Where & what infographic of our time in Kenya

Inspired by the way Jeff & Kerryn-lee, of Pass the Map, documented their 2012 expedition through Southern Africa with infographics, we were inspired to do the same. So each Tuesday we will be posting a summary infographic, in the order of our route, and today's one is for Kenya, the 7th country of our expedition. 

While we were in Kenya our expedition started to unravel a little and we ended up spending a LONG time here getting everything back on track. It was here that Ishtar left the team, Matt was forced to resign from his job to be able to continue the expedition and our route also needed to be changed due to an outbreak of conflict in South Sudan. While we were sorting out our finances and next steps we were fortunate enough to have some very kind people put roofs over our heads, namely James and Claire Clark as well as Naomi, Sammy & Chui Mutua. Thank you so much to you all for kindly opening your homes to us - if it hadn't been for you the expedition would not have been able to continue. We are eternally grateful.

While in Kenya we also spent about a month camping, mainly at the Nairobi Scouts Camp. This camp was an incredible find and we by and large had it to ourselves the entire time (except weekends when day visitors flocked to the beautiful spot for picnicking). Set in the Ngong Forest even though the facilities weren't fantastic, the surroundings more than made up for it - oh and the fact that the site cost only $1 a day a person didn't hurt! It was here that we lived in $1.25 a day for a week - a perspective altering experience that you can read more about here.

At this stage of the expedition we were really impressed at how well our camping gear was doing - even after 6 months of hard use on the road and a month of solid use in Nairobi - particularly since most of it was second hand when we left South Africa! Our Cadac tent had literally been bent in half during storms in Tanzania, beaten by the wind in Namibia, soaked over and over again in rains across Southern Africa and yet still somehow kept standing and barely even leaked. This tent, by a gas bottle company we didn't even know made tents, was the most reliable and strongest piece of equipment we've had on this expedition and in fact ever before! Sadly when we tried to find out more about the tents we discovered they are no longer made, so your best bet for finding one is second hand - ours was anyway! If you're in Tanzania I'd recommend you check out these free online classifieds. You're bound to find everything you need for an adventurous weekend away here!

The variety of places we stayed while in Kenya gave us the opportunity to meet some amazing people, and having the time to really get to know them was a gift. We ended up with not only an incredible support system across Kenya but also a bunch of friends for life. For just this everything else we went through in Kenya was worth it.

All these experiences, from the way we were living, the people we met, to the issues we faced, changed us from travellers to nomads. We changed from the people who freaked out at a 3 day delay because of a broken windscreen in Namibia to the people who were prepared to not only give up everything to keep the expedition alive but stay in a campsite for weeks on end and love every minute. We learnt to roll with the punches and we learnt that, as cliched as it sounds, everything really does happen for a reason - if we hadn't been delayed in Kenya we would have been in the middle of the Sudanese desert when the conflict broke out and Juba shut down! In Kenya we threw away our timeline and recognised that it was going to take as long as it was going to take, there may be delays, there may be stops but we'll get there in the end. And that's ok, in fact it's exactly as we want it, because that's the real adventure and that's where the life-changing lessons are learned.

All in all Kenya was a tough time but we toughened up, got to re-explore the country we used to live in, and from here were truly ready to embrace all that T2T has to offer us.

Posted by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

(Some) African kids changing the world

1) Kelvin Doe

Kelvin Doe is my hero and the most inspiring person on the planet in my book. He’s only 15 but recently became the youngest person EVER to be invited to MIT’s ‘Visiting Practitioner Programme’. His claim to fame? His incredible ability to turn trash into batteries, generators and even radio transmitters. Completely self-taught, he has used these skills to create a community empowerment radio station, which he runs as “DJ Focus”. But despite his genius he is incredibly down to earth, humble and the sort of person we should all aspire to be. Be warned, this video is the most motivating and heart-warming I’ve ever seen, tissues will be required!

2) Richard Turere

A 13 year old Maasai herdsman from Kenya was losing his family’s livestock to lions from the nearby Nairobi National Park. Rather than trying to kill the lions, like most people in his community felt forced to do, he used incredible resourcefulness to invent a solar powered lighting system that now protects the cattle from his own and several other villages.  By providing a different way of protecting the cattle, he has also done a lot to help the lions.  By safeguarding human lives, protecting livelihoods and building harmony with the natural environment, Richard shows us how little it takes to come up with completely new solutions when we truly pay attention to local circumstances.

