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Mountains, Forests, Coastlines & Cliffs

Mountains, Forests, Coastlines & Cliffs

Nov 28, 2025 | Cederberg, Garden Route, Golden Gate, South Africa, Western Cape, Wild Coast

After we have been travelling throughout Southern and East Africa over the last few years, and with so many world-famous destinations in our own beautiful South Africa, we decided it is about time again to explore some of our favourite places on home soil while also discovering more off-the-radar ones. And what better way than taking a slow overland road trip from the Western Cape all along the coastline to the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast and into the Eastern Free State.

After ending our Namaqualand trip on the West Coast, our first stop was one of our favourite and most unique wildernesses in South Africa – the Cederberg mountains. After entering the Cederberg Conservancy from the Niewoudt’s Pass, we immediately swapped Baloo’s tekkies for our own hiking boots and took to some of the many hiking trails for which these mountains are so magical. We enjoyed the variety of fynbos and proteas, the endless vistas of the valley below, the various mountain streams and pools and even found some Cape leopard tracks. The Cape Leopard Trust does a lot of research and awareness work to conserve the endangered cape leopards that live in these mountains. They are the same as other leopards, but quite a bit smaller, and even more shy and elusive!

On one of our hikes we explored the Wolfberg Cracks, where weathered sandstone walls rise up to 100 meters. En route we had a look at beautiful San Rock Art showing a series of small thumb prints thousands of years old – something rarely seen in Southern African cave paintings. Back at our campsite next to the Matjiesriver one of the Cape’s infamous cold fronts settled in, bringing with it snow to the surrounding mountain tops – an unusual sight for bush junkies like us.

After escaping the snow we explored the nearby West Coast Fossil Park and learnt the fascinating story of how high concentrations of truly unique fossils were discovered in this West Coast area in the 1950’s. Our beloved cruiser Baloo has always been proudly known as the only bear you will find in Africa. But, it turns out Africa actually had pre-historic bears looong ago, and their fossil remains can be seen just outside Langebaan. Short-necked giraffes, sabre-toothed cats, prehistoric hyenas, bears, and a whole lot more – their remains are all on display in a beautiful and modern building and educational display that pieces together the wonders of the past.

From here we headed through the Overberg region towards Cape Agulhas. We stopped first at Danger Point’s lighthouse where the HMS Birkenhead sank in 1845 and where the soldiers famously stood in formation as they went down with the ship to allow lifeboats to be launched safely, the first example in history of the “women and children first” protocol.

Not far away we reached a highlight for both us and Baloo – Africa’s southernmost tip, where it was both humbling and fun to retrace and point out some of the many places we’ve been privileged to explore on this amazing continent over the last few years.

Literally meaning Cape of Needles after the old Portuguese navigators noticed that magnetic north coincided with true north just off this coast, Cape Agulhas is as far South as you can go on this beautiful continent. It is also the traditional dividing line between the warmer Indian Ocean and colder Atlantic Ocean.

Next up was the Agulhas National Park. They don’t offer camping, so we stayed in a surprisingly well-priced seafront cottage, and what a treat this was. Beautiful views of the unspoilt coastline, birds like the Bokmakierie calling from the fynbos around you, and a cozy fireplace on a cold windy night. A great network of hiking trails lets you explore the area, its endemic fynbos species, its beautiful rocky coastline and its prolific birdlife. What is really cool is that the majority of this park is wilderness area and not open to the public or to tourism – there are not many wild places left like that.

We made our way further along the coast to the De Hoop Nature Reserve. A UNESCO world heritage site, it features amazing wetlands, lowland fynbos, and a shoreline with a Marine Protected Area known for its whale sightings and biodiversity.

We camped among the milkwood trees, braaied locally caught crayfish on the coals, and amongst others, were treated to the largest herd of eland we have ever seen. De Hoop truly lived up to its name of providing hope in conservation, and it will definitely see us again!

Next up was the only South African National Park we had not yet visited – the Bontebok National Park. We shared our campsite with a very friendly local tortoise apparently employed by the park to keep the lawn in shape. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful renosterveld biome and lush location of the park next to the Breede river.

