Kenya Classic Tour Travel

07/09/2024

WATAMU PATAMU

Watamu is a small coastal town in Kenya, north of Mombasa. It’s known for Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, which has 3 bays: Watamu, Blue Lagoon and Turtle. Sandy beaches and coral gardens are the defining features. Seabirds, as well as green and hawksbill turtles, inhabit Mida Creek with its sand flats and mangrove forest. Inland, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve is home to elephants, monkeys and rare birdlife.

29/08/2024

THE CLIMATE OF KENYA

The climate of Kenya essentially depends on three major factors: temperature, rainfall and humidity. These three factors are controlled by altitude and generally the higher you go the cooler it becomes.

The main exceptions are the coastal strip and the area along the shores of Lake Victoria. Both are hot with high rainfall and humidity.

The climate of Kenya can be categorized into seven different zones:
1) Hot and wet
This describes the coastal strip and the region around Lake Victoria.

The coastal towns of Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu are in this zone. Temperatures remain steadily hot for most of the year, but on the beach the humidity is kept at bay by the ocean breeze. Average temperatures vary little during the year, ranging from 22°C to 31°C.

2) Very hot and very dry
This describes the semiarid bushlands of northern and eastern Kenya.

The average rainfall is very low and irregular with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 40°C year-round. These regions are sparsely populated by pastoral people who keep camels, cattle and goats. Samburu National Reserve is in northern Kenya and has a pleasant aura of vastness and seclusion.

3) Hot and dry
Rain in these regions falls fairly regularly every year, but in very small quantities. Vegetation is small thorn bushes and scattered huge baobab trees. Examples of these regions are Amboseli National Parks, Meru National Parks and Tsavo National Parks.

Hot and dry for most of the year, but with a reliable and fairly abundant seasonal rainfall.
This climate typically produces the open grassland known as savannah with small acacia and evergreen trees. Cattle-ranching pastoralists inhabit these areas, which support large herds of gazelles, wildebeests and zebras. Examples of these regions are the Maasai Mara, Kedong and Loita plains.

4) Warm with moderate and reliable rainfall
This describes the climate found over much of the higher areas of the country such as Nairobi. When not cultivated it produces open woodland, but most of these areas are today intensely cultivated with tea, pyrethrum, horticulture, maize, wheat, barley and dairy cattle.

5) Cool and wet
This describes the upper slopes of the Aberdares, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon. There is dense forest with bamboo the dominant plant in many regions. Wildlife found in these areas includes buffalos, elephants, rhino, leopards monkeys and numerous species of birds. Treetops and The Ark are in this zone.

6) Cold and wet
This describes the climate found high above the forest zone on all mountain ranges. It is characterized by moorland with crystal clear streams often stocked with trout. The vegetation is Alpine heather, groundsel and lobelia that grow higher than a man.

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.

29/08/2024

THE LUHYA PEOPLE
The Luhya (also known as Abaluyia or Luyia) are a Bantu people and the second largest ethnic group in Kenya. The Luhya belong to the larger linguistic stock known as the Bantu. The Luhya are located in western Kenya and Uganda. They are divided into 20 (or 21, when the Suba are included) culturally and linguistically united clans. Once known as the Kavirondo, multiple small tribes in North Nyanza came together under the new name Baluhya between 1950 and 1960. The Bukusu are the largest Luhya subtribe and account for almost 30% of the entire Luhya population.

The Luhya culture is similar to the Great Lakes region Bantu speakers.
The 21 clans are the Bukusu (Aba-Bukusu), Idakho (Av-Idakho), Isukha (Av-Isukha), Kabras (Aba-Kabras), Khayo (Aba-Khayo), Kisa (Aba-Kisa), Marachi (Aba-Marachi), Maragoli (Aba-Logoli), Marama (Aba-Marama), Nyala (Aba-Nyala), Nyole (Aba-Nyole), Samia (Aba-Samia), Tiriki (Aba-Tiriki), Tsotso (Abatsotso), Wanga (Aba-Wanga), and Batura (Abatura) and the Abasiaya. They are closely related to the Masaba (or Gisu), Basamia and Banyole of Uganda, whose language is mutually intelligible with Luhya.

