Above: Sunrise at South Nandi Forest surrounded by Nyayo Tea Zone at Kobujoi. May 2019. Copyright Rupi Mangat
It’s dawn. And magical.
In the first light, the rising sun illuminates the tea and forest-clad peaks of the South Nandi Forest as a white mist lifts languidly from the valleys. It’s so beautiful an image that we have to stop to take it all in. On the other side of the road that stretches from Kapsabet to Nandi Hills Town via Serem, the ancient rock-clad hills of Maragoli lines Lake Victoria that is Africa’s largest lake.

In the early morning, women with woven baskets on their backs weave their way along the tea fields picking the ‘two leaves and a bud’ so fast that by the end of the day they have filled several baskets.
Within minutes of turning in at Kobujoi we’re in the little-explored South Nandi Forest that until six decades ago stretched all the way from its more famous cousin, the iconic Kakamega Forest. Until recent centuries, these forests were connected to the great Congolese rainforest that is the second largest tropical rainforest on earth and the lungs of Africa. An estimated eight per cent of the earth’s carbon is stored in the forests of the DRC, making the country the fourth largest carbon reservoir in the world. And to think we were once part of this great forest once makes the mind boggle.

Once inside the forest, we take a detour to the gigantic rock in the inner sanctum of the forest. The rock towers amongst the indigenous trees and once atop it, it’s a different view of the forest looking down – instead of up – on the forest floor full of ferns and vines, leaves and moss-clad tree trunks.

The forest charms. A snake slithers to catch a mouse but misses it. It happens so fast that nobody catches a picture of it. We’re looking for animals that are only found in this part of the world with support from the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW – another way of saying ‘a few’). During the night, we’ve been regaled with palm-sized moths appearing from the forest attracted by the lights. The owl moth with its eye spots fools the predator into thinking its’ a big owl while the Atlas moth is named so because of its size – the largest of the moths with an incredible natural history. It has no mouth and once it comes out of its pupa it survives on its stored fat for a week and then dies.

We explore different forest paths. On a quiet path, Jacob Chesum the community forest guard stops and silently points to a nestling still in its nest in the cusp of a tree.
The forest path continues past a stream to the farmers’ fields that are full of vegetables like tomatoes guarded by a family of scarecrows all dressed in different outfits. They are works of art by the local farmer who calls himself Safari – so named because he was born during the then East African Rally in 1964.
In the four days in the forest, one of the highlights is to look for forest birds that are only found in the tropical rainforests. And it does not disappoint. The signature species is the Turner’s eremomela whose stronghold is this forest even though its range spreads to the Congolese forest.
When the branch moves on the canopy, all eyes shoot up to watch a family of colobus monkeys feed on the leaves and then we’re even more amazed to see the rarely seen red-tailed monkey.
Reaching a river that flows to meet the Yala before draining into Victoria, Wendy Ayers in the group tells us about a new health therapy that’s big in the US – it’s called Forest Bathing.
And we’re in the perfect spot for it.

All you have to do is be part of the forest. It’s a Japanese therapy called ‘Shinrin-yoku’ derived in the 1980s. The scientifically-proven benefits of Shinrin-yoku are boosting your immune system and energy levels that we declare South Nandi Forest should be a protected forest for ‘forest bathers’.

On the last day in forest, we make it to the little visited northern part of South Nandi Forest. It’s Sunday and little Nandi boys march into the forest with buckets to smoke out the bees for honey. With expert ease, the kids who are only seven years old ask me to stand aside if l don’t want to be stung. One gathers moss from the tree trunks and lights it close to the hole in the tree.

The forest ranger in plains’ clothes appears. And the kids vanish with lightning speed.
Fact File
Visit South Nandi Forest. Contact South Nandi Environment Biodiversity Conservation Group that is the site support group of Nature Kenya for guides. 172 species of birds were recorded. You can request for the bird list from Nature Kenya to help you with your birding in South Nandi Forest.
Read more on South Nandi Forest.
You must report to the forester’s office at Kobujoi before entering.
You can camp at Kobujoi Forest Station Eco Bandas and Campsite or stay in comfort at Eden Springs Hotel in Kapsabet.