Not far away, you will find the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, in the largest remaining indigenous forest of the Langeberg mountains. The Western Cape is truly spoiled for choice when it comes to amazing little nature reserves – and Grootvadersbosch is no exception! We explored its great network of forest hiking trails, enjoying not only the forest itself but also hearing and seeing its amazing birdlife. Incidentally, it was also here where the humble Bushbuck was first officially recorded as a species in 1776!

We travelled all along the beautiful garden route to the De Vasselot campsite just outside Nature’s Valley, a part of the Garden Route National Park. Here we enjoyed camping in the forest, the quiet tidal river, and hiking among the magnificent indigenous Outeniqua yellowwood trees.

Not far away is the Storms River mouth in the Tsitsikamma section of the park. For some the word conjures up memories of hiking the famous Otter trail, for others the beautiful indigenous forests, and for some it is just a difficult word to pronounce! In fact, it means place of abundant or sparkling water, and this is most certainly a good description of the area, as a hike along the famously spectacular suspension bridges proved. Camping right on the edge of the ocean, we enjoyed the fresh sea breeze and view, caught up on some Cricket World Cup games and marvelled at the massive schools of dolphins in the area.

Exploring the coastline further, we headed into the Eastern Cape and the tiny hamlet of Bathurst. This region started cultivating pineapples in 1865 already, and is still a large role-player in the commercial industry of pineapples in South Africa today. We sampled the delicious home-made ice-cream and amazing book collections of Bathurst, and of course, climbed to the top of their famous Big Pineapple.

From here, the road took us further into the Eastern Cape and into the beautiful Wild Coast. The usually-amazing fishing was on the quiet side due to recent flooding, but the amazing area more than made up for it with its spectacular surroundings, pristine beaches and estuaries, and the richness of marine life. On the Wild Coast, time moves at the speed of a lazy cow on the beach —which is fitting, because you’ll meet plenty of them.

From the wild coast we turned inland again, driving up through the beautiful north-eastern cape to camp along the gin clear Karnmelkspruit and its surrounding sandstone cliffs near Lady Grey. Of course, we just had to cast a fly or two and tussle with some of the beautiful wild spawned trout that call these waters home.

Meandering all along the border of Lesotho, we entered into the beautiful Eastern Free State and into the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Here the quiet, crisp mountain air is punctuated only by the sound of black wildebeest territorial bulls off in the distance. Wind ripples over the grasslands and multiple mountain ranges loom off in the distance. For a treat we stayed at the mountain retreat high up in the mountains where each cabin is uniquely designed to blend into the landscape and offers you the most amazing view and experience!

As we reflect over the last few weeks, we realise this overland trip became more than just an epic journey. From rugged mountains to ancient forests, from bountiful oceans to majestic highlands, every kilometre offered a new wonder to explore. It was a reminder of how wildly diverse and generous South Africa’s landscapes can be, and that amazing adventure awaits anyone who is willing to seek out its wonders.

Trip tips:

We really enjoyed camping and visiting the below places along our journey. Booking is advised in South African holiday seasons (and you might want to avoid the coastline in December if you don’t like crowds!).

 

  1. Cederberg
  1. Cape Agulhas
  1. De Hoop Nature Reserve
  1. Bontebok National Park
  1. Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve (https://www.capenature.co.za)
  2. Nature’s Valley
  1. Tsitsikamma
  1. Wild Coast
  1. Golden Gate Highlands National Park
The Kingdom of Canyons

The Kingdom of Canyons

Nov 10, 2025 | Birding, Eswatini

Eswatini is one of those destinations that seem to often be overlooked by overland travellers and South African holidaymakers alike, for no good reason. We decided it’s time to find out more for ourselves and after meandering through the beautiful mountainous countryside around the town of Barberton, we entered Eswatini at the quiet Josefsdal border post.

For the second smallest nation in Africa, Eswatini has quite a few fascinating facts. It is Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, has the world’s oldest recognised mining works, the world’s second largest monolith rock, and one of its previous kings, King Sobhuza II, reigned for 82 years – longer than any other monarch in the world!

Our first stop was the enchanting Phophonyane Falls Eco Lodge. In the lush forested valleys we hiked some of the many trails and enjoyed the beautiful views over the river below and the series of cascading falls. At Phophonyane there is also no lack of spoils and luxuries, with amazing food and drinks pairing well with the large tropical gardens.

