Today the ‘wagon’ takes us to Shaba Game Reserve. We decide to take the Laikipia route to explore fresh grounds. I estimate that we should be at Archer’s Post in about three hours.
I draw a sketch map according to instructions from a friend who has taken this particular route before. It looks so easy. We start our journey with confidence and estimate that we should be at Shaba for lunch.
However, shortly we discover that the trip was going to be longer than we had estimated. You know when you have a large expanse of land that’s has dozens of forks to the road to choose from, all of them not signposted. It’s very easy to miss the turning.
We continue driving all the time hoping that we are on the right track. But then we realize that we’re a little lost. We have to get to Lerata. Lorupe, the Maasai ‘moran’ wearing traditional ‘shuka’ matted hair and in full combat gear offers to ride in our car and at the same time show us the way. With our new found guide we turn back the way we came. Camels browse on the acacia. The land is a jigsaw of hills, valleys and plains. The rivers are dry again after the brief spell of rain a few weeks ago. Human settlements are few and far apart. We see no one for hours until we finally get to the river that we’re to cross. It’s the Ewaso Nyiro again and there’s a police post. We haven’t a clue where we are but our guide seems to know the way. He assures us that the route will get us to the Isiolo turning. Lorupe disembark and wishes us well.
We munch on whatever food is in the car since lunchtime has come and gone – we weren’t exactly prepared for a ‘camping’ trip and there are no shops around. But the countryside is breathtaking. We stop now and again to take pictures and Lolokowe comes into view. It’s the landmark – the bread basket near Samburu and Shaba. We try to stay on track by keeping the mountain in view. Soon we reach Mlango, a draught area and meet the first car on the road since we started off. It’s nearly 2pm and we’ve been on the road since 9am. The driver of the ramshackle Land Cruiser full of ‘debes’ of water says we’re not far fron Isiolo town. We’re nowhere near Archer’s Post!
Starved, we reach Isiolo and after a quick snack at Bomen Hotel, we drive on to Shaba. It’s an hour’s drive and we reach the Natorbe gate at 4pm. The ‘white’ elephants of Shaba are making their way out of the river from an afternoon drink. The Ewaso Nyiro is in full spate, its flow higher than I have seen it by the Sarova Shaba. A lone crocodile lies on sliver of a sandbank.
The night prowls on and a troupe of Samburu dancers entertain the guests by the lounge. The water from the springs around the lodge gurgle past us and we settle to an evening cocktail at the Chami Chemi bar, a Swahili word for ‘springs’. This was one of the late Joy Adamson’s favorite haunts.
The map in the foyer of the reserve looks easy enough to follow. We decide on a full day’s game drive to Shirinke falls at the very extreme end of the reserve.
Sitting on the island in the swimming pool where the spring water fills it, more elephants come to the river for a midnight drink climbing down the steep banks on the other side of the river. They look almost ghostly caught in the spotlight with the colors of the Shaba soils.
Shaba Shots
Shaba is a seven-hour drive from Nairobi through Nanyuki and Isiolo. It’s 350km away. Sarova Shaba, on the banks of Ewaso Nyiro, is great for a family outing – it’s got a beautiful swimming pool, a health spa, and all rooms face the river – contact +254 020 2720822. Email: reservation@sarova.co.ke or visit the website www.sarovahotels.com. The gate fee $15 per person. It entitles you to entry into the adjoining Buffalo Springs Game Reserve.
The game is good with the rains and full flow of the river. The northern frontier has its own unique species like the Grevy’s Zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa Oryx, the long-necked Gerenuk, the Somali ostrich and a plethora of birds and plants.
By N. G. Maroa
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