03.04.15 Mumbai ( 0530hrs - IST- Ethiopian Airlines) > Addis Ababa > Nairobi ( 1300 hrs)(Rs 30,000 with return fare per person)
04.04.15 Nairobi (8.30 am) > Rift Valley> Lake Naivasha Safari - Night Halt at Lake Naivasha
05.04.15 Lake Naivasha (8.30 am) > Hell's Gate/ Elsamere > Nairobi - Night Halt at Nairobi
06.04.15 Nairobi (7.30 am) > Amboseli (1330 hrs) >Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Amboseli
07.04.15 Amboseli (6.30 am) > Safari > Hotel (0830 am) > Sikh Temple Makindu > Nairobi - Night Halt at Nairobi
08.04.15 Nairobi (6.30 am) > Samburu (1330 hrs) >Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Samburu
09.04.15 Samburu (6.30 am) > Safari >Hotel (0830 am) > Nanyuki (Sweet Waters or Ol Pejeta conservancy) >Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Ol Pejeta conservancy
10.04.15 Ol Pejeta conservancy (6.30 am) > Safari > Hotel (0830 am) > Equator Point > Nairobi (1400) - Night Halt at Nairobi
11.04.15 Nairobi (7.00 am) > Masai Mara (1330 hrs) >Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Masai Mara
12.04.15 Masai Mara (6.30 am) > Safari >Hotel>Left for Masai Village (1000 hrs) >Hotel (1230 hrs) > Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Masai Mara
13.04.15 Masai Mara (7.30 am) > Safari ( got down near Maara river with an armed guard and saw one of the important places where great migration takes place) > Hotel (back to hotel 1200 hrs) > Safari (1600 hrs) - Night Halt at Masai Mara
14.04.15 Masai Mara (6.30 am) > Safari > Hotel (0830 hrs) > Nairobi >Maasai Market - Night Halt at Nairobi
15.04.15 Nairobi > Maasai Market > Home > Left for Airport at 1230 hrs>Addis Ababa
16.04.15 Addis Ababa>Mumbai > CCU>Office
We left for Nairobi from
Mumbai at 5.30 am by Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa. The other
airlines which have reasonable rates are Kenyan Airlines and Qatar(if I
remember correctly) - which flies directly to Nairobi from Mumbai.
At Addis we met
Abhijitda and his wife, who came from Delhi.It takes around 4.30 hours to reach
Addis Ababa and 1.20 hours from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.
We are eight people - My
father, friend of mine, cousins(2 Adults and daughter) and my cousin's friend
(couple). Any African safari should consist of 8 people since Toyota Land
Cruiser Car can accommodate only 8 people. Not a single more - 1 in the front
(who cannot stand ) and 2+2+3 = 8. Actually 7 people are ideal if all of you
want to stand and for photographers group normally they recommend 4 people.
Understand
The size of Kenya is
581,000 Km compared to almost 90,000 Sq km of West Bengal. So it is 6 times the
size of West Bengal. There are 47 counties in Kenya.
Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa. It is surrounded by Somalia to the north east and Tanzania to the south. Its other
surrounding countries are Ethiopia and South Sudan to the north and Uganda to the west.
Kenya is one of Africa's
more powerful economies. Although made up of many diverse ethnic groups
and tribes, Kenyans have strong sense of national pride which may be due in
part to unity in the struggle for Uhuru (Kiswahili :
"freedom") – independence from British colonial rule, achieved in
1963. The population of Kenya is only 42 million or 4.2 Crores.
Nairobi has a population
of 3 million or 30 lakh plus. Situated on the Nairobi River, the city is
not only the largest and fastest growing city in Kenya, but one of the largest
in Africa.The word Nairobi derives from a water hole known in Maasai (an
Eastern Nilotic language) as Enkare Nyirobi, which means "cool
waters." Nairobi, which was a swamp area, was founded in 1899 and was
first a railway camp for the Uganda Railway. The city became Kenya’s capital,
which was Mombasa initially, and it also became the
capital of the British East Africa Protectorate in 1905.
