African Safari Part 1 (Aug 24 - Aug 30)

Destination: Kenya

We were a group of five on a 9 day safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Ken and Janis from Santa Barbara, Troy, from England, Daryl and I journeyed into the Serengeti, the Masai Mara, Amboseli, and a few lesser known parks in and around the Great Rift Valley. Daryl and I had been on thrilling safaris in South Africa, so we were primed for high expectations. Our companions were excited too, mainly because they'd never strayed much into the developing world and Africa was a whole new continent for them. We flew into Nairobi, and spent two nights there, before submitting to the fully organized itinerary of Asili Tours.

Aug 24 Nairobi

After an 8 hour flight from Heathrow Airport, a taxi deposited us in the late evening at a friend's home in the Gigiri neighborhood. This was Nairobi's posh part highlighted by elegant homes, attractive landscaping, and foreign embassies. It's also home to the United Nations complex. Gracious, wonderful Yunae welcomed us warmly into her Colonial style home. Over chilled white wine and cheese we had a quick chat before collapsing into beds designed for deep slumber.
In the morning we hopped across the street to the stylish Village Market Mall where we enjoyed fresh brewed strong Kenyan coffee and a light, buttery croissant in the open air central dining court. We were surrounded by trendy cafés and gleaming shops in a complex designed to resemble an open air African market. Features like waterfalls, little rivers and gardens enhanced this impression, but also pointed to Nairobi's flourishing economy. Luckily for us, the weekly Maasai craft market was on at an indoor hall attached to the complex. What a thrill to wander down aisles, admiring vibrant textiles, beaded jewelry, wood carvings, and artwork depicting wildlife and traditional tribal life. This was where we purchased our first souvenir - a banana fiber picture of giraffes.

Karura Forest

Midmorning, Yunae's driver, Ben, shuttled us to the Karura Forest, an oasis of nature in the heart of a chaotic city. The cool temperature (it was midwinter, we were told!) was ideal for a hike. An easy, shaded trail led us to a beautiful waterfall.


Along the way playful monkeys bounded up tree branches, and unusual birds swooped past us. At the park's terrace restaurant, overlooking the forest, we lunched on soup, tart and salad. A too familiar meal in a country thousands of miles from home!
In the afternoon Yunae, who works at the United Nations, very kindly took an hour off her busy day to give us a tour of the buildings and grounds.

United Nations, Nairobi

 Highlights were the chamber where world leaders meet, gifts of sculpture and artwork from various countries, the UNEP building, and the impressively landscaped grounds.
Our full day in the Kenyan capital ended at an Indian restaurant called Open House in the Westlands neighborhood. Over skillfully prepared, robustly spiced food accompanied by the local Tusker beer, we covered a range of topics on contemporary issues.
It was a perfect first day in East Africa thanks to Yunae. However, we didn't see much of the "real" Nairobi.

Aug 25  The Masai Mara

Right after a light breakfast at a downtown Nairobi hotel, James, our first driver/guide, herded us into a 4 by 4 van with a pop up top. The drive to our first park, the Masai Mara, would take a daunting 6 hours. Leaving the city center we were at once exposed to Africa's disconcerting reality. Rows of disheveled tin shacks, make-shift markets and stores, and muddy roads displayed the hardships faced by the modestly dressed people we saw. Two hours later we climbed up a steep road along the Great Rift Valley.

Great Rift Valley, Kenya

At a viewpoint we stopped to marvel at this immense geological phenomenon that stretches from Israel to Mozambique.

After a souvenir purchase - a soap-dish carved with a Rift Valley map - we continued inland where the landscape became increasingly arid and sparsely populated. Euphorbia trees were a common sight. The last stretch of the drive to the Masai Mara was on a primitive dirt road, deeply rutted and potholed.

Maasai village

We were in the land of the Maasai people where centuries old traditions and tribal ways persisted. In the villages we saw clusters of mud huts, and cattle and goats.
Maasai people walked along the road and across the fields, bright red and orange blankets draped over their shoulders. Lean, tall men held in their hands a strong stick. James explained that males are trained to be warriors and at puberty are presented with a stick. The 21st century, however, was very visible. Everyone had cellphones!
Rain slowed us down and by the time we arrived at Enkorok Mara Camp just outside the Masai Mara we were about to faint from hunger.

At this exquisite camp, the staff made their intent to pamper us clear right at the outset when they welcomed us with hot towels and fresh fruit juice. They led us to the dining room where a buffet lunch restored our energy. Our rooms, individual tent cabins, were huge with log style furniture, flush toilets and hot showers. Maasai beaded necklaces and pictures of wildlife adorned the walls. A late afternoon game drive, much to our disappointment, had to be aborted due to a torrential downpour.
But we were in a beautiful setting. Strong tea and tasty Kenyan doughnuts called mandazi, cheered us up. Later, we relaxed over wine (a Chilean Malbec) on comfortable sofas with savanna views in the open plan tented lounge area.
Dinner later that evening was a buffet featuring topnotch cuisine. Flavors, freshness, and textures were faultless. We pigged out on butternut squash soup, roti, aromatic pilaf, steamed peas and carrots, a spicy lentil curry, chicken for the meat eaters, and a fresh salad. Fusion cuisine geared for the international traveler seeking something of the exotic in a foreign place, yet not too unfamiliar.

