This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
eyewitness | kenya FASTFACTS


Joy’s Camp Below: Kitich Camp


WHERE TO STAY


Shaba, Meru and the Mathews Range are each home to small, exclusive safari camps with top- end accommodation. Cheli & Peacock operates the three camps described, all of which are accessible by road or private airstrip. Self-reliant travelers will fi nd basic campsites at Shaba and Meru. More accommodation options exist at nearby Samburu National Park and on the private concessions of the Laikipia Plateau.  KITICH CAMP (MATHEWS RANGE): A low-key, eco-friendly lodge, offering six luxury en-suite tented bedrooms in an exclusive forest setting. Meals are served on a wooden deck overlooking a forest clearing fl oodlit at night. Walking trails with expert Samburu trackers give guests exclusive access to these remote hills. kitichcamp.com


 JOY’S CAMP (SHABA NATIONAL RESERVE): It offers 10 palatial, Bedouin-style safari tents set in spacious grounds around an elegant restaurant and pool, and overlooking a busy natural waterhole. Activities include game drives, guided walks, night drives and bush breakfasts. Bird watching is outstanding. joyscamp.com  ELSA’S KOPJE (MERU NATIONAL PARK): This boutique lodge comprises nine open-plan guest cottages built into the rugged contours of a granite kopje (rocky hillside). Wooden walkways connect the cottages to the restaurant and pool, offering sweeping views across the reserve. Guests have the entire park to themselves, with game drives exploring its rich mix of habitats and exceptional biodiversity. elsaskopje.com


 CLIMATE: Kenya has a warm tropical climate. There are two rainy seasons: the ‘long rains’, from April to June, and the ‘short rains’ in November and early December. Temperatures are cooler at higher altitudes, with rain possible at any time in the highlands.  CURRENCY: Kenyan shilling (KES). $1 = 87KES. US dollars widely accepted.  TIME: GMT.  GETTING THERE: There are no direct fl ights to the capital Nairobi from the US. The fastest routes are two non-stop legs via London (BA) or Amsterdam (KLM; Kenya Airways). Other European and Middle Eastern airlines also offer connections. West Coast visitors might consider Korean Air’s new route to Nairobi, which includes an all-day layover in Seoul.  GETTING AROUND: Most parks and reserves in Kenya are accessible both by road and light aircraft. Vehicle rental is available, although many wilderness areas are not suitable for self- drive. Public transport is unreliable. Allow time for transport across congested Nairobi.  RED TAPE: US visitors require a visa. A single-entry tourist visa costs $50, available in advance or on arrival. Passports must be valid for six months beyond the end of your stay.  GEOGRAPHY: Kenya lies in Equatorial East Africa. It has a tropical Indian Ocean coast and an interior of savanna, forest and semi-desert, broken by the hills and lakes of the Great Rift Valley. It’s larger than California, with a population of 44 million.  VISITOR NUMBERS: Kenya received around 120,000 US visitors in 2011.  TOURIST BOARD CONTACT: Kenya Tourist Board. magicalkenya.com


SOUTH SUDAN


Lake UGANDA Kisumu Lake Victoria NAIROBI TANZANIA 100 miles


INDIAN OCEAN


Mombasa Turkana KENYA Matthews Range


Shaba National Reserve Meru National Park


Mount Kenya SOMALIA


ETHIOPIA


106 | ASTAnetwork | summer 2014


MAP: JOHN PLUMER. IMAGES: KITICH CAMP MATHEWS RANGE; JOY’S CAMP


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140