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IN PICTURES - SAFARIS IN KENYA
(5th to 13th Aug 2012)
Map of Kenya
Itinerary
Day 1 – 5th Aug – Arrived in Nairobi and transferred to The Strand Hotel in Nairobi.
Day 2 – 6th Aug – Drove via Great Rift Valley to Maasai Mara. Afternoon game drives in Massai Mara and overnight in Olmoran Tented Camp.
Day 3 & 4 – 7th & 8th Aug – Game drives in Maasai Mara.
Day 5 – 9th Aug – Drove to Lake Nakuru National Park. Game drives in the afternoon and put up in Lake Nakuru Lodge for the night.
Day 6 – 10th Aug – Drove to Amboseli National Park. Game drives in Amboseli National Park in the afternoon and put up in Amboseli Sopa Lodge.
Day 7 – 11th Aug – Game drives in Amboseli National Park.
Day 8 – 12th Aug - Returned to Nairobi, have lunch in Carnivore and overnight in The Strand Hotel.
Day 9 – 13th Aug - Nairobi city tour – visited Dalphen Shedrick and Giraffe Centre. Departed for Amman in Jordan.
A. Introduction
In Swahili, safari means “long journey”. It was actually a long and daunting journey, to say the least!
Kenya, the land where safari was born, is one of the most popular destinations for safaris in the world. It is famous for its “out of Africa” scenic beauty, diverse cultures and abundance of wildlife.
The “big 5” in Kenya safari – lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rinos can be seen in their jungle habitat. There are also 1,400 spices of birds recorded in Kenya.
Besides an astounding wealth of wildlife, there is a spectrum of landscapes ranging from vast savannahs and windswept moors to barren deserts and turquoise lakes.
Aside from its rich traditions with over 40 ethnic tribes, Kenya is also a multicultural nation. Local folks are warm and friendy and are ready to welcome visitors with a loud “Jambo” (hello)!
Five of us, 4 Malaysians – Kenny, K C, Kok Peng, me and an old American friend, Larry were in Kenya from 5th to 13th Aug 2012. We visited Massai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park and Amboseli National Park.
We travelled in a 4x4 vehicle driven by our Guide, Wilmis.
First dinner in Nairobi
B. Journey from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve (6th Aug)
The road journey by 4x4 - van from Nairobi to Masai Mara took about four hours. Along the way, we passed the Great Rift Valley.
The Great Rift Valley is a large trough that runs through Kenya from north to south. It is characterized by uninhabitable desert and farmland flat, plains and steep.
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Barren landscape in Great Rift Valley
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Small villages along the way
A herd of giraffes along the way to Masai Mara
Entrance to Masai Mara National Reserve
C. Safari in Masai Mara (6th to 8th Aug 2012)
Masai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s finest wildlife reserve. It lies 270km from Nairobi. The reserve is about 1500 sq km.
In the Reserve, one is expected to see a plethora of wildlife including the “big five” elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions and buffalos.
Also, the extraordinary annual Great Migration of wildebeest and other grazing herbivores across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. Over two million herbivores partake in this journey, with about 200 000 zebra and 500 000 Thomson's gazelle behind the main players... one-and-a-half million wildebeest!
Accommodation in Olmoran Tented Camp
A wide expanse of wilderness covered with dust |
Traffic Jam! |
Vultures feeding on a wilderbeest Kenya
A herd of elephants
Giraffes atanding tall
A herd of Thomson gazelles
A leopard roosting on a branch
A pair of Lions resting after mating
When we approached the Masai Mara River hoping to see the great migration, we saw thousands of wildebeests and zebras near the bank of the river on the Kenya side! It was obvious that the great migration of herbivores had ended. When we were waiting near the river bank where the migration took place, we saw only one wildebeest crossing the river and some hippos and a couple of crocodiles resting in Masai Mara River bed!
We also saw a herd of wildebeests came to the Mara River and some went down to have a drink.