The generator which provided the energy that enabled us to have creature comforts in the African wilderness, was turned off at the sensible hour of 10:00 PM. We needed a good night's sleep since James wanted us ready at sunrise (7:00 AM.). Night guards on duty assured us that a lion would not tear through our canvas tent in the middle of the night. We fell asleep to a chorus of indistinguishable canine howls.

Aug 26 Masai Mara

A breakfast of cereals, toast, scrambled eggs, baked beans, and fresh fruit (notably passion fruit) fueled us up for a full day in the Masai Mara. Instant coffee surprised us - in this country that grows superior coffee! The sun - deep orange -emerged right after breakfast, and we had to stop to gaze at it, despite being a half hour behind schedule! Fifteen minutes later, in our custom built safari van, we entered the tranquil world of animals. Within minutes herds of gazelle and zebra appeared.

Cape Buffalo

And minutes later we were gasping at wildebeest, Cape buffalo and giraffe, the early morning sun lighting up their bodies into flattering shades. A blue sky and air washed clean from the recent storm lent excellent contrast and definition. The birdlife was phenomenal too. Ostriches, vultures, hawks, fish eagles, Egyptian geese and smaller birds of thrilling hues. Later we noticed a lioness lying in the grass. We pulled up closer and spent a few minutes watching her tummy display her breathing rhythm.
At lunch time in the shade of an acacia tree James put out folding chairs and a table. We sat in comfort in the African bush munching sparsely filled sandwiches, a banana, an apple, and a boiled egg. In the early afternoon we headed toward the Sand River. Due to the Great Migration which occurred in July, the Masai Mara was populated by large herd concentrations. Gazelles, zebra, giraffe, and many, many wildebeest were constantly in our field of vision. Every so often families of warthogs wobbled clumsily through the grass, their comical faces causing us much amusement. We spotted a lone black rhino. James expressed surprise at this rare sight. Black rhinos resided in the northern Serengeti and at the bottom of the Ngorogoro Crater. At the Sand River, close to the Serengeti border, there were greater concentrations of herbivores. In and around the water we could see large numbers of hippos and crocodiles.

Heading back to Enkorok Camp we saw a few topi. Their deep brown colors distinguished them from most of the other wildlife with lighter coloring that blended with the dry grass. A cheetah appeared about 50 meters from the road.

Cheetah

He sat up on his haunches and stared at us. Such mesmerizing beauty. We clicked, again and again. A moment to capture, preserve, freeze. A short while later we saw some wildebeest sprinting across with frantic urgency. What could have spooked them? Continuing on we saw vultures cleaning up the skeleton of an animal the size of a zebra. Much later in the day we were excited to see a couple elephants. Though partly hidden by branches and tall grass, we were able to watch them for a bit. Before exiting the park we saw a hyena sloping through the grass. Minutes later, a jackal scampered by. And when we returned to our camp, utterly exhausted from the full day of wildlife viewing, I felt we had seen everything. Could the rest of the trip top this?

After showers and donning clean evening clothes we joined Ken and Janis at their tent entrance set up for lounging. We enjoyed the breathtaking setting over a crisp, dry Rosé that they'd brought along from their local co-op in France. When darkness fell, close to 7:30, another hearty buffet dinner awaited us. New to us was a traditional hard cornmeal porridge called ugali and a local sautéed spinach. As we were finishing up our meal, all the camp workers, dressed in vibrant Maasai attire, appeared with a birthday cake. There was some confusion due to our original booking two years ago when I indicated the trip was to celebrate Daryl's big birthday. We managed to change that to a celebration of Troy's 60th. Some traditional singing and dancing in which Troy participated, kept the whole dining room amused and entertained. The birthday cake, a vanilla sponge, with buttercream frosting was sliced up and served to everyone in the dining hall. And we all went to bed with great big smiles.

Aug 27 Hell's Gate National Park

Up before sunrise, we rushed through morning rituals, but again failed to make it into the park for sunrise! No chance of seeing lions copulate, or a cheetah sprinting toward its prey, or a leopard carrying a carcass up a tree! Soon after entering the park James received radio information. He sped off onto a narrow lane, the car rocking up, down and sideways. A tricky stream crossing and up a steep hill had us holding our breaths. Then we saw something majestic and understood what the sudden determined maneuver was about.

Lion in the Masai Mara

A lion strode through the grass, his body swaying gracefully and his demeanor portraying the confidence of a king. We had a perfect view of him. His bushy mane and golden body glinted in the morning light. Ken, Janis and Troy were dead silent. A first for them. When the lion ambled out of view, James drove ahead to where we could see him again. What was he up to? Where was his family? Eventually he disappeared in the tall grass beside a leafy tree.

