International travel in any form is still uncertain. At the time of writing Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania are all on the Covid red list. It seems the possibility of journeying in East Africa is still some way off. Indeed, I was surprised to see that Namibia, one of the least densely populated countries on earth, is on the list too.
If we can't go to East Africa then we shall continue to bring it home, to savour the flavours and evoke cherished happy memories.
I'm a big fan of my local Peak Bean coffee roasters https://peakbean.co.uk/
Recently the folks at Peak Bean have obtained several excellent new lines from East Africa to create single bean roasts. So, with a grind of the coffee mill, the heady aroma of my cafetiere and a swoosh of the Aeropress. We continue in the spirit of previous stories.
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| Peak Bean single origin East Africa trio |
UGANDA
Along the western boundary of Uganda, rise the Rwenzori mountains. The massif was formed by a mountain building up-thrust of the earth's crust three million years ago, creating peaks towering five thousand meters above sea level. From the Stanley Glacier you can see over a seemingly unbroken sea of broccoli green canopy into the Congo basin. Meltwater draining along wild montane rivers irrigates the lower slopes of the Rwenzoris, going on to feed the tributaries of the magnificent Nile and fill the great African lakes.
In the foothills live the Bakonzo people. This is coffee country. The Rwenzori's are known as the rainmaker, which along with the equatorial climate, go to producing high quality coffee cherries.
Along the western boundary of Uganda, rise the Rwenzori mountains. The massif was formed by a mountain building up-thrust of the earth's crust three million years ago, creating peaks towering five thousand meters above sea level. From the Stanley Glacier you can see over a seemingly unbroken sea of broccoli green canopy into the Congo basin. Meltwater draining along wild montane rivers irrigates the lower slopes of the Rwenzoris, going on to feed the tributaries of the magnificent Nile and fill the great African lakes.
In the foothills live the Bakonzo people. This is coffee country. The Rwenzori's are known as the rainmaker, which along with the equatorial climate, go to producing high quality coffee cherries.
A few years ago I led a World Challenge school's expedition to Uganda. It wasn't my first time in the Rwenzori range, but the pleasure of returning to trek through this reservoir of biodiversity and abundance was undiminished. Our local guide introduced us to subsistence farmers who were spreading out their crop of coffee cherries to dry under the sun. At this stage, the coffee bean and its flavour is hidden away inside the fruit. Roasting comes much later in the process.
A few of us made a trip into town for supplies we could not source in Kilembe. Allowed me to revisit the Margherita Hotel and relax for a while on the sunbaked terrace with a maji ya tonic. The previous time I had sat there, on a different expedition, I had watched an electrical storm of such proportions it may have been sent by the Bakonzo deity Kithasama.
The evening's golden light had been prematurely extinguished by ominous stacks of cloud. A bright flash, my irises rapidly contracted, silhouetting a marabou stork in a nearby tree. Then the briefest moment, before the hotel lights tripped out and a boom of thunder followed by a rolling rumble as Kithasamba beat his drum in anger. Large rain drops hammered the corrugated metal terrace roof with deafening ferocity, but I was none the less grateful for the shelter. And a cool bottle of Nile Special pilsner, while relaxing deep into a wicker chair.
KENYA
The day starts early in East Africa. The the elliptical orbit of the earth and tilt of it's axis has little effect on sunrise and sunset times in equatorial regions. People are normally up and about at first light to make the most of the cool morning. Measurement of time on a Swahili clock reflects this consistent routine of life and tradition.
The numbers on a Swahili clock are opposite to those shown on a English clock. Meaning Swahili time is 6 hours different. So, whereas in Britain we might wake up at 06:00 in the morning. In Kenya this is 00:00. Or, if we arise at 07:00, this would be 01:00 in Kenya. Although with sunrise in Kenya around 00:00 Swahili time, this might be considered to be wasting the light of the day.
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| credit: https://www.cafepress.co.uk/ |
My wristwatch alarm buzzed as the purple hues of morning tinted the light in of my room. As part of a acclimatisation build up to the Safaricom Marathon (now called the Lewa marathon) I was staying with a tour group in the Aberdare Country Club. I splashed some cool water on my face, pulled on my trainers and headed down to join the other runners. Biscuits, coffee and juice had been laid out for a little pre-training energy.
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| credit: https://aberdarecountryclub.com/ |
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| photo: Stu Westfield |
The training run went well. We passed by a herd of grazing zebra, who raised their heads to see what we were before carrying on with their grazing. On the return, warmed up and pushing ourselves a little more now, several giraffe ran parallel to us. We kept a very safe distance away of course, as those legs looked awfully long, muscular and powerful from our much lower perspective. We could hardly believe what a treat this had been and animated conversation about the experience continued well into the morning.
Later, enjoying my recovery, drinking a kahawa bila maziwa on the verandah, a family of warthog peacefully mowed the grass on the lawn, all in a line as if given instructions for the task.
Later, enjoying my recovery, drinking a kahawa bila maziwa on the verandah, a family of warthog peacefully mowed the grass on the lawn, all in a line as if given instructions for the task.
