The Nairobi to Suswa Tour
Tour cost: 130USD (Inclusive of bike rental, gas, lunch, and entry fees).
What you will see
You’ll see the different species of trees and birds in Ngong forest, the beautiful landscapes on your way to Suswa, and the Mt Suswa attraction site, including the caves, the crater and other wildlife present including baboons. Moreover, you’ll also be able to view the Ngong hills from Ngong town on your way to Nairobi.
Itinerary
From Westlands, we will head towards the South West of Nairobi via Ngong road to Karen. Karen is a home to Home to expats and high-income Kenyans, Karen is an affluent suburban neighborhood developed on farmland owned by Danish author Karen Blixen, who wrote the colonial memoir “Out of Africa.” Stately mansions line quiet, leafy streets, while an array of restaurants offering Kenyan and global fare cluster around the Karen Roundabout. The Hub Karen, a cosmopolitan shopping mall, features upmarket shops and a serene lake.
The Karen shopping center is the focal point, where Karen residents come out in large numbers to do their household shopping, and partake in other activities due to its diversification. The center has malls, recreational joints, and other institutions. As a high end shopping center in a posh neighborhood, almost every service that one may think of is available. It therefore makes it a busy hub, bringing the people of Karen and the neighboring estates together.
From Karen shopping center, we will head to Ngong forest via Karinde (Karen end) center. Here, you will be able to enjoy the meandering off-road trails that pass through the forest.
Ngong forest is among one of the few forests close to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, occupying approximately 1224 hectares. The forest was originally gazette in 1932, and since then, measures have been put in place to conserve it and allow the public to visit and appreciate what it has to offer. The forest is divided into two main sectors by the Ngong Road: the Miotoni Section to the North West, and the Racecourse and Kibera section to the South East.
Riding through the forest’s designated trails will make you feel the enduro energy trying to find its way out of your system. The feel of riding on the soft terrain with the jingles of scattering leaves and breaking sticks will give you an adventure sensation. The birds’ noises as you go down the trail will also remind you of the beauty of nature, and why we need to take care of it for mutual benefit.
From Ngong forest, we will head towards Koimuke Junction and take on Ngong Suswa road. After approximately 12Km of tarmac, we will take an off-road that will require you to use your innate riding skills, to maneuver the rough stretches, sandy patches, and uneven sections of the road. This dirt road, covering a stretch of roughly 115km is on top of the to-do list of all the adventure riders in Kenya and East Africa.
This tour will require intermediate riding skills and a higher level of endurance. For those who would like to get the real countryside riding feeling while enjoying the scenic views will enjoy this package. It is a therapy session that will make you whole again without visiting a therapist’s office.
Upon reaching Suswa and enjoying the beautiful views of the landscape, we will collectively partake in having something to eat, to replenish our strength, as we share our experiences of the ride. To make it memorable and unique, African local food will be served, including Nyama Choma (Roasted meat), at Mara Gateway Hotel.
Mount Suswa is a shield volcano in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya. It’s located between Narok and Nairobi. Mt. Suswa is an underrated gem on the Rift Valley floor. The double-crater shield-volcano promises an unmatched hiking experience and over-delivers on breathtaking views. The highest point on the Mountain is 2355 meters above sea level, with an elevation gain of 679 meters. It is a double crater volcano with a shield shape cone covering an area of about 270km.
The conservancy is entirely run by the Maasai community that there, meaning that all entries and camping fees go towards conservation, not just the park but the lifestyle of residents. The guides on the mountain are well versed and knowledgeable about the mountain conservancy and the efforts that have put in place.
The Suswa caves are home to large population of bats that are said to travel as far as 30km searching for the food at night and then retreat to the caves in the morning. As you walk and crawl through the caves you can view the colonies of bats hanging from the top, asleep and dead to the world until evening when they stream out
There are over 45 entrances most of which are collapsed roofs into this caves. Perhaps the most known attractions at Mount Suswa conservancy are the lava caves on the outer crater. Fig trees and others type of vegetation mark the location of some of the opening. One interesting location in the caves is the baboons’ Parliament where a large troops of baboons take shelter at night from predators. The baboons’ troops’ arrival in the evening coincide with the departure of the local bat colonies, creating two way traffic. It is said that if you peer down the opening in the roof early in the morning and evening you will find the troop leader perched on a pile of rocks at the Centre of the chamber, seemingly addressing the rest of the troop perched on ledges high up the walls of the caves
Another interesting feature in the caves is a rock painting in one of the Chambers attributed to the locals Maasai morans, who apparently sleep there during one of their initiation rituals.
After the Mount Suswa excursion, we will ride back to Nairobi via the Suswa Ngong road, a well tarmacked road. You’ll enjoy pulling on the throttle to while relaxing on your bike, feeling the evening breeze going past your shoulders.
A quick stop in Ngong town will enable you a quick glance at Ngong hills, which can be seen from far. These are peaks in a ridge along the Great Rift Valley, located southwest near Nairobi, in southern Kenya. The word “Ngong” is an Anglicization of a Maasai phrase “enkong’u emuny” meaning rhinoceros spring, and this name derives from a spring located near Ngong Town.
From Ngong town, we will ride back to Westlands Nairobi via Ngong road, marking the end of the trip.
This tour is for those individuals who want to break the monotony of city riding, and looking forward to experiencing the mountainous countryside. It is for those who like the adventure thrill and adrenaline rush while overcoming off-road terrain obstacles and appreciating nature and the need for conservation.
Tour Cost: 130USD (Inclusive of bike rental, gas, lunch, and entry fees)
