Meet the daredevil divers who swim with crocodiles

Travelling along the Kabarnet-Iten road, one cannot resist the urge to make a stopover at Cheploch Gorge on the Baringo and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties’ border.

What grabs one’s attention are the daring youth who make a living by jumping into the 70-metre deep crocodile-infested gorge. Guests pay to watch them.

The daredevils told the Nation last week that the reptiles were usually too scared to attack because of the frequent storms.

On a good day, every member of the group goes home with at least Sh2,000.

“We’ve been diving for years and have discovered over time that crocodiles don’t attack when there is a lot of movement in the water,” Mr Joseph Kibet, one of the eight divers, said.

The walls of the gorge are made up of smooth rocks that compress the huge volumes of water from the Elgeyo-Marakwet escarpments, letting them out in whirling pressure at the point where the youths dive.

The young men also offer their services free of charge whenever a person falls into the river.

The youth were recently instrumental in recovering the body of a bridegroom who drowned at Kirandich Dam, 30 kilometres away.

The Kenya Defence Forces has recognised the rare talent of the divers with one of them being enlisted into the military last year.

Mr Meshack Kiprotich Kenei, 24, turned up for recruitment at Kabarnet Stadium in Baringo Central to try his luck with two of his colleagues.

“We are in the process of registering our group and getting insurance cover for every member,” Mr Kenei said.

He was informed of the recruitment by KDF officers, who stopped at the gorge on their way to the stadium.

Baringo Woman Rep Grace Kiptui recently bought special diving kits for the divers.

The breath-taking scenery of the vast Kerio Valley, which is positioned at the heart of the Great Rift Valley, adds flavour to the visitor’s menu.

Opportunities for tourism in the region, include resorts, hotels, lodges and tented camps.

The major hotels, include Lake Bogoria Spa Resort, Soi Safari Lodge and Kabarnet Hotel in Baringo County, while Kerio View and Keelu Resort are be found in Elgeyo-Marakwet.

Baringo Tourism executive Kipchumba Keitany says the county is in talks with Fly 540 for the airline to fly from Mombasa and Nairobi to Kabarnet.

Kenya Airports Authority has already marked the runway at Kabarnet Airstrip.