Repackaging Tharaka Nithi Attractions

27/03/2024

Monitor lizards
Monitor lizards are lizards in Varanus, the only extant genus in the Varanidae family. They are native to Africa and Asia. The name may have been suggested by their occasional habit of standing on their two hind legs and appearing to "monitor." At least some species of monitors are known to be able to count. studies feeding rock monitors varying numbers of snails showed that they can distinguish numbers up to six. Nile monitors have been observed to cooperate when foraging; one animal lures the female crocodile away from her nest, while the other opens the nest to feed on the eggs. The decoy then returns to also feed on the eggs.
Monitor lizards are oviparous, laying from seven to 38 eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.

16/03/2024

Hartebeest {Kongoni}
It is a large antelope with an elongated forehand and peculiar-shaped horns. They have short and shiny coats, reddish to tawny in the upper parts. They have long legs, standing just over one metre at the shoulder. They weigh 100–200kg. Both sexes have horns, U-shaped from the front and Z-shaped from the sides, growing backwards at first and then forward, ending with a sharp backward turn.
They are mainly active during the daytime, they graze in the early morning and late afternoon and rest in shade around noon. Large numbers gather in places with abundant grass. While feeding, one individual stays on the lookout for danger, often standing on anthills to see farther.

10/03/2024

Over 130 years old church in Chogoria..more places to explore.

23/02/2024

Sites from Mt Kenya, Chogoria route.

22/02/2024

Much more to do in Mount Kenya.
Quench your outdoor wild dream. Dust your bike and helmet.

22/02/2024

Kenya is indeed a wildlife haven. A real experience in their natural habitat.

03/02/2024

Do you know Mt Kenya has the most unique plants...Robellias makes the mountain physique landscape vibrant.

31/01/2024

31/01/2024

Do you know we gave high altitude snakes. This endemic Mt Kenya viper lives in Mt Kenya and Aberdares. It is very secretive and most likely you won't see it. It hides under the rocks and will get out early in the morning to sun itself then as the day gets colder it retreat back. Feeds on rats and lizards. No bites have been reported.

31/01/2024

Along the Gorgeous Gorges valley we have a silent waterfall. The Vivien falls. It boasts to be number 117 highest in term of altitude waterfall in the world. Tharaka Nithi got it.

31/01/2024

Kandakame falls along River Maara.

29/01/2024

Ancient Stories Of Our People

Inanduru cave (Inanduru is located in Tharaka Nithi County)

In the old days, the salt licks in Inanduru were accessed by goats.
The goats spend the night there, and no predator went into the cave.
Due to the terrain however, the cows could not make it to the cave. So they had to be brought the salt lick dug from the cave floor/walls.

The people held these provision in awe and certain words and expressions in regards to the caves were taboo;

"Nenkeria kiondo nthi Inanduru kwinja munyu ndetere ng'ombe ....."
That would be fatal. How?
Story continues......

The specific words expressed were:

"Nenkeria karae nthi kwa juju nkarauke ...."
and one would make it safely in and out of the cave.

Karae = kiondo
Kwa juju = Inanduru cave
Nkarauke = nkenje munyu

The story goes that on one ocassion a woman from the village defied the clan's courtesy and out of rebellion used the forbiden expressions

"Ndathi Inanduru kwinja munyu ndetere ng'ombe ....."

She went in, and as she was digging the salt lick, a rock fall ensued and she was buried in the pile. Dead.

The legend has it that uttering the words "Ndathi Inanduru kwinja mwonyo ndetere ng'ombe ....." would lead to a rockfall which would kill the person defying the rule.

As told by Mzee Gikona, ( The owner of the Land housing Inanduru entrance)

You cannot miss out on this venture, come along and let us walk the ancient path of our people, let us claim back our inheritance and preserve our stories for the generations!!