The principal traditional settlement area of the Luhya is in what was formerly the Western province. A substantial number of them permanently settled in the Kitale and Kapsabet areas of the former Rift Valley province. The Luhya people make their home mainly in the western part of Kenya. Administratively, they occupy mostly Western province, and the west-central part of Rift Valley province. Luhya migration into the Rift Valley is relatively recent, only dating back to the first few years after independence in 1963, when farms formerly occupied by colonial white settlers were bought by, or given to Africans.Western Kenya is one of the most densely populated parts of Kenya

The Wanga are a tribe of the Luhya people of Kenya. They mainly occupy Butere-Mumias and Kakamega Districts, two of the 8 districts of Kenya's Western Province. The Wanga ancestors were part of the migration that settled in the Kampala area and formed the Buganda or Baganda Kingdom. The Wanga were ruled by Nabongo Mumia.

Traditional Luhya music is characterized by its use of drums, xylophones, and other percussion instruments. The Luhya people are also known for their traditional cuisine, which includes dishes such as matoke (cooked green bananas), ugali (a maize flour porridge), and sukuma wiki (a type of vegetable stew).

The main food for the Luhya people like most Kenyans is ugali (made from maize flour/cornmeal) served with vegetables and meat of cattle, goat, fish or chicken; hence food production in the region is targeted to meet this need. The lower counties of Vihiga, Kakamega and Busia grow substance crops of maize on their low acreage plots, they raise chicken and keep cattle. The Upper parts of Bungoma and Kitale grow large scale maize and produce milk from dairy cows. Fish farming is becoming very prevalent thus producing farm-raised tilapia for consumption. Busia, Mumias and lower Bungoma produce cassava and millet. There is normally a maize supply deficit in the production seasons of the year and a surplus supply during the harvest months resulting in much lower prices to producers during harvest and very high prices to consumers during production months. The producer and consumer may be the same person in different months. The largest sugar production facilities in Kenya are located in the western region where the Luhya people predominantly live. Mumias Sugar Company, Kabras Sugar Company and Nzoia Sugar Company have their contract production zones in the Luhya peoples region, hence sugarcane production is a key commercial enterprise. In Vihiga and some areas of Kakamega, tea bushes are very visible, making tea another key commercial crop grown in this region.

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.

29/08/2024

THE LUO PEOPLE
The Luo of Kenya and Tanzania are a Nilotic ethnic group native to western Kenya and the Mara Region of northern Tanzania in East Africa. The Luo are the fourth-largest ethnic group (10.65%) in Kenya, after the Kikuyu (17.13%), the Luhya (14.35%) and the Kalenjin (13.37%).[3] The Tanzanian Luo population was estimated at 1.1 million in 2001 and 3.4 million in 2020.They are part of a larger group of related Luo peoples who inhabit an area ranging from South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, and northern Tanzania.

They speak the Luo language, also known as Dholuo, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilotic language family. Dholuo shares considerable lexical similarity with languages spoken by other Luo peoples.

The Luo are descended from migrants who moved into western Kenya from Uganda between the 15th and 20th centuries in four waves. These migrants were closely related to Luo peoples found in Uganda, especially the Acholi and Padhola people. As they moved into Kenya and Tanzania, they underwent significant genetic and cultural mixture as they encountered other communities that were long established in the region

Traditionally, Luo people practiced a mixed economy of cattle pastoralism, seed farming and fishing supplemented by hunting.Today, the Luo comprise a significant fraction of East Africa's intellectual and skilled labour force in various professions. They also engage in various trades, such as tenant fishing, small-scale farming, and urban work

Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania form the majority of Nilotic people.During the British colonial period, they were known as Nilotic Kavirondo.The exact location of origin of the Nilotic peoples is controversial but most ethnolinguists and historians place their origins between Bahr-el-Ghazal and Eastern Equatorial in South Sudan. They practiced a mixed economy of cattle pastoralism, fishing and seed cultivation.Some of the earliest archaeological findings on record, which describe a similar culture to this from the same region, are found at Kadero, 48 kilometres (30 miles) north of Khartoum in Sudan, and date to 3000 BC. Kadero contains the remains of a cattle pastoralist culture as well as a cemetery with skeletal remains featuring Sub-Saharan African phenotypes. It also contains evidence of other animal domestication, artistry, long-distance trade, seed cultivation and fish consumption

Luo, people living among several Bantu-speaking peoples in the flat country near Lake Victoria in western Kenya and northern Tanzania. More than four million strong, the Luo constitute the fourth largest ethnic group in Kenya (about one-tenth of the population) after the Kikuyu (with whom they shared political power in the first years after Kenya achieved independence), the Luhya, and the Kalenjin. The Luo speak a Nilotic language of the Nilo-Saharan language family.

They are fishermen as well as settled agriculturists who also keep many cattle. Luo are found throughout East Africa as agricultural labourers and tenant farmers and as urban workers.

Traditionally, each Luo group is an autonomous political unit controlled by a dominant clan or lineage. This segmentary lineage structure, associated with territorial units, is not organized around a particular office; there is no chief. The segmentary system itself is the basis of organization and cooperation. The Luo traditionally believed in a supreme creator, whom they called Nyasi (Nyasaye), and had a strong ancestor cult. At the turn of the 21st century, most Luo were Christians.

The Luo believed in God the creator, Nyasaye, whom they worshiped in sacred places (hembko or hembho). The sacred shrines, trees, huge rocks, hills, and Lake Victoria were associated with the supernatural. Luanda Magere was a famous warrior in Kano village while Gor Mahia was a magician and chief of Kanyamua.

The 12 broad Luo clan groups covered here are Alego, Asembo, Gem, Kadimo (Yimbo), Kajulu, Kano, Kisumo, Nyakach, Sakwa, Seme, Ugenya, and Uyoma, to which the author, Felix O. Okatch, has devoted a chapter each.

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.

27/08/2024

The Pokomo People

The Pokomo people are a Bantu ethnic group of southeastern Kenya. Their population in Kenya was 112,075 in 2019. They are a distinct ethnic group with their own sub-clans/tribes. Despite their proximity, they are not of the nearby Mijikenda people. They are predominantly agriculturalists and both freshwater and ocean fishermen living along the Tana River in Tana River County. They speak the Pokomo language, which is similar to Swahili.

The Pokomo population is split into two groups: the Upper Pokomo, who make up 75% of the population, and the Lower Pokomo. The Upper Pokomo are mainly Muslim, and have been so since the end of the 19th century. The Lower Pokomos, who live along the lower part of the Tana up to the delta, are mainly Christians, converting to the religion by the early 20th century.Ethnologue indicates that the group is mainly Muslim.

The Pokomo are subdivided into eleven (11) sub-tribes: six in the UP (Mila Julu) and five in the LP (Mila Nchini). The word Mila connotes "culture"; julu, nchini and kote mean "up", "lower" and "both" respectively; therefore the word milajulu refers to the culture of the Upper Pokomo and milanchini to the culture of the Lower Pokomo. Thus, Milakote (evolving into Malakote) connotes culture from both sides (here referring to blended culture of Pokomo and Orma/Somalis/Borana).

Upper Pokomo (Wantu wa Julu: "Milajulu")
All UP clans live along the river and in the hinterland from the river on both sides in villages located on small hills, probably to avoid river flooding. The farmlands are within the riverline on both sides of the river stretching an average of 3 miles or until the farms touches the sandy soils.

