The Kakamega Rainforest

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Hello!

Last weekend we got the opportunity to go to the Kakamega Rainforest which is only 30 minutes away from the ACCES office and apartment. It was truly an amazing experience!

We stayed at this place called Rondo Retreat. Oh and what a retreat it was! You wouldn't even expect a place like this to exist around here. It is situated right in the middle of the rainforest. As soon as we arrived and got past the gates and tall hedges hiding this landmine, I felt like I was in pure heaven. It has five little colonial style cottages sitting on a very well kept garden with tall trees and exotic plants everywhere. The people were so friendly there. They took us to our room, the “Bob and Betty Room” which was in the main cottage that opened up to a large veranda where you could sit and admire the nature and forest surrounding you.

As soon as we put our bags down, we went back to the reception area where our guide Job was waiting for us to take us on a 2 ½ hour hike through the rainforest. We saw many many birds including the Blue Turaco, hornbill (and others but I can’t remember their names), butterflies and monkeys! From blue moneys to red tailed monkeys to colubus monkeys! It was so incredible to see monkeys in their own habitat flying around on top of us from branch to branch, hoping they wouldn’t fall on us! So awesome! After our hike we arrived to find lunch waiting for us in the main dining area where there were others on their holidays as well. We had burgers and fries! It’s been a while since we have had some decent tasting food so we were so happy and felt like kings. We were even happier and our faces smiled with joy when chocolate sundaes were served for dessert! If you know me well, then you know that I will never say no to ice cream!

The rest of the afternoon we napped and then were woken up with a knock on our door at 4:30 asking if we wanted tea or coffee. We then rolled ourselves onto the veranda where I was able to catch up on my journal writing while watching birds and monkeys swing from tree to tree. The sounds of the birds and the forest were so serene and I was taking it all in! A server then came out with our coffee and chocolate cake! It was so good…I felt like a child on their birthday! It was funny because I was telling my friend Izabela (who works for Cupcakes in Vancouver) the day before that I was craving a cupcake! And then out came this chocolate cake that was just as great.

After enjoying our afternoon on the veranda, we were called for dinner at 7pm where we enjoyed tasty tomato soup, chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables and lemon mousse cake for dessert! After dinner Candace and I went back to our couch on the veranda and opened a nice bottle of chilled white wine while we read and wrote to the sounds of the rainforest. It was such a delight.

The next morning we were up at 5am for our 5:30am hike! We met our tour guide out front of the reception while it was still pitch black with a full sky of stars. We had to bring our flash lights as you couldn’t see a thing around you. In my case, I brought my head lamp, so I felt like a little dwarf from Snow White as I sang “Heigh ho, Heigh ho, it’s off to work we go!” It was kind of scary to be out in the pitch black hiking up through the rainforest hearing all these sounds around you but not able to see anything! But it was completely worth it because after an hour hike to the top of this hill we were overlooking the Kakamega Rainforest with the sun about to rise above it. It was breathtaking! It was so amazing to be able to experience the sunrising over the rainforest and it was so relaxing to just sit and watch this occurring before my very own eyes. Watching and hearing all the noises of the forest as the animals were waking up. I felt so lucky. The trees all condensed below us with the fog sitting on top. The forest looked like a field of broccoli!

After experiencing this tranquil moment we walked to the other side of the hill where we saw a family of Baboons jumping below on a tree! We then walked down the hill and our guide stopped and I thought that we stopped to admire the view but then he pointed behind me and there was a cave! He said there were bats in there, so we walked in (I was very scared as it was pitch black and I’m not really a fan of bats). Then our guide moved his flash light to the top of the cave which was only a few feet from our heads and there were these 3 little eyes peering back at us. Bats! Hanging upside down. I took the quickest picture of my life and then literally ran back out! That was good enough for me.

We walked back through the rainforest watching and listening to birds and monkeys. We got back to Rondo in time for breakfast where we enjoyed a full breakfast of cereal, eggs, bacon and toast and then relaxed again on the veranda until lunch time. After lunch we said goodbye to Rondo, the staff, and the rainforest with its creatures.

Rondo and the rainforest was an amazing experience. I had such beautiful, relaxing and spiritual time there. I don’t think we would have appreciated as much as we did if we had not experienced regular life here in Kakamega and the surrounding villages. I am so grateful I was able to have this experience at Rondo in the rainforest that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Miss you all!


Karen

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Comments

[Candace]

well written missy!!!! it was beautiful.