TANZANIA
Kilimanjaro, beloved by trekkers and Chaga coffee growers, is a superb mountain. It's also the highest freestanding mountain in the world. The region produces some of the finest beans, from which Peak Bean produce their Tanzania Yetu Tamu AA single bean roast. After the exertions of climbing Kili, why head to central Moshi and take a moment at the famous Union Cafe to watch the world go by. Perhaps accompanying your drink with a mandazi to replace some of those calories left on the hill.
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| credit: http://kncutanzania.com/#!/page_union_cafe |
Overlooked by her bigger sister, in any other location Mount Meru would be top of the bucket list must do experience. Just sixty-something kilometers apart, from each peak on a clear dawn, you can see the other. Standing at 4556m Meru is lower in altitude, but it's still a big mountain, with several distinct ecological zones to trek through on the way to the summit.
Being just that bit taller, Kili is one of the trilogy of glaciated African peaks (Mounts Stanley and Kenya being the other two). All are losing their glaciers at a rapid rate due to climate change and this is impacting the coffee growers with less consistent water run off and unreliable seasons. (ref: BBC report: The people under threat from a melting glacier )
With the current rate of loss, it's predicted that in only a few decades time there will be none of Hemmingway's Snows Of Kilimanjaro left to see.
With the current rate of loss, it's predicted that in only a few decades time there will be none of Hemmingway's Snows Of Kilimanjaro left to see.
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| Kilimanjaro summit & the remnants of the southern ice field |
Both Mount Meru and Kili were created as the plates of eastern branch Great Rift Valley separated. The further north you travel the more recent the volcanoes have been formed. Ol Doinyo Lengai, the Masai Mountain Of God, having had a recent eruptive phase, casting a fresh layer of fertilising ash across the Ngorongoro Conservation area.
Mount Meru, the attractive bridesmaid to Kili, missed out being been a lyric in a 1980's chart topping pop song. Although, sorry folks, Kilimanjaro doesn't actually rise above the plains of the Serengeti. The nearest savannah is in Kenya. But then 'Kilimanjaro rising above the plains of the Amboseli' isn't quite such iconic a reference. If you're looking for a mountain which does overlook the Serengeti, then Loolmalasin, in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is a closer candidate. But it doesn't trip of the tongue nearly as well. So I guess we'll have to forgive Toto in taking a few geographical liberties for the sake of their art.
Mount Meru, the attractive bridesmaid to Kili, missed out being been a lyric in a 1980's chart topping pop song. Although, sorry folks, Kilimanjaro doesn't actually rise above the plains of the Serengeti. The nearest savannah is in Kenya. But then 'Kilimanjaro rising above the plains of the Amboseli' isn't quite such iconic a reference. If you're looking for a mountain which does overlook the Serengeti, then Loolmalasin, in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is a closer candidate. But it doesn't trip of the tongue nearly as well. So I guess we'll have to forgive Toto in taking a few geographical liberties for the sake of their art.
On expedition, the coffee you'll probably become acquainted with is instant Africafe. It's an acquired taste, a much more bitter offering what you may be used to. But at at least it doesn't taste like gravy browning like the instant coffees in the UK. Some of the stuff on supermarket shelves should be presented as evidence at the Old Bailey for crimes against coffee!
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| Credit: https://www.africafecoffee.co.uk/ |
Mount Meru is a complete African mountain experience in a nutshell. Its slopes lay within the Arusha National Park which is locally known as Little Serengeti. Our trek in through savannah was accompanied by an armed ranger as buffalo are commonly sighted along with zebra and giraffe. Leopard are rumoured to be resident too, but they are shy and elusive. We saw thousands of pink flamingo feeding upon cyanobacteria algae at the Momela soda lakes. Up higher, the vegetation is dominated by forest, home to colobus and blue monkey. Then transitions to upland heath, before saving the best until last.
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| Mount Meru summit - photo: Stu Westfield |
For me, summit day on Mount Meru is one of the finest trekking routes in the world. Around 7800 years ago the summit collapsed, sending lahar mud flows as far as Kilimanjaro. This left Meru a broken caldera, with a magnificent ridge trek to the summit. Below ancient lava flows cover the floor of the caldera and a ash cone, 'son of Meru', is nature's finale in this most epic of landscapes.
Safari njema
Stu Westfield
Expedition Leader
Are you considering or planning to trek Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru or more widely in East Africa when global Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted? Ranger Expeditions UK guided challenge walks are excellent training for steady paced, full days on the trail.
I have also guided expeditions, worked with NGO's and travelled in many areas of East Africa.
Ranger Expeditions weblinks to....
Expedition Leader
Are you considering or planning to trek Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru or more widely in East Africa when global Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted? Ranger Expeditions UK guided challenge walks are excellent training for steady paced, full days on the trail.
I have also guided expeditions, worked with NGO's and travelled in many areas of East Africa.
Ranger Expeditions weblinks to....
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