Africa�s Great Walk

Founder of Tropical Ice and a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society, Iain Allan was profiled in Rick Ridgeway's �The Shadow of Kilimanjaro', which describes his trek from the snows of Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean, 300 miles away. Now you can savor the red center of this Great Walk from Africa�s highest point to sea level, in Tsavo, the setting for The Lunatic Express, the railroad halted by man-eating lions, (portrayed in the movie The Ghost & the Darkness with Michael Douglas.)

You trek along the Tsavo and Galana rivers, while your camp is moved ahead by the Tropical Ice crew. Vehicles collect you after each day�s walk, and you are driven to a private tented camp, with only 8 guests. From the 4WD vehicle and perhaps on foot, you can expect to see herds of red elephants, dusted with the ocher soil of this terrain, and unique maneless lions, described by Phil Caputo in the June 2000 issue of National Geographic Adventure. What you won�t see are other people.

Real travelers seize upon this safari as a rare chance to leave modern times behind, and come to know the Africa that inspired Ernest Hemingway, Denys Finch Hatton, Peter Beard, and misfits like me. Despite all the dismal reports about travel in Kenya, the January/February/August 2004 departures for this Tropical Ice safari are already sold out, and bookings for the rest of the year are robust. So inquire soon at [email protected]

January 25, 2004: SOLD OUT /FULLY BOOKED

February 15 , 2004: SOLD OUT/ FULLY BOOKED

March 1, 2004 (Arrive in Nairobi) - March 14 Walk Ends

June 21, 2004: (Arrive in Nairobi) -July 4 Walk Ends

August 2, 2004: SOLD OUT/ FULLY BOOKED

September 6, 2004 (Arrive in Nairobi) - September 19 Walk Ends

Maximum 8 people

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1:

You will be met at Jomo Kenyatta International in Nairobi and transferred to the Norfolk Hotel.

Built in 1904, the legendary Norfolk has welcomed such travelers as Teddy Roosevelt, and more recently, cuisine buffs drawn by delectable menus in the Ibis Grill. The Lord Delamere Terrace is a great place for people-watching, as London-style taxis deliver travelers to the lobby entrance nearby. There is a pool, health club, shops, and executive business center. You can opt to spend the afternoon visiting the Giraffe Manor or Karen Blixen Museum. Evening briefing with your Tropical Ice guide at the hotel. Overnight at the Norfolk Hotel.

DAY 2:

After breakfast set out for the morning drive to Tsavo West National Park. Pronounced �Savo,� this is by far the largest park in Kenya, covering an impressive 20,808 square kilometers (8,034 square miles), the size of Israel. It stretches 241 kilometers (150 miles) from the Tanzanian border in the south to well north of the Galana River, called the Athi River upstream and the Sabaki River downstream at the coast.

The park's two sections, Tsavo West and Tsavo East, are separated by the unambiguous Mombasa highway. A wide variety of wildlife is represented in Tsavo, but most dominant are elephant. Birdlife is profuse, especially along the rivers, with more than 400 species. Starlings and weaverbirds abound, along with hornbills, lilac-breasted rollers, a good variety of raptors, including the secretary bird. We have a picnic lunch in Tsavo, and reach our camp below Mzima Springs in the late afternoon. This little oasis, fed by crystal clear rain water that flows from the volcanic Chyulu Hills, is a haven for hippo. Overnight Mzima Springs Camp.

DAY 3:

We rise with first light, and after breakfast begin our foot safari across the vast wilderness that is Tsavo. Our route follows the Tsavo River, flanked by rich riverine vegetation, as we walk along hippo [hyperlink to hippo tips] trails winding their way through fig and tamarind trees, doum and raffia palms. Craggy, sharp-rising Ngulia Mountains offer a dramatic backdrop to this section of the river, as early morning light plays across the range, as clouds lift to reveal ocher peaks. This part of the Tsavo River will produce many hippo sightings, as well as plains game such as Lesser kudu, gerenuk, and Maasai giraffe. Our walk today will cover a distance of 10 miles, and we arrive at camp in time for a hearty lunch. Our camp is on the banks of the river, below the highest peak of the Ngulia range. The afternoon is set aside for siesta, and in late afternoon we'll drive to Mzima Springs, where you can see hippo up close from an underwater blind. At Mzima Springs lush vegetation surrounds large pools of clear spring water that surfaces at the rate of 50 million gallons a day, having traveled south 48 kilometers (30 mi) along lava tunnels from the volcanic Chyulu Hills. Much of the water is piped to Mombasa, where at one time it was the principal supply. From the underwater blind, hippo can be seen prancing as if through murky air, along with barbel fish and crocodile. The surrounding forest is full of birds, vervet monkeys, and baboons. Overnight Kudu Camp.

DAY 4:

In order to experience the wonders of the African bush, it is essential to follow the schedule of local wildlife. Up at first light, eat a fresh breakfast, and head out along the path. Today our foot safari will make its way along a 12-mile course, following game trails along the Tsavo River, as it winds across the country below Ngulia Mountain. We are now entering a region known for its elephants. Our route leads us to a view of spectacular Kichwa Tembo (elephant's head) peak. This dramatic 3,000-foot spire soars above the banks of the Tsavo River, and deemed by the Taita people as "guardian of the plains". We reach our camp in time for lunch, followed by a well-earned siesta; (animals wisely nap, too, besides the light at midday is too hot for good photography). This region of Tsavo West was the location of intense fighting during the First World War; In the late afternoon we visit a well-preserved British fort. Overnight Kichwa Tembo Camp.

