A piece of heaven in Shompole

Past the Nairobi National Park, the dramatic drop at Corner Baridi to the prehistoric sites of Mt Esakut and Olorgesailie, past Magadi’s shimmering waters, factories and dry white crust of the trona, we reach the black volcanic buff opening to the dramatic view of the lowlands stretching to Nguruman escarpment.

Two hours later, we’re at Loisiijo Camp which belongs to the Shompole Maasai in Shompole conservancy. It’s so picturesque with the main lounge built around a huge tamarind tree with a thatched roof and no walls.

A path along the Uaso Nyiro river leads to the four bandas sitting under the shade of fat old fig trees.

It’s a beautiful idyllic camp. A vervet monkey watches me as I enjoy a cool shower in the open-roofed showers giving beautiful views of the sky, scrub and trees.

Outside, a thick swathe of muddy waters flows down the Nguruman escarpment through the flat dust plains of Shompole.

The sound of young Maasai morans drifts through the air as they float by perched on a fat log in the middle of the Ewaso Nyiro and into Lake Natron, the salt lake where flamingoes nest and one of the few places in East Africa which give the crimson birds safe sanctuary.

The morans are in their last throes of idyllic youth spending time in the forest before they graduate to the next level of senior morans.

Baboons

The searing afternoon sun sucks all energy and forces us to seek shade till eventide. The shadows of the trees are cast longer and overhead, the congress of baboons (that’s the word for a group) yawns and stretches after their afternoon siesta.

Leaves and acorns from the fig trees drop into the water as the baboons climb down in a matter of minutes to the banks of the river for a drink – it’s really interesting watching them and I’m looking forward to the baboon walk – similar to the gorilla walks in Uganda and DRC.

They spend the evening playing and grooming each other with the occasional burst of shrill cries when the young squabble and fall into the river – so similar to humans. But what fascinates me is that they never come to our side to harass us.

Left alone, baboons will never approach humans – they only become pests when we feed them or when we start invading their space.

“Loisiijo means the tamarind tree in Maa,” explains Christopher Ole Shani a member of the conservancy set up by his community. He’s happy doubling up looking after guests and when there’s time, to tend his cattle.

“We used to come here to eat meat and when we decided to build the lodge, we chose this place because it is so beautiful.”

Sacred mountains

On the plains outside the lodge, we’re surrounded by hills – the Nguruman ranges with the Loita hills lined behind. Shompole hill looks splendid.

Earlier, driving past Magadi where the brilliant bright trona is harvested from the shallow salt lake, the dormant volcano, Ol Lengai appears perfectly symmetrical in Tanzania. It is one of the sacred mountains of the Maasai.

Refreshed after the afternoon siesta, the evening stroll in the wooded grove of sculpted tortilis trees reveal different species of birds.

We’re mesmerised by the effortless drift of the Black-chested snake eagle soaring over the plains and the Martial eagle perched on the high branches of a thorn tree.

The binoculars reveal the wattled starlings with their turkey-like throats. A Maasai ostrich with a bright pink neck walks the plains haughtily.

The next morning, it’s the rustle of the branches that awakens me. The baboons waking up, stretch and climbing down the trees, limbering up for the day. The sun is quick to heat the air.

Plumes of dust devils whipped by the wind rise in the thermals. Dome-shaped anthills stand like castles on the plains. The early morning game drive has a trio of Maasai giraffes, a lone gnu, impalas and the gazelles. The elephants are at the swamp.

Back at Loisiijo, breakfast tastes so good with the grey-headed kingfisher in a brilliant blue profusion of colours flitting around on the branches and the colourful red and yellow barbet breaking into an animated twitter.

By the fig tree, a Bearded woodpecker is busy drilling into the tree. Shani catches a catfish for lunch using a homemade fishing rod.

It’s just before the short rains – the road from Shompole to Nairobi especially around Magadi and the ancient volcano Olorgesailie is filled with swathes of white flowered mellifera acacias all in bloom.

It is a land so filled with volcanic upheavals with gorges and mountains for one of the most dramatic views of the Rift.

Email: [email protected]