The Milgis Trust

The Matthews Range… Or as the Samburu call it ‘ Ol Donyo Lenkiyio ‘ … ‘ the dewlap of a cow’, another of the Samburus Sacred mountain ranges, in fact they say if they lose them, then its the end of the Samburu tribe, is another of those beautiful Islands in the Desert in the Northern Frontier district… Each Island is so different from the other… They are not as steep and sheer as the Ndotos, but they go up in layers, each ridge, abit higher than the last, until you reach the top, averaging around 7500/8000 feet… The Forest is largely unspoilt, and vast, clinging onto the slopes, massive gnarled old trees, 100’s of years old, who could tell a story or two about the old days, and even now… Very very few people know these mountains well, in fact just a few hunter gatherers,who have lived off the forest all their lives, but they keep things secret… Wildlife is thriving up there, Elephants, Buffalo, leopard, and De-Brazza Monkeys, and a multitude of other forest animals and birds that quietly get on with their lives, tucked away from the world… Birds have no fear of humans as they hardly know what they are!, they come close up to check you out!!… When you are up in the Forest, its difficult to believe that there is another world out there… Where you all are!…Its a special place…

Our good Friends from Austria, who have done several camel safaris with us, and avid Milgis Trust supporters, wanted this time to discover the Matthews abit more!…they wanted to stand on ‘Kimanic’, Matthews Peak!!… But I mentioned, November may not be the right time but lets try!!!

Uh Oh!!… This was the day before we left.. interesting sign, but actually the Samburu say that a rainbow holds the rain back!!… Behind the rainbow is the ‘dewlap of the cow’ The northern end of the Range..

Eerie Milgis, the morning we were setting off,,, Most extraordinary for the hot windy Milgis Lugga… Was it telling us something!!

But Up, Up, Up we went, past all the layers, to the ridge, above the Famous Ilgwe pass, where the Samburu won a big battle against the Laikipiak… The Samburu, apparently!, chipped away at the sides of these rocks with their spears, so that they could steal cattle and run, across the pass… which was impossible before! And they did, and now in memory of this very ‘famous’ or important piece of history of the Samburu when you pass, you pick a branch and put it on the pile, on either side of the pass…

Ilgwe pass is below..

Northern Matthews.. in the distance is Ngurnit, east side of the Ndotos

Matthews peak.. we didn’t make it there!!.. I started raining ,pouring… The Samburu sang with joy even if they were getting soaked…

To be continued!…