Somewhat
in the middle of Kenya lies Nanyuki town - which is located on Equator. So
Kenya is hot. WRONG. The height
of Nairobi is similar to hill town of Kalimpong (1500 metres). No wonder you
need cold clothes whenever you go to Kenya. It is for this reason Kenya is
one of the largest producers of Tea in the world. Famine in Kenya
causes the price of tea in India to increase.
World famous Kenyan runners typically come from districts like Keiyo, Marakwet and Nandi in western Kenya. Almost all of them represent Kalenjin tribes. Because of the high altitude practising over there is good for long distance runners. Many foreigners come to this part to practice.
Vasco da Gama
expedition set sail from Lisbon on 8 July 1497. By 16 December, the fleet
had passed the Great Fish River (Eastern
Cape, South Africa) . Vasco da Gama spent 2 to 29 March 1498 in
the vicinity of Mozambique Island. Arab-controlled
territory on the East African coast was an integral part of the network of
trade in the Indian Ocean. Fearing the local population would be hostile to
Christians, da Gama impersonated a Muslim and gained audience with the Sultan of Mozambique. With the paltry trade goods he had
to offer, da Gama was unable to provide a suitable gift to the ruler and da
Gama departed the harbour. In the vicinity of modern Kenya,
the expedition resorted to piracy, looting Arab
merchant ships – generally unarmed trading vessels without heavy cannons. The
Portuguese became the first known Europeans to visit the port of Mombasa 7th to 13 April 1498, but were
met with hostility and soon departed.
Vasco
da Gama moved further North and first arrived at the port of Malindi on 14 April 1498 –
whose leaders were then in conflict with those of Mombasa – and there the
expedition first noted evidence of Indian traders. Vasco Da Gama and his crew
contracted the services of a pilot whose knowledge of the monsoon winds allowed him to
bring the expedition to Calicut, located on the southwest coast of India.
Sources differ over the identity of the pilot. Vasco da Gama left Malindi for
India on 24 April 1498.
Vasco
da Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, linking Europe and Asia for the first time by
ocean route, as well as the Atlantic and the Indian oceans entirely and
definitively, and in this way, the West and the Orient. This was accomplished on
his first voyage to India (1497 – 1499).
The British, who were
one of Kenya’s colonizers, set up shop in Nairobi, leading to the creation of
big hotels primarily for the British hunters. Also, Nairobi has an East Indian
community (Gujarati and Punjabi) from those who are the descendants of original
colonial railway labourers and merchants.
The GDP of Kenya is around 62 Billion US Dollar i.e. 1/30 of
Indian GDP and per capita income is only 1500 USD which is similar to India.
100 Kenyan Shilling is = 85 Indian Rupee. However prices
are generally more than DOUBLE than that of India. e.g. 2 pound of good quality
loaf is Rs 96. 1 kg of salt is Rs 40-50.
In Africa, many countries are divided in straight lines by the colonialists at the time of leaving the country, without any serious thought of ethnicity - this resulted in many a fight between the countries. e.g. The North Eastern Province with its capital at Garissa. and previously known as the Northern Frontier District (NFD), was carved out of the Jubaland region of present-day southern Somalia during the colonial period. It is and has historically been primarily inhabited by ethnic Somalis. At the time under British colonial administration, the northern half of Jubaland was ceded to Italy as a reward for the Italians' support of the Allies during World War I. Britain retained control of the southern half of the territory, which was later called the Northern Frontier District (subsequently renamed the North Eastern Province).
On June 26, 1960, four days before granting British Somali land independence, the British government declared that all Somali-inhabited areas of East Africa should be unified in one administrative region. However, after the dissolution of the former British colonies in the region, Britain granted administration of the Northern Frontier District to Kenyan nationalists despite an overwhelming desire of the region's population to join the newly formed Somali Republic and the fact that the NFD was almost exclusively inhabited by ethnic Somalis.
