Urban and rural Kenya
Some photo impressions of the cities of Nairobi and Kisumu (Kenya), and the rural areas around Kisumu.
THIM LICH OHINGA
ECO TOURISM IN HOMA BAY COUNTY AND THE WESTERN KENYAN TOURISM CIRCUT
The Giraffe Centre #Kenya with #MagicalAfricaAsia
The Giraffe Centre #Kenya with #MagicalAfricaAsia
The Giraffe Centre is the creation of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W. Kenya), a Kenyan non-profit organisation. Our main purpose is to educate Kenyan school children and youth on their country’s wildlife and environment, as well as give local and international visitors an opportunity to come into close contact with the world’s tallest species, the giraffe.
IDENTITY
Home of the Rothschild Giraffe – Environmental Conservation Centre.
Mandate
Environmental Conservation, Changing Mind-sets
OUR VISION
A World Living in Harmony with Nature.
OUR MISSION
Enhancing Resilience in Sustainable Environmental Conservation and Education
HISTORY OF THE GIRAFFE CENTRE
The Africa Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W.) Kenya was founded in 1979 by the late Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British descent, and his American-born wife, Betty Leslie-Melville. They began the Giraffe Centre after discovering the sad plight of the Rothschild Giraffe. A subspecies of the giraffe found only in the grasslands of East Africa.
The Giraffe Centre has also become world-famous as a Nature Education Centre, educating thousands of Kenyan school children every year.
At the time, the animals had lost their habitat in Western Kenya, with only 130 of them left on the 18,000-acre Soy Ranch that was being sub-divided to resettle squatters. Their first effort to save the subspecies was to bring two young giraffes, Daisy and Marlon, to their home in the Lang’ata suburb, southwest of Nairobi. Here they raised the calves and started a programme of breeding giraffe in captivity. This is where the centre remains to date.
Betty and Jock then registered A.F.E.W. in the United States. Funds were raised to move five other groups of giraffe to different safe areas. Breeding herds of 26 giraffes were translocated from Soy Ranch to the Ruma Game Reserve in present-day Homa Bay County, Lake Nakuru National Park in Nakuru and Nasolot Game Reserve in modern-day West Pokot County. In 1985, seven giraffes were introduced to Yodder Flower Farm near the Mwea Game Reserve in Mbeere District in Eastern Kenya.
In 1983, funds raised by A.F.E.W. USA helped build the Educational Centre on a 60-acre sanctuary. This with the extraordinary vision of creating an educational institution in conjunction with rescuing the giraffe. The Giraffe Centre opened its doors to the general public and students the same year, receiving over 800 excited students.
There are now over 300 Rothschild Giraffe safe and breeding well in various Kenyan national parks. Recent herds have been introduced to Soysambu Ranch by Lake Elementaita in the Great Rift Valley, Kigio Conservancy and the Sergoit Ranch in the Mount Elgon region.
Travels in Kenya
Here is a short home video of a family vacation with my beautiful wife and kids in the Valley Arcade area of Nairobi with some footage of a trip to Nyanza province, near Migori/Awendo to see more family.
Lake Victoria Excursion from Rusinga Island Lodge
Western Kenya
Our recent trip to Western Kenya had great rewards
HIV AIDS Along Mombasa Nairobi Malaba Kampala Highway “The Devils Highway”
Here is a documentary investigating Spread of HIV along the northern corridor – a major a 1200 kilometer highway that links port of Mombasa in Mombasa town to Kampala, Uganda. From there it feeds to Southern Sudan, Rwanda, DRC, Burundi and Northern Tanzania.
Kenya Cystoms Clearing Agents
“The Devils Highway” called so due to its notorious accidents and traffic deaths is also a hot spot for the spread of HIV virus by truck drivers.
Shipping a container from China to Mombasa port cost less than moving it from Mombasa to Kampala. East Africa is known to have the most expensive transport costs in the world, which make trade expensive leading to low rates of growth and economic activities in the region. Cargo transport within Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda is improving as Governments invest more in infrastructure.
With Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia using Mombasa port for their external trade, the transport chain between Mombasa and hinterland is a key area of concern for shippers.
The first – or last – link in the chain is the port itself and a key priority for Kenya Ports Authority has been to enable, and
encourage, the removal of cargo from the port as quickly as possible. In this regard it has been moderately successful, with container dwell times almost halved in recent years while throughput has risen significantly.
By using modern ICT systems, more efficient yard equipment, off-port container stations and, of course, the inland container depots at Kisumu and Nairobi, Kenya Ports Authority is meeting the challenge of speeding the flow of cargo. Having put its own house in order, however, it is also seeking and encouraging improvements elsewhere.
