Vacation in Kenya

In September we spent 2 weeks on vacation in Kenya. It was a special treat to have two family members come to join us for a fun and refreshing time touring some of Western Kenya.

Kakamega Forest was a highlight! We were awed by the tall trees that are hundreds of years old and the great diversity of species in the rainforest – more than 500 kinds of butterflies, more than 400 species of birds, and a few hundred kinds of bees. Bees! Waking up before dawn to hike up a hill to see the sunrise was an even more magnificent view than I anticipated – the mist settled among the tops of the trees, the mountains in the distance and the sky turning vibrant colors. God’s glory in creation was on full display. 

Watching the sun rise over the forest

This flower is commonly called 'touch-me-not', becuase the

pods make a surprising explosion when you touch them!

Bob climbed inside the hollowed out cavern of a tree
that was swallowed up by the strangler fig vine.

Then we had one night in Kisumu on the shore of Lake Victoria before driving down to the Masai Mara National Park. We were amazed the thousands of animals that we saw, including vast herds of wildebeest and zebra who were at the tail end of their great migration.

A herd of wildebeest

The bateleur eagle, a new and impressive bird for us

In the safari van

The lilac-breasted roller, always a delight to see

And then we stopped briefly at Lake Naivasha to experience yet another eco-system and terrain before returning to the big city. We bicycled through Hells Gate National Park, stopping to see the giraffes, antelope, buffalo, and rock hyraxes along the road. Then we hiked down into a gorge, amazed to see the water seeping through the walls all the way from Lake Naivasha a few miles away.  

Biking along the dramatic cliffs

A narrow part of the gorge. Watch out for flash floods!

We are grateful for this time to explore the diverse ecosystems of this neighboring country to us, and amazed at the abundance of species of plants and animals that exist that we knew nothing about. It was refreshing and encouraging to experience this with people we love and also to meet some wonderful people along the way, who introduced us to the beauty of the culture and nature of Kenya.