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The Centre is situated in one of Kenya's remotest regions, well off the main tourist circuits. The spectacular scenery ranges from the extensive open moorland in the High Cheranganis, through coniferous, bamboo and riverine forest, to savannah scrub and semi-desert. The diverse range of ecological zones is reflected in the variety of flora and fauna. Thus the Centre is an ideal base for independent travellers and tourists wishing to spend some time in this fascinating but little known corner of Kenya.
Accessible localities of interest include:-
Our own site of thirty acres which extends back from a half kilometre frontage to encompass a series of small hills and valleys cut by seasonal streams flowing down from the Sekerr range to the west. Only one third of the site has been cleared, leaving the remainder under dense bush and woodland dominated by mature acacias, through which we have cut several footpaths. Birdlife is prolific. Local plant and insect life is extremely diverse. There is no swimming pool, but the Moruny River (see photo) is perfectly safe for bathing although not deep enough for swimming (which means it is too shallow for crocodiles!) and also provides an opportunity to pan for gold.Mount Sekerr (10,910 ft) a few kilometres to the northwest can be climbed comfortably in a three day round trip, passing through intense mountain cultivation areas of the agricultural Pokot, to forest and open moorland, and in clear weather providing a superb panorama of eastern Uganda and northwestern Kenya.
The
Cherangani Hills to the south offer a range of excursions from
a half day hike, to a week or more travelling by vehicle and on foot:
for example, an early morning or late afternoon walk along the old road
perched high on the eastern side of the Marich Pass to a local Pokot trading
centre; a hard day's slog up the dome of Koh soaring 6,000 ft above
the adjacent plains; or a safari lasting several days along the
verdant Weiwei valley to Tamkal and then up to Lelan Forest and the main
peaks of the high Cherangi, affording some of the best hill walking country
in Kenya.
The
Marakwet Escarpment - in places rising to more than 6,000 ft
above the Kerio Valley - with spectacular views, waterfalls, and traditional
irrigation systems, is a half day drive away, along a road that passes
through several local market centres and intensively farmed garden plots.
Nearby is the Kerio Valley National Reserve where elephant and antelope
are common. The South Turkana National Reserve in dry and rugged hills northeast of the Centre is the domain of Turkana herders and is rarely visited by outsiders. It probably has the best game viewing, with elephant and plains game commonly seen. At the present time it is only accessible by 4WD vehicles and by foot. The Kenya government - with backing from the World Bank - plans to improve access to the Reserve and to develop it as a major wildlife conservation area.
The Turkwell Gorge hydro-electric project is only 30 kilometres away on a fine asphalt road. Much of the gorge with its towering rock walls and water-carved boulders has not been affected by construction, while the dam (the highest of its type in Africa) and its connecting road up a sheer mountain face are, in themselves, spectacular additions to a barren landscape. The 35 km long lake will eventually be available for fishing, sailing and other water sports. Nasalot National Reserve, en route to the Gorge, is home to a variety of bush game, principally elephant, buffalo, leopard, hyena, warthog, and a range of antelopes from the ubiquitous dik-dik to the relatively rare greater kudu. To enter the Reserve, there is a fee, payable in Kenya shillings or US$.