Stood atop a stack of ancient balancing rocks, the
sight below me is extraordinary. Large herds of oryx shift across open
grasslands as clouds lift to reveal the curves of grassy mounds. Glinting in
the distance, the snow-capped tip of Kilimanjaro soars upwards in a perfect
cone.
Today, the only rumblings I hear are from lions and
elephants, but this undulating landscape was once a hothouse of volcanic
activity. Part of a range that formed 1.4 million years ago, the Chyulu Hills
are relatively young in geological terms, with the last recorded eruptions
occurring in 1855. And although blankets of grass have since softened any angry
tectonic upheavals, energy from fiery lava flows still runs through hilltops
and stimulates life from the fertile soils below my feet.
“There’s something very special about this place,”
whispers my safari guide, Jackson, as we watch a hazy dawn sun emerge from the
mist. “Some people even say it sits on ley lines.”
Captivating
Regardless of whether supernatural pathways pass
through the Chyulus or not, this national park in southeast Kenya certainly has
the power to captivate imaginations, supposedly providing the inspiration for
Ernest Hemingway’s book Green Hills Of Africa.
Although it receives far less visitors than
flagship wildlife destinations, such as the Maasai Mara and Lewa, it’s an
equally important ecosystem. Sandwiched between the red earth soils of Tsavo
and the swamps and marshlands of Amboseli on the border with Tanzania, it’s an
important migration corridor for elephants.
I meet some of the region’s male bull residents
later that morning when I visit a hide built next to a man-made watering hole.
Some have tusks so long they spa-like fencers as they battle greedily for the
water source. At a time when most big tuskers have been almost genetically
wiped out by decades of ivory poaching, they are a reminder of how magnificent
this species once looked.
A particularly striking example is an elephant
affectionately known as One Ton.
“He’s one of our regulars,” explains Graham
Mckittrick, host manager at Ol Donyo Lodge, one of the few places to stay in
the area.
Set at the foothills of the Chyulu Hills National
Park, 11 thatched cottages are spread across a gentle slope on the
111,000-hectare Mbirikani Group Ranch – community land owned by 4,000 Maasai.
Built with ancient lava rock which once flowed from Kilimanjaro, the space
radiates a warm and earthly glow.
Between game drives, I sit in my private plunge
pool, watching giraffes glide across the horizon, their tall frames dwarfed by
the epic scenery. During the day, klipspringers bolt through bushes, bright
hornbills flash between treetops, and langur monkeys bathe boldly on terraces –
making themselves just as much at home as paying guests.
Star bed
Even after dark, nature continues her display. One
night, I crawl into a star bed on the rooftop of my suite, listening to lions
roar somewhere below the burning bright constellations, until I drift off to
sleep.
Filmmakers and photographers with an eye for
beauty, Dereck and Beverly Joubert were so captivated by the Chyulu Hills, they
chose to bring Ol Donyo Lodge under their Great Plains Conservation umbrella 15
years ago. The couple quickly recognised its ecological importance.
“We have one of the only continuous unfenced
populations of black rhino in Kenya,” explains Graham, when we head out early
one morning on a walking safari. In so many places, populations have been
poached to extinction, with animals reintroduced at a later date. But here,
lava flows have created a fortress, providing a natural refuge.
Climbing over sharp, rough parapets and a moat of
whistling thorns, it’s no surprise to learn the rhinos are rarely seen. But it's
still reassuring to know they are tucked safely somewhere inside.
Along with geological fortifications, the non-profit
organisation Big Life has played a key role in securing the survival of these
animals, employing community scouts, and establishing a security monitoring
programme at the peak of the poaching crisis.
The son of a well-known Kenyan game warden,
conservationist Richard Bonham was one of the first people to negotiate a
tourism land lease from communities when he started building Ol Donyo in the
1980s. He later sold the property to Great Plains but continues to live nearby
in a bohemian open-air house with his wife Tara.
Co-founded with photographer Nick Brandt and
entrepreneur Tom Hill, Big Life has successfully co-ordinated cross-border
anti-poaching operations between Kenya and Tanzania, protecting more than 1.6
million acres by employing hundreds of local rangers.
Big treat
But the biggest threat, Richard tells me when we
meet at his home, is ongoing conflict between communities and wildlife, made
worse by the sub-division of farmlands that block elephant corridors. Like so
many conservationists, he faces ongoing challenges and frustrations, with no
easy solutions readily available. His ongoing commitment is testimony to how
special this place is.
Late in the afternoon, I hike to one of the
Chyulu’s many viewpoints. Perhaps it’s the fronds of red oat grass tickling at
my skin, but the sensation of standing here is electrifying.
Whether mapped by lava flows, ley lines or ancient
migratory paths, Chyulu’s hills have a magnetism that will continually draw you
back.