Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Robert Frost
You might get curious which road was taken by the traveler. You will get to know it in a short while.
If you are a lover of road trips, traffic and congestion on the roads might just ruin your experience. If you prefer the distance and the scenic drives, peace and quiet, just listening to the soothing hum of the engine then the following roads will connect you to destinations you will love ytripping to in Kenya.
Below are three routes of the roads less taken, but lovely, scenic, smooth with this countryside feel that will heal your troubled soul or simply quench your road trip thirsts. You can take your family to a secluded less crowded drive to increase the bond.
1.Nakuru Through Subukia to Nyahururu
This route is a storybook scenery. The landscapes are the kind that you only read about in novels, with a good mood setting. It’s not a very long drive but you might want to go on this road again and again because it is insanely exotic.
The fresh countryside touch, the refreshing green of coffee trees and the scent of black cotton soil are a true experience of country life but with a touch of class. The Catholic Subukia shrine is an amazing stop over. The rare water that is said to heal and the heavenly sunset, the ambience and the calm that comes with stepping on Holy Grounds are quite an experience. The Road is smooth and won’t wear out your car and basic services are within comfortable range.
You can rest at the Thompson’s Falls as you plan your next drive destination.
2.Ol Donyo Sabache
The flat Mountain of Samburu awaits to give you a therapeutic sunset view. This is the famous Ololokwe mountain of Samburu, a whooping 340Kms of Road, beauty and good weather from Nairobi to the plains of Samburu. The Road is smooth and you will be surrounded by towering cliffs, shrubbery and a clear blue sky throughout the drive. The best bit of this drive is that the road seems like it is never ending. So, it’s highly recommend for lone travellers and those seeking to do some soul searching. The flat top of the mountain, is said to be religious for the people around, the Samburu, and if you are interested in purposeful drives and hikes then this is a journey to make.
Nakuru through Margat-Kabarnet-Iten to Eldoret.
Although the regular Nairobi – Eldoret highway is 320kms,the road less traveled is a bit longer, just closer to the clouds. The first leg through Nakuru is along the Great North Road upto Nakuru. Thereafter you turn onto the kabarak- Marigat road. That’s when the magic begins. The massive Laikipia plateau to the far right and Nakuru city down on the left! Complete with the splendid lake Nakuru.
The Kabarak educational complex bids you out of the cosmopolitan area as you venture into the semi-arid region Baringo county. Despite the heat, there is a comforting breeze from the highlands.
Beehives will dot the acacia trees and wayside traders offer you the original non adulterated honey of the “sesia” tree flowers. A one of its kind honey.
Don’t forget to stop by at Marigat, the home of Perkerra irrigation scheme. Get the freshest water melons, onions, tomatoes and vegetables at homely prices.
Thereafter, the great ascend begins. From an altitude of 1067 meters above sea level, you will rise a whooping 800 meters all the way to Kabarnet town, followed by the rise and fall through the valley and the hills of amazing road snaking to Iten town. This gives you a spiral drive experience with a clear view of Lakes Bogoria, Baringo, Kamnarok, the Tugen Hills and a vantage aerial view of the Kerio Valley. The road is punctuated with distant strips of seasonal waterfalls. This is one of the longest drives with many possible detours that might just give you an experience of your life.
Robert Frost says it best in his poem.
…I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Emily Khalayi Wekulo.