Planting programme helps restore vital forest

Last month, the African Wildlife Foundation led a tree-planting exercise in Kenya’s Mau Forest. The project, also involving the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Kenya Forest Service and other bodies, saw 25,000 trees planted at Mau in an effort to restore the forest in response to the progressive loss of trees caused through human activities.



Kenya's forest are vitally important
to the wider environment.

Mau, the largest mountain forest in East Africa, is of huge ecological significance to east Africa. As well as being a rich ecosystem in its own right, the forest is a crucial water catchment area. It is the source of several rivers, including the Mara, and also feeds three lakes, Victoria, Natron and Nakuru. These water courses are a vital lifeline for local communities and for a multitude of wildlife. They also play an important role in supporting the region’s tourist industry, with Lake Nakuru and its famous flamingos, for example, attracting huge numbers of visitors.

The persistent decline in Mau Forest’s extent has been caused by some local groups engaging in forest-clearing – a trend which has put into jeopardy the ecosystem’s capacity to provide water for the region. As the number of trees falls, there is less rainfall locally, and the crucial delivery of water downstream diminishes. Deforestation in Mau has already been implicated by some as a contributing factor in recent droughts.

Last month’s tree-planting signals a growing awareness in Kenya of the importance of protecting the country’s forests, not just for their inherent value and for the biodiversity they harbour, but also for their indirect significance to the wider environment. With the Kenyan government recently acknowledging their commitment to addressing the degradation of forested areas and the continuing efforts by environmental groups, it may be hoped that Kenya’s forests will get the protection they deserve.

Top family camp just got better

Something which comes as a surprise to many is East Africa’s suitability as a family holiday destination. While safaris certainly can be designed with the thrill-seeking, strictly grown-up market in mind, the region also has its fair share of options to keep children safe, comfortable and entertained.

Lemarti’s Camp in Laikipia, Northern Kenya, has earned its place among our top favourites for family accommodation in East Africa. For those who seek an African adventure with the kids in tow, but who also want to experience the best in style and luxury, it’s hard to top.

And the good news is that this intimate wilderness camp has just completed renovations which will make it even more appealing to families – two brand new family suites are now available to guests. Each comprises a main tent, with a double and a single bed, a second tent which sleeps up to four, and a shared family bathroom.

Lemarti’s has already made its mark on the many families who have enjoyed its authentic delights. Far from merely offering distraction to children while parents can relax, the Samburu staff who run the camp provide young tourists with a genuine glimpse into their community life. Learning bushcrafts from local warriors and playing with the local children, kids invariably relish the chance to become absorbed in a culture so different from their own. And of course, what Western child would fail to be wowed by witnessing zebras and wild dogs in the African bush?

Lemarti's provides authentic cultural interaction
which both adults and children enjoy.

What makes Lemarti’s special is the sincerity and personality with which it is run. The situations in which visitors find themselves are not manufactured or contrived. So for adult and child alike, this camp presents a rare opportunity to enjoy a truly insightful experience which mass tourism can’t come close to matching.

The recent accommodation upgrade at Lemarti’s now endows it with the flexibility and capacity to welcome any family group in comfort – and helps complete the camp’s standing as an extraordinary family holiday destination.

10 things you might not know about East Africa

1) Modern humans are thought to have originated in East Africa. Some of the earliest archaeological and fossilised artefacts associated with our earliest ancestors have been discovered in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. This has led to the region being known as ‘the cradle of humanity’.

2) The gelada, which lives in the Simien mountains of Ethiopia, is the world’s only existing species of grazing monkey. Also known as the ‘bleeding heart baboon’ owing to a striking patch of red on its chest, the gelada uses its excellent gripping ability to pick fresh green grass to sustain itself.


The gelada, or 'bleeding heart baboon',
is the world's only grazing monkey.

3) Kenya is a highly multilingual country. While Swahili and English are its official languages, there are well over 50 other local dialects in usage.

4) One of East Africa’s favourite beverages is banana beer. Fermented from mashed bananas, it’s a potent drink that contains around 10% alcohol by volume. Kenya and Tanzania are two of the region’s major banana beer producers.

5) The Maasai live in homes called Inkajijik. These shelters, built by women in the tribe, are either star-shaped or circular. They consist of a timber framework, a network of smaller branches, and a render made from a mixture of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and ash.

6) In 2008, Rwanda became the first ever country to have a democratic government with a female majority. Following the election in that year, the county’s Chamber of Deputies was occupied by 45 women, accounting for 56% of the total parliamentary seats.

7) Despite being positioned almost at the Equator, Mount Kilimanjaro’s towering altitude means that the temperature at its peak can plummet to minus 25 degrees Celsius.

8) The classic movie, Out Of Africa, was filmed partly in the Ngong Hills in Kenya. The film also featured genuine descendants of the Kikuyu, a Kenyan tribe.

9) The Great Rift Valley, which passes through Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, is visible from space. This geological depression, which is responsible for stunning volcanic, mountain and valley features on the ground, appears as a long crack in the surface on the Earth when seen from space.

10) The African elephant uses its trunk as an incredibly versatile tool. It’s used to pull leaves, strip bark from trees and suck up water for drinking or spraying to keep cool. The trunk is also utilised for greetings and communication, smelling danger, and even to fight off lions.

An elephant's trunk has an amazing
variety of uses.