�Chasing� mountains

Florence Radull | Friday February 21, 2014 15:56

 

 

It is a balmy afternoon as we leave the comfort of our Morogoro hotel in Eastern Tanzania and join the Great North Road towards our destination, further north-west towards Kenya. Against the backdrop of this agricultural town are the first of the most significant mountains, known as the Uluguru Mountains.

Creating an eerie yet spectacular setting the Ulugurus are part of a chain of mountains in eastern Africa known as the Eastern Arc Mountains. The highest point of the mountains is 2,630 metres (8,600 ft). The local people who reside there are known as the Waluguru tribe, from where the mountains get their name.

They were driven out of other parts of Tanzania due to conflicts and the mountains provided them with an easy base to defend themselves. In contrast with most Tanzanian and even other African communities ownership of the land is through the female line and this makes them important and powerful in decision-making in the region. The main attraction to the Ulugurus is that they are home to 100 plants, two birds, two mammals, four reptiles and six amphibians which are not found anywhere else in the world.

Having left Morogoro and the Ulugurus behind the day before, we approach Moshi town, and the most spectacular of all the peaks on this journey - Africa’s highest, none other than the majestic Kilimanjaro, which greets us with its imposing stature. It is a breathtaking ‘wow’ moment and we slow the car to take it all in. Nearing Moshi town a friendly policewoman flags us down. Her only concern is that we don’t miss the amazing view of Kilimanjaro’s snowy peak peering out of the clouds. The 5,895m Kili (as the mountain is affectionately known) is a spectacle one must view at least once in one’s life.  Despite its obvious attraction controversy surrounds this grandfather of African mountains. Located 20kms into the Tanzanian border there are numerous stories pedalled about the mountain having originally been in Kenya but was given away to the German King Wilhelm by his grandmother Queen Victoria in 1886. Kenya was British territory at the time while Tanzania was German territory.

One of the stories claim that Kaiser Wilhelm told his grandmother that it was not fair that she had both of Africa’s highest peaks in her territory and implored her to give him one, hence the ‘gift’ of Kilimanjaro to Tanzania. Believers take it further by pointing out that the border line from Lake Victoria in Kenya to the coast was perfectly straight but it is now broken only by a strange curve around Kilimanjaro.

In 2006 the controversy took a political leaning when Kenya’s Tourism Minister told a travel agent’s conference that Mt Kilimanjaro is one of Kenya’s top tourist attractions. The Tanzanians did not take kindly to this and accused Kenya of hoodwinking tourists into thinking that the mountain is in Kenya.

Whatever the truth the irony is that tourists can only climb Kilimanjaro from Tanzania but to get a perfect view of the mountain they must visit Kenya’s Amboseli National Park.

As we leave Moshi town and the grandeur of Kili in our rear view mirror and head towards the town of Arusha only 50kms away, Africa’s fifth highest peak makes an appearance. Often touted as Kili’s unassuming cousin, Mount Meru dominates the Arusha National Park. Standing 4,566m (14,990 ft) Mt Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbour.

Mt Meru dominates the horizon of Arusha National Park and its peaks and eastern footslopes are protected within the park. It is a more forgiving peak to tackle for those hoping for a relatively ‘easy’ hike and the three to four day trek is sometimes used as a good acclimatisation for Kilimanjaro.

Now firmly in the Great Rift Valley there are numerous ‘nondescript’ peaks but the next one to catch our eye is nestled on the Kenya Tanzania border on the Kenyan side though one corner of the mountain range actually crosses into Tanzania.

The 2,548 metres range is called the Namanga Hills or Ol Doinyo Orok mountains, a Maasai name, after the world famous tribe that lives on both sides of the border. The mountain is in the Ol Doinyo Mountain Forest Reserve that consists of one of the last few patches of elevated cloud forest (over 1,700m) in Kenya. In the mountain valleys there are natural water catchments created by the high altitude rains and the humid climate and these provide the Maasai communities who live in the area with water and pasture all year round.

We arrive in Nairobi just 200kms from the Tanzanian border and after a much needed three-day break from the road, we set off for our last leg of mountain ‘chasing’.

Having been so graciously invited to visit with relatives in Embu – 150 kms northeast of Nairobi, we take advantage of the town’s proximity to another magnificent peak – the mighty Mt Kenya. Standing at 5,199 m at its highest peak this is Kenya’s highest mountain and Africa’s second highest.

Every morning for the next three days is spent ‘facing Mt Kenya’ as we indulge in breakfast harvested from the fertile farms surrounding the mountains. The forested slopes are also an important source of water for much of the country. The people of Embu believe that the mountain is sacred as it is Gods home and they build their houses with the doors facing its imposing peak.

Other main ethnic groups living around Mt Kenya include the Kikuyu, Ameru and Maasai. One common thread of belief amongst all of these tribes is that God either lived there, or used the mountain as his earthly throne. They also believe that their ancestors came down from the mountain at the beginning of time.

Mt Kenya National Park, an area of 715km (squared) around the centre of the mountain was established in 1949 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

After a few days of ‘paying homage to the gods’ we continue our journey northwards and skirt the last of our targets – the Abedare Range of mountains. This is a 3,500m range of mountains situated 160 kms north of Nairobi. This range, which was named after Lord Abedare, who was head of the Royal Geographic Society in 1884, lies slightly west of Mt Kenya. It is surrounded by Abedare National Park which also consists of East Africa’s largest indigenous forest.

The area was renowned historically in the 1950s as the headquarters of Dedan Kimathi, who was leader of the Mau Mau uprising.

It is also well known as the place where Elizabeth the II became queen in February 1952. The story is that while visiting Treetops, one of the most renowned hotels in the Abedares, Elizabeth went to bed a princess and unfortunately due to her father’s death during the night, she woke up a queen.

All the peaks visited are within or in close proximity to the Great Rift Valley which is 6,400 kilometres long and up to 100 kilometres wide. It runs from Jordan in south west Asia, through East Africa and south to Mozambique. It is an enormous geological split in the crust of the earth, which is so prominent it can be seen from the moon.

This trip was all about the viewing, next time a little climbing will be in order.