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WATER SPORTS Fun Activities.

October 30, 2017 No Comments

Ocean borne adventure full of adrenaline and thrill, skillful takes, random splashes that cool your sweating body, a Sea breeze that dries your face and leave you gasping for more air from the Old centuries Kenyan coast trade winds, raging rivers and calm lakes have all put Kenya on the map for some of the best Water sport activities.
With a full list of over and underwater, motorized and un-motorized water thrilling adventures let’s do away with swimming for today, everyone can swim apart from us with heavy legs right? What else do you expect when you head down to the beach or lakes?
Wind surfing, Surfing, Water skiing, Sailing, Kayaking, Jet skiing, Rafting, Canoeing, Rowing, Big game fishing, sport diving, snorkeling, scuba diving and trust the water sports list to be endless as long as you have an open mind and will.

1. KAYAKING

Using a kayak to move across water for sports and fun or fitness work out purposes is one of the activities that require skill and are full of adrenaline rush. Tied on to a kayak and depending on your paddling skills to sway you against raging waves or calm water is a fulfilling task and adventure.
Where:
Savage Wilderness Riverside camp totally equipped with specialized services for first timers who would prefer calm flat waters or addicted kayakers who are more to the thrill on fast moving rapids and plunging into the rapid camp falls offers a worthwhile the experience. More info: Sagana Rapids
Lake Victoria with more calm waters is ideal for learners to learn boat control and basic strokes and rescue techniques, coupled up with fishing it is a thrilling adventure for a perfect sunrise adventure.

Photo source: Sand and sea watersports

2. WATER SKIING AND WAKE BOARDING

I’d say this is exhilarating adrenaline pump is closest to sky diving. Getting accelerated by a fast moving boat that pulls your gliding self over the water surface is as fun as it looks when that water is swooshing over your body until you get that rope and ski and try skimming the surface then scream your lungs out. It provides limitless thrill and adventure.
Where:
The Majili’s Resort Lamu at the Ras Kitau bay and Takwa Mangrove creek. More info: Majilis Resort
Sand and Sea Water sports Diani

3. WIND SURFING

With a spectacular flat and calm beach, both south and north coast offer a great sporting opportunity for windsurfing and kite surfing due to its favorable wind conditions all year round. Offering a touch of both sailing and surfing controlled by wind movements its spectacular to just even watch experienced surfers make beautiful stunts and moves on the waves.
Whether you just want to enjoy the warm turquoise water or watch the waves swoosh over surfers with great skill and beautiful stunts these extreme sports is worth a try for everyone.
Where: The Kenyan coast has numerous surfing sites, the top rated ones are;
H2O Extreme Diani Beach Kenya, offers Kite surfing lessons affiliated with IKO, and is a top water sport Centre due to its safety standards and thrilling water sport experiences. More info: H2O Extreme
Tribe Watersports Watamu also offers customized surfing experiences for the whole family for an amazing active beach experience. More info: Tribe Watersports
Che Shale Kite surfing School Malindi, a prime kite surfing area on a golden beach in between palms.

4. RAFTING AND RIVER TREKKING

Away from the ocean to the mainland, raging rivers offer a life thrilling adventure. Rafting expeditions on river Tana and Ewaso Ngiro expose you to varying rapids and white water that are a thrilling adventure to any soul looking for an off dry land activity. You can also test your kayaking skills here.
River trekking is more fun done in groups as it tests your teamwork and balance in rapidly moving water. It involves sliding, falling and swimming while trying to climb wet areas, navigation in water to the dry exit areas and your balance in rapid and calm water despite the weird objects your feet might feel in the water. The 2km walk is something you’ll remember in a lifetime.
Where:
Rapids Camp Sagana, water rafting on the rapids of river Tana offer you a relaxed afternoon calm water rafting varying all through to raging rapids (Class v) for a more adventurous side. More info: Rapids Camp Sagana
Ewaso Ngiro River, White water rafting offers a more wild experience for interaction with herds of elephants and other wild animals on the river banks, complete with a night camp experience to end the day.

