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Kenya by air – a scenic flight into the Great Rift Valley – with a morning flight over the Laikipia plateau, a picnic breakfast under remote Acacia Tree in the southern tip of the Suguta Valley, and a few moments with the Pokot people for a glimpse into their culture which revolves around a nomadic live, with their livestock.

TSAVO – a wilderness of immense biodiversity, and together with its sister park Tsavo West, is home to the largest population of elephant in Kenya.! We have so much to say about this special, greatly under-utilised protected area in southern Kenya.

A couple of highlights:

Kenya’s 2nd longest river- the GALANA (also known as the Sabaki river) runs through the heart of Tsavo East.

Mzima Springs is a series of crystal-clear pools – its spring water is filtered through volcanic rock resulting in a haven for fish, crocodiles and hippos, birds and monkeys. The springs produce an incredible 250 million litres of fresh water a day.

Shetani lava flows and caves are a great attraction. Meaning ‘devil’ in Kiswahili, the lava flows were formed only a few hundred years ago, and local people believed that it was the devil himself emerging from the earth.

Enormous herds of red elephants that dust themselves with red-oxide soil, so typical of Tsavo.  Big Tusker elephants – unique genes that produce enormous tusks, and although such giants once roamed across much of Africa, fewer than 20 are left in the world, and half of them live in Tsavo.

Enchanted Lake on Mount Kenya – so scenic and remote – completely off the beaten track! How lucky we were to spend a morning here, trying our luck at trout fishing – with a hot coffee, whilst taking in the alpine scenery and cool mountain air! Photo by Timmy Flowers – Captain of the Airbus Helicopter H130, carrying out a scenic helicopter tour over the peaks of Mount Kenya, followed by a stop at this alpine lake.  March 2021

Northern Kenya is experiencing its worst locust invasion for 70 years, and second-generation breeding is underway with uncountable hopper bands forming.  Food security is threating 20 million people, along with their livestock, which for the majority is their only form of livelihood.  The situation is extremely worrying!

UN Food and Agriculture Organization along with other organisations are working hard to get the situation under control.  Tropic Air’s caravan is one of the many aircraft helping with the efforts. Daily surveillance operations are underway, which include hours of flying in transects, to identify and confirm the location and movements of the vast swarms, before deploying spray planes carrying pesticide.