We drove down the escarpment to the low-lying eastern areas of the country, stopping at the Hlane Royal National Park, the crown jewel of reserves in Eswatini. Here we enjoyed game driving and the excellent birding. Eswatini is a birding paradise where many species found further north in the bushveld overlap with those found further south in KwaZulu Natal. Interestingly, the southernmost communal breeding site of Marabou storks in Africa can be found here.  One of Hlane’s main drawcards is the popular waterhole at the main camp where we spent many hours just relaxing and watching hippos and rhinos.

Our last stop was the private game reserve of Mbuluzi, only a short drive from Hlane. Tucked into the northeastern corner of the country, the conservancy sits at the point where the Lebombo mountains rise, with the Mbuluzi river flowing in the valley below and lowveld savannah along its banks. It is therefore very biodiverse. Low impact tourism means that the wilderness experience is fantastic, and their conservation efforts in terms of research and reserve management are encouraging to see.

We loved hiking and birding on the reserve, visiting the hides at various dams, seeing plains game, and of course spending much time exploring the beautiful river valley as well. The campsite is private, and while relaxing under the beautiful Natal Mahogony trees and listening to the soft murmur of the river and crickets nearby we agreed that so far it was certainly one of our favourite campsite locations in all of Africa. 

We were excited to add Eswatini to Baloo’s own hall of fame. With its good infrastructure, beautiful landscapes, great birding and diverse range of adventures to be had it certainly deserves to be much higher up on the list of places to experience, and we will definitely be back to this Kingdom of Canyons soon.

Trip tips:

Eswatini is small but has amazing destinations for adventurers! We did a route from the west to the northeast and enjoyed the following places: 

  • Hlane’s main drawcard is the great waterhole and main campsite, whereas the amazing private campsite, wilderness and hiking opportunities at Mbuluzi will keep us going back!
  • There are various border posts between Eswatini and South Africa, and we recommend the smaller quiet ones – you will likely be the only ones there!
Zambian Wild(erness) Connections

Zambian Wild(erness) Connections

Mar 29, 2025 | South Luangwa National Park, Zambezi River

Many of our friends and family have emigrated to Europe over the past few years. When asked when are we to follow suit, one of our favourite replies is that you cannot dream about ever leaving Africa once you have looked into the eyes of a wild leopard or felt a tigerfish at the end of your line. Quite a convoluted way to say we are staying! We were recently back in Zambia, travelling from East to West. And this time we were in search of these two exact experiences – and more! This is what we found.

South Luangwa National Park is sometimes referred to as Zambia’s answer to the Kruger Park. However, it is the park’s other nickname that caught our attention: The Valley of the Leopards. We entered Zambia from Malawi using the Chipata border post – one of those brand new shiny one-stop border posts where the term ‘one-stop’ is misleading in that it implies an efficient process. Be that as it may, our mood certainly lifted as we set up camp at Wildlife Camp on the banks of the Luangwa River and cracked open a dripping Mosi Lager.

Camping tramps like us cannot set up their tents inside South Luangwa, so most campsites are located across the river. Luckily there are no fences around, so the wilderness experience isn’t diminished at all. We watched in silent awe as an elephant breeding herd waded through the river at sunset, painting a real-life African motif on the canvas of rippling gold. After polishing enamel plates full of fireside potjiekos, we fell asleep to the referee-whistle calls of African Scops Owlets welcoming us back to Mopani bushveld at its finest.

Entering the park and driving its many tracks along the river reminded us a lot of the roads back home in northern Kruger. Imposing jackal berry, leadwood and ebony trees dwarfed us with their beautiful canopies while puku, impala and elephants grazed peacefully through the dappled shadows. The pools were rimmed with hippos feeling the pressure of late dry season, and flocks of breeding Southern Carmine Bee-eaters performed their pink aerobatics foraging for insects. We even chanced upon two male lions and a pack of wild dogs, our first in many months.

And then, early one morning while slowly driving through the riverine landscape, our eyes met those of a young leopard. It was clear that his mom was still out hunting and ordered him to ‘stay’ as he sat fiddling next to the road. Obeying your mom’s orders is hard to do when you are curious about the world around you, and he proceeded to stalk and pounce the nearby elephant dung instead. We sat with him for what felt like ages (by leopard sighting standards anyway) until the lodge game viewers arrived. Little did we know the drama we were about to witness around the next corner.

