Kantilal Dhanji Halai in his fruit orchard near Masai Mara Game Reserve in Narok, and (inset) he peels a fruit in the establishment. He traces his love for nature to his childhood in Nairobi where he would not see a spot where he did not want to plant something. PHOTOS | AUGUSTINE KYALO | NMG
An assortment of flowers and herbs adorn the compound, giving it a lush outlook that sharply contrasts with the surrounding environment. Outside the farm, parched land dotted with shrubs goes for as far as the eye can see.
Suraj also has medicinal trees and herbs as well as several bee hives. Moringa trees, valued for medicinal uses, including the treatment of arthritis, occupy the pride of place in the orchard.
The yellow-breasted weaver birds, the lilac-breasted roller, the speckled mouse bird, the white-crested Toraco, among others, compete to be heard in the cacophony of their music.
He wants visitors to get a different experience from that of the nearby park. And even though Suraj charges visitors to his farm, schoolchildren savour the experience for free.
The Narok-Masai Mara road affords you breath-taking sights throughout the 90-kilometre stretch where man and wildlife, modernity and traditional life fuse in perfect harmony.
Herds of elephants grazing within earshot of children herding sheep evoke an idyllic image of wonderland. But it also masks the turmoil that erupts in this land surrounding the world-famous park when increasing drought and livestock population drive wildlife into grazing land, often with deadly consequences.
