July 24/18
Second year students in the Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management Bachelor’s program at DeKUT attended a field class trip to Lake Elementaita and Hell’s Gate National Park on July 24th, 2018. These field classes allow students to use what they learn in the classroom and apply it in a real world setting, providing them with valuable hands on experience that can benefit them later in their careers.
At Lake Elementaita, students learned how to identify a wide variety of bird species in addition to diverse plant life that grows in the area. Lecturers demonstrated how to differentiate these plants and gave lessons on their properties. Students also learned about how the geography of the region has been shaped and how that has impacted biodiversity over the years.
In Hell’s Gate National Park, students were awarded the opportunity to observe larger wildlife groups such as antelope, zebras, giraffe, baboons, and buffalo among others. A hike into Hell’s Gate Gorge provided a unique geographical learning opportunity with geothermal springs running along the base of this large rift.The intense power of water was evident among the smooth rocks that makes up sections of the gorge. Students could see the growth of different species of algea as a result of the hot spring water that makes its way to the surface.
Teamwork was a large factor in navigating the gorge as many steep walls and slippery slopes needed to be climbed and descended, students worked together to ensure everyone succeeded and stayed safe.
Article by:
Shaylyn Robertson
Eco-Tourism Business Officer – June 2018 – December 2018
Institute of Tourism & Hospitality Management
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology