Hell's Gate National Park

On the way to outreach weekend, we drove through part of the Great Rift Valley. We stopped at a scenic view point. It was a little cloudy so it was hard to see far. So glad we had our professional driver with us. The curves and winding roads are terrifying!

The second day of outreach is really just sightseeing. We stayed in a cute little guest house in Gilgil. From the outside, it looks a bit menacing. There are no windows at all. Once you enter the main gate of the building, you find yourself in a courtyard and each room has a window that looks over the courtyard so there is lots of natural light in each room. We were a small group so we each had our own room and HOT shower! I had a wonderful night sleep. Although the guest house manager started playing his music at about 5 AM really loudly. 

After breakfast, we went to Hell's Gate National Park. We got mountain bikes and rode through the park and saw a lot of Zebras. The park is home to many other herbivores including zebras, giraffes, pumbas, gazelles, and baboons. I only got picture of the zebras, because they were so plentiful and I was on a bike - hard to take photos and steer.

The bike ride started out pretty well. It was mostly downhill and the sun wasn't too high in the sky yet. I actually wore a long sleeved shirt for most of the ride. My favorite part was when at one point, I rounded a bend and out of no where, a single giraffe appeared. I was probably a out 30 feet away. Incredible. Seeing the wildlife (not in a zoo) never gets old!

So many Zebras

We parked our bikes and hiked through a ravine/gorge. It was so beautiful. We saw a snake. Some people said it was a cobra, but I don't know if I believe them, never the less, we kept our distance! We also encountered a few hot springs a long the way. This was my first experience with hot springs and I was so surprised at how hot the water actually is! Apparently the water is good for skin. So I rubbed 

my arms with it as well as my hands! 

The gorge that was used as the inspiration 
for the buffalo stampeded in the Lion King...maybe

The bike ride back was terrible. It was mostly uphill and the sun was so hot and direct. Maybe this is why it's called Hell's Gate. I didn't make it all the way back. It was about 3 miles each way (so it should have been manageable). But at about a half mile to go, I just about fainted... Not all that uncommon for me in the summer but still embarrassing. So, I had to sit on the side of the path and wait for the van to come get me.

Over all, though, it was a good experience. I'm glad I got to see giraffes on this excursion. I think they're my favorite.