Going to the Kenyan Mountains!

On my way to Iten, and Kerio Valley. Camping! Yay 

I love going to the Elgeyo Marakwet county because to me it represents mountains. I am leaving Eldoret behind - the city, the mess, the dust of urbanisation - and going to the mountains! And in a way, I am travelling home!

Ultimately, as it happens for people, we search for places with which we have "elective affinities", as Goethe would said. What is more affine to me than mountains?

There are some funny things about this. Firstly, that Eldoret is already more than 2000 m above sea level, which is more then 3 times the altitude of my Italian village. Secondly, that I am now playing the part of the tourist going to the mountains - and I am not sure I am totally comfortable with it ;-)

(Like people from Milano coming to Valtellina,  to explain myself 😄)

Whatever: camping, nature, few things thrown in a rucksack and the worst but most comfortable clothes on! What a feeling!

Iten is the fortress of Elgeyo Markakwet county; 2400m of altitude and famous for its runners; the home of champions with its HATC - High Altitude Training Centers.

An international community built up through decades of western coaches coming here to train marathoners in the favourable altitude. The most famous of them, Colm O'Connell,  who came here from Ireland with the plan to stay 3 months and who has lived here ever since. There is an interesting documentary about him, and about his dedication to train female runners, traditionally kept away from sport. Look up the story of the Godfather of Kenyan runners ;-)

Then, we will go down into the Kerio valley, slowly descending the escarpment, into a fantastic foresty and green geological depression which runs horizontally 180° on your sight for over 80 km length and 10 width.

 This is a fantastic view. When you are on the cost of the Kerio Valley, in one of the two sides of the valley, you can contemplate the depression and the Kerio river running all along the valley. We will slowly go down losing more then 1200 m of altitude to reach the bottom, and to settle in the valley, close to Lake Kamnarok, a seasonal rain lake where elephant and crocodiles live. The lake is in Rimoi national reserve.

So, basically, I will be surrounded by nature, mountains, valley's slopes and runners. Sounds familiar, doesnt it?

      Hi Elgeyo Marakwet County!