A curious black-and-white colobus monkey near Mount Kenya
most
scenic way to get from point A to B
in the 580,000-square-kilometre
country. Domestic flights throughout
Kenya are quick, readily available and
surprisingly affordable. During my
two-hour ride, I glimpse Kilimanjaro,
the continent’s tallest mountain, and
herds of giraffe clumsily trotting below.
Disembarking from the Cessna onto
the tiny Laikipia airstrip, it hits me:
I’m in Africa! The air feels different.
And the landscape looks… massive.
Rolling hills spread out for what seems
like an eternity; blue sky stretches as
far as I can see. I learn that feeling of
vastness is a common one, owing to
Laikipia’s location, smack-dab on the
equator at an elevation of 1,890 metres.
After a short drive to the hotel—
during which I resign myself to the
fact that I’ll be covered in red African
dust for the next several days—it’s time
to explore. With its manicured lawns,
leather club chairs and walls lined with
twisting antlers, my plush accommoda-
tions at the Fairmont Mount Kenya
feel plucked from the pages of Out
of Africa. The hotel was originally
founded in 1959 as the Mount Kenya
Safari Club, a private members’ club
catering to British and American
expats. One can imagine posh ladies
and linen-clad gents sipping tea on the
lawn of the inner courtyard.
Seeking something a little less
refined, I wander down to the on-site
wildlife sanctuary, which houses
rescued animals from nearby game
reserves, most orphaned due to
poaching. It’s one of many examples
26
Summer 2018
CAA SASKATCHeWAN
of Kenya’s ongoing commitment to
wildlife conservation. Caretaker James
Muraya walks me through the animal
orphanage where frenetic ostriches,
grey-crowned cranes and a giant
154-year-old tortoise roam freely.
Larger animals live in enclosures,
including a pair of cheetahs, Kenya’s
most endangered cat. “They’re the
smallest of the big cats and they
almost never attack humans, so they
have become easy prey for poachers,”
Muraya explains. After much reassur-
ance, he coaxes me into the enclosure
to meet Annette, a female cheetah. I
cautiously run my hand over her silky
dotted coat—she purrs like a docile
house cat. After a few strokes, my shiny
watch becomes an irresistible target
and the cat goes for a playful nibble.
I’m instantly reminded that in spite
of her purring, Annette is still a wild
animal and it’s time to move along.
The nexT morning ,
I awake to the
sounds of Kenya—crested francolins,
chatty birds who’ve rightly earned the
Luxe safari accommodations
and amenities at the Fairmont
Air TrAvel is The fAsTesT and
nickname “East Africa’s alarm clock.”
The terrace of my room faces Mount
Kenya’s lush slopes and is the perfect
spot for sipping a cup of Kenyan coffee,
one of the country’s biggest exports.
I see the mountain up close on a
morning horseback ride. During the
guided jaunt, I trot past zebras, hyenas
and warthogs. Guests can book this
safari for the surprisingly cheap price
of $25 USD per hour. Halfway through
the journey, our guide delivers us to a
scenic ridge where a breakfast spread
awaits. I dine on a full-service feast,
complete with white table linens, hot
coffee and fresh eggs—all while watch-
ing Cape buffalo in the distance.
While a horseback safari provides a
preview of Africa’s iconic animals,
a game drive is a must when in Kenya.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a protected
360-square-kilometre habitat, teeming
with lions, rhinos, zebras, giraffes,
gazelles, buffalos, hyenas and countless
bird species. Game drives typically last
a few hours and depart in the morning,
afternoon and early evening.
While all of the country’s private
conservancies and public reserves
offer remarkable sightings of African
wildlife, Ol Pejeta stands apart. It’s
home to the world’s last two northern
white rhinos, a species now officially
declared extinct in the wild. A third
northern white, the last remaining
male, died earlier this year. To keep
the pair safe from poachers, who
butcher the animals for their horns,
armed guards accompany them around