A live set by local and international acts included Sauti Sol and DJ Barney Barrow. They had the crowd dancing and singing along till the wee hours of the morning. For those in the group not nursing a hangover, the early morning breakfast at the Fisherman Camp’s clubhouse was a refreshing start to the day. Nothing beats a hearty meal, fresh air and lush green scenery on a Saturday morning. A cautious walk down the wobbly jetty adjacent to the main stage revealed the camp’s setting on Lake Naivasha in its entire splendor. Greenish waters gently lapping against the sides of old tour boats, tall reeds where hippos played hide and seek. This is where I stood, watching partygoers in various stages of dress (and undress), stumbling out of their cottages and tents, and shuffling towards slumberchasing coffee and scrambled eggs. By mid-morning, dance music was already filling the air, as the Spray Uzi gang took over a corner of the grounds and set about building a graffiti wall from a canvas tautly-stretched across two posts.

Spreading their wares (mostly embellished t-shirts) in front of the wall, Swift, Uhuru and Bank Slave playfully created colourful words and figures. The live acts began in the afternoon and included the hauntingly beautiful music of Ayub Ogada on the nyatiti, songbird Winyo, Kapuka, singer/ rapper Jaguar and The Villagers, among others. As with most festivals, the real fun begins when darkness falls. RVF was no different, as DJs played their psychedelic music on the main stage; an informal secondary concert was being staged at a garage not so far away. Here, wannabe superstars croaked out their favorite tunes, as the ragtag band played along the whole night through—handing down guitars, drum sticks and microphones from one inspired hand to the next.

You bet we had lots of memories to recount on the hour-and-half-long drive back to the city the next day. The 2012 Rift Valley Festival (August 31st to September 2nd) will feature a stunning line up of live artists and DJs from Kenya, Congo, Guinea, the UK and USA. This time, the festival boasts three stages (and stand-by tents) with different styles playing all weekend. There’s also fun kids activities, live art area, and dance shows. To book early-bird tickets, visit www.riftvalleyfestival.co.uk.