Rothschild giraffes briskly walking at Mwea Game Reserve |
An alpha male baboon makes a low pitched bark,
watching protectively at his troop made up of squealing young-lings. Heaving his
bulk off a dead tree trunk, he adopts a war like stance, barking aggressively.
In a split second, the entire troop melts in the
thick undergrowth. Amidst the cacophony of chirping birds, two Rothschild
giraffes hop gracefully from a watering point, their long necks swaying
sideways as if in slow motion. Welcome to Mwea National Reserve.
The game reserve, located 30 kilometers from Embu
town offers breathtaking vistas beckoning to be explored. It is home
to more than 125 elephants, 200 buffaloes, baboons, hippos, warthogs, Thomson’s
gazelles, dik diks and an array of avian species including quails, guinea fowls
and ducks making it a paradise for bird lovers.
Photo of a male elephant scampering from the tourists. PHOTO/ Robert Ndwiga |
“We are popularizing Mwea Game Reserve as one of
hidden gems in Embu County. Our strategy is multi-pronged including school
tours, picnics and even camping” says Embu County Director of Tourism Virginia
Warue Ngugi.
Already, according to the director, school tours
have recorded phenomenal success with at least 500 students having visited the
facility in the month of July 2019.
“We are now
gearing for increasing visitor numbers at the reserve especially those who love
camping in the open, the experience is out of this world” Virginia says.