Camping in the pride lands of the Lion King
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 21/Jun/2010 06:03, 34 days ago
This weekend, my flat mate and I went on a camping trip to Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha. I’ve been cycling and hiking in Hell’s Gate 3 times before, however this was a totally new experience and was loads of fun! Our group of 11 was a diverse group from New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Kenya and Canada – from embassies,private sector businesses and NGOs.We met in Nairobi at noon and by 2 pm we were setting up camp on top of a high cliff with the most spectacular view the park. To the left we saw Fischer’s Tower; dozens of zebras and giraffes were grazing hundreds of feet below us; and to the right were more beautiful rock formations. The "pride lands" in the Disney animation film the Lion King are modeled on Hell's Gate national park, including the cliff on which we were camping.(1)Some of our group went hiking for the afternoon in the gorge, while others relaxed around the campsite enjoying the breathtaking views. As the sun set, we all met up for the fanciest camping meal I’ve ever had including 2 types of meat, baked potatoes and 3 types of gourmet salads, wine, and Swiss chocolate for dessert. We spent the night around the campfire talking, laughing and even roasting marshmallows on the fire.We returned to Nairobi on Sunday afternoon feeling tired, but refreshed and grateful for new friendships and yet another incredible experience in Kenya!(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King