Photo source: Sagana Camp Rafting

5. DHOW SAILING AND CANOEING

Specially and simply built for a more laid back sailing experience, dhows have been around for many years for cruises, water movements and local fishing purposes. They offer a great tour to marine parks to enjoy the magnificence of marine life, to snorkel and dive in the deep waters or to just sway across the ocean to a hanging restaurant.
Where:
Mtwapa Creek: Offers tour services to enjoy the mangrove bays and coral reefs.
Kizingoni Beach, Lamu offers an overnight dhow safari to explore Kiwayu and Lamu archipelago.
Distant Relatives Kilifi

6. SNORKELING

Strap on a mask to get in touch with the astounding marine life and untouched coral reefs below the Indian Ocean. As an endearing activity that needs you to snorkel deep under the calm blue waters of the endless ocean to enjoy the magnificence protected by lagoons snorkeling is a top water sport for many water lovers.
Where:
The Majili’s resort Lamu has daily motor boats and organized excursions complete with a lunch set up for an ultimate experience. More info: Majilis Resort
Kisite Marine, Shimoni offers one of the most breathtaking snorkeling experiences with dolphins at Wasini Island.

Photo source: Diani sea resort

7. DEEP SEA FISHING AND SAILING

Hook a large sailfish, Marlin or tuna alongside your boat and boast a huge catch after sailing through deep waters and enticing dozens of fish species amid rapid waves. Deep sea fishing is a rewarding experience for any sailing adventure unless you just want to sail for fun and enjoy the view and ocean breeze from the laser boats.
Boats are well equipped with state of the art equipment for local operators and international full day charter clients and conservation is well taken care of with the tag and release program.
Where: Tudor Creek and Mtwapa creek

8. DIVING

Jumping out of a boat that your life depends on into the deep endless sea is nerve wrecking and only for people who don’t even know what aqua phobia is or believe so much in their swimming expertise.
Diving off a hanging cliff or reef rocks close to the shore in Watamu give you one of the best exhilarating experiences, while diving into Nyulli reef in Shimoni offers you a chance to taste the strong tidal currents and drifts
Where:
Watamu Marine Park, With sheer wall reefs, fine drop offs and large corals the central turtle reef attracts colorful fish and sharks and is a breeding site for the green sea turtle which makes your dive here a world class dive.
Kisite Mpunguti, Shimoni is a rare 12 meters dive into bottle-nose dolphins, largest manta rays and spectacular coral.

9. JET SKIING

Affixed onto a jet ski and racing over water trying to outdo an oncoming wave is one of the easiest and fun water sport activities. It is easy to learn and not so nerve wrecking. The thrill comes in the racing over a wave and spraying all that water behind you
Where: Diani Beach and Nyali Beach.

10. SURFING AND SKIM BOARDING

Photo source: Xtreme sports

Gliding across water on a surfboard is never the easy task but with great skill and learning meeting that oncoming wave and gliding across it on a surfboard or riding it back on a skim board is a rewarding experience. Malindi bay spot is ideal for body surfing and Shela Lamu. Although Kenya is not so ideal for body surfing due to the numerous reefs the adventure is worthwhile the experience in the few spots available.
Where:
H2O Extreme Diani Beach Kenya. More info: H2O Extreme

The Kenyan coast is a top rated tourist destination with a wide range of activities to do during your stay in Kenya. Water fun activities and sports is a must try for any adrenaline thrill.

🙂 🙂

In Destinations

SECRETS of Lake OLOIDEN

January 16, 2017 No Comments

Beautiful scenes of lush green grass and the yellow barked acacia offering shade to the littered wildlife on the roadside is our welcome site. One of my weird habits is making sure I don’t dine in my place of accommodation and if I have to then it happens once when am super exhausted from a day of adventure.

Well this is usually not easy, especially if you ain’t a foodie like me and always fall hungry just when you are about to sleep, or remember you didn’t eat when you are leaving and you are so behind schedule.

The good side of this is you get to sample many hotels in your few days stay, you just need your accommodation sorted, and then you can have a whole list of away places to visit and your meals whenever and wherever you see good food or feel hungry.

The Downside is you come across a heavenly place than where you are staying and then you wish you can shift, but then you already paid for the whole week stay in your former place and you are tied to your funds, that’s what we call real discipline and self-control. Well, wishes are just that; “Wishes”, sit Order for lunch, eat and move along. Happened to me once in coast and I had to pay for a single night in a different resort just to let the cursing go, get over it and move on. It was the exact feeling you get when you see a classy fashion piece that you can’t afford.

Here it was happening again, Lake Oloiden was one of those hard choices you have to make.

On our drive back to Naivasha from Hells gate, at a distance we saw this isolated beautiful small lake. I actually thought its part of Lake Naivasha, so I asked our guide. “That’s Lake Oloiden and yes it was part of Lake Naivasha before but it’s now separated by around 200 meters, do you want to go?” Yes of course I answered with no hesitation.

