Saqqara, Egypt

Internet was down yesterday so I couldn't update the blog but here I am now. Yesterday I went to Saqqara with a guide from the guesthouse that I am staying at and got to see the oldest pyramid in Egypt.

Saqqara is the oldest archeological site in the country where nobles were laid to rest when Memphis which is close by, was the capital of ancient Egypt. One of the highlights of Saqqara is the step pyramid of Djoser which is the oldest pyramid that is essentially the prototype from which other pyramids like the famous Giza pyramids were built. This pyramid was built by Imhotep who is one of the first recognized architects in history and it stands at 60 meters (200 feet). 

There is so much history to be found at Saqqara and I am glad that I went with a guide because it helped having someone explain the significance of certain areas. 

After exploring Saqqara we headed to Memphis to check out the open air museum that has the famous colossal laying statue of Ramses II who was one of the most powerful pharaohs that ruled Egypt during it's golden age. I can't even begin to imagine the work that went into making this statue, it's truly remarkable.

That's it folks! It was a day well spent and I am glad I got to learn a lot of Egyptian history. I am just summarizing everything as I could not possibly remember it all. Watch out for the next update as I have more adventures coming up.

Giza, Egypt

I am currently in Egypt for a week before heading back to Kenya. This was planned as a side trip since Cairo is only about 4 hrs away from Nairobi by plane, I decided to take advantage and visit as I had always wanted to check out Egypt.

I am staying at a guest house in Giza which is a city that neighbors Cairo, and the incredible thing about my accommodation is the proximity to the very famous Giza pyramids. We are neighbors basically and I get to enjoy the sites of the pyramids as soon as I step out of my room, onto the veranda.

There are 3 main pyramids in Giza but the biggest one is the Great Pyramid which was built during king Khufu's reign over a span of more than 20 years. It stands tall at 146 meters (479 feet) with a base of 230 meters (754 feet) research has shown that there was no slave labor involved. Paid Egyptian workers were actually employed to build the pyramids. It is believed that the pyramids were built to serve as tombs for the kings but no one knows for sure. What is certain though is the incredible workmanship that went into building them, it's incredible!

The other two main pyramids aside from the great one were built by King Khufu's son and grandson during their respective reigns. Smaller pyramids can also be found in the surrounding areas and these were built for the queens.

The Sphinx is also another remarkable site close to the pyramids. It has the body of a lion with a human head and it stands 20 meters (66 feet) tall with a length of 73 meters (240 feet). Imagine all that curved from a single mass of limestone, incredible! Right?

Take a look at the wall below and tell me that's not perfection. See how precise the cut of each block is? Air pressure was used to fuse them together and they have stood the test of time. I was just wowed by it all!

That's it! Folks, first day in Egypt I hit the ground running as I am trying to maximize my stay here, more adventures await so do watch out for another update.

Adventure Filled Day at Kereita Forest

If you are in Nairobi and decide to escape the city in search of nature and an adventure filled day or weekend, head no further than Kereita forest which is only 60 Kms/37 miles from the city. The forest borders the Aberdare's mountain range to the south and is part of it's ecosystem, it is home to a variety of: animals, plant species (some medicinal), Kereita cave and waterfall. The word kereita in kikuyu (local tribe), means "a place of warriors" and it's in this forest that the Mau Mau freedom fighters used as cover when fighting against the British colonialists. 

The beauty of the forest is indescribable and you can enjoy it by partaking in the numerous fun activities being offered. There is zip lining, guided nature walks, mountain biking, paint ball, archery, horse riding etc. as you can see, there is plenty to keep you busy and entertained. I should also mention that the zipline happens to be the longest in East Africa with a length of 2.2 kms/1.4 miles. Entry into the forest is free of charge but you have to pay for the activities, you can buy a package that includes the activities that you are interested in or pay for just one particular activity. the choice is yours.

My family and I decided to do the nature walk which lasted an hour, archery and zip lining. There are two choices for zip lining, you can do two lines which is back and forth, or do 6 lines which will take you around the forest. The 6 lines add up to the 2.2 kms/1.4 miles length and are not continuous, after each line you have to do a little bit of hiking to get to the next. It is quite the work out but well worth it! we opted for the 6 lines which I would highly recommend.

That's it folks! it was such a fun day and we all enjoyed the outing. There is so much to do in Kenya and I have only scratched the surface, watch out for more adventures as I tried squeezing in as much as I can within this vacation.