3) Nadege Iradukunda

Nadege is an 18 year old Rwandan who is dramatically reducing the cost of running schools by setting up bio-digester plants. A bio-digester plant uses natural biological processes to converts food waste into energy! The plants help schools in Rwanda not only to reduce their environmental impact but also to save on heating and lighting costs by as much as 40%.  This in turn makes education much more affordable and accessible to more Rwandan children. Since the inception of the project she has overseen the deployment of 15 bio-digester plants, serving more than 15000 students.

4) Ludwick Marishane

This 17 year old South African is no stranger to invention, and when in Grade 9 (12 years old) he even invented his own bio-fuel! The invention featured below is called Dry-Bath and is a way to properly cleanse your body without using any water. Ludwick says he specifically invented this for the millions of people across the world who don’t have enough access to clean water, and so help with the prevention of diseases such as Trachoma. Beyond this though, he sees this particular invention as a way to save water, protecting and preserving this scarce resource.

5) Laetitia Mukungu

Laetitia (18) founded and steered to success the Women’s Rabbit Association of Kenya. After a volunteer teaching stint she realised that the biggest impediment to quality education was a lack of funds at home, which impacted on the schools’ resources and even affected their ability to provide uniforms and stationery. She decided she needed to start an income generating project and decided on rabbit breeding! Watch this to find out why she chose rabbits, as well as how 15 families have been transformed by this one inspiring individual.

Posted by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

A simple (but effective) approach to encouraging tourism

The potential contribution of tourism to a country’s economy has been recognised across the globe and with this has come an ever increasing number of campaigns, initiatives and promotions to encourage both international and domestic tourism. While we were in Nairobi (Kenya) we had the opportunity to meet two inspiring individuals who, interested in promoting domestic tourism, started an organisation that has had massive success in achieving just this. What I like best about their approach is its simplicity: They wanted people to travel and so just organised this travel, offering it to anyone interested at cost price. And it’s worked! In 2009 Road Trip (KE) organised 4 trips a year and had an attendance of around 10 people per trip, fast forward to 2014 and they’re organising 10 trips a year with 50 people per trip – and more would attend if logistics allowed!

Evans Muriu and Stephen Musyoka are incredibly busy guys, not only with their hands in several successful business but they are also founders of other community projects such as the Wanadamu initiative, a database for willing blood donors, and raising funds to buy sanitary towels for girls from poor communities. Despite this they manage to find the time to organise these trips, and do so in terms of every detail: the transport, accommodation, meals and even itinerary and entertainment. And they do all of this organising without making a cent for themselves. They simply negotiate the best group rate possible, hire the transport and then pass on these costs as is to their ever-growing number of members. Best of all they allow members to pay for their trips in instalments and make this process quick and easy by having an M-PESA account. Pretty cool huh?

Road Trip (KE) has travelled all over Kenya from Mombasa to Nakuru and even neighbouring country Tanzania. Sometimes they stay in hotels, other times they camp and all in all they showcase every aspect that travel in Kenya has to offer. They have even organised trips to the Rugby 7s tournaments to support the very successful national team. The members have become more than travel mates but firm friends too and after spending just a few hours with these wonderful folks it’s easy to see why the organisation keeps growing. They have so much fun together! Evans and Stephen have managed to find the perfect balance between organisation and fun, ensuring no trip is simply a party but that the party itself is always worth attending regardless.

If you live in Kenya check out their next trip which will be an overland adventure to the Rhino Charge this weekend (31 May to 2 June).  The Rhino charge is Kenya’s premier off-road motor sport competition which takes place in 100km² of rough terrain, over 10 hours and has no set route. The winner is the 4x4 that reaches the most checkpoints in the shortest distance. By joining the Road Trip (KE) crew you’ll get to enjoy this thrilling event with none of the hassle and double the fun!  Best of all you’ll get to meet Evans and Stephen, two intriguing characters setting an example to us all.

