Unveiling Kenya’s Time Capsule: A Journey with Our Ancestors #LetsGo

Unveiling Kenya’s Time Capsule: A Journey with Our Ancestors #LetsGo

City Tour, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area
Image | Ernest Nyamasyo In the heart of East Africa lies a treasure trove of ancient mysteries waiting to be discovered. Kenya, with its rugged landscapes and storied past, stands as a beacon for archaeologists and adventurers alike, offering a glimpse into the evolution of our species. Join us on an expedition through time as we unravel the tales of our ancestors, each fossil a chapter in Kenya's rich history. Proconsul heseloni: The OG Primate
 Age: 18 million years old
 Location: Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya
 In 1948, Mary Leakey stumbled upon the almost complete skull of Proconsul heseloni on the tranquil shores of Rusinga Island. This OG primate, dating back 18 million years, gives us a peek into the early days of our evolutionary journey. Orrorin tugenensis ('Millennium Man'):…
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Majestic Avian: The Ground Hornbill

Majestic Avian: The Ground Hornbill

City Tour, Conservation, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Scientific Name; Physical Characteristics The regal Ground Hornbill, known scientifically as Bucorvus leadbeateri, commands attention with its impressive stature and distinct features. Standing at heights of up to 3.3 feet and measuring a remarkable length of 3.3 to 3.6 feet, the males typically outweigh their female counterparts, tipping the scales at around 8 to 13 pounds. Their plumage showcases a striking contrast of black feathers accentuated by vibrant patches of white and red wattles adorning their throat. A defining feature of these majestic birds is their long, downward-curved bill, which aids in their foraging habits. Distinct Differences and Lifespan In the savannas of Kenya, the Ground Hornbill stands apart from its hornbill brethren with its distinctive characteristics and behaviors. While other hornbill species may roam the same terrain, the Ground…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part XI

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part XI

City Tour, Conservation, Excursion, History, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy The first postal headquarters, constructed in 1906 on Delamere Avenue (currently Kenyatta Avenue), was originally based in Mombasa since its establishment in 1899. On our right, we passed Kipande House, built in 1913 as a train depot and later used for the issuance of IDs before being acquired by KCB in 1976. Opposite stands the Nairobi Gallery, originally constructed in 1913 as the District Commissioner’s Office, where records of births, marriages, and deaths were kept until 1976 when Vice President Joseph Murumbi and his wife Sheila sold their art collection to the Kenyan government. Image | Courtesy Turning onto Uhuru Highway, we marveled at the Nyayo Monument, created in 1988 to mark 10 years of former President Moi's rule and 25 years of independence, located at Central…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part X

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part X

City Tour, Conservation, Excursion, History, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy Passing through Moi Avenue, we marveled at the Kenya National Archives, whose construction began in 1928, commissioned by the Bank of India, and was completed in 1931. Also located on the then Government Road is the Tom Mboya Statue, erected in 2011, in memory of the politician who was assassinated on July 5, 1969. Further ahead, we encountered the August 7th Memorial Park, which commemorates the 1998 terrorist bombings of the American embassy. Turning towards City Hall Way, previously known as Sergeant Ellis Avenue after Sergeant George Ellis, the first European resident who arrived from Newington Butts, Surrey, England in 1896, we passed through the Nairobi City Court (Supreme Court), built in the 1930s. The statue of The Naked Boy of Justice adorns its premises, erected in…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part VII

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part VII

City Tour, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy Continuing our excursion through Nairobi's streets, we glimpsed the Khoja Mosque, also known as Khoja Jamatkhana, constructed on January 14, 1922, by the Ismaili community led by the Aga Khan. We then passed through Monrovia Street, once known as Mark Street, and I pointed out the statue of Queen Elizabeth I in Jeevanjee Gardens—formerly Victoria Gardens—unveiled by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and presented by Alibhai Jeevanjee. Amidst the horns and blares from the traffic, I recounted the tale of Alibhai Jeevanjee, a visionary entrepreneur who made profits from the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway line, his legacy enduring in the heart of the city when he donated the gardens in 1906. “Alibhai Mullah Jeevanjee was born in the Bohra community in Pakistan in 1856 and…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part VI