A little further on we found mom leopard sleeping off the night’s hunt in a tree. Suddenly, her intense focus and twitching tail tip indicated that something was up. And that something was a large troop of yellow baboons foraging close by. One of the wily old males spotted our leopard and duly raised the hue and cry. Contrary to expectation, the whole troop responded by clambering up the tree and closing in on her, a proper mob in action! She was not impressed and moved up higher, snarling, growling and generally spitting fire. The war between Luangwa’s leopards and baboons is well documented, with the cats ruling the night and the tables being turned in daytime. It was fascinating to see this battle of survival play out first-hand, just as it has been doing in the valley of leopards for ages.

After our time (read: our budget) in Luangwa came to an end, we headed west through the beautiful Zambian countryside. In Lusaka we spent a few days catching up on work and all the real-world admin that piles up while we live for the moment out in the wilderness. With the wolves at bay, we proceeded via Livingstone to the upper Zambezi river and set up camp on its banks. With the campfire going, we strung up the fly rods and tied a few rough-and-ready tiger flies as the sun was setting over our favourite river. Wilbur Smith was spot-on when he wrote that the man who drinks the Zambezi’s water must always return to drink some more again.

We spent two days exploring the river by boat and casting our feathered imitations at the striped bullies of the Zambezi. We saw flocks of rare Rock Pratincoles, various Egrets, and Fish Eagles by the dozen. Unlike further down, this section of the majestic river is characterised by various rocky islands, rapids and the impressive Sioma falls. It is also well known for its beefy tigerish that seem to spend more time in the gym here than elsewhere. And it was exactly one of these I connected with while swinging a fly through the current in one of the deep dark holes. Some tigers nibble at your fly, others hit suddenly and ferociously, but this one simply grabbed and took off like a one-way train that did not know it was hooked. No questions were asked nor quarters given, and about 30 seconds later it was all over, with me looking at a bent-open hook – and for those that care it was a B10S 2/0.. As consolation we both landed a few tigers later, fishing from rocky ledges on foot and casting at the peripheries of agitated hippo pods, activities that are not typically supported by travel insurance policies.  

Once settled back at camp we made a fresh pot-bread on the coals, had an outside shower in flip-flops and listened to the din of summertime cicadas. We thought of the day’s battles won and lost and of our experiences in wild and wonderful Zambia over last few weeks. The river elephants, Bee-eaters, puku, wild dogs, sunsets, and endless bush roads. And of course, leopards and tigerish – the cherries on the cake. Such experiences connect you to primordial wild(er)ness, to the very pulse of a continent, and to your own role in it at a level deeper than most people might realise, and that is why we will always return.

Trip tips:

  • The most popular and accessible area of South Luangwa is around Ngoma Bridge. We enjoyed driving the riverside roads in both directions from the gate. The nearby Nsefu sector is quieter and if you have time also worth a visit. Park fees can be paid by card at the gates.
  • A night drive might be more worthwhile in South Luangwa than in some other parks due to the high leopard density and relatively open landscape. We joined one from our camp and saw the same leopard mom and cub from earlier hunting a scrub hare – worthwhile indeed!
  • When entering Zambia remember to ask for ALL ROADS on your road tax certificate to avoid issues when stopped at a road block.
  • Campsites we enjoyed:

            – Wildlife Camp (South Luangwa): https://wildlifezambia.com/

            – Bridge Camp (enroute to Lusaka)

            – Lukasa (Lusaka): https://www.lukasa.info/

            – Kabula Lodge (Zambezi river): https://www.kabulalodge.com/

Smiles on the Lakeshore

Smiles on the Lakeshore

Feb 20, 2025 | Malawi

It is 5AM and we wish our morning coffee cold on the beach while watching the rising sun paint the sky purple over the lake of a million stars, as David Livingstone once called it. Nearby the sound of playing children mixes with chickens as bypassing strangers smile hello. One thing that you quickly learn about Malawi is that there is no such thing as lazy late mornings. The stifling humidity and heat sees to that. Everyone is up well before sunrise so that by the time the sun peeks over the lake’s horizon, the day’s chores and tasks are already underway.