Posted by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

6 of the best: African Inland Beaches

A day at the beach is a classic and favourite getaway, but let’s face it, it has its drawbacks.  The sand, sun and water combination is what we go for, but in most seaside locations the wind blows sand in your face, the waves pound you into a pulp and the salt burns your eyes.  A different type of beach beckons – Africa has some of the world’s largest and most beautiful lakes, and most of these lakes have great beaches that offer sand, sun and water without the salt and seaside weather.  As an additional bonus, they are often set in amazing landscapes and near some amazing cultural and wildlife destinations.  So grab your bucket, spade, towel and sunblock and head inland…

1.    Chikale Beach, Nkhata Bay, Lake Malawi, Malawi

Lake Malawi, or the “Lake of Stars”, is a massive, pristine, crystal clear inland sea almost 600km long which is home to more species of fish than any other body of fresh water in the world.  It gives the landlocked country of Malawi one of Africa’s longest coastlines, and the small town of Nkhata Bay, about halfway up the lake shore, is the most popular destination.  It is a delightfully relaxed and stunningly beautiful place, but be careful – after a couple of days here all the pressures and commitments of real life seem very far away, and you’ll be bargaining with yourself about ways to extend your stay.  Nkhata Bay is full of people who came on holiday twenty years ago and never went back!  Malawians are exceptionally warm and friendly, and even a quick dip in the lake will have you surrounded by brilliantly coloured fish found nowhere else on earth.

Best for: Snorkelling, chilling out

Stay at: Mayoka Village Beach Lodge; Njaya Lodge 

Nearby attractions: The surprisingly massive Anglican cathedral on Likoma Island, horse-riding and mountain biking at Nyika National Park.  Ask at your lodge or around town for details.

Getting there: The nearest city is Mzuzu, about 50km away.  Regular buses run from Blantyre and Lilongwe to Mzuzu, taking six to eight hours.  A new ferry service began operation in November 2013 so check this out for a unique way to travel.

2.    Matema, Lake Nyasa, Tanzania

Head north along the lake shore from Nkhata Bay and in about five hours you cross the border into Tanzania, where Lake Malawi is known as Lake Nyasa.  The only Tanzanian village on the lake is Matema, a sleepy little place wedged between the lake and the Livingstonia Mountains.  There is nowhere near the same level of tourism development here, but the beach makes up for it – a huge expanse of perfect sand fringed by palm trees and mountains that seem to leap out of the water right in front of you.  Being less tourist-oriented it takes some time and effort to uncover the area’s attractions, but they are worth it.  Or you can just relax on the beach…

Best for: Exploring, solitude

Stay at: Blue Canoe Safari Camp; Matema Lakeside Resort

Nearby attractions : Hikes to several nearby waterfalls, as well as boat trips to the Nakyala Ritual Cave.  Contact Newton Weston at EnviCulture to arrange activities

Getting there: Matema can either be accessed from the south through Malawi by boat or bus, or from the north via the Tanzanian city of Mbeya.  Flights are available from Dar es Salaam to Songwe airport near Mbeya, from where it is an hour or so to Matema.  The bus direct from Dar es Salaam takes about 12 hours.

3.    Mahale Mountains, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania

Lake Tanganyika is Africa’s deepest lake, and vies with Lake Malawi as the most beautiful.  They are the two most southerly Rift Valley lakes, and have similar characteristics – fringed by forest-covered mountains that plummet straight down into deep, clear waters teeming with tropical fish.  Tanganyika is the more remote, extreme and mysterious of the two.  Most of its 700km east coast belongs to Tanzania, and about halfway up a cluster of forest-cloaked mountains jut out into the lake, creating the Mahale Mountains National Park.  This is one of the few places in the world where you can see chimpanzees in the wild, and it is fringed with some of Africa’s best beaches to boot.

Best for: Wildlife, snorkelling

Stay at: There are 4 very luxurious private lodges with price tags to match: Kungwe Beach Lodge; Greystoke Mahale Camp; Flycatcher Mahale Camp and Nkungwe Luxury Tented Camp

The TANAPA camp and best option for the budget conscious: KasihaCamp 

Nearby attractions: The Mahale Mountains National Park is primarily a chimpanzee sanctuary, but there are also rare baboon and monkey species as well as big game to be seen.  Mahale has no roads to speak of so walking and boating are the only ways to get around the park.   