Lake Oloiden “meaning Salty lake” is a few Kms from the Olkaria gate if you are coming from Hells gate and around 25km from Naivasha. It’s quite a secretive place located past a small Maasai center and not so popular to the outside population but the Maasai community around here holds it in so much regard.

It has an underground inlet with volcanic ash which makes it salty. It is a home to a few hippos, and a variety of bird species and surrounded by a number of wildlife species like the Warthogs, Giraffes, Gazelles, Zebras and Baboons just to name what I saw .

We didn’t get to see any flamingoes on our visit though we were told it’s a great home of flamingoes which move here especially during the wet season when the water level in Lake Nakuru increases.

We walked around the lake enjoying the views and interacting with the locals.

Boat safaris are available to the lake, but the scenery and quietness is just quite everything if you are looking for a private escapade. There is the Oloiden campsite where you can pitch camp for the night and I think a weekend here with friends would be perfect. “We should have camped here,” Just wishes. We grab some fish with Ugali for Lunch then head off.

The best of places are the Unknown.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Love.

In Destinations

SOURCE of RIVER NILE

January 2, 2017 No Comments

Rippling over rocks, splashing and squeezing through gorges, curving gently around forests and lush green islands, gushing into waterfalls and calming into pools, the view of the River Nile is so breathtaking and more magical at sunset.

While Famous is one thing and Popular is another, I can’t really define what River Nile is apart from it’s the World’s Longest river at 6,650Kms and Runs from Uganda through 9 other countries, Via 4 main African cities and into the Mediterranean sea. It is a major source of electricity production and a source of living to a very large population in all the countries it goes through. It is also a major tourist attraction in all the cities it goes through.

The Other main Reason for this trip apart from my Bungee jumping (next post) was to cruise at the famous Source of River Nile and capture amazing sun shots (if you’ve been reading by now you know am so into sunsets and rises) .

So, on one of the mornings, up early and set out for the day we headed out for breakfast. I don’t take tea; rather I generally hate hot drinks, so I ordered for Juice and a chapo (i always forget to take food pics, i should do this more in 2017). Ugandan Chapos are life, one chapo and you are down, actually this became my meal throughout my stay cause am not the person to experiment with foods and I’d found my perfect happy place.

We then headed out to Bujagali falls and ancestral site where we were given some history of River Nile and the Busoga Kingdom and culture. The falls here are now submerged due to a hydroelectric dam constructed, and are now the Bujagali Lake which is interspersed by Lush green tree covered islands.

After walking around the respected historical site we took a boat ride to see the cave where over 80 years old ‘Nabamba Budhaghali’ their spiritual leader, traditional healer and witchdoctor lives.

You can only access the cave via boat, one simple slide from the cave and you end up in water, and the water is quite deep here, don’t be fooled by these photos we took. We didn’t find him in the cave though, so we took a walk around then headed back to the shore.

We then drove off to the Source of River Nile which is a few Kms from Jinja town like 10Km or less I guess and unlike our previous Itanda falls search this was easy. We drive downhill and for a moment you think you might end up in water, as the road literally ends up in water.

The locals here are selling fresh fish, but we ask them to take us fishing with them. Unluckily it’s not fishing time but they agree to show us their fishing grounds and set ups. We then get on a boat to the source. (I lost count of boat rides I took in Uganda). Boat rides, Sunset cruises and Jet skiing there’s just too much playing with water in the Nile.

The source of the Nile is from an underground spring at the Neck of Lake Victoria, and with a Large signpost marked just before the lake there is no way you can miss it. You can actually clearly see the bubbles from the spring and difference in water movement from the spring and that from the lake. The spring contributes 30% of the water while the other 70% is from the lake and other sources.

There is a small hut constructed at the source where you can get out of the boat and have a view of the source and even walk around and take photos. We sailed the boat across the source and for a moment I thought, “what if we sink!” but hey you can’t and it’s quite an amazing experience.

We then sailed off to the fishing zones, and I’d never seen this fishing setup before. We came across several bird species and quite a huge number of kingfishers taking advantage of the laid fishing traps.

We also got to see a variety of bird species, and ooh! i learnt that these birds excretion can burn down a tree over time, because of their fish consumption and concentrated uric acid and like cats if a large population of birds excrete over and over at the same place.