Milalulu (are located along the riverine from the Rhoka village in the north to Bohoni village)
Zubaki (are mostly found from Chewani village to Lenda village);
Ndura (are within Kelokelo village to Maweni and Mazuni village)
Kinankomba (from Boji and Bububu to Kilindini)
Gwano (from Wenje village to Baomo and Hara Village)
Ndera (from Mnazini village to Sera village)

Lower Pokomo (Milanchini)
The LP occupy the entire Tana Delta (which starts at Baomo) to the mouth of the River before it empties into the Indian Ocean; however, currently some UP have settled together with the LP in the villages of Kipini, Ozi, Kilelengwani, Chara, Chamwanamuma, and Kau among other villages up to Lamu Archipelago and its surrounding islands.

Mwina (live in the villages of Mnguvweni, Gamba, Sera, Mikameni and Mitapani)
Ngatana (live in the villages of Wema, Hewani, Maziwa, Kulesa, Vumbwe, Sera, Gamba and Garsen)
Buu (live in Ngao, Tarasaa, Odha, Sailoni, Sera, Golbanti and Idsowe villages)
Dzunza (mostly found in Kibusu and Shirikisho villages)
Kalindi (they border the Giriamas in Malindi)
In these sub-tribes, clans range from three to nine in either sub-tribe, and they are mostly found cutting across the eleven sub-tribes. The same clan may have different reference names across sub-tribe. The Zubaki sub-tribe is the largest amongst the Pokomo sub-tribes. It has nine clans: Karhayu, Meta, Jabha, Kinaghasere, Garjedha, Utah, Ilani and Kinakala.

Marriage and wedding
The marriage process within the Pokomo community includes specific conditions (Maadha). The man informs his parents, who examine the background of the woman's family. Upon their approval, they visit the bride's family with a perenkera, this is a small vessel for holding to***co. At the bride's parents house, they give her parents the perenkera as a sign to indicate their son's desire. They introduce the topic to the bride's parents and are told to consult the woman. After she is consulted and has given the green light, the groom's parents come back with hasi (a reed basket) as sign that they are ready to move to the next level. If the bride's family accepts the basket, the groom's parents arrange to come later with jifu. Finally the man's family pays the dowry (mahari), followed by the wedding ceremony. Mahari was paid to the bride's family as a sign of respect.

This tradition has decayed. In most cases, the man and woman typically elope. After staying together for sometime, the woman is released to her parents for further training by her aunts on how to care for her family. Divorces were rare and were discouraged.

Naming in the Pokomo community is based on the husband's family tree. The first born if a boy is given the name of the husband's father and if a girl the name of the husband's mother. Subsequent boys takes the names of the husband's brothers in birth order, while if they are girls, the names of the husband's sisters in birth order. Some names that are taken by both boys and girls, with the prefix Ha before a girl's name. For example, Babwoya (name for a man), Habwoya (name for a lady). Names are taken from plant and animal names if the first born died during pregnancy or delivery in the belief that this will offset the bad omen and thus enable the subsequent children to live to adulthood. Children with such names are referred to as Mwana Fwisa. Such names include Mabuke (banana suckers), Nchui (cheetah) etc. Names also are given to children who are born during a certain season.

Pokomo have only two seasons in namely, Sika and Kilimo. They were able to tell by looking into the sky and the moon whether the coming rains are for Mvula ya Masika - short rains, which meant that the community would plant fast-maturing crops or Mvula ya Kilimo – long rains, which meant that the community would plant long-maturing crops and those that require a lot of water to mature, such as rice.

The government was led by a council of elders referred to as kijo. The three arms; the kijo are: (a) judicial system referred to as Gasa; (b) the secretaries (executive assistants) referred to as the Wagangana and (c) the Pokomo religious arm of the Kijo

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.