We had entered Malawi at its northernmost border where we had an encounter of the Murphian kind when we could not track down a single border-lurking tout to exchange our Tanzanian shillings – something we usually try avoid. Fortunately, a friendly Tanzanian farmer enroute to Malawi helped us out, knowing a desperate couple when he saw one. He also happened to know meat-deprived South Africans when he saw them, and promptly proposed a braai that evening at our campsite with boerewors fresh from the farm. Needless to say, it was a feast to remember!

Our first few nights were spent on the lake’s edge, simply taking in the beautiful landscape around us. Lake Malawi is imposing – it is Africa’s third largest and also known as the calendar lake owing to it being 365 miles long and 52 miles wide. With the waves gently breaking and swaying palm trees often fringing white beaches you would be forgiven imagining you landed on some exotic island. But no, you are right here in the heart of Africa, complete with Fish Eagle calls, fish drying racks on beaches, and more smiles than you could imagine on any island.

We made our way up a winding mountain pass to Livingstonia, the fascinating town founded by missionaries more than a century ago and where an influential university and hospital is located. Camping on the very edge of the escarpment at the nearby Mushroom Farm, we tried and loved their delicious food made from homegrown fresh produce. We also stopped by the Yewo workshop next door, an inspirational small jewellery company employing local artisans who not only help design new pieces, but craft them with the amazing artisan skills which Malawian are famous for.

Winding through the mountains of the Nyika Plateau, we headed to the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve. The reserve protects a wide range of habitats including low-lying wetlands and is located in an isolated region on the Zambian border. It is therefore a place with great potential and high biodiversity, but also with poaching challenges. We camped under a lakeside sausage tree where we discovered practically that grass-loving hippos are also fond of fallen sausage fruits at night. Not a safe place to answer nature’s calls at midnight!

The road took us further down the country, passing countless drought-stricken villages where the locals always waved and smiled at us despite their obviously difficult circumstances. We overnighted on the outskirts of Mzuzu where an Italian expat makes authentically delicious pizza and the nearby army training base’s shooting range gunshots terrifies the yard turkeys – only in Africa. Upon reaching the lakeshore again we slowly worked our way along it, in a sort of beach camp-crawl. We snorkelled in the crystal waters of Makuzi, lazed around the sandy beach of Ngala, and enjoyed the fascinating stories of the owners at Norman Carr Cottages.

We stopped at the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve along the way. This was once a very game-rich area, as written by ex-game warden Guy Muldoon in his memoir Leopards in the Night. Sadly, the park suffered great setbacks over the years, until recently when African Parks took over. Nkhotakota saw Africa’s greatest elephant translocation project over the last few years and is getting stronger by the day – a true beacon of hope in conservation.

Liwonde National Park was our southernmost destination in Malawi, and we set up camp in the delightful and unfenced Liwonde Safari Camp where elephants strolled through camp every night. One bull even surprised us in the footpath one morning on the way to one of the camp hides – luckily he was equally surprised and headed for the mopanis.

Liwonde is a truly beautiful reserve. Driving through mopani veld we saw majestic sables, herds of buffalo and resting lions. But the floodplains and palm-studded banks of the Shire river is the crown in the landscape jewels of Liwonde. Large herds of elephant browse along the water’s edge, hundreds of waterbuck dot the floodplains, hippos work the waterways and countless birds forage in the branches overhead. We even chanced upon another pride of lions close by and spent an afternoon with the great cats having an ice-cold Carlsberg (incidentally, Malawi is the only country outside Denmark with a Carlsberg brewery). The lions of Liwonde seem to specialise in the abundant waterbuck judging by the various carcasses we saw – all hollowed out to cleverly avoid their bitter-tasting skin glands. This unique and inspirational reserve will hopefully see us again one day!

Back on the beach we take a last sip of coffee before getting up. Rising early makes the road short – so says the Malawians and today we will try it. Malawi has shown us many wonders during our time here. It has shown us lakeshores, landscapes and sunrises to cherish. It has shown us that friendliness and the human spirit can transcend poverty. It has shown us how conservation is not a lost cause. The warm heart of Africa beats steadily as we point Baloo westwards and smile, just as everyone around us do.

