| There are hundreds of cones and lava flows on | | | | plants which still grace the walls of the museum. |
| the exploded hills of the 100-kilometre range that | | | | "The Chyulus are volcanic rubble so are very |
| is the Chyulu hills. The most recent Shetani and | | | | porous. And because they are very young in |
| Chaimu, happened in the mid 1900s drawing black | | | | terms of geological time scale, they don't really |
| volcano solidified lava paths in Tsavo west. I am | | | | have a great diversity of plant species,"Quentin |
| quite determined to find the only point in the hills | | | | Luke, a botanist at the National Museums of |
| which has water. It's a slow drip that takes five | | | | Kenya, explained to me on my first visit there a |
| minute to fill a small mug. We begin our ascent to | | | | few years ago. |
| the hills which rise to 7,178 feet in search of the | | | | With no water and volcanic ash for a ground |
| water point. | | | | base, the plant life that has evolved is very |
| It's magical country, all green glades and flowers in | | | | specialized. |
| bloom. We catch site of a reddish antelope in the | | | | On our way down, the rangers show us a rare |
| distance which we think is the rare Chandler's | | | | sandal wood which could land a wood poacher |
| bush buck. The car winds its way slowly through | | | | behind bars for many years. "This park is very |
| the grass-filled roads and volcanic ridges and the | | | | beautiful,"says Onyango the warden." But we |
| higher we get the more impressive the vast open | | | | need money to open up the infrastructure and |
| the lands below. | | | | more rangers to patrol it. There are lots of |
| Sitting on the high glades next to the sky feels | | | | animals here like the rare giant forest hog which is |
| like being in heaven. We ignore the massive steel | | | | seen mostly in the Aberdares forest, greater |
| booster that stands like an intruder on a high | | | | kudus and cheetahs, and threatened species of |
| peak. The ant-eating, earth-dwelling aardvark holes | | | | trees like the sandal tree (Osyris lanceolata) and |
| are clean and showing they are in residence. It | | | | the Olea Africana, beautiful woods which are the |
| would be easy to trip over them save for the | | | | carvers 'favorite.' |
| clearing by the holes. | | | | "The Chyulu Hills national park is diverse with a |
| A team of researchers passed by in search of a | | | | water catchment's area, the forest, the beautiful |
| rare two-honed chameleon believed to be found | | | | hills and caves. There is a breeding herd of the |
| here and in few other forests groves. In the | | | | great kudus in the northern Chyulus at Mukururu |
| three days of criss-crossing the park, these are | | | | besides the Rhino sanctuary," Jim Simons |
| the only people we meet-that's exclusion. | | | | describes some of the park inhabitants. |
| Adan, the ranger, guides us through the maze of | | | | "A rhino sanctuary in the Chyulu hills?" I ask in |
| horse-shoe shaped cones to where he thinks the | | | | surprise. Were they translocated here?" "No, |
| water point is. We have to climb the hill to reach | | | | these are indigenous black rhinos, "Simons |
| the top. The late afternoon sun is thankfully cool | | | | explains." Before the poaching era of the late |
| as we walk uphill past the gaze of hartebeest | | | | 1970s, my greatest fear on the walking Safaris |
| that stares at us and then canters further uphill. | | | | was to bump into a rhino. And I've been chased |
| The black lava eroded path is damp and my spirit | | | | quite a number of times." He says. |
| is elevated. We must be getting close to the | | | | With that announcement, day three is arranged |
| water point. | | | | we drive into the Mukururu gate, 13 kilometers |
| Closing in on the brow of the hills, look up to see | | | | off the main road opposite the Makindu Sikh |
| the most magnificent view of Mount Kilimanjaro. | | | | temple. The drive into the interior is rockier and |
| Kibo's high peak floats above a thin layer of | | | | wilder with large expanses of green glades. The |
| clouds while Mawenzi is cushioned in a fluff of | | | | staff offices lie by the base of one conical hill. |
| clouds. | | | | "We have about 21 black rhinos here," the |
| Wait here", says Onyango. "I was here a year | | | | younger ranger tells us. "Can we see them?" I |
| ago and saw the water coming out of there," he | | | | ask. "We'll have to walk because they are no |
| says pointing to a grove of tall trees. He walks | | | | roads here," he says. To look for a rhino in the |
| down and reappears after a few minutes." Its not | | | | hills at this late hour in the day would be like |
| there he announces looking a little lost. With the | | | | looking for a pin in the haystack. But it's the very |
| sun first making its way down, it's clear we have | | | | incentive to return for a walking safari in the near |
| to live this water hunting for another time. | | | | future. |
| The Chyulus are very delicate and little explored. | | | | Getting there |
| Peter Bally, a botanist at the museum, led an | | | | The hills lie 190 kilometres southeast of Nairobi. |
| expedition up there in 1938. He was married to | | | | You can only camp in the National park. The |
| the legendary Joy Adamson and celebrating their | | | | Chyulu Hills National Park is a heaven for people |
| honeymoon and, I might add, a great place to do | | | | who love walking. Your operator will get your |
| just that. It was here that Bally discovered his | | | | smart card and park tariffs for entry into the |
| wife extraordinary painting skills. As the story | | | | park and reserves. Stay at Umani Springs camp, |
| goes Joy painted a plant and, frustrated in the | | | | a tented affair in the heart of Kibwezi forest. It's |
| outcome, tore it into pieces and threw it in the | | | | affordable with a range of nature walks around |
| bin. Bally found the pieces and taped them | | | | the forest and the second largest collection of |
| together, giving Joy the impetus to paint the | | | | natural springs after the Mzima springs. |