You can make this part of a longer trip with Kakamega forest up to Mtelo Mountain past Kitale.
Customer
https://amoxil.science/# buy amoxicillin 500mg online
[url=https://zithromax.science/#]cheap zithromax[/url] can i buy zithromax over the counter
Customer
https://stromectol.science/# ivermectin 9mg
Customer
https://zithromax.science/# zithromax prescription online
[url=https://zithromax.science/#]buy zithromax[/url] buy zithromax no prescription
Customer
Women Dianabol is not advised, because on the basis of its strong component, it causes a noticeable in women virilization buy 5mg propecia in the uk 50 showed that artificial fusion and expression of MLL1 DOT1L immortalizes hematopoietic progenitors
Customer
baumannii, by 3 tamoxifen and uterine cancer with significant difference P
Customer
buy doxycycline hyclate 100mg without a rx doxy 200 or doxycycline 100 mg
http://greenterraindustries.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=doxycycline.science doxycycline hydrochloride 100mg
[url=http://www.taiwanwave.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=doxycycline.science]order doxycycline online[/url] doxycycline 100mg capsules and [url=http://m.bunbun000.com/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=9200431]vibramycin 100 mg[/url] online doxycycline
Customer
Vernon Francois RELATED STORIES: A trusted cleansing shampoo is one of the most important black hair products that you can ever own. Deep cleansing and moisturizing are necessary to keep your curls fresh and tight every day of the week. The Detoxifying + Pomegranate & Ginger Shampoo from OGX is one of our fave budget-friendly natural hair products. Shop it here: amzn.to1rywcLU }} Subscribe Which is why usually you have to go to certain areas and specific shops to buy hair products that are actually designed and created for your hair type. “When applied while hair is fully saturated with water, it dries in the same state that your hair looks like wet,” she explained. “It dries hard, like gel, but can be finger-combed because it still gives a flexible hold with no flakes or product build-up.” https://repo.getmonero.org/korean-glass-skin The following Korean beauty brands are NOT cruelty-free. Almost all of the below brands sell its products in mainland China where animal testing is required by law. As a result, they cannot be considered cruelty-free to our standards. Korean beauty is ever-growing in popularity, but unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you can walk into any Sephora or Ulta and find lots of Korean makeup products. There are many great online sources for ordering beauty products. The products in this roundup are available on mainstream American websites like Amazon, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta. You can usually save on shipping, or even score free shipping, by purchasing numerous products at once. E Nature is a naturalism brand that makes healthy products from natural ingredients. Their products contain no synthetics or parabens. (Parent company isn’t cruelty free.)
Customer
comprare cialis online On the molecular level, ER positive breast tumors mainly constitute the luminal A and luminal B subtypes
Customer
https://stromectol.science/# minocycline 50 mg
[url=https://amoxil.science/#]buy amoxil[/url] order amoxicillin 500mg
Customer
naproxen 500mg over the counter pills like viagra over the counter cvs
Customer
over the counter asthma inhaler over the counter weight loss pills or uti treatment over the counter
http://alienbeing.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com over the counter yeast infection
[url=http://t1glu.org/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com]male to female hormones over the counter[/url] over the counter diuretic and [url=https://98e.fun/space-uid-4416584.html]uti over the counter[/url] the best over counter sleep aid
Customer
over the counter blood pressure medicine uti treatment over the counter or what is the best over-the-counter anti-inflammatory for dogs
http://ww17.640pixels.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com over the counter stocks
[url=http://robertjtaylor.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com]over the counter health and wellness products[/url] over the counter ear wax removal and [url=http://xn--fiqy4bfim2v07f5wlq47bcigq13a.com/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=206887]over the counter uti medication[/url] humana over the counter
Customer
is.there anywhere you can buy zithromax Previous studies, reviewed by Steere in an accompanying editorial, 1 had demonstrated that tetracycline was modestly more effective than either penicillin or erythromycin, but that 20 days of tetracycline therapy was no better than 10 days
Customer
over the counter cold sore medicine meclizine over the counter
Customer
over the counter cough medicine eczema treatment over the counter or scabies treatment over the counter walmart
http://cornerstoneleasing.net/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com over the counter inhalers
[url=http://architectnyc.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=over-the-counter-drug.com]the best over counter sleep aid[/url] best over the counter sleep aid and [url=http://dev.zpele.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=466171]over the counter medicine for uti[/url] over the counter antihistamine
Customer
https://over-the-counter-drug.com/# ivermectin over the counter
Customer
over the counter muscle relaxers cvs the best over counter sleep aid
Customer
ciprofloxacin buy generic ciprofloxacin
https://amoxil1st.store/# buy amoxicillin over the counter uk
[url=https://doxycycline1st.store/#]doxycycline 100mg capsules price in india[/url] buy doxycycline 100mg capsules
Customer
prednisone tabs 20 mg where to buy prednisone in australia or 6 prednisone
http://videobranson.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=prednisone1st.store prednisone 20mg online pharmacy
[url=http://starpayments.net/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=prednisone1st.store]can you buy prednisone over the counter[/url] buy prednisone nz and [url=https://quantrinet.com/forum/member.php?s=e079aec40ce550ddc2fe277fc4dace05&u=285601]prednisone price australia[/url] can i order prednisone
Customer
ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablet price where to buy cipro online