pay anything. Instead, Jack wanted to stay ‘in contact’ with us, so we politely exchanged numbers. Joe hailed down a matatu for us and assured us it would only be 50ksh ($0.62) each to Naivasha town (I CANNOT believe we paid 1,200ksh for the journey there). After paying we noticed that everyone else was paying 30ksh.
As soon as we got off, I was determined to find the same shuttle company, but we had no choice. We were flogged by matatu hawkers. One guy told me it was 300ksh each for the ride to Nakuru. I told him we only paid 150ksh on the way there so he quickly wrote me a receipt for 150ksh. We quickly hopped on the ‘shuttle’, relieved that it was all over. Half an hour in to the ride, we realised it was not the same express shuttle that we had taken before. Instead it was an average matatu that kept stopping and waiting until it was full before continuing. The journey took nearly twice as long, which also meant that there was no way it should’ve cost us 150ksh each. Ripped off again!
It was just not our day!
All in all, we paid about 4,000ksh for a day that should have cost us 3,000ksh. It may not seem like that much money, but to put it in to perspective it’s roughly the same amount as a month’s wage for a carer here at SABACH.
Nonetheless, it was an unforgettable day and lots of lessons learnt!
1) Everything in Kenya is dirty
2) Everything in Kenya is slow
3) Nothing in Kenya is for free
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| Inside Hell |
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| Angelina Jolie: Cradle to the Grave |
Although the descent was steep, I was amazed to see the same school group at the bottom of the gorge. We had lots of fun climbing up and down rocks and getting wet from the cold and hot springs. I also really admired Joe’s poise and agility. He was walking and climbing cliffs with such elegance and speed. A true masai warrior!
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| Masai warrior at work |
The first 15 minutes of the walk was fairly pleasant as we traversed over flat plains and streams of water. The only problem was trying to keep our feet from being wet. After that it was a different story. The descent was really steep and the whole time I was thinking about the return journey of having to climb up these hills. It was another 30 minutes before we reached the thermal springs. Like all other thermal springs, it was hot and smelt like rotten eggs. By this stage, I was really over it and just wanted to get back.
Joe said getting back was easier as we would know where to go. Ha! Easy for the masai warrior to say. Walking back, it truly felt like we were in hell. The sun was at its strongest and there was barely any shade. We were burning from the heat above and below us. I could not even bare to think about getting back on the bikes.
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| The 'long walk' |
Joe and Waltraud were at full steam ahead and often had to stop to wait for us. Eva and I were struggling so much we couldn’t help but laugh at how steep the climb was and how much further we had to go. Every now and then we would stop to rest behind a tree when Joe wasn’t looking, but most of the time he was too busy showing Waltraud some special plants that the Masais use to rub under their armpits to keep the animals from tracking them.
In total, it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes for the ‘long walk’. Obviously, it only took 1 hour for Joe, not for us. At the last viewpoint of the gorge, it was amazing to see how much we had walked. I would never have even dreamed of doing it, but somehow I survived.
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| Hell |
We must have looked so buggard by the time we reached the picnic site because Joe told us he had arranged for us to get a lift back to the gate, so we didn’t have to ride our bikes back. I was so relieved!! We were so tired that we didn’t even care when he told us that it was another 1,000ksh ($12.40) for the ‘long walk’.
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| Out of hell |
His friends Jack and Jarrad pulled up in a van to take us to the gate. We were all wondering how much we had to pay for the ride. In the end we didn’t have to pay anything. Instead, Jack wanted to stay ‘in contact’ with us, so we politely exchanged numbers. Joe hailed down a matatu for us and assured us it would only be 50ksh ($0.62) each to Naivasha town (I CANNOT believe we paid 1,200ksh for the journey there). After paying we noticed that everyone else was paying 30ksh.
As soon as we got off, I was determined to find the same shuttle company, but we had no choice. We were flogged by matatu hawkers. One guy told me it was 300ksh each for the ride to Nakuru. I told him we only paid 150ksh on the way there so he quickly wrote me a receipt for 150ksh. We quickly hopped on the ‘shuttle’, relieved that it was all over. Half an hour in to the ride, we realised it was not the same express shuttle that we had taken before. Instead it was an average matatu that kept stopping and waiting until it was full before continuing. The journey took nearly twice as long, which also meant that there was no way it should’ve cost us 150ksh each. Ripped off again!
It was just not our day!
All in all, we paid about 4,000ksh for a day that should have cost us 3,000ksh. It may not seem like that much money, but to put it in to perspective it’s roughly the same amount as a month’s wage for a carer here at SABACH.
Nonetheless, it was an unforgettable day and lots of lessons learnt!
1) Everything in Kenya is dirty
2) Everything in Kenya is slow
3) Nothing in Kenya is for free
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