KENYA: PARADISE OF THE WILD

KENYA: PARADISE OF THE WILD

Africa is the cradle of the human race. Despite the number of years that humans have dwelt in this continent, the development of heavy industry in the area is still limited, which allowed the preservation of local wildlife and habitats to thrive their original state. Everyone should visit Africa at least once in their lifetime. Can you hear the primal roar of the untamed power of nature?

Text by Cai Jinhong Photos by Shen Haibin & Getty Translation by Sonia

肯尼亚：狂野天堂

非洲，这个人类起源地之一，经过漫长的岁月，仍然鲜有现代工业的痕迹。大自然仍保持亘古之初的朴实风貌，更多的野生动物也得以保存。

一生总要去一次非洲吧？你是否已经听到来自狂野大地的呼唤呢？

Kenya lies at the intersection of the Great Rift Valley of East Africa and the Equator, giving rise to its nickname of the Cross of East Africa. Warm climates provide Kenya with a beautiful yet untamed savannah, breathtaking mountain ranges, beautiful coasts, and wild animals that still capture our imagination.

Migration to Paradise

The natural migration of East African wildlife has been listed as one of the 50 sights that everyone must witness in their lifetime. Those who have the fortune of seeing this natural wonder flrsthand have echoed this sentiment.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is widely held as the best maintained game reserve in Africa. It covers 200 square miles of savannah, woodlands, and riverside forests, and is home to large and diverse populations of wild animals and plants. Herds of zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and wildebeests are scattered across the seemingly endless plains of lush, green grass. The acacia woods are also fllled with birds and monkeys. Elephants and African buffalo roll about in the marshes, while hippopotamuses and crocodiles swim in the rivers.

The dry season arrives at the Serengeti National Park of Tanzania to the south every July and August. The withering grass and dwindling watering holes soon prove incapable of supporting the large herbivore populations in the area. Rains and fresh grasses in the north compel these animals to embark on an epic migration that takes them across the borders of Tanzania and into the Maasai Mara Reserves of Kenya.

The Great Migration earned its nickname by its sheer scale and the unmatched diversity of animals that participate in this annual trip. To survive, creatures of every species, age, and gender from every direction gather into a moving mass that spreads as far as the eye can see. The noises generated by their stampeding hooves and cries can only be described as deafening, while the dust clouds they create could cover entire horizons. Zebras march at the van while wildebeests make up the vast majority of the horde. Gazelles, giraffes, and even birds are also part of the Great Migration. It is said that there are four million wildebeest in the savannah of the Maasai Mara. The endless sea of migrating animals is a most epic sight to behold.

肯尼亚是东非大裂谷和赤道线的交汇点，因此又被称为“东非十字架”。温和的气候条件使得肯尼亚拥有美丽并充满野性的大草原，气势恢宏的山峦，风景秀美的海滨，还有各式各样令人叹为观止的野生动物。

“天国之渡”

东非野生动物大迁徙被誉为“人生必须见证的50个景观”之一。有幸能去观看一次迁徙奇观，那也算是终生难忘之幸事。

马赛马拉野生动物保护区，被广泛认为是非洲最好的野生动物保护区。保护区由开阔的平原、林地和河岸森林组成，这里生活着数不胜数、种类繁多的野生动植物。每年七八月，由于南面坦桑尼亚的塞伦盖蒂国家公园进入旱季，干枯的水草无力支撑众多的草食动物，北部雨水和新鲜青草对动物们形成巨大的诱惑，它们越过坦桑尼亚和肯尼亚边境，蜂拥迁入马赛马拉，以排山倒海之势形成一个壮观的入场式，覆盖了两侧的地平线。在迁徙大军中，角马是主力，斑马是先遣部队，还配之以羚羊、大象、长颈鹿等等，凡是草食动物都加入到这个行列，甚至有的鸟类也参与进来。据说，仅马赛马拉草原上的角马就有400万之众！如此众多的动物汇合成军，前不见头，后不见尾，真是铁流万里，蔚为壮观！

The Wind-like Maasai

The tall, slender natives holding long staves and wearing bright red robes are the Maasai, a unique tribe who roam the African savannahs. The Maasai are East African nomads who still live in strictly regimented tribal societies to this very day. They live in savannahs and jungles with the local wildlife, and should be skilled hunters as a result. However, the truth is that the Maasai seldom hunt and live on beef, lamb, milk and blood. They don't even flsh or hunt wild animals for food.

The traditional clothing of the Maasai is also extremely conspicuous. The men are dressed in shúkà, a two-piece outflt that includes an undergarment and another piece that hangs from a shoulder. The women, on the other hand are dressed in the kanga, a large round-collared robe that hang from their necks. Their heads may be decorated with white-coloured beadwork. They're also known for their large ears and earlobes. Maasai girls would have their ears pierced shortly after birth. The weight of these accessories will be increased gradually to stretch out their earlobes.