Trip tips:

  • Make sure your fuel tanks and jerry cans are full before entering Malawi. There are often shortages and fuel is generally much more expensive than the surrounding countries.
  • Stock up on food before entering Malawi – local produce is often limited, and supermarkets expensive.
  • You will get a better exchange rate for your dollars at border-post money changers than at ATMs – that is, if you can track one down. Just make sure to count your money carefully to make sure you are not done in!
  • Liwonde National Park: you cannot camp inside the park anymore, but the Liwonde Safari Camp is unfenced just inside the park’s borders, even though it is access from outside so park fees don’t apply – a great camping hack if you ask us!
  • Some campsites we really enjoyed in Malawi:

Makuzi Beach: https://www.makuzibeachlodge.com/

King’s Highway: https://www.kingshighwaymalawi.co.za/

Mushroom Farm: http://www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com/

Rafiki Safari Camp: https://rafikicamp.com/

    Forest hogs, ferns and trout

    Forest hogs, ferns and trout

    Aug 15, 2024 | Aberdare National Park, Birding, Fly Fishing, Hiking, Kenya, Mount Kenya

    I flick the fly rod and watch with osprey-like intent as my small dry fly settles on the water surface and drifts along the bubbling stream. This could be any small stream in the world, until you look up and glimpse the beautiful crimson underwings of a Hartlaub’s turaco in the forest canopy above. Ferns droop along the stream edge, the raucous calls of Colobus monkeys echo through the valley, and the smell of fresh elephant dung fills the air. Fishing for trout in the forest streams of Kenya is quite unlike anywhere else indeed. We had come to this mountainous region looking for its fabled forest creatures, its famed beauty and the invariable adventure that accompanies such a jaunt, and were not disappointed to say the least.

    A few days before, we had travelled up the Great Rift Valley from the Masai Mara, outspanning for a few days next to the beautiful Lake Naivasha. Set in a lush valley, the area offers fantastic wetland birding, unexpected culinary delights (like a real Italian pizzeria), and a fascinating history. The lake itself was used to land seaplanes enroute to South Africa from Britain in the 1940s and Joy Adamson (author of Born Free) called it home during the 60s. Today it houses a 45 MW geothermal power plant and Europe’s largest supply of roses is grown right here on its shores. After sharing camp with a couple of dusty overland bikers, we stopped for supplies at the Buffalo Mall, an establishment that could have been in South Africa (complete with a local Spur nogal!). Suitably replenished, we headed for the Aberdare Mountains.

    Driving up the mountain pass along the western edge of the Aberdare National Park we traversed a variety of vegetation zones, including evergreen rainforest, dense bamboo belts and sub-alpine moorlands. Entering the park effectively though its back door, we were informed that the KWS had changed park entries to a new online pre-booking system, just the day before. Of course. Following a classic dog and pony show involving a helpful but confused gate guard, half a bar of 3G reception (under that tree over theeere), much rain and even more mud we finally managed to buy online permits and off we went, losing a mere 2 hours.

    The Aberdares must surely rank as one of the most unique places in Kenya, if not the whole of Africa. Sometimes fondly referred to as Scotland with Lions, it has landscapes as diverse as its creatures, and offers a lot more than just being the site where Queen Elizabeth II became the British monarch when her father died. The high-altitude moorlands above 3 300 m has rolling hills of alpine grass, shrubs and heath. Camping here is a shivering business (‘could we be wearing any more clothes!?’), but well worth it. Waking up to the beautiful rolling calls of the locally endemic Jackson’s spurfowls and moorland chats is something we will always remember.

    We hiked to remote and spectacular waterfalls, tucked away between the mountain folds. Driving through the forest areas, we were on constant lookout for the rare bongo antelope that still lives here, and a few similarly-coloured bushbuck got us really excited. We missed out on the bongo, but instead used up all our luck with a rare sighting of an entire family of giant forest hogs. These utterly beautiful creatures do not often reveal themselves and seeing them in their forest home was a rare privilege. Exiting the park near Nyeri, we invariably felt that we could spend much more time there. But we were heading further southeast towards the equator, and the most famous mountain in Kenya.