Road Network
The Kenya Roads Board (KRB) is responsible for the upkeep of 63,000 km of classified roads in Kenya. Only 14% of these are surfaced, the rest being gravel or dirt roads.
A long-overdue upgrade of the main highways is now under way. The main highway between Nairobi and Mombasa has already been refurbished, leading to much reduced transit times between the two main centres.
Other projects are under way to transform the region’s road network. One is the Mombasa – Nairobi – Addis Ababa Road Corridor, co-financed by the African Development Bank Group, the European Union, and the government of Ethiopia and Kenya. An estimated US$ 500 million is being spent to improve transport links between the two countries.
Another project of key importance is the proposed southern by-pass of Mombasa. This will greatly ease the flow of traffic transport north and south as well as encouraging more trade links with northern Tanzania.
Kenya Rail Way Network
Perhaps even more pressing is the need for an upgraded rail system in Kenya. Most of Kenya’s existing rail system uses 1 metre
gauge track dating from the 1890s. Too narrow for the reliable movement of loaded containers.
Because of this, less than 4% cent of Mombasa port’s freight goes by rail. Transport costs are generally high because of the dependence on expensive trucking. A more efficient rail network could reduce transport costs by at least 30 per cent, say forecasters.
Upgrading the region’s rail network presents huge challenges. Nevertheless, all five members of the East African Community have agreed to build a new standard gauge network.
Rail operations in Kenya have been concessioned to Rift Valley Railways (RVR), while Kenya Railways continues to oversee the service.
The 1,920 km track between Mombasa and Malaba will be replaced by standard gauge track by 2017, with branchlines to Moyale (for Addis Ababa) and Lodwa (for Juba) at a cost of some US$ 5.2 billion. The railway project will be fully completed by the year 2050.
The Mombasa – Malaba – Kampala line is the first of four phases. There will also be a line from Lamu to Lokichogio, which will connect with Juba in South Sudan. These projects are part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 development plan and their importance cannot be overstated.
The Port of Mombasa handles about 20 million tonnes of cargo per year. The forecast is only upwards and, without an ugraded rail system, within a few years one truck will have to leave the port every minute of every day to keep up with demand. This is clearly unsustainable, so the modernisation of the rail system is not only necessary but essential.
In the long term, the idea of a rail link between Lamu and Douala, in Cameroon, is also being explored. This would reduce haulage time to just four and a half days compared with 25 days by sea.
MC Branji and Juliet Miss Tourism Kisumu Present WHY KISUMU
Corporate MC and Events Host MC Branji and Juliet Mercy Miss Tourism Kisumu County Present Episode 1 of WHY KISUMU Tourism Blueprint.
A collaboration of Miss Tourism Kisumu and MC Branji's Tourismode Video
Shot on One Camera
Kindly Watch, Share Comment and SUBSCRIBE For Subsequent Videos on Tourismode MC Branji's
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#2.2 Horse patrol with Mount Kenya rangers
In the lush forests and magical moorlands we explore the area of Mount Kenya. Not just in a touristic way, we join the Mount Kenya Trust rangers and go on a horse patrol to spot poachers! We talk to one of the rangers and try to find out if this is an activity we would want to offer to our travellers.
◎ About Africa Inside Out ◎
For my travel agency Charlie's Travels we are going on a 12-month expedition from Nairobi to Cape Town, travelling through 13 African countries with a team of top notch content creators. We will be developing new routes and adventures for our travelers and sharing stories of the real Africa.
- Check out the expedition Africa Inside Out: charlies-travels.com/aio
- More blogs and videos about Northern Conservancies: charlies-travels.com/aio/conservancies
- For LIVE Africa Vibes from AIO, follow our instagram: instagram.com/charlies_travels_
◎ About Charlie and Charlie's Travels ◎
Hi, I'm Charlie! Some time ago (2014) I started an internship in Kenya. I haven't left since, because I fell in love with Africa and started my own travel agency, Charlie's Travels. It's specialised in off the beaten track tours, because we think this continent is so much more than just safari tours and beaches. We believe that for the real Africa experience, you need to go beyond the tourist traps. Africa has so many stereotypes and preconceptions. By making cool and relevant content we want to show you a different side of the continent! We want to create new routes and awesome adventures, which will make you want to travel here and see it for yourself.
Interested in going on an adventurous trip to see the real Africa? Shoot me a message and I'll get back to you:
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- Email: charles@charlies-travels.com
And if you just want to follow our adventures:
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