We also got to see the Ugandan Lake Victoria Port and Power generation plant but we were not allowed to go near , (Did i ever tell you we were once caught taking photos near an airstrip and the Ugandan police are not friendly). There are so many places you shouldn’t take photos; like the Nile bridge which upto now i think is so unfair.

Our next stop was at a recreational park at the shore of Lake Victoria. It is a small privately owned park just after the Source, perfect for a walk and view of the sun setting.

A walk around led us to see some wild animals in cages, Reptiles majorly (I feel like posting snakes but i’ll spare you the horror). Who else like me Loves those NatGeo animal horror programmes that get your adrenaline high. Ha-ha!

We also got to learn more about the ugandan lifestyle and traditions, including their tools and structures.

By now the sun was setting and we were so lucky to witness the sun set over the source of the Nile and Lake Victoria. We then went to the restaurant had some fish and Proceeded back to Jinja.

Don’t forget to read my other Uganda escapades HERE and on my next and last post about Uganda.

Have you been to Jinja? What activities did you do and what was your experience? Leave a comment.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017.

Love and Love.

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NAIVASHA ESCAPADES

December 20, 2016 No Comments

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🙂 Like everyone else who lives in Nairobi, “Ticks Naivasha off bucket list” Who am I kidding, Not me really cause I’ve been here thrice now. I don’t get how people travel to just tick off destinations. Most of the places I’ve been to, I have gone back and got totally new and different experiences, or wish to go back.

There’s just something about memories and experiences of travel, that immediately you leave a place you want to go back to explore more, or even have the same experience over and over.

Well let’s get back to Naivasha, mainly known for quick weekend getaways from the City. It’s just two hours’ drive away and you land in a series of luxurious resorts and campsites then you realize you have been so poor in choices all your life, “Ha-ha”.

If I was doing an advertisement, this is where I’d score an A cause I’d put in a whole hour to tell beautiful stories of most of them. That said, I guess by now you get my point, ‘your weekend homes are perfect and you are spoilt for choice’.

Like most offshore resorts I’ve been to its interesting how the entrances always have this “You can never guess what happens here at the back” feeling and Like Mwewe camp, Lake Naivasha Crescent camp is one of those. We really wanted to do a shift tent camp on this trip but the weather wasn’t friendly and from my camp experience before, the cold at night is not so friendly outside, so that idea was out.

Well it’s time to take a Boat ride to Crescent Island. I’ve never been 2 meters away from a Hippo before and “wuueh” as scary as that can get, wait until it suddenly emerges from water and splashes water on you then you realize you have a screaming talent. By the way I never screamed when the Olpejeta rhino hit our car, dumbfound shock, my friend.

There are also a variety of bird species here and the Kingfisher is monster of them all. You need to see it catch fish, and you’ll feel sorry for how the eagle misses chicks.

The outstanding thing about this lake is the dried up yellow barked acacia standing in the water with quite a story you need to go find out.

Crescent Island Game Sanctuary is home to some wild animals but purely no predators, and a walk here among the animals is so refreshing.

Besides you have the monkeys jumping from branch to branch all around you and playing hide and seek games with you to make your walk more interesting.

Our evening boat ride took us to the one of the most beautiful islands I’ve seen. And if my future half is reading this, “can we get that house up there for our vacations, apart from the Maldives Christmas holidays”. Dreaaaams, Okay.

I know I’ve said I love water masses before and cold water is why I hate swimming, but these fishermen were not even aware of the cold weather. Clearly bread doesn’t come on the table easy, but again they seemed to have fun at it. Lake Naivasha is a fresh water lake and hence a great source of income to the surrounding community.

Now that I think about it, “Aren’t they scared of those huge hippos that emerge out of nowhere in the lake”

Outside the camp a few miles from Crescent camp we have a ‘public beach’ where the fishermen sell fish to tourists. They also have bike riding and Camel rides. Did I ever say am so scared of being on an animal, “Ha-ha” there’s this time I thought horse riding was fancy so I tried. You can’t guess what happened, I screamed the hell out immediately it started moving and as much as the guard told me to relax I couldn’t hear any of it till he had to let me down. That was the best day for my small brother; he laughed his heart out leave alone the people staring at me.

I know I love wild animals, but ‘weeh’ in life there are things you don’t play with and we all have phobias, right? But am planning a trip to samburu and camels are involved. Let’s wait see what happens.

Have you been to Naivasha before? What was your experience like? What activities did you do?

Love and Love.

Boatrides

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