Ride Kenya, Chyulu Hills

We officially survived our horseback safari.  What an incredible experience.  No broken bones but quite a few scratches, one bruised back, and many sore muscles for all.  Our first day we rode about 2 hours, about 4 on day two, 5 on day 3 and a lovely 2 hour ride back to the lodge on day 4.  We are in the Chyulu Hills, a remote area about 100 miles southeast of Nairobi.   This is a relatively young volcanic mountain range (about 10,000 years old) with terrain very similar to Bend in central Oregon. Lots of lava flows, small volcanic peaks, etc. 


There is an amazing lodge here called Ol Donyo Wuas and a horseback safari firm called Ride Kenya that has a partnership with the lodge.  Ride Kenya was started about 6 years ago by an American guy named Patrick Stanton.  In short, Patrick is one of the most confident and all around capable guys I’ve met. He grew up hunting and riding horses, went to UConn and played on their Polo team, has traveled all over the world doing various things that are horse related (rodeo, hunting, breaking wild horses, etc.).  He’s a horse whisperer if there ever was one.  He also knows wildlife, having done dangerous animal search and rescue and is the local warden in these parts.  He has chased or been chased by just about every dangerous animal here, knows their habits, how to track and how to respect.  As the picture can attest he also likes to see how close he can get to elephants (A horse is faster than an elephant, but just barely).  Here in Africa he has assembled, broke, trained and put together an amazing group of about 30 horses and does rides for advanced riders all over this cool landscape.  Did you catch the key word in the previous sentence?  Advanced.  He has had families before but never a family of rookies such is ours which he laughingly admitted.   Most clients are English polo players, fox hunters, etc. who spend any available time on or around horses and doing all sorts of things (shooting, jumping, crossing rivers) while galloping around at top speed.   Undeterred he agreed to a new challenge with the Janssens.   I think his biggest challenge was the number of questions the kids barraged him with.  A great friend Tom Demerit once told me that the average four year old asked 400 questions per day.  I think that each of our kids, specifically Halle and then Hayden, asked him about 900 questions each day.  

Let me briefly define the term safari.  It is an adventure in Africa with the primary intent these days to view animals.  Most safaris involve boarding a safari vehicle and driving varying distances to view game.  On the low end you stack like sardines in school bus, drive 6 hours in said bus to a game park, and drive around the game park animal viewing.  You stay in accommodations outside of the parks.  On the high end you skip the 6 hour hellish drive with a 30 minute flight, then drive around in really nice land cruisers or range rovers, standing or sitting on top of the vehicle, and you stay in super cool fixed tent camps within the parks. Even the school bus type safari is relatively expensive.  The wild animals, be they in a national park or a reserve, are very ambivalent about vehicles.  You can drive up to within a few feet of lions and they stare right through you or the vehicle.  If you happened to fall out, you’d likely be attacked but as long as you’re in the vehicle you’re safe as pie.  If you are on foot, you are in the animal’s world and you are likely going to be a good meal or likely to be pulverized by a hippo, elephant or buffalo.  On horseback you are somewhere in between vehicle and on foot.  It is incredibly peaceful riding up to some of the animals such as giraffes (maybe 40’ away) and having them check you out before running away.  Other animals such as the various zebra and antelope seem much more curious and accepting when you’re on horseback rather than in a car.  With the exception of the barrage of questions from 8 and 10 year olds, and the giggling of all kids at all things, it is incredibly peaceful and quiet. 
So off we went, led by Patrick and tailed by his cohort Kim, a cocksure 19 year old Kenyan with the most unruly crop of flaming red hair I’ve ever seen.  Patrick toured us through hills and valleys and open plains.  The first two nights we stayed at a fixed tent camp a few miles from the lodge.  The third night the tent was packed up and moved to a beautiful location high up in the hills where we rode 5 hours to reach.  The kids were once again troopers.  Sydney is a natural rider with perfect balance.  Hayden spent the first 2 days frustrated with a Somali pony, a feisty little bugger that wouldn’t respond well to his commands.  Thankfully and not surprisingly Traci switched horses with him and she did a great job showing the pony who was boss.  Halle oh Halle.  I nicknamed her Bullet.  She had a Somali pony that was amazing.  One of the keys for successful riding is having your heels down and toes up in your stirrups, and having much of your weight on your feet when needed.  I don’t think Halle’s heels were ever down but she has amazing balance and determination and courage.  Patrick would stop and say “let’s gallop 100 yards to the top of the ridge one at a time…give yourselves some space and follow me” and before he had gone 10 yards Halle and her pony were at his side and then taking the lead (not desired).  Patrick and all (especially Sydney) got a huge chuckle out of Halle and her speed riding.  Traci and I and most likely Halle are glad that she had such a great pony and that she didn’t fall.  Sydney had a pretty nasty fall on the last day of riding when her horse spooked on her but she jumped back on and was tough.  My horse was a Percheron.  For some strange reason Patrick decided that I needed to ride on the French equivalent of a Clydesdale.  My horse was named Tembo, which is Swahili for elephant which was appropriate.  Massive guy weighing in at about 1500 lbs.  Tembo was amazing except for when he decided to take off unexpectedly and choose a route under acacia bushes with incredibly long (3”), sharp thorns.  He had a penchant for routes with about 7’ of clearance (his head height) which left me somewhat bloodied and torn when unable to quickly pray and wrap myself around his neck or perform some feeble attempt at saddle limbo.

The horseback safari was an incredible, family bonding experience.  Each of us was challenged and improved each day.  We experienced hundreds of hilarious mishaps that fortunately had happy endings.  We also enjoyed several great adventures when not riding.  One afternoon we free-climbed a 400’ granite outcropping in the middle of the plains and watched Ostrich down below do their mating dance.  A second afternoon we climbed a relatively young volcano and hiked around its rim and explored its lava tubes.   I don’t think there is a better way to truly experience the game and terrain, and I am confident that no one could better lead such a venture than Patrick and crew.  I heard the stock market has been a little volatile.  Taking the long term view and not worried about it, thankful to be experiencing Africa first hand and focused on each day’s adventure and bounty.
 


On "Halle Peak" with Patrick (l) and Kim (r). This was a volcanic crater similar to St. Helens but smaller. Patrick was quite convinced that Halle was the youngest ever to climb.






Tembo and his burden to bear

Hayden helps care for his horse after our long ride on day 3



Patrick being charged by a large bull. Check out the elephant's ears and the calmness of his horse




Young giraffe from about 40'. Typical encounter



Traci with camp in background and before being saddled with a feisty pony



Graceful Sydney

 

"Halle Come Back!  Where are you going?"



Petting an orphaned zebra colt. Turns out the little fella got rabies near or shortly after our visit and had to be put down



 

Enjoying the sunset