Getting there: There are flights into Kigoma from Dar es Salaam every day, and from there you can fly (45 minutes), take a boat (4-7 hours) or board the historic MV Liemba ferry (10 hours) to Mahale.  Arrange transport and activities with your accommodation establishment before you travel.

4.    Ssese Islands, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Lake Victoria is the second largest body of fresh water on earth, a staggering 340km across, with over 4000km of lake shore.  Unlike the Rift Valley lakes, Victoria is relatively shallow and surrounded by hills and floodplains rather than mountains, and millions of people live around its shores.  Getting away from the crowds can be a bit of a challenge, but the Ssese Islands in the Ugandan part of the lake are a tranquil haven for intrepid travellers.  There are 84 islands in total, with at least ten different accommodation establishments that provide great places to relax and contemplate the sheer size and magnificence of this huge inland sea.  When the sun goes down, Kalangala Bay on Buggala Island brings out the party, but in a delightfully low key way.

Best for: Nightlife, relaxing

Stay at: Most accommodation is on Buggala Island, the largest in the archipelago: Ssese Islands Beach Hotel; MirembeBeach Resort 

If you’re feeling like taking the off the beaten track thing a little further, head for the unforgettable Banda Island 

Nearby attractions: You’ll be far away from everything except the islands, but if you get bored of the one you’re on you can always take a boat trip to the next one…

Getting there: Several ferries transport people and goods from the islands to Entebbe, which is conveniently the location of Uganda’s international airport.  Water taxis and small boats connect the islands to each other.

5.    Gisenyi, Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Rwanda is another landlocked African country that, thanks to the region’s unique geography, has a beautiful coastline.  The country’s thousand hills end abruptly at Lake Kivu, another Rift Valley lake and one of the most dramatic.  At the northern end of the lake is the town of Gisenyi, where you can relax on the beach with a cocktail with a panoramic view of an active volcano (Mount Nyiragongo).  Like the rest of Rwanda Gisenyi is refreshingly hassle-free and well organised by central African standards, and a few days on the beach is a great way to finish off a gorilla safari in the nearby Volcanoes National Park.

Best for: Photography, bird watching, gorillas.

Stay at: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel; Palm Garden Resort; INZU Lodge

Nearby attractions: Rwanda offers incredible gorilla tracking experiences at the nearby Volcanoes National Park, its expensive and requires booking well in advance but is a once in a lifetime experience.  There are lots of tour companies online, the Rwanda Development Board is a good place to start. Depending on the security situation just across the border in the DR Congo, it may be possible to arrange an excursion to visit or even climb Mount Nyiragongo – check with your accommodation establishment.

Getting there: It takes about 3 hours and $10 to get to Gisenyi from Kigali on Rwanda’s very safe and reliable public bus system, the views are spectacular, get a window seat on the right. There may also be flights from Kigali but these are currently suspended.  Kigali International Airport has links to many international hubs. 

6.    Eliye Springs, Lake Turkana, Kenya

Lake Turkana is the most northerly Rift Valley lake, also called the Jade Sea.  It is an otherworldly destination miles from anywhere, on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya, with palm trees, a volcanic desert landscape, ever-changing waters and deeply traditional local people.  It will make you feel like you’ve dropped into an episode of the Arabian Nights.  Very few travellers make it this far into the wilderness, but the ones that do gather at Eliye Springs on the lake’s western shore to sip cool drinks, watch the burnished copper sun go down over the Jade Sea and swap tall tales about how they got there.

Best for: Adventure, solitude, culture.

Stay at: Eliye Springs Resort

Nearby attractions: Two of the lake’s three large islands are accessible, weather permitting, from Eliye Springs.  Both are national parks and offer spectacular scenery, lots of crocodiles (don’t go swimming) and occasional volcanic activity.  The Lake Turkana Cultural Festival happens at the lake’s southern end each May.

Getting there: Flight from Nairobi to Lodwar, then the resort will come and collect you.  Alternatively, catch the bus from Nairobi via Kitale and Lodwar, then hire a taxi to take you to Eliye Springs.

By Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt)

'The roads we've traveled (so far)' in pictures

A Photo Essay...

