As we embarked on our city tour of Nairobi, the vibrant pulse of Kenya’s capital city permeated the air, eager to reveal its rich tapestry of history and culture to our inquisitive minds. Joined by Vlad and Olga, intrepid travelers from Russia, our journey promised a fusion of discovery and adventure, fueled by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.
Our first stop was the AFEW Giraffe Centre, a sanctuary where nature and conservation converge in a harmonious embrace. As we marveled at the graceful Rothschild giraffes, Vlad, with his insatiable appetite for history, inquired about the origins of this noble institution. “Established in 1979 by Americans Jock Leslie-Melville and his wife Betty, the Giraffe Centre was created to protect the endangered Rothschild giraffe,” I explained.
“Kenya has three distinct species of giraffes: the Maasai Giraffe, found mostly in Masai Mara and Amboseli; the Reticulated Giraffe, found exclusively in northern Kenya; and the endangered Rothschild Giraffe,” I added.
At the AFEW Giraffe Centre, we had the chance to feed the giraffes and attend a lecture on their physiology, characteristics, habitat, and conservation efforts.
In the background, the Ngong Hills rose majestically, with the highest peak reaching 7,990 feet, presenting a stretch of green, sloping terrain. The Maasai revere these hills, and their original name, Ngongo Bagas, means the knuckles of a giant who terrorized their forefathers. According to legend, ants, their allies, heaped earth over the sleeping ogre, leaving only the knuckles exposed. Other tales suggest the giant was trotting across Africa when he tripped over Kilimanjaro and, to stop himself from falling, clutched at the earth, thus shaping the Ngongs. Alternatively, some believe they are the dirt that God flicked from his fingers as he finished creation.
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