Visiting Thompson Falls

Today we headed out to Nyahururu which is a town in Laikipia county (Kenya has 47 counties). The town lies 2360 meters/7743 feet above sea level, making it the highest city in Kenya. The name Nyahururu is derived from a Maasai (local tribe) word meaning waterfalls and what brought us to the town is the beautiful Thompson Falls.

Thompson Falls is 74 meters/243 feet high and although it is not be the highest or biggest waterfall in the country, it is still worth a visit because of the beautiful surrounding area.

The best way to truly enjoy the falls is to go down a flight of curved stone stairs that lead up to it, It is a good workout for sure but totally do-able and nothing beats the beauty that greats you once you get down below. It is amazing! Take a look.

That's it folks! This trip was so much fun and I am so glad that we got to check out the falls and just have a good adventurous time surrounded by nature. My aim is to explore other beautiful places and adventures that Kenya has to offer besides game safaris and the coastal areas. Let the adventures continue!

Lake Elementaita

My family and I decided to take a road trip outside Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya where I am currently situated. We headed to Lake Elementaita which is a salt lake located in the Great Rift Valley. The lake is home to hundreds of different bird species and a variety of other animals.

The ecology of the lake is greatly influenced by rain and water levels. Specific conditions have to be present in order to provide food to the different species of animals found in the area. If there is no food the animals migrate elsewhere. With that being said, the best time to visit is during the dry season (July to Oct and Jan to Feb) where you can see more diverse species of animals.

Another attraction of the lake is it's geothermal effects. The water is warm so it feels good to dip your feet in it and relax while enjoying the scenery. Today was a rainy cool day so that warm water came in handy.

We had a good time during our visit despite not being able to see as many birds as we would have wished. Honestly the photos I took don't do the scenery justice but hopefully they give you an idea of how beautiful the place is

That's it folks! A good time was had before coming back to Nairobi, Lake Elementaita may not be as popular as other sites in Kenya but I think it's worth a visit. I should also mention that there are lodges and spas in the area for over night stays. Tomorrow another adventure awaits so watch out for an update.

Kenya Entry Requirements

Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya! I am so glad to be back home given the fact that I had to cancel this trip last year due to the pandemic and the general uncertainty of things at the time. Since then, entry requirements into Kenya have changed so I figured it would probably be a good idea to touch on this as my first post for this trip before we get to the fun stuff, here goes:

Visa - First things first, check if you need a visa to enter Kenya based on your country of origin. I know for sure if you travel with a US passport for instance, you will need a visa to enter Kenya.

• Cost - It depends on what kind of visa you require, a single entry visa costs $51 while a multiple entry visa costs $101.

• eVisa - Before, you could easily get a Kenyan visa upon arrival at the airport or you could also get it in advance by applying online. Starting January of 2021 Kenya decided to make an eVisa a mandatory entry requirement meaning, no more visas upon arrival at the airport instead you have to go to this website https://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html to apply for an eVisa in advance. Once you get the visa which is usually within two business days, make sure to print it out in color.

• Application for an eVisa - The application itself is easy enough although I found it easier to apply for a single entry visa than a multiple entry visa (my Kenyan passport expired so I am traveling with a US passport). Since I will be traveling to another country as well during this trip and coming back to Kenya, I just applied for the single entry visa twice. 

• Tip: This might or might not happen to you. After you are done with your application and are ready to pay with a card (visa or master card only), depending on the browser you are using you might get a message indicating that your payment could not go through. This happened to me so many times even when I tried using different cards, my bank was already aware of the transaction so the issue wasn't related to them blocking the transaction. I read online that trying a different browser might help, I was using Safari but when I switched to Explorer then my payment went through without a glitch. 

Covid test - You will need to show proof of a negative covid-19 PCR test taken within 96 hours so plan accordingly. 

Electronic Travelers Surveillance - Prior to entering Kenya all travelers are required to fill this form which can be found here: https://ears.health.go.ke/airline_registration/ it's best to fill this after you have received your negative covid-19 test. After submitting this form a QR code will be generated, print this and include it with your travel documents.

Conclusion: The 3 documents that I mentioned above are mandatory before entering Kenya and they will be checked at each point of your departure and entry into Kenya. In my case they were checked at the US airport that I traveled from, at the Paris CDG airport where I was transiting and finally at the Nairobi airport when I arrived to Kenya. Do expect some delays as the whole process of checking for these documents from all passengers takes time.

That's it folks! tomorrow the adventures begin so watch out for any updates.