On the eve of Kenya's
independence in August 1963, British officials belatedly realized that the new
Kenyan regime was not willing to give up the Somali-inhabited areas it had just
been granted administration of. Led by the Northern Province People's
Progressive Party (NPPPP), Somalis in the NFD vigorously sought union with
their kin in the Somali Republic to the north. In response, the Kenyan
government enacted a number of repressive measures designed to frustrate their
efforts in what came to be known as the Shifta
War:
Get in
Indian Citizens can avail VOA which is quite hassle free for 50
USD at Kenyan airport. There is no need to have prior Visa.
The yellow fever AND polio vaccination is
required for India. You can go to Marine house near Kidderpore, Kolkata for
vaccination (open on Monday,Wednesday,Friday). Although I had done my yellow
fever vaccination for my Brazilian tour during world cup, I had to go to Marine
house only for the polio oral drop (free of cost) and got a certificate from
them.
By plane
Regular flights to
Nairobi are operated by Ethiopian and Kenya Airways among other airlines. Kenya
Airways is the national airline and flies directly from Mumbai unlike Ethiopian
which halts first at Addis Ababa. For Indian's probably these two are the
cheapest. Nairobi’s main airport is JKIA Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport . There is also Wilson Airport, near city's center for
domestic flights.
By train
The
city is also accessible by train, with daily arrivals and departures at the
Nairobi Railway station. The trains go east to Mombasa and west to Kisumu.
This
is the only route they have. It appeared to be metre gauge and not metre gauge . That
is why train is slow. Probably bus is faster and more convenient. However we
saw work going on for more tracks by Chinese companies.
There are 3 classes:
First, Second and General. First and Second are sleepers. First-class includes
bedding, breakfast, and dinner all-inclusive for around $50; Second is $35
all-inclusive. Both can be purchased without bedding or food. Tickets have to
be booked through the office on Station Road in south-central Nairobi, or
online.
By bus
Kenya’s bus system is mostly reliable. There are many bus
companies that have routes going to and from the country’s different cities,
including Nairobi, the centre of the bus network. Regular bus services operate between: Nairobi & Arusha
(Tanzania); Nairobi & Kampala (Uganda); Mombasa (Kenya) &
Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania); Kisumu (Kenya) & Kampala (Uganda);
Reliable bus services on
these routes include Kampala Coach, Easy Coach, Crown Buses, Modern Coast,
Mash, among others.
By Matatu
Matatus (14-18 seater minibuses) and shuttles (6-seater cars) are
convenient, inexpensive (and often the only) modes of public transport
connecting Nairobi to towns and tourist destinations in the Rift Valley and
Central Highlands such as Naivasha, Nyeri, Nanyuki, Isiolo, and Thika. Matatus
can be obtained from the River Road area.
The petty theft in matatu is a major concern and valuables such as mobile phones and wallets should not be prominently displayed here, particularly after dark and even while in the matatu.
By Boat
Entry into Nairobi by boat is of course not possible, however, one
could certainly arrive in Kenya by boat via Mombasa or Lamu, and proceeding by
road, air, or rail to Nairobi. Immigration should be processed at the port
facility.
Nairobi
Nairobi has notoriously bad traffic and at rush hours (7-9am,
4.30-6.30pm) much of the city grinds to a halt. Even Kolkata pales into
comparison. In the airport we were received by Didi's car and our safari car's
driver Alex.We reached my sister's house around 2.30 pm. We had lunch in Didi's
house. Tomorrow we will leave for Naivasha. They stay at Kitisuru - a very posh
locality in Kenya. That area has a feeling of hill town because
of undulating road. Gopu treated us with some piano.
In Didi's house two maids work. They speak very good English like
almost all Kenyan's we met in this journey.In Kenya almost everybody read
newspapers - which costs around 40-50 Ksh per day ! ie Rs 35-40 !
In Kenya you will always listen to few words - Jumbo for hello (when you enter any hotel you will always listen this!) ; asante sana for thank you very much, asante for thank you , Mzuri sana for very good, Zuri for fine, Karibu for welcome and Ksaheri for Good Bye
However in Maasai hello is Sopa
4/4/15
Lake Naivasha
We left home around 8.30 am for Lake Naivasha, West of Kenya. It takes around 2.30 hours to reach Lake Naivasha. We saw the rift valley view point on the way to Naivasha.
