During the Easter holidays Mr and Mrs Murphy led a trip to Kenya with ten students. Their trip began in Nairobi with visits to an elephant orphanage and a giraffe sanctuary. They then headed north-west to Lake Naivasha where they spent two days trekking in Hell’s Gate National Park and Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, getting up close with giraffes, zebras, warthogs, hippos and more. They also visited a local primary school where they distributed stationery and chatted with the students.
Their next destination was Lake Nakuru, via a quick visit to Pembroke House Prep School. At Lake Nakuru, they saw herds of buffalo and antelope, a few elusive rhino, and a flock of flamingos. The students also had their first lion encounter – coming across a fresh carcass by the roadside, they peered into the tall grass to see two lions keeping guard of their kill! At a viewpoint overlooking the lake, the students found a troop of over 40 baboons. The group was able to alight from the vehicles to take photos and all was going well until a large male baboon decided to sit on the bonnet of one of the jeeps. He had to be chased away before they could depart!
Leaving Nakuru behind, the group then headed far south to Maasai Mara National Park. The huge open expanse teemed with wildlife and the lush green wilderness was in stark contrast to the other drought-stricken parts of the country that they had seen. Here, the students spent their final four days seeing an incredible amount of wildlife including wildebeest, leopards and cheetahs, along with an interesting array of birdlife. They also had the chance to visit a Maasai village and learn about their traditions and way of life, as well as taking part in a dance with them!
Overall, the trip was an amazing experience which gave the students the opportunity to broaden their understanding and experience of different cultures and environments, interacting with the natural world in an unforgettable way.