The next arrival is a marsh mongoose. First time I’m seeing one. It’s quite a cuddly animal and gnaws on the meat, till well satiated and then disappears into the swamp in front of the camp.

The morning sun lights the marsh and awakens the golden weavers whose busy chirping wakes us up and we step out of the tent to a brand new day.

“Umani or rather Umanyi is a Kamba word for ‘place of knowledge or place where everyone comes to’, Richard explains. We notice that the elephants have been near the camp during the night. Their dung is fresh and so is the loose soil on the terrain. “That’s our supply of brown bread, “say’s our guide teasingly pointing at the mound of the dung.

The enchanted forest is full of sky scraping trees fat figs and tall yellow fever trees. The path is laden with a wild strain of busy tizzies near the water and other colorful flowers. Overhead a troop of Sykes monkey race across the tree branches and a cacophony of sounds fill the air. Richard identifies the birds from their call-Narina’s Trojans and trumpeter hornbills. He has some interesting tales.

A few months ago, as he was taking visitors on a walk, he almost stepped on a python. He cried out to the family of three to alert them. But instead of running away they walked straight on thinking he was joking. The good thing is that the python was well satiated and slithered away while the visitors clicked away with the cameras. Another time, the trumpeting of the elephants brought him out to the swamp.

One of the young ones had all but disappeared into the marsh. Only the tip of its trunk and part of the face was visible. He dashed to the rangers office to get help, but they thought he was spinning a yarn. They arrived just in time to save the baby elephant from being swallowed a live in the mud. The water from the springs is in full flow with the rains. A gigantic fig tree stands near one of the springs.

“In the 1960s there was a forester here who used to sleep in the tree. He had five –inch nails stuck up in the tree to climb up. I found one of the nails recently sent it to him with a seed from the tree. “Richard tells us.

The gurgle of the crystal-clear water coming out of the ground is soothing. We spend a few moments sitting on the banks watching the water flow into the pool.” This one of the two large springs.” continues Richard.” There are many smaller ones.”

The forest is cool and we step on stones polished smooth by the water to cross over to the other bank. A marsh terrapin swims first to hide under the water plants. A cormorant perched on a log spreads its wings to dry in the sun while a dainty lily trotter delicately walks on the marsh lilies.

“Look”, says our guide suddenly. He is pointing to white little flowers but when he touches them they move like fairies on a twig. “These are the Kibwezi bugs.” It’s an annual event. In one of nature’s most opulent events, the Kibwezi forest is decked in these fairy-like snow-white bugs which feed of the sap of a vine during the months of August and September. They then metamorphose into earthy colored tangy small butterflies, some of which are fluttering around us.

“Kibwezi is a special enchanted forest,”says Simons of Umani Springs camp.” It’s a ground water enchanted forest.” The forest protects the springs which come filtered from all the surrounding Chyulu hills.

But its not been easy protecting this unique glade of enchanted forest where charcoal burning is rampant and demand for land ever increasing. “We are lucky that we came in when we did,” say the cam owner. Prior to that, there was little in the way of forest protection. “We had a forest officer who worked in cahoots with the charcoal burners and tree poaching was rampant.”

Coming out of the enchanted forest we walk through the silky webs of the tiny caterpillars to the camp, a simple rustic affair by the pond’s edge.

How to get to Umani

Your tour operator will organise a drive from Nairobi in a minivan. While staying at the several camps in the area, you will also be able to visit Kenya’s largest wildlife park-the Tsavo National Park, with its largest brown elephants (brown colour from mudbaths). This safari can also be combined to terminate at the coastal white sandy beaches thereby crowning your wildlife safari with some beach relaxation.

To sample your wildlife, beach, wilderness and adventure safaris see this website. http://www.landmarksafaris.com

Group self drive safaris

The group will of course help you share the cost of hiring a vehicle and other expenses. It is however highly discouraged to go on a do-it-yourself safari by yourself. Besides the everyday risks of mugging and solitude, you don’t want to be changing a tyre with no one watching your back for that Tsavo lion.

Pros of a self drive safari

There are of course several advantages of a DIY safari over organised itineraries through outfitters. This ranges from the flexibility, independence of being able to choose your safari companions and of-course the thrill of being out and about exploring. It is however also wise to know that going on a self drive safari will cost you as much as an organised cheap safari.

The down side of self drives safaris

Besides the cost, vehicle breakdowns, accidents, security and a lack of local knowledge are also major handicaps in a self drive safari tour.

Your flexibility

With an appropriate vehicle, all accommodation options are open to you even out of the way places and camping and using bandas are two good ways of keeping down your costs.

Camping Equipment Hire for DIY Safaris

If you want to hire camping equipment, there are several places in Nairobi that you can go to for the same. Organize to have at least 2 days to get the vehicle camping, gear, maps, cooking ware, canvas safari bathrooms, supplies and of course water. You may need to also test drive your choice car around Nairobi. Never take the word of a car hire firm as final.

Your check list

Check and double check your equipment and don’t pay until you are sure of the fitness of the car especially. Most importantly find out of the self drive car rental firm has a backup mechanism. Mobile VHF radio or at the least a mobile phone is of course very essential.

Believe me I once had a situation, in the middle of forsaken carnivore territory and not even a match to send smoke signals. Me thinks you wouldn’t want to have been there with me.

Rental/Hiring costs of camping gear

Identification such as passport is required and advance booking is recommended and saves time. Expect to pay 400 for a sleeping bag per day with liner, Kshs 700 for a two person dome tent and Kshs 200 per day for gas stove (gas canisters are extra).

A deposit of Kshs 3000-5000 is payable for most items. For longer trips it may be reasonable to buy some of these items at the big Nakumatt super markets in Nairobi which sell cheap plastic plates, stoves, chairs etc.

It is also possible to hire a vehicle and camping equipment as one package. Some companies in Nairobi offer rather an unusual package of a fully fitted 4WD with roof-mounted tent and everything else you might need for a long self drive safari for up to four people, including mobile phone, fridge, gas cooker and cooking utensils.

Prices range from BP 100 per day (less than 10 days) to BP 80 per day (25 days or more), with a minimum of five days rental; insurance excess waiver is an additional BP15.

Robert has written variously in travel to Kenya East Africa. Degreed in tourism management, he is a travel expert with landmarksafaris.com. For an idea of where to go for self drive safari tours, take the bait here