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part VI

City Tour, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy Leaving the museum behind, our next stop beckoned with the allure of a bygone era. The Norfolk Hotel, a bastion of colonial elegance, opened on December 25, 1904, by Major C.G.R. Ringer, stood as a testament to Kenya's tumultuous past. Picturing it against a backdrop of dusty plains and towering acacias, there is still an aura of a time when intrepid adventurers and illustrious dignitaries mingled in the corridors of power. “The Norfolk of the yesteryears, with its cool resting rooms and hot and cold baths, was civilization in the bush. With nothing in front of it except the papyrus swamp with the frogs (and sometimes the lions) and nothing behind it but barren, open land, the white railings of the hotel's perimeter spelled comfort for early…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part V

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part V

City Tour, Conservation, Excursion, History, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy Our next destination was the Nairobi National Museum, a sentinel of Kenya's past, guarding its secrets with silent reverence. As we made our way in, Vlad and Olga were curious about the museum's storied history, from its humble origins in 1910 when a modest institution was born from the vision of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society, to what it is today. Image | Ernest Nyamasyo “The Nairobi National Museum was officially opened on September 22, 1930, and named Coryndon Museum in honor of Sir Robert Coryndon, a former Governor of Kenya,” I explained. With each step, we journeyed through time, from prehistory and the country’s rich tapestry of different tribes with their unique customs, to the dawn of independence—a testament to Kenya's enduring spirit…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part IV

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part IV

City Tour, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area
Image | Courtesy From the "Bogani" house, we drove along Lang'ata Road. Olga's curiosity led her to inquire about the iconic 100-foot Uhuru Monument at Uhuru Gardens, a towering tribute to Kenya's journey to independence. "On December 12, 1963, the Kenyan flag unfurled its colors for the first time at Uhuru Gardens, marking a pivotal moment in our nation's history," I narrated, immersing them in the significance of this monumental event. “Kenya transitioned from being the East Africa Protectorate to a British Colony in 1920. Initially claimed as the Sultan of Zanzibar’s territory during the Berlin Conference of the 1880s, it was conceded in 1887 to the British East Africa Association (later Company) and in 1888, it was granted a royal charter by the British Government. In 1895, the British…
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Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part III

Exploring Nairobi: A Journey Through Time – Part III

City Tour, Excursion, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
Image | Courtesy The Karen Blixen Museum was once the centerpiece of a farm at the foot of the Ngong Hills, owned by Danish author Karen Blixen and her Swedish husband, Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke. Located 10 km from the city center, the museum represents a different period in Kenya's history and gained international acclaim with the release of the movie 'Out of Africa,' an Oscar-winning film based on Karen's autobiography of the same title. Built in 1912 by Swedish engineer Ake Sjogren, Karen and her husband bought the house in 1917. It became the farmhouse for their 6,000-acre property, of which 600 acres were used for coffee farming. Their marriage failed after eight years, and in 1921, the Baron left the running of the farm to Karen. Image | Courtesy…
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Experience: Mara North Conservancy

Experience: Mara North Conservancy

Conservation, Excursion, Game drive, History, Holiday, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
A rolling savanna of more than 28.000 hectares, the Mara North Conservancy is home to a spectacular array of plants, reptiles, birds and mammals, including elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard and massed concentrations of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and other migratory wildlife. Leopard Gorge in the heart of the conservancy is famous as the setting of countless BBC Big Cat Diaries and National Geographic documentaries. Bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Mara North Conservancy is vital for sustaining the famous Serengeti wildebeest migrations and the highly threatened African wild dog and black rhino. Mara North Conservancy has struck a novel and innovative partnership between the Maasai landowners and a consortium of tour companies to sustain wildlife, improve livelihoods and develop a high quality tourism destination. The partnership has the support of…
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