27/08/2024

THE BORANA COMMUNITY

The Borana community is the largest sub-ethnic group of the Oromo-speaking people. They are a Cush*tic linguistic group in Kenya. Other Oromo communities in Kenya include the Gabra, Orma and the Sakuye. The name Borana means 'free', in reference to their nomadic nature.

Livestock products such as milk and meat are particularly important for the Borana, who use many traditional preservation techniques to increase the quality and extend the shelf life of these products, guaranteeing a food source during times of shortage.

Through the Gadha system, the Boranas are believed to have conquered and protected their territories until the second world war when they were overpowered by colonial policies. Since they were semi-nomadic, their population growth did not match that of their neighbors both in Kenya and Ethiopia, which put them at risk of losing much of their territory. Today, they make up the majority of the population in Moyale and the surrounding region

The Borana have had their own form of government system for the last 568 years, recognized by UNESCO as a heritage that needs to be protected. The system covers political, social, economic and spiritual ways of life.

Politically, it has a system of government where the overall leader is God himself and many unknown things are referred as 'Waqa Bekh', a sentence that can be equated to a Supreme Being knows. The second in command who is also the supreme leader of the whole Borana community is referred to as Abagadha. The Abagadha is the person in charge of all affairs of the Borana community and answerable to the Gumi Gayo (parliament).

Abagadha is anointed at an early age of 1-8 years. The Abagadha and others of his age pass through an education system that will last for forty years after which he will take over the leadership as Abagadha. He and his team will vote from 17 sub-clans of Borana, one parliament member from each sub-clan. The parliament, called Gumi Gayo, functions just like a present day senate with the same roles.

Economically from time immemorial up to the present, the Borana have laws that are passed in the Gumi Gayo covering Borana traditional land and natural resources. Since Boranas were mixed farmers rearing cattle, camels, goats and planting food crops; farming land, grazing land, water sources and their traditional boundaries are paramount to them and in many cases fights broke out between Borana and their neighbors who take advantage of Borana kindness and forcefully rear their animals in Borana grazing land and take over some of the Borana water sources, traditionally called Tula Saglan. Presently the Borana boundaries have been infiltrated by the three governments surrounding Borana territory, these include Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

Socially, Boranas were known to be very kind people especially to the visitors, a weakness that all these three colonial governments used to strip off them most of their ancestral heritages not limited to land, water sources, natural resources and top grazing areas. Boranas harmoniously lived with their neighbors through sharing and helping during hard times like prolonged drought seasons, till colonial powers set in and instigated colonial wars and redrew the African territories into colonial boundaries.

Spiritually, Boranas have a supreme spiritual leader known as Fite Qalu. Besides being a supreme spirituality in charge of prayer in all Borana gatherings, including the Borana parliament, he is also in charge of administration, who appoints other Qalu, putting them in charge of smaller administration units, which can be equated to a present state president, a Qalu who in turn appoints other smaller administrators in his jurisdiction called Jalab (governor) who are respectively in charge of smaller administration, meaning one Qalu is in charge of many Jalab under his state. Accordingly, the Jalab appoints Qae (village) in charge of villages under him. Qae is answerable to Jalab, Jalab is answerable to Qalu, and Qalu is answerable to Fite Qalu. Only Fite Qalu and Qalu have an authority to make a prayer in all gatherings, Jalab and Qae are deprived of that role. No Borana gatherings are recognized without the presence of either Fite Qalu or Qalu who opens the gatherings with a prayer.

The Boranas also have special warriors that defend the community from any enemies. They are in the last stage to the Gadaa stage and are in one part of stages of the Borana system. Only those between 32-40 years are allowed to be part of this special Borana Defense Forces. They are all in an immediate stage to the Gadaa stage called Dori. They serve their community for eight years and meet three times in those years. The first meeting takes place before they depart to different regions of Borana for community protection. The second meeting is after four years. And they meet a last time, again, at the end of their eight years making a ceremony of giving the roles and power of protection to other upcoming members of that age of Dori who were in Raba before. Their time cuts across two consecutive supreme leaders and they serve and take instructions from both.