DAY 5:

A 10 mile walk leads us to drier country and Maji Ya Chumvi (salt water). As with every day on our foot safari, wildlife is continually encountered. Impala, Grant's gazelle, zebra and giraffe are frequently seen. Tsavo is the largest elephant ecosystem in the world, and the Tsavo River is a vital destination for them. After lunch and siesta, we will have an optional game-drive down the river, and for those of us inclined, climb Kinyiki Hill for a spectacular overview of endless Tsavo. Overnight Maji Ya Chumvi Camp.

DAY 6:

Today a 7 mile trek along the river leads us into the area of the famous "Man-eaters Of Tsavo," where in 1896 two lions halted the railroad advance by the British literally in its tracks. During a three month period, these lions ate over 130 men. Eventually killed by Col. John Paterson, they were stuffed and remain on exhibit in a Chicago Museum; the lions are curiously maneless. Something to think about while napping after lunch, before we continue our foot safari in the late afternoon for a further 4 miles to Tsavo Bridge, a key railhead only completed after the lions were killed. Amazingly this region today sports a large lion population, and we often see them rest under the shade of doum palms on the banks of the river. You hear them roar at night from the camp. No jokes from female trekkers about the name of the camp, please. Overnight Man-eaters Camp.

DAY 7:

We drive the short distance to Tsavo Bridge, and continue our walk down the river. Today we enter Tsavo East National Park, semi-arid terrain. At this point the Tsavo River makes its way down towards the confluence of the Athi River, beneath the prominent Yatta Plateau, where it forms the Galana River. Our walk today is about 8 miles, across country dominated by many kopje outcrops. We reach our waiting vehicles by late morning, and drive to our camp at Lugards Falls. After lunch and siesta, we take a game drive down the Galana River. Overnight Lugards Falls Camp.

DAY 8:

We have entered a different ecosystem. The dense undergrowth of Tsavo West gave way to semi-desert country, bordered to the north by the Yatta Plateau, the world�s longest lava flow - 260 miles in length). In this open country, wildlife is easier to see, and there is a lot of it. The Galana, about 100 yards wide with wide sandy beaches, harbors one of the largest lion populations in East Africa, plus a wealth of plains game. Big herds of zebra, hartebeest, impala and Fringe-eared oryx are frequently seen. This is also the region of Tsavo's biggest elephant populations. Our 10 mile walk takes us to our camp at the point of the Yatta Plateau. We game-drive the river in the late afternoon. Overnight Epiya Chapeyu Camp.

DAY 9:

We are now in one of the most remote wilderness areas of East Africa, in a world of stunning beauty and parched grandeur. To see a herd of elephants cross the sand to the river�s edge is a sight that may not be here for the next generation to see. Not only do you glimpse Nature as it was hundreds of years ago, but senses awaken to instinctively hear, see, and smell things, that no amount of concentration at the beginning of our walk could produce. Our 12 mile trek takes us to our camp for lunch and a well-earned rest. Game drive along the river late in the day. Overnight Sobo Camp.

DAY 10:

Tropical Ice is the only safari operator working in this region, and our encounters with lion have enabled us to assist research scientists in unraveling some mysteries. Why are most of the male lions maneless? Why do they do most of the hunting (usually the role of the lioness)? Our research is from a careful distance, identifying the pride, noting their range. We have a good idea of where lions of Galana are located from month to month. So it is highly likely you will see these big cats as our foot safari continues down the Galana River. Lunch is in camp, followed by late afternoon game drives. Overnight Miritina Camp.

DAYS 11, 12 & 13:

The 10 mile walk down-river from Miritina Camp will take us to our large semi-permanent camp at Durusirkale. For the remainder of our foot safari we will base ourselves out of this beautiful camp, as we walk down towards the Koito area, and finally Salla, on the eastern boundary of Tsavo, where our walk ends at midday on Day 13. Vehicles will collect us after each day�s walk, and return us to camp. On Day 13 we will be driven to Koito (where we ended the day before), for the final walk to the end. We feel the afternoon game-drives are an essential part of this safari. The river sparkles in the rich golden light of the late afternoon, and wildlife can easily be seen.

DAY 14:

After breakfast we make a 3 hour drive to Malindi, where you can fly back to Nairobi.

A dayroom has been reserved at the Norfolk, plus evening transfer to the airport if you must depart. However, having come this close to the Indian Ocean, you may want to consider staying over at a nearby beach resort named after Ernest Hemingway, who wrote of the Kenya coast:

�The endless sand, the reefs, the lot, are completely unmatched in the world.�

Coral gardens teem with tropical fish. There are glass-bottomed boats with snorkeling gear, plus fishing charters for those who want to pursue blue marlin and sailfish. Located in nearby Watamu, 14 miles south of Malindi, Hemingway�s is a privately-owned hotel with a top reputation for fishing tournaments. There are two sparkling pools, 4 miles of sandy beach, and a 750-pound blue marlin hangs over the bar. Honeymooners and people interested in the exotic Swahili culture should fly up to Lamu.  Indian Ocean Beach stay is optional and additional cost to basic Great Walk Safari.

For travelers who want to climb Kilimanjaro before or after this trek, Tropical Ice can arrange this with great expertise. Founder Iain Allan wrote the guide book on Mt. Kilimanjaro as well as Mt. Kenya.

Contact [email protected]