I was last in Kenya in 2009 and since then, there have been
great changes in urbanization and highways.
There are several modern highways being constructed around Nairobi and
other national highways. From the signs around
the construction sites, they are being funded by the Chinese government. They are also building a new railroad from
Mombasa to Kampala; fortunately the workers will not have to face the “man
eating lions of Tsavo” as those who built the original railroad during the
British Colony in the late 1890’s. No
improved highways are to be found leading to the Masai Mara, the biggest
tourist attraction in the country and the home of the greatest nature show on
earth, the crossing of the Mara River by the migrating herds. It was explained that the airlines providing
flights to the Mara are opposed to the improving the highways since this will
cause their lucrative business to diminish. As a contrast, in Tanzania, one can drive from
Arusha to the gates of Ngorongoro Crater Park by roads in good conditions.
This safari was kind of “déjà vu” since I visited most of
the sites that I did in 1993 during my first trip to Kenya. I headed first for Sweetwaters where I was
last in 2004. The number of tents has
increased, with the original row facing the waterhole being the prime
location. A second row of elevated tents
were built behind the original ones. The
food here was the best of all the places visited but unfortunately, they have
an unvented grill inside the restaurant which really pollutes the atmosphere.
The waterhole is busy and one can seat in the front porch of
the tent and shoot the action while drinking Tuskers. Jane Godall’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located
here as well as a Rhino Sanctuary. Back
in 2004 I was privileged to visit with Morani, a tame rhino that allowed
tourist to be photographed next to him.
Now there is Baraka, a blind rhino but not friendly. This reserve is worth visiting since there
are opportunities for day as well as night game rides. I was lucky to get one of my best photos of a
cheetah early one morning. Yes, I will
recommend it.
Mount Kenya National Park was the next destination where we
visited the Serena Mountain Lodge; my third visit there. The lodge is dated and in need of upgrading
but it is a great location due to the waterhole and the opportunity to capture
images of some animals not easily found in other parts of Kenya. The lodge
being in a mountain, in the higher floors, provides an eye level view of the
tree canopy. This gives a great
opportunity to photograph Colobus and Sykes Monkeys; they alone make the stay
there worthwhile.
From Mount Kenya I returned to Nairobi to meet some friends
joining the safari. After meeting the
newly arrived, all first timers to Kenya, we departed for Sangare, a tented
camp northeast of Kenya. This camp has a
small lake giving a great opportunity to photograph birds as well as water bucks,
and a rare horse/zebra. It is the result
of the offspring of a zebra and a horse; an image is above.
From Sangare we traveled to the Aberdare Country Club where
we stopped for lunch. I was previously
here in 1993 and the changes have not been for the best. The quality of the staffing, facilities, food
and sophistication has severely declined since the days when it was managed by
British owners. Now is run by local
Indians and the obvious the new business model of squeezing all the profits you
can. The atmosphere of the glamour days
of the 1930’s and still there in the early 1990’s is gone forever. While leaving the Club, we ran into a Manned
Rat, a beautiful one and a new species for me.
We spent the night at the Arch, another site visited in
1993, there were basically no structural changes. The rooms are in need of upgrades which the
administration admitted; there was a sign at the entrance apologizing for the
conditions and that they were in the process of renovating the rooms. One thing about following a tradition, there
are no locks in the doors to the room, so beware of leaving expensive gear in
the rooms. But the wildlife visiting
throughout the night is still coming and the bunker is still accessible to
photograph elephants at eye level…no flash please!
The next morning we continue to Solio, the rhinoceros
wildlife sanctuary, this place has grown since my first visit to and definitely
has improved. I do remember the last
time that there were not so many rhinos and were difficult to see since they
hid in the bush when the vehicles approached, now they don’t pay attention to
the traffic or tourist screaming from the open tops. They are conditioned to people, and easy way
for photographers to great shots of these awesome beasts.
Next we arrived at Lake Nakuru, which I have visited several
times. Other than a decline on the
quality of the food at the lodge, and the facilities still frozen in time in
the 90’s, it is still a place to visit.
The lake with their pelicans, spoonbills and flamingoes are always a
pleasure to observe while waiting for a hyena or jackal to chase them to catch
a meal. So far, it has not occurred
during my visits, so I will have to return.
During this visited I had the luck of visiting the waterfall which I
never seen previously; here I captured the images of the baboons below; she seems
to be thinking…will he ask me for a date?
From Lake Nakuru we drove to Lake Naivashia in the early
morning to photograph the fishing eagles without much success. Then we continued to the ultimate
destination, Masai Mara. It continues to
be the best for wildlife photography site despite the numerous visitors. It is common to see more than14 vehicles
surrounding a lion kill or leopard hunting.
The numbers of vehicles were not so noticeable back in the early 1990’s. As in Solio the animals have become
conditioned to the vehicles and the tourists, making their photography easier.
The Mara may not last in my opinion 20 more years due to the
country’s population demands and foreign development investments. The water level in the Mara has declined drastically
since I was there in 1993, during my last two visits; the herds just waded
across the river. The last time I saw
them swimming across it was in 2004. If
water continues to be depleted by destruction of the forests where the Mara
River originates or by diverting it for irrigation, the migration ceases. Still the opportunities to see a kill are
feasible and while there, I witnessed a cheetah kill. These are extremely difficult to photograph
because it happens so fast and it hard to predict in what direction the chase
will go. Although I did not get great
image of the chase, the cheetah got its meal.
And there are the always lions in love as well as the
elephants, birds and other wildlife. The
greatest wildlife nature show is still with us, but don’t wait long to
experience it.