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.

27/08/2024

BIRTHDAY PACKAGE
Celebrating a birthday? At we love to celebrate! Book our birthday package and leave the planning to us, and we’ll leave the celebrating to you.

Package details:

All Inclusive
>Cake 1kg
>A choice of 1 bottle :(Red Label, Baileys, Amarula, Southern comfort)
>Nyama choma 1kg
>1 soda+ 1 bottle of water
>Free photography

All Inclusive
>Cake 1kg
>A choice of 2 to 3 bottles depending on the number of guests (Hennessy,Martini,Chivas)
>Nyama choma 3 to 5kg depending on the number of guests
> sodas + bottles of water
>Free photography
>Free (2) Tshirts
>Grilled seafood;Calamari,Lobster,Prawns and Fish
>Rice with stew
We do tailoring package










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26/08/2024

NIGHTLIFE EXPERIENCE
It is a summer time in coast most of the people after doing safari and excursion they would like to have a peace of mind. Kenya Classic Tour Travel already known that and that is why we have arranged a transfer for you. We know different night clubs in Malindi, Mtwapa and Diani and we know the best time for you and you cannot get bored. Our professional tour guide will be with you incase you need anything and also to make sure he makes your nightlife experience unforgettable.

23/08/2024

WHALE WATCHING IN WATAMU

Kenya is best known for its terrestrial wildlife – a dream destination for safaris to see the ‘Big 5’ in the iconic landscape of savannah lands dotted with Acacia trees. Few tourists associate Kenya with marine life or dolphin watching, but the country does, in fact, have an active and growing dolphin watching industry and a burgeoning whale watching industry.

Humpback whales are the most majestic animals in the ocean, and can be seen in the Watamu Protected Area on the Kenyan Coast, as well as several other species of whale.

Since 2011 helped by Watamu Marine Association (WMA) research in recent years local fishermen are combining fishing trips with dolphin and whale watching for their guests. WMA have therefore developed good dolphin and whale watching guidelines in an effort to protect marine mammal populations.

Every year, humpback whales migrate north from Antarctica to warmer climates, congregating in Kenyan waters between July and August to calve and mate. After spending two months breeding and nursing their calves, the whales then make their journey back to Antarctica around September.

Watamu – Malindi is located in the rich, shallow coastal waters off north-central Kenya and includes the Watamu Banks, a large nearshore banks system known for its world class sport-fishing. A long-term photo-identification study shows that Indo Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) are resident in the area, with mothers and calves frequently observed in the nearshore waters of the Watamu Marine National Park. Endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) are also present in the area, although they are less well-studied. The Watamu Banks also host humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) belonging to the Southern Hemisphere population labelled ‘Breeding Stock C’ by the International Whaling Commission. Whales migrate through the IMMA between July and October each year, and observations between 2014 and 2016 included mothers and calves.










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21/08/2024

Mangroves of Kenya
It is amazing how most of us have spent quality time in the coast and have noticed the distinctive trees that live along shores, rivers and estuaries, but have no idea what they are. Those distinctive trees are probably the mangrove trees and shrubs that live on muddy soil and some also grow on sand, peat, and coral rocks! It’s not a surprise that even for those that live along the coast and know a thing or two about mangroves have no idea how important the mangrove ecosystem is.

Mangrove trees are halophyte plants that thrive in salt water. So how are they adapted to survive in salt water? Their roots filter freshwater from the saltwater they live in and the unwanted salt is then excreted through pores in the mangrove’s waxy leaves. The Mangrove forests in Kenya can be found along sheltered sedimentary shores especially in bays and estuaries.

The mangrove forest in Kenya covers more than 60,000 hectares!