Minutes after returning to the main track we encountered another beauty - a saddle billed stork.

Big, magnificent, it stood close enough to be admired and photographed at leisure. Then it was time to exit this magical park. We stopped at a posh lodge to use their sparkling restrooms. Over a quick cup of coffee we saw dassies roaming around the landscaped grounds. As we drove away from the Masai Mara we were all quiet. After two days of constant highs surely it's downhill from this point?

The drive to our next destination was a slog. Though not busy, a rough, potholed road surface meant an arduous journey. At Hell's Gate we were delighted at the chance to get some exercise and fresh air. A cloudy sky cooled the air to a perfect temperature for a hike. The area's geothermal activity and interesting geologic rock formations provided gorgeous scenery.

Hell's Gate

Herds of herbivores, mostly zebra and gazelles, grazed on the fields on either side of the gravel path. The crunch of volcanic rock under my feet felt delightful. Along the way I picked up chunks of shiny obsidian to study, examine, admire, and then regretfully, return to the ground. Two hours later a gentle drizzle signaled the end of the hike.
Our evening accommodation was at Lake Naivasha, a popular recreational area a short distance from Nairobi. We stayed at Taphe Guest House, a charmless, modest place in the midst of a working class neighborhood. From our room window, looking beyond shabby backyards, we caught glimpses of Lake Naivasha. The building felt old and neglected, but our rooms were spotless, with comfortable beds and hot showers. An eagerness to please came though in the 3 course evening meal which had the flavor profile of home cooked, made from scratch. A creamy pumpkin soup was followed by a main course of rice, vegetables, chicken and beans in a curry sauce. A freshly made pineapple cake for dessert was pretty okay too.

 Aug 28 Amboseli

Of course we had to be up at dawn for another early departure. The parks are long distances apart, connected by poor roads. From Lake Naivasha we had to drive to Nairobi before merging on the main highway - a two lane paved road - heading south to Mombasa. The many sluggish trucks and other vehicles meant a stressful journey requiring frequent passing. Arriving at Amboseli we at once knew it was all worth it.

African Spoonbill

Even before we started to see the herds of elephants for which this park is famous, we were greeted within minutes by a parade of extraordinary birds. They were like the welcome committee assuring us that we were in for an unforgettable experience. A yellow-necked francolin, blacksmith lapwings, crested cranes, a spoonbill, African jacanas, and colorful bee-eaters. We were speechless at this abundance of beauty.

As we approached Amboseli Lake, which interestingly is fed by an underground spring, we saw elephants in family clusters. In the swamps and marshes elephants were immersed in mud, and others were wading in water. More elephants were scattered in the fields nearby.
But there was so much else to see.

The diverse ecosystems of this park, located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, supports an astounding variety of birdlife.

Greater and Lesser Flamingoes

Thousands of greater and lesser flamingoes fringed the far side of the lake and through binoculars we were able to enjoy watching them. Driving on we saw a king fisher, a hoopoe, plovers, pelicans and eagles. Predators are rare here, but we were lucky to spot some lionesses sleeping in the grass. Baboons popped up sporadically.

Late in the day, heading out of the park, we observed elephants gathering together into their herds.

A happy family

James told us a matriarch takes charge, issuing the orders. The young ones are sent into the middle and the stronger, usually male elephants position themselves around the edges when the herd gets ready to migrate to a different part of the park. Fascinating! Every evening large herds amble away from the water and head toward the open plains and acacia woodlands. The reverse occurs every morning. It was a bit disconcerting to see many safari vehicles aggressively and insensitively following herds causing disruptions and separations of herd members at road crossings. James kept shaking his head in despair.
Just outside the park we encountered an unusual sight. About 50 meters from the road, beside a cluster of acacias, we could see two enormous elephants, with long, long tusks that almost touched the ground.

The older generation ...

A third one was lying horizontally on the ground and we were sure it was dead. The other two seemed to be nudging it with their feet. Were they in mourning? Then, suddenly, the elephant rose, most effortlessly into an upright position! We had a good old chuckle on the short drive to our new accommodation.

Kibo Safari Camp, where we spent the night, was bustling and atmospheric. Unlike the intimacy of Enkorok Mara Camp, this felt like an upmarket resort and ten times larger. Overlooked by a cloud encased Mt Kilimanjaro, it had a souvenir shop, a spa, and a pool. A thatched common area for dining and lounging had attractive indoor and outdoor spaces for maximum enjoyment of the setting. Individual tent cabins had similar African décor to Enkorok Mara Camp. Dinner was an extravagant buffet spread of expertly prepared western skewed cuisine. Like the menu of a fine dining California restaurant temptingly displayed with everything available to you! We ate well and slept well and the next morning, after a feast of a breakfast, resented having to leave this sumptuous resort at sunrise!