Nairobi was created in 1896 at the time of the construction of the Mombasa-Kampala railway on a high plateau at 1600 metres altitude. At this time the Masai grazed their cattle along the banks of the river ‘Ennairobi, which in their language ‘Maa’, means cold. Today Nairobi has More...e aspect of a European town with a population of over 1 million. It is difficult to imagine that at the beginning of the century you may have met a lion or rhinoceros during an evening stroll down the main street. We leave Nairobi in the direction of the Ngong Hills. Acacia trees and termite mounds line this excellent tarmac road, which brings us rapidly to the border at Namanga. The town is dominated by the sacred mountain Ol donyo Orok, where one of the most important Laibon or Masai sorcerers has been buried. But it is not the religious aspect that attracts the mass of people to this town. In fact it’s the merchants with their contraband goods who are trading along the border post. All sorts of items are proposed to us while we go through the formalities to cross into Tanzania. Once in Tanzania the huge plains continue to spread before us, as far as Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru. On a small track we head towards the Longido hills. Night camping.