The mangrove trees in Kenya represent approximately 3% of natural forest cover, covering more than 60,000 hectares! Around 60% of the mangroves occur in Lamu County, in the northern part of Kenya, while in Kwale county, in the southern part of Kenya, we have about 14% of mangrove cover. The best developed mangroves are found in Tana River County, a region found in the northern part of the Kenya coast. This region has the second most extensive patch of mangrove forest after Lamu County according to the Kenya Forest Service.

Globally, there are about 60-70 species of mangroves. In Kenya we have only 9 species of mangroves. The most dominant species are Rhizophora mucronata locally identified as ‘mkoko’. Mkoko is a highly sought after mangrove species mainly used for poles, dye, firewood, fencing and charcoal. Ceriops tagal, Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Sonneratia alba are the other common species.

For instance, the Rhizophora mucronata are dark green, with a spine at the tip almost resembling the leaves of the Bruguiera gymnorrhiza that are also dark green pointed at the tip but lack a spine present in the Rhizophora mucronata. The roots and the zonation can be used as a guide, too! For example, the Bruguiera gymnorrhiza have what we call knee roots, as they form arches arising from the mud, while for the Rhizophora mucronata have a characteristic prop root.

Mangrove forests are a major habitat for many species

If you visit a mangrove ecosystem, you will probably come across plenty of biodiversity! From insects to birds, crabs and shrimp all foraging in the fertile mud. You are also likely to come across plenty of small fish! An estimated two thirds of the fish that we eat in Kenya spend part of their lives in the mangroves which act as their breeding and nursery grounds. A mangrove ecosystem is therefore important in enhancing fishery production and since fishery is a main source of income for coastal communities, the fisheries supported by the mangrove ecosystem become an important source of livelihood.

Mangroves are also good carbon fixers. They store huge stocks of carbon in both above and below ground components. This makes them one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. On average, carbon stock of one hectare of mangroves, including soil carbon, is approximately 1,000 tonnes, which is more than twice the carbon stock of upland forests and five times that of savannah. Other important roles of mangroves include reduced negative impact of cyclonic storms, control of soil erosion and trapping of organic sediments.

Before restoration and rehabilitation became an issue, coastal communities harvested this ecosystem. The extensive logging provided mangrove wood which is generally a cheap, strong and durable building material. In fact, a majority of the beach hotels that emerged when tourism boomed in Kenya used mangrove wood as a building material. Most of these hotels remained intact despite being abandoned for years when tourism dropped in Kenya. Coastal communities also used this wood for building boats and houses! As a result of the unsustainable harvesting of this precious ecosystem, Kenya lost about 20% of its mangrove cover between 1985 and 2009, meaning 450 hectares of mangroves disappeared every year. A new study reports human pressure, erosion, drought, and sea-level changes as the main drivers of changes in mangrove cover in four countries with Kenya amongst them. The bottom line is, the cost of losing mangrove ecosystems is loss of biodiversity and loss of carbon stores which help reducing climate change!

Our contribution at both Conservation Education Society and Marine Life Protectors is highlighting some of these threats by creating awareness and educating the public on the importance of mangroves through our social media platforms, our education programmes and our eco tours while visiting the Marine Education Centre.

Creating awareness on the importance of mangrove ecosystems has proven to work through a rise in restoration programmes. There are a number of community groups that work together to restore the deforested mangroves simply because they have now realized they get more in return for conserving the mangrove forests!

One of the most famous projects that has put Kenya on a global radar is a community mangrove restoration project in a small village in South Coast Kenya bordering the Indian Ocean with a mangrove forest. The carbon offset project Mikoko Pamoja (Mangroves Together) is the first of its kind in the world to successfully trade mangrove carbon credits. The sale of carbon credits is used to fund mangrove conservation alongside development programs within the community of Gazi village. This project has been so successful that it has been used as a model for mangrove restoration not only in Kenya but throughout the entire Western Indian Ocean region.

Welcome to Kenya Classic Tour Safaris, your gateway to unforgettable safari adventures in the heart of Africa. Our safari company is dedicated to providing exceptional and authentic safari experiences that showcase the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Kenya.