| A morning mist drifts silently by. We're on the | | | | Treetops has had its share of drama. The original |
| roof top of the most famous tree house in the | | | | tree house, constructed in 1932,was burnt down |
| world, the tree tops. | | | | during by the Mau Mau freedom fighters in 1954. |
| There's always something new to read and | | | | It was from this tree house that a princess |
| discover in its reign of history. Like, half a century | | | | climbed down as the queen of the British Empire |
| apart, someone must have stood on an icy cold | | | | – Queen Elizabeth. |
| morning like this one, looking over the brow of | | | | Undeterred Sherbrooke Walker went on to built a |
| the mountainous range. There was little to be | | | | new one in 1957. |
| seen because of the mist, I read in one of the | | | | THE Queen returned in 1983 and spent the night |
| books on the history of this world famous place. | | | | in the Queen Elizabeth suite, one of the two self |
| In the written hand of Sherbrooke Walker who | | | | contained suites facing the waterhole with its |
| built he tree house in October 1952, he enters | | | | private balcony |
| “it rained all night long”. Visibility was poor | | | | Things have changed over time. In the 1950s, he |
| and the party which he escorted didn’t see | | | | animal migration routes were still intact between |
| much. But another party in 1952 spends six days | | | | Mt Kenya and the Aberdares . Elephants and |
| in the tree house and writes “Six days and | | | | other mega- herbivores like rhinos and buffaloes |
| nights in the tree makes it seem much closer to | | | | have followed the grass routes for centuries, |
| heaven than earth. It is with regret that we have | | | | allowing the grasses to regenerate. Today, the |
| to go below “. Its writer is Almond al Millet | | | | Aberdare national park is farmed up to the fence |
| from Hollywood. Could this person have been in | | | | line. In the hotel lobby , a poster catches my eye. |
| the same party as the legendary Walt Disney | | | | Its from the Rhino Ark in partnership with the |
| who also visited Treetops in 1952? I wonder. | | | | Kenya Wildlife Service, the custodians of the |
| Dinner is served and interrupted by a party of | | | | country’s wildlife heritage. |
| elephants. For some, it’s the excitement of | | | | To reduce the conflict between the animals and |
| having the worlds largest land mammals in | | | | farmers, the wildlife partners came up with the |
| residence. | | | | idea of fence. So far 265 kilometers have been |
| The night passes. God’s mighty mountain is | | | | completed with 85 to go. The reasons given for |
| well shrouded. Daniel Musau who has worked for | | | | the fencing are that it will conserve the water |
| the establishment for close to two decades and | | | | catchment as the aberdares are one of the five |
| welcomed prince Edward and his wife at treetops | | | | water towers of Kenya; it will conserve its |
| tells us that when the mountain is invisible, it | | | | indigenous forest and the rhinos and other wildlife; |
| means the gods are having a closed door | | | | it will bring humans in harmony with the habitat |
| meeting. For the two days that were in its | | | | and wildlife. Anyone wishing to support the project |
| shadows,Kenyas towering massif remains hidden | | | | can donate US$20 which will take care of one |
| in the mists. | | | | meter of fence or US$100 which will build five |
| In the spotlight below, a baby elephant is busy | | | | meters of fence. |
| trying to shake something off its trunks as the | | | | After a late breakfast in the company of the |
| mother stays close bye. The silent is busy with | | | | buffaloes at the Treetops, we depart for the |
| the resident animals all scrambling for a drink at | | | | outspan which is the base hotel for Treetops . |
| the water hole, one taking a midnight muddy bath | | | | Built in 1928 by Sherbrooke Walker and his wife |
| in the shallow waters. Their antics are well- known | | | | Lady Bettie, it has kept its charm of the past. By |
| amongst the staff.” If you look at the | | | | the Kirinyaga tavern , we meet with a famous |
| buffaloes, you’ll see that many are missing a | | | | patron of the tavern- the resident peacock. |
| tail. Its because of these hyenas,” says Daniel | | | | “Now that you have your cameras out, he will |
| The black rhino and her calf walk the exact path | | | | come to the front and pose for you,”Paul |
| to the waterhole, drink ,linger for a while and then | | | | Nguyo, the sales executive of the hotel |
| disappear into the darkness. Meanwhile, the rhino | | | | comments. For sure,it soon comes to the pub and |
| ranger has taken his digital pictures which he | | | | in a flurry of feathers opens it tail like a |
| shows me on his powerful camera. The data will | | | | fan,undeterred by us. |
| be entered into the national rhino database. The | | | | Not far from the Outspan is the Agikuyu Peace |
| good news is that the Aberdare rhino population is | | | | Museum. It’s a small museum, very |
| increasing. There is an estimated 65 in the 776 | | | | nondescript from the outside. |
| square kilometers park. | | | | |