Buzzing through the lush tropical forests, my quad bike hums as it quickly responds to every pebble and stone. Colourful endemic and endangered birds fly above me and beautiful butterflies bat their glittery wings. From thick bush, we speed through the expansive sandbanks of Mida Creek during low tide and meander through tributaries, whilst the afternoon sun begins to set. The calm waters glisten and turn orange from the colours of dusk. In the distance, wetland birds fly into the endless horizon as our quad biking adventure in Watamu slowly comes to an end.
For more information, contact Safariquad Kenya or Garoda Resort Location: Watamu, Kenya +254 (0) 713 983 604
When one thinks of the tiny Kenyan coastal village of Watamu, thoughts of wide, pristine white-sand beaches and reef-protected aqua lagoons, come to mind. Selected by the UK’s Sunday Times, Watamu’s exceptional shoreline is one of the top ten beaches in the world, but as my most recent visit proves, Watamu has a lot more to offer than just beach and ocean.
Quad Biking in Watamu
Exhilarating, challenging and incredibly liberating, quad biking in Watamu is perfect for an aspiring weekend explorer and even for the more intrepid. Safariquad Kenya, which operates out of Garoda Resort in Watamu, offers individuals that are up for a ‘real’ adventure, day-excursions around the coastal community.
Thanks to a fleet of fully automatic quad bikes, motorsport experience is not a prerequisite. As long as you have the desire to experience something different, a short course with the Safariquad instructors will do.
Exploring Watamu and its flora and fauna on a quad bike is truly a unique and memorable experience. Quad biking allows you to enjoy the sights from a full 360 degree perspective, where riding in the open-air provides an opportunity to sense the environment around you – breathe the air, smell the flowers, listen to the rustling leaves, feel the sunshine warm your skin and contemplate your world. Whether it’s zipping through the lush bush or pausing to take a photograph of a 500-year-old Baobab tree, quad biking makes it easy to discover new places that you wouldn’t have been able to by car or foot.
Arabuko-Sokokoe Forest
The Arabuko-Sokokoe Forest lies between Kilifi and Malindi. As one of the most important coastal dry forests in Eastern Africa, Arabuko-Sokokoe, only after Congo, is renowned for birdlife conservation. With more than 270 species of birds, 261 types of butterflies and more than 600 plant species, the forest shelters endemic and endangered birds, insects, amphibians and mammals. When you’re driving through, keep your eyes opened for sightings of Rock Pythons, Forest Cobras and monkeys.
Mida Creek
Another area worth exploring is Mida Creek. Fringed with a mangrove forest, Mida Creek is the ideal place for bird-watching. During low tide, wetland birds feed in the area. Several channels and expansive sandbanks are revealed during low tide, making this a great location to quad bike in the open.
Source: http://www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/ASNP.html
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