Stunning Wildlife Across an Expansive Landscape Met High Expectations

TEXT AND IMAGES BY DAN GREC

The choice for wild camping in Northeern Kenya are endless- just off the dirt road.

The slight incline is nothing to write home about; although with a continuous light drizzle, the clay surface has all the traction of an ice skating rink. The broken front driveshaft is still in a storage locker in the back of the Jeep, so I have no chance with only the rear wheels spinning. I soon find it impossible to move either forward or backward, and in short order, I slide sideways into the ditch on the side of the road. The ditch is not huge, however; even with four-wheel drive, I doubt the Jeep could haul its 6,000-pound bulk up and out under its own power.

For the second time in only weeks, I unspool the winch line and get to work recovering my Jeep.

”WE’RE ON THE MOVE BEFORE SUNRISE AND WITHIN AN HOUR WE’VE SEEN MULTIPLE LIONS, ELEPHANTS, ZEBRAS, AND, OF COURSE, GIRAFFES.”

INTO KENYA

Winding my way along a small dirt road glued to the side of mighty Mount Elgon a few weeks earlier, the tiny villages remind me strongly of rural South America. It’s a stunning slice of Uganda, and I’m concentrating so hard on keeping the Jeep on the track I forgot to take a single photo all day.

KENYA QUICK FACTS

Capital City: Nairobi

Population: 49 million

Size: 224,000 square miles (slightly smaller than Texas)

Languages Spoken: 2 offi cial (English, Swahili)

Currency: Kenyan shilling

Independence from England: December 1963

I arrive at the small border post at Suam River and immediately like what I see. There are just a couple of buildings, a few vehicles, and a handful of people waiting in the shade.

Clearly this is a very sleepy crossing, exactly the kind I seek out. After the five-minute process to stamp myself and the Jeep out of Uganda a friendly guy wanders over and offers to change my remaining Ugandan shillings. I’m not sure about the exchange rate he offers, and he is kind enough to find a copy of today’s newspaper to show me the official rate so we can both be certain we are getting a fair deal.

I drive a hundred yards and cross a small wooden bridge over the Suam River before the now very familiar process is repeated on the Kenyan side. The head man at immigration is out for lunch, which gives me a chance to eat and chat with the friendly officers who are standing around. When the boss returns I buy a visa for $50 without a problem, and the main man at customs issues me a 14-day Temporary Import Permit for the Jeep at no cost. He is kind enough to explain I can easily extend it for another 14 days in downtown Nairobi if I wish.