Nderitu is a guide who is equally at home behind the wheel as he is in the canyon. After school Nderitu attended a mechanics course for two years before becoming a Matatu driver running regular trips up and down to Nairobi but his adventurous spirit led him to Rift Valley Adventures where he is the head of transport but is equally a member of the guiding team having discovered a love of water and often jumping into it from a great height. Since joining the RVA team Nderitu has become qualified in the Canyon and also on Mountain Bikes and has attended numerous training courses such as rock climbing. You might find that Nderitu will pick you up from the Airport to start your adventure trips in Kenya and navigate his way through the Nairobi traffic but will also be able to navigate you through your adventurous trip just as well.
1: What first got you interested in adventure?
For me the first experiences were driving and guiding in the various conservancies seeing the big five. I love the experiences through the various activities but I certainly found a home in the canyon and really enjoyed being at the Ngare Ndare blue pools and so I was happy to get further experience in that and to become qualified in it. Canyoning is still a relatively new activity in Kenya so its been great to be a part of its development in Kenya.
2: If you had to stay with one adventurous pursuit?
Hard to say as I like a good spread of activities but I think it would have to be Canyoning as being my favourite out of the all, its also something which I would like to take to some new places in Kenya and see what the potential is in other parts of the country.
3: When on expedition, what’s your favourite meal?
Vegetables and rice, food is a highlight on expedition I always look forward to fuelling up at the end of the day. I also can’t start the day without a large mug of Chai.
4: What's your favourite piece of equipment?
My buoyancy aid and a rope as that would open up any canyon or water way in the country. There is still plenty of unexplored waterways and canyons to search for in Kenya.
5: What's been your favourite moment working with RVA?
I think that’s been the canyon training which involved taking my experience and becoming qualified to take clients through it. That did also include jumping in the Tana River during high waters which I have to say was pretty exciting but was all part of the process!
6: When you're off on a long expedition and camping what’s the items you take?
Two sleeping mats - it's much nicer to get a good night's sleep so I quite like to double up the mats. My other essential is a whistle when in the bush; many of the areas we operate in have wildlife in them especially Elephants. A few blasts on the whistle can give them a warning long before you reach them and move them on. I am also a keen fisherman so if we are heading somewhere where it would be good to have a rod with me, then I am quite happy to take that along and take people to see what we might be able to fish out of the river.
7: Whats been your favourite adventure moment?
I think exploring new venues such as the smaller canyon which we use that remained unchartered until we took a closer look and found abseils and new jumps and so much more. I have also been very keen on all the training courses I have been on either on the mountain bikes, canyoning and also rock climbing which furthers my work in the outdoors and allows me more freedom in the field to keep people happy and safe.
8: Whats your favourite place for adventure in Kenya?
Ngare Ndare Forest is my favourite place. It's been a place where I take clients of trips but its also been a place where I have discovered new places and also done many of my training courses so its a place that’s very dear to me.
