Horses, Giraffes, and Feeling at Home in the Highlands

We spent a wonderful weekend with my university friend Harry, his wife Clara, and their lovely children. They have built such a beautiful home near Nanyuki, and it was inspiring to see what they have created together.

There are goats, chickens, geese, and, to the children’s great delight, horses.

After a relaxed breakfast on Saturday morning, the children disappeared almost immediately into their own little paradise. They rode bikes, groomed the horses, fed the animals, and even helped milk the goats. They loved every second of it.

Later, we went for a long walk through the beautiful landscape. The girls rode the horses while the boys switched between bicycles and horseback riding. The countryside here feels wide and peaceful, green rolling hills stretching out beneath the ever-changing sky. By the end of the walk, the boys were splashing and jumping into a small water pool, completely soaked and completely happy.

In the afternoon, we headed out again, this time with the children riding their bikes. Back at the house, Clara and the children took care of the horses and animals together. It all felt wonderfully simple and grounded.

Yesterday brought another highlight.

We drove into the Sangare Conservancy, some by car and some on horseback. The girls said, that riding quietly through the landscape while wildlife moved freely around them felt almost surreal. Harry explained that the animals are far less disturbed by horses. Later, after the horses were brought back to the house.

We also got incredibly close to a group of Northern giraffes in the Sangare Conservancy, which we had only seen from afar in Ol Pejeta.

This was the third type of giraffe we have seen in Kenya, which means we have now encountered all the giraffe species found here. The children were thrilled. Standing so close to these gentle giants, it was impossible not to be amazed by their quiet elegance and grace..

We also passed different antelopes, gazelles, zebras and countless birds before stopping at a beautiful lake, where Julius and his new friend Mungo somehow managed to become completely wet and muddy within minutes.

Afterwards, we continued to a lovely café restaurant near the conservancy. It was one of those rare places thoughtfully designed for both adults and children, where parents can enjoy a peaceful quite time, while children still have space to explore and play freely.

Back at Harry’s house, Assunta immediately went to check on the horses again, grooming them carefully and helping prepare them for the field. The rest of the evening was spent playing ball games.

The children would happily have stayed much longer.

Before leaving this morning, they took every last opportunity to spend time with the horses again. Julius proudly announced:

“Mami, I’m already really big because I cleaned Kelly’s front hooves!”

He could hardly contain his pride.

And Assunta simply said:

“Mami, I want to live here and have horses. It’s such a dream here.”

Back at our house, life slowed down again a little. We did some homeschooling, watched zebras wandering past the garden, and suddenly realised that these were the “other” zebras. Kenya actually has different zebra species, and until now we had not been completely sure we could tell them apart. But seeing the Grevy’s Zebra today, the differences to the “normal” Zebra was surprisingly clear.

And so, once again, we end the day with full hearts.

Grateful for this magical place, for the people we meet along the way, and for the beauty of this wild and unexpected life surrounding us here in Kenya.