28/01/2024

Let's talk about this old building. It holds a history from 1920s. Commonly known as Gwa Keeru or Mutindwa Dispensary. It is the oldest permanent administirial building in Eastern. It was a colonial DC's office and later it became a PCEA health center with the first care taker Keeru Micheni who is now retired. Children dreaded this place and Nurse Keeru was known with injections. Therefore during it's era as a dispensary it gained the name Gwa Keeru. That was in 80s..later it housed the area Chief. It's now vacated and maybe waiting for the next occupant. Note it's in it's original form save for the iron sheets and the waiting area extension. Stay tuned for more

28/01/2024

Apart from Lake Ellis and Lake Michaelson, what other Lake or tarn can you name at Mt Kenya National Park?

28/01/2024

History follow up by the grandson of the Author of No picnic on Mt Kenya.
Follow this page for more.

18/01/2024

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
The wading bird known as the hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) is of medium size. Its nearest relatives are believed to be shoebills and pelicans. This species got its name from the Afrikaans word for hammerhead because of the resemblance of its head shape, which has a large beak and crest at the back, like a hammer. It is a brown-plumed, medium-sized aquatic bird. It inhabits a wide range of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky beaches, and is found in Africa, Madagascar, and Arabia. The hamerkop is a sedentary (not migratory) bird that frequently moves locally. The hamerkop consumes a variety of food items, primarily fish and amphibians, but it also occasionally consumes prawns, insects, and rodents. The species is adaptive and will eat any kind of prey, however, it mostly hunts in shallow water by touch or sight. The species is well known for its massive nests, many of which are constructed during the mating season. The nest features an inside nesting chamber where the eggs are laid, which is unusual for a wading bird. The eggs are incubated by both parents, who also rear the chicks.

14/01/2024

-Repackaging Tharaka Nithi Attractions

Gaketha Elephant Maternity.
Gaketha could be a major tourist location in Tharaka-Nithi, as locals and worldwide travellers would visit the place in large numbers during the two wet seasons to witness this astonishing exercise. During the year, the area is like any other standard part of the forest. It is during July and December that the largest land mammals gather for one of nature’s rarest spectacles. The pregnant jumbos from the entire Mt. Kenya forest and the neighbouring Laikipia plains converge to give birth, hence the name “Elephant maternity”.
The choice of this location is not wholly understood, but we can sum up some observations. It is on the windward side, receiving enough rainfall. The vegetation is evergreen, with plenty of undergrowth foliage for the babies. There are pockets of clear open fields for assembly. The area is relatively levelled and the ground is soft and tender with clay-like soil, which can be smeared over the babies to keep away parasites like tsetse flies and crawling insects.
From the myths, it is said that the elephants used to have their maternity at Kajogu Cliff, which is translated to “a small elephant”. It is believed that a mother in labour pains slipped and fell off the cliff. The wailing, groaning, and moaning set the others on the run. Given that the elephants keep memories for a long time, they pass the information on to later generations. They have avoided Kajogu till today.
Within the vicinity are the Maumau caves at the edge of the forest, which were used as the arsenal for Mau Mau war veterans during the struggle for independence. The sacred Urumandi natural footbridge on the Maara River, which the locals believe is a ‘holy place’ and ‘ritually unclean people’ fear to utilise.

13/01/2024

The Jewish/ Ethiopian connection.
The narrative goes back to the reign of King Solomon of the Jewish empire. King Solomon had constructed the temple to house the covenant box forever. But he married foreign wives who introduced the worship of foreign gods in the temple he had dedicated to the God of his father David. Queen Makenda of Sheba “Ethiopia” visited King Solomon’s court after hearing about his great wisdom. She stayed and learned from him for six months. She became pregnant before she returned to her kingdom, where she bore Solomon a son, Menelik. After the death of the Queen, Menelik 1 was made king by his father, thus founding the royal Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia, which ruled until the deposition of Haile Selassie I in 1974. His entourage with the consent of Levites, carried the covenant box (managi) to Sheba (Ethiopia). Finally, after years of temporary location in Ethiopia, the covenant box was put to rest in Axum.
The proto-Gikuyu (Kabiru/Hebrew) are Levites. They had come from “Baci” (Ethiopia) at a place called Axum. They had to leave Axum because “Nguo ndune” (people of red costumes) or “Tunyaga” (the people of the cross - Knight Templers) had conspired to steal “Managi”-