    At 5 199 m, Mount Kenya has the second highest peak in Africa and, interestingly, the country takes its name from the mountain instead of other way around. A jagged extinct volcano with various snow-capped peaks and 11 ice glaciers, this mountain is not only a national icon and year-round water source, but also an adventurer’s playground. Serious hikers and climbers prefer the challenging aspects of Mt. Kenya to the gentler slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Much of Kenya’s tea and coffee is grown around the fertile base, and the slightly higher mountain slopes are covered by lush evergreen forests. These forests are home to a very large variety of creatures, from endemic bird species to mammals like bongo, buffalo, elephant and leopard.

    Our first stop was Castle Forest Lodge, situated at the end of a steep forestry road that gets very slippery when wet, i.e. most of the time. With a muddy Baloo looking like he just finished a warrior-race, we slid into camp and wished the wet wood into a cheerful little fire. The moist green surrounds are home to a plethora of birds, and we were lucky enough to see many specials like the thick-billed and streaky seedeater, Hunter’s cisticola, mountain thrush, white-starred robin and red-fronted parrot. We also explored the forest paths and found beautiful fern-clad waterfalls, returning to warm our hands around hot chocolate at the cosy little lodge restaurant.

    A bit further on is the Ragati Conservancy, a veritable paradise of indigenous forest and bubbling streams. The conservancy preserves the sensitive afro-montane forest and supports environmental research, but also offers fly-fishing in this unique habitat on a variety of well-managed river beats. We camped on the lush banks of the Ragati river and explored some of the tributaries with two river guides to sure we don’t get lost in the thick jungle.

    The trout here were stocked in the 1920s and have since developed a unique colouration, earning them the local name of Ragati Reds. The fishing was beautiful, varying from tiny nettle-clad channels, to fast-flowing riffles and bubbling pockets. We both got hooked in the overhead foliage multiple times, but eventually also landed a few eager forest trout. At night we were serenaded by forest creatures of all sizes, including the whooping of hyenas, the truly bizarre call of tree hyraxes, and the rumbling of nearby elephants.

    A hungry little trout darts from an undercut to grab the bobbing fly and wake me up from my reflective trance. A short tussle and I slip it into the net before removing the fly. As I turn it over the sun catches its coloured spots, rendered even more dappled by the overhead forest canopy. We take a second to pause and admire its unique markings before releasing it back into the cold stream. Much like the past few days, time always seems suspended in the midst of remarkable beauty. The mountains of Kenya will hopefully see us again one day – for more forest hogs, ferns and trout. 

    ​

    Trip tips:

    Mount Kenya

    1. Castle Forest Lodge has a beautiful campsite and is located in the mountainous forests of Mt Kenya, although not within the park boundaries, so park fees don’t apply. We really enjoyed the unique atmosphere and birding, as well as the short walks in the forest. Watch out for the muddy access road when it rains though!

    https://www.castleforestlodge.com/

    1. The Ragati Conservancy must be on the top of our list for an amazing combination of forest camping, hiking, birding and fly-fishing all combined! A spectacular and well-managed conservancy within the forests of the mountain, directly adjacent to Mt. Kenya National Park. https://ragati.com/

    Aberdare National Park

    1. Some park gates don’t have 4G network so pre-booking and paying online is a good idea: https://kws.ecitizen.go.ke/
    2. It is possible to drive in at one gate and out the other – we entered at the Western gate close to Nanyuki, and exited at the main Eastern gate close to Nyeri.
    3. We camped at the Reedbuck Campsite in the higher moorlands section and enjoyed it thoroughly! It gets very cold at night so bare that in mind.
    4. Take enough time to walk to the viewpoints and beautiful waterfalls – each one unique and beautiful!

    Fly Fishing

    1. Kenya has a well-documented fly-fishing history and culture, and there are many high-altitude streams and rivers with thriving wild populations of brown and rainbow trout.
    2. Two general hotspots are the areas in and around the Aberdares mountains and Mt. Kenya.
    3. You can fly-fish on the streams within both national parks, but an angling permit (and in some cases also a guide as it is within big game areas) is needed, obtainable online at the KWS: https://kws.ecitizen.go.ke/
    4. We fished within the Ragati Conservancy, where river guides accompany you due to the elephants around. The Ragati river and its tributaries is fished in well-managed but rugged beats.
    5. The streams are typical 2-3 weight territory, with bow-and-arrow casting and 6-7X tippet being the order of the day. The typical array of small nymphs and dry flies such as PTNs, RABs, and Klinkhammers worked well for us.