Ndoto Hills: Kenya's Natural Beauty, Part IV
Somewhere between the hot dusty desert of the north and the savannahs of the south, rests some of the richest land in Kenya. The central highlands of Kenya are home to most of the country's agriculture, including the world's largest area for rose cultivation. Just north of this fertile delta area yet south of the Chalbi Desert are the Ndoto Hills, whose landscape seems to be trying to blend the best of those two environments. In the winter dry season of our visiting time, the cracked, clay-bottomed river beds crunched under our feet while the hills surrounding the camps where we stayed appeared green and somewhat lush. These hills provide ample adventure opportunities for travelers who like climbing and hiking. Natural water sources remain unpredictable yet, at the same time, support leafy trees, plants, and birds of many varieties. Herds of domesticated animals dominated the landscape but tales of wild animals, particularly predatory cats, abound. We saw few wild creatures in this region but grew fond of the neighbors' cows, camels, and goats who liked to come visiting each morning at our camp.
In a reference to the belief of the Nuer people that the tree "still stood within man's memory in the south of Sudan," Peter Matthiessen named his book, The Tree Where Man Was Born (Penguin Classic, 2010), after imagining a large baobab standing solitary and majestic in the desert sun. We came upon such a mighty tree in our Nguranit neighborhood. The canopy of the tree stretched wide and far from its gnarly tangled trunk. Such trees are believed to be as old as 2500 years. It now seems easy to imagine both its age and wisdom.
In a reference to the belief of the Nuer people that the tree "still stood within man's memory in the south of Sudan," Peter Matthiessen named his book, The Tree Where Man Was Born (Penguin Classic, 2010), after imagining a large baobab standing solitary and majestic in the desert sun. We came upon such a mighty tree in our Nguranit neighborhood. The canopy of the tree stretched wide and far from its gnarly tangled trunk. Such trees are believed to be as old as 2500 years. It now seems easy to imagine both its age and wisdom.
Laurel
Photos:
"View from Ngurunit Campsite," Claudia Daggett
"Dry Riverbed, Mpagas," Claudia Daggett
"Ngurunit Landscape," Muddy Waters
"Mountain Slide," Muddy Waters
"Sunset, Marsabit to Ngurunit," Claudia Daggett
"Goats," Claudia Daggett
"Camel with Bell," Claudia Daggett
"Trunk" Claudia Daggett
No comments:
Post a Comment