T2T Visa Requirements

African Events & Festivals

Click to enlarge:

By Tracy Angus -Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

5 Things to do in Nairobi, Kenya

From 2008 to the end of 2009 Matt & I lived in Ngong just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. On our very first weekend in Nairobi we excitedly got out our guidebooks to find our very first adventure in our new city. We were a bit baffled to find that all of the various brands of guidebooks not only had very little information on the city but in fact were rather disparaging of it! One said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that there is no point visiting Nairobi other than as a stop off point to get somewhere else in Kenya, but if you do get stuck there’s nothing to do so go to the mall and watch a movie! Having spent as much time as we did in Nairobi I can say with absolute confidence that this is complete nonsense – the city is packed with all sorts of historical, cultural and wildlife experiences. Here are my favourite 5:  

1) Kitengela Glass

It's a long and rather rough road to get to this magical wonderland but worth every second of the trip! You know you're getting close when strange but beautiful statues made of glass, metal, wire, tyres and more start appearing in the landscape. The first thing that makes the trip worth while are the spectacular views of the Nairobi skyline en route and then you arrive in a make believe surreal world ideally set in the Kenyan bush...

Here you can wonder around the property filled with quaint, straight out of a story book sort buildings -  some filled with shops, other workrooms and even some accommodation; visit the actual hot glass workshop as well as get some fabulous deals at the factory shop. For more visit Kitengela's website or follow them on Facebook.

2) Tradestar Exim Agencies

Not only an amazing empowerment project completely locally run but also the place that offers the best variety and quality sisal woven handbags in the entire city. Located on Mbono road, parallel to Thika road near Muthaiga, it can be a little tricky to find but the weaving women usually sitting outside working in the sun should help. The best part of supporting this initiative is that you can pick your own handles, style, colours etc. for your bag and have it made while you wait! You will also find beaded belts, sisal & beaded wine holders, beaded necklaces, sisal place mats among many other unique gems not available in the local markets. Contact Charles at tradexim4@yahoo.com for more.

3) Olorgesailie Pre-Historic Site

A 90 minute drive from Nairobi straight down to the bottom of the Rift Valley is this prehistoric site with fossil findings still in their original spots, excavations in progress open for viewing and wide, open, quiet spaces in one of Kenya's most unique landscapes.  Located on Magadi road, Olorgesailie has excellently preserved biological and cultural evidence about the evolution of man and human tools are the most prominent of all fossils found here. In fact it is currently on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative list and so will soon be considered for full status.  It is very hot on the Rift Valley floor and there is no shop at the museum so be sure to take plenty of cold drinks and water. There are camping facilities available too, but again be sure to bring everything you may need with you. A great lunch stop 20 minutes away from Olorgesailie is Ribs Village, a local spot with the best Nyama Choma of any we tasted in Kenya! For more information visit the National Museums of Kenya website or the UNESCO site

4) David Sheldrick Rhino & Elephant Orphanage

This incredible centre on the outskirts of Nairobi looks after orphan elephants and rhinos, ensuring that they are able to be re-introduced into Kenya's national parks. Each elephant or rhino is assigned a keeper who stays with them for the duration of their stay at the centre. Their role is to hand rear their charges, even sleep next to them and most importantly accompany the orphans into the Nairobi National park each day, thus ensuring they spend as much time in their natural environment as possible. Once a day for only an hour the public are allowed to witness feeding time and get up close and personal with these sweet personality filled creatures. For more visit their website or follow the centre on Twitter

5) Giraffe Centre

A 15-20 minute drive from the David Sheldrick Rhino & Elephant Orphanage, here you can interact with, feed and even kiss a giraffe at eye level on raised platforms. This very special and rare experience is enhanced by excellently informed and multilingual staff always close at hand to teach you something or put nervous visitors at ease. The centre also has a great restaurant right next to the raised platforms, nature trails, accommodation, one of Nairobi's best priced and greatest variety gift stores and some very entertaining, very fat warthogs to boot! Best of all every cent of profits goes towards conservation and education so not only fun but sustainable & responsible tourism too! For more information visit their website or find them on Facebook. 

By Tracy Angus -Hammond (@T2T_Trace)