The Maasai in their red outflts remind people of the wind. Some have remarked that the Maasai are the world's most capable long distance trekkers. This may be a result of their nomadic history that compels them to follow the rains and grass. The Maasai are also skilled jumpers. Their lean, powerful legs remind people of hares and grasshoppers, renowned jumpers of the natural world. And don't forget, the Kenyans are most famous for their running skills. The Maasai are also famous for their world leading standing high jumping skills. This skill was probably part of their suite of survival abilities in a life of close encounters with wild animals. Due to the lack of trees and hills of their native savannahs, the Maasai could only look around to identify dangers in their surroundings by jumping. And of course, the Maasai judge the worth of their warriors according to their running and high jumping skills.

风一样的马赛人

一袭红衣，手持长棍，细长的身材融入天地之间，这就是在非洲大草原上独行的马赛人。马赛人是东非的游牧民族，至今仍生活在严格的部落制度之下，由部落首领和长老会议负责管理，成年男子按年龄划分等级。马赛人生活在草原、丛林中，与野兽为伍，理应擅长捕猎，但事实上，马赛人不狩猎，不吃野生动物的肉，甚至不吃鱼。

对于经常与野生动物打交道的牧人来说，火焰般的红色就是力量的象征，因此马赛人最喜欢穿颜色鲜红的长袍。马赛人红色的身影总让人想到风。有人说，他们是世界上最能行走的人之一，这可能是由于长年累月逐水草而牧的生活锻炼了他们吧。别忘了，肯尼亚黑人是世界上最能跑的人。马赛人的立定跳高也堪称世界一绝，这也是与野兽打交道训练出来的生存技能。由于他们生活的荒原上常常找不到树木和山丘，登高眺望便成了一种奢望，于是他们就靠跳高望远来目测四周的危险。跑得快，跳得高，历来就是马赛人对勇士的认定标准。

Paris of Africa - Nairobi

Despite its proximity to the equator, Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, has never experienced sweltering heat. In fact, the name of the city in native Maasai means place of cool waters. Average temperature throughout the year is a comfortable 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. This place was only a village a hundred years ago. After the British built the flrst hotel in the region, the town of Nairobi quickly prospered around the new establishment. More and more houses were constructed and the city reached its zenith of development in the 1980s when it was known as the Paris of Africa. Modern Nairobi is a cosmopolitan city fllled with vigour and unique destinations. In addition to tourists from around the world, you can also experience flrst-rate metropolitan lifestyles of Africa. Modern urban amenities such as bookstores, restaurants, shopping areas, post offlces, and banks can be found here. Nairobi is also home to international star-rated hotel franchises as well as luxurious holiday resorts. We strongly recommend the thatched roof chalets that feature local tastes and aesthetics. It may not look like much, but it comes with flrst-rate services.

Nairobi is also known as the Oasis under the Sun. Its excellent climate ensures that its landscape is green all-year round. The flowering seasons of urban vegetation follow each other, ensuring unending blooms throughout the city. With the exception of vehicle exhausts, there is no other source of pollution along the streets of Nairobi. The skies of the city are therefore clear and blue. I believe this is the reason why the city gets to keep its prestigious accolade of the Oasis under the Sun.

Some people say that those who never go to Africa are afraid of it. Those who visit Africa will love it. And those who leave Africa will miss it. In other words, it is a place that people must visit at least once in their lifetime to experience the unique and peerless beauty of untamed wilderness and to immerse themselves in a place fllled with such wondrous powers.

非洲小巴黎——内罗毕

肯尼亚首都内罗毕虽靠近赤道，但炎热一词不属于这里，内罗毕是马赛语“清凉的水”的意思，常年气温在15℃—25℃之间。100年前，内罗毕所在的地方还是一个村落，没有城市的任何踪影，这时候英国人建起了第一个旅馆。从此，内罗毕就沿着这个旅馆开始逐渐地繁荣起来，直到后来，1980年代至为鼎盛的时期，被称为“非洲小巴黎”。现在，内罗毕成为充满活力和趣味的国际都市，在这里你除了会遇到来自世界各地的游客外，还可以享受现代的非洲都会生活，如非洲其他地区没有的好书店、餐厅、商业区、邮局，及5分钟内可以兑换到支票的银行等现代化都市生活设施。 内罗毕既有国际连锁集团经营的星级酒店，也有奢华的假日俱乐部。特别推荐乡土气息浓郁的茅屋旅舍，虽然外表简陋，但服务是一流的。

有人说，没到非洲怕非洲，走进非洲爱非洲，走出非洲想非洲。是的，一生总要一次，去体验不同寻常的野性之美，去领略大自然的无与伦比的美丽，让自己沉醉在这充满力量之美的地方。

China Southern Airlines' Guangzhou -Nairobi flight information

Flight CZ633/4, operated by a wide-bodied Airbus A332, departs from Guangzhou every Thursday and Sunday and returns from Nairobi every Monday and Friday.

南航广州直飞内罗毕航班信息

广州—内罗毕，航班号CZ633/4，每周四、周日从广州出发，当地时间周一、周五从内罗毕返回，由宽体机空客A332执飞。