Dear All

I am making a fleeting visit to Kenya for the month of August and will spend two weeks staying with friends in the Nandi region.

I will also have 2 weeks free to travel and £500 to spend however I wish. With all the experiences of members of this site, what would you suggest I do in that time and with limited funds. I have little desire to leave Kenya or do anymore safaris but something a little more unusual would be nice. My aspiration to walk across the border in Somalia is still on the back burner (and probably will be for some time) but let me know what you'd do if you were in my situation, if only to float a few ideas my way.

Well, you're in the right part of Kenya for doing some 'off the beaten track' trips.

Been to Kakamega Forest? There's two parts, the Forest Reserve and the National Reserve. If you have any interest in birds, a stay for a couple of days at the Forest Res. is a must. You'll also see colobus monkeys up close if you stay at the Rest House. The National Reserve is where you'll see the only tract of tropical forest left in Kenya - absolutely huge trees. Hire local guides, they're essential.

Saiwa Swamp is also worth a visit, to see the sitatunga. Only place in Kenya where you can see them.

The other trip I'd suggest is a stay at Marich Pass Field Centre, way north of Kitale. Here you can just relax for a couple of days. Its very hot here, but theres good bandas, and you can do local walks. You can also get matatus from here to the massive Turkwell Gorge Dam, where you might get a tour but I dont have any current details.

From the Marich Pass, you can take a trip through the back roads of Pokot country through market villages like Sigor and on to Tot, and then to the Kerio Valley via one of the most spectacular roads in the country. This is travelling for the journeys sake, as this road is one of the roughest ever, unless its been improved since I was there....Transport is mainly on market days.

All the above can be done on public transport and hitching rides, as I did, but you do need time and patience. But you'll see a different part of Kenya, thats for sure.

Cheers Mambo, some ace ideas.

If your near Kitale, go west past Mufupi to Chwele. Scale Mt. Elgon via lorry hitching or kutembaya. Descending, you will find not Somalia, but Uganda. Report to the forum about the state of the hardwoods on Mt. Elgon. Thanks.

Threadr, you've hit all the good spots. Toryboy, if you want a very good contact to take you to all these places, and also into the Cherangani Hills, get in touch with Dick Barnley at Sirikwa Safaris.

Ob,

When I was at a 'friends' college in Indiana, (Earlham), I had the pleasure of visiting your native home (Kenya) on an off-campus study program. One of my stays was at Mufupi, a stop named after the short, english-man who had farmed in that regal territory. When I went back to marry my wife, I taught at Chwele Girls Secondary School. I might add that the ride from Chwele to Bungoma is majestic, er I just did.