Hakuna Matata, It's Kenya!

On an 18-month, 50 000 km-long journey from France to South Africa, Patrick and Marie Gurney arrive in Kenya, just in time for the great wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara.

- Patrick Gurney

Having driven about 5 000 km through Ethiopia, along some of the worst roads of our trip so far, we were dusty and tired. We were looking forward to Kenya for two reasons: a luxury six-night break on

Lamu Island, and watching frolicking wildebeest while sipping a G&T. The great migration was in full swing.

First things first, though: another border. We crossed from Ethiopia into Kenya at Moyale, and the Ethiopian side was a total non-event, even though we only got there at 6 pm. “You’re my first vehicle this week!” the immigration official told us.

Unfortunately, on the Kenyan side, we were informed that the immigration office had closed. “Hakuna matata!” said a security guard, indicating a spot where we could set up camp for the night within the Kenyan border grounds. The following day the paperwork took 10 minutes and we were off.

Vampire tree dassies

The 250 km drive from Moyale to the town of Marsabit (on a fantastic tar road) took us through Kenya’s immense northern semi-desert. We saw no people and no animals – it was just us and the vast, volcanic rock-strewn landscape, with a few trees to break the monotony.

Three hours later, we drove into Marsabit and stopped at a grocery store. Like two ill-mannered toddlers, Marie and I ran around squealing with delight at all the fridges containing yogurt, cheese, wine and many other items we had simply forgotten about during the past two months in Ethiopia. We purchased a heap of goodies to re-stock the Hilux pantry.

Keen to test wild-camping conditions in Kenya, we camped in a secluded spot just outside Marsabit a few hundred meters off the main road. The next morning we encountered our first elephant.