The ancient cycads of the Matthews Mountains

Hiking along elephant trails at Sarara into the cloud forests of the Mathews Range - you will have the rare opportunity to meet the mountain's oldest inhabitants: The Kenyan Giant Cycad.

These endemic cycads are true living fossils with their origins estimated to stretch as far back as 280 million years. They are also considered one of the oldest plant types on the planet, and one that’s critically endangered today.

Unlike other species, the Kenyan Giant Cycads have male and female plants and a rather unusual system of pollination. The male plants heat up and emit a toxic odour to drive pollen-covered insects called thrips, out and then use a milder odour to draw the bugs into female cones so the plants are pollinated.

Quintin Luke, one of Kenya's most respected botanists noted that "apart from one or two other forests in East Africa, you don't find this particular species anywhere else in the world."

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Meet Sarara Guide, Daniel Lenaipa