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the
late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the
continuous geographic trench, approximately 6,000 km in length, that runs from
northern Jordan Rift Valley in
Asia to Mozambique in South Eastern Africa.The name continues in some
usages, although it is today considered geologically imprecise.
A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland
between several highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a
geologic rift or fault which is subsequently further
deepened by the forces of erosion. east-Africa-rift.shtml
We took a boat ride @ 30 USD
on Lake Naivasha. We saw numerous birds and
Hippos in the lake. After 1 hour boat ride we went to Naivasha Sopa lodge in
Naivasha around 10 minutes from the Lake.
From boat you can see Cormorants (Pankouri in Bengali) drying their wings, Ibis, Pink Backed Pelicans, Herons, colourful Kingfishers and Fish Eagles, Heron, Jacana, Great White Egret, White Fronted Bee-eater and the Saddle- billed Stork.
For more pictures and details click here or checklist
If you can get down at the other side of the lake called crescent island you have to pay $ 30 per person. We did not do it. In fact it started raining just after we finished our tour.
Naivasha is a market town in Nakuru
County, Kenya, lying north west of Nairobi.
It is located on the shore of Lake
Naivasha and along the Nairobi -Nakuru highway
and Uganda Railway. The main industry is agriculture, especially floriculture. We saw many greenhouse on the way to Naivasha. Apparently
they are growing rose there. The name derives from the local Maasai name Nai'posha,
meaning "rough water" because of the sudden storms which can
arise. Lake Naivasha is at the highest elevation of the Kenyan Rift valley
at 1,884 metres (6,181 ft). The lake has a surface area of 139 Sq
km and is surrounded by a swamp which covers an area of 64 square
km.
Inside our lodge we
saw giraffe, water buck and we sat beside the lake to see the birds.
See the giraffe within
the jungle inside our lodge complex
Inside the lodge when
you go for dinner from your room or go back from dinner room to home you
are supposed to take an armed guard since the hippos in the night get up from
water and wander inside the complex. In fact the security showed me a prong
like instrument to ward off the hippos.
5/4/15
Today
we had breakfast in the lodge and left for Hell's gate. Other member's of our
group left for Elsamere. It was retirement home for the Joy
Adamson of Born Free fame.
This is what Joy had to say about Elsamere: “For years I
had been looking for a house where George and I could live. Eventually I found
a place that seemed to combine all we wished for.It would be impossible
to imagine a more attractive sight for a home…..We decided to call our home
,Elsamere”. Actually you can also stay there and go for river cruise
from there. We were told it is a wonderful place.
Hell's Gate
However we (Did,Baba, Barun, Gopu and me) left for Hell's gate.
The entry fee is 35 USD.
Dry and dusty but infinitely peaceful, Hell's Gate is that rare
thing: an adventurous Kenyan park with large animals, safe to explore by
bicycle or on foot.
Large carnivores are very rare, so you can cycle to your heart's content past grazing zebras, giraffes, impalas and buffaloes, spot rock hyraxes as they clamber up inclines and chase dust clouds as they swirl in the wind.
And if the pedalling isn't enough exercise, hike the gorge or
climb Fischer's Tower.
In the early morning the park is all aglow; its rich ochre soils and savannah grasses squeezed between looming cliffs of rusty columnar basalt. The hushing wind passing between the rock formations gives it an otherworldly feel.
In the early morning the park is all aglow; its rich ochre soils and savannah grasses squeezed between looming cliffs of rusty columnar basalt. The hushing wind passing between the rock formations gives it an otherworldly feel.
Outside of the midday heat, the park is a good place for quiet
meditation, and there are lots of great picnic spots, too." :
The terrain is completely different.
 | |
We also went for hiking with a guide. We did not go to the end
to see the hot spring - since we had to go back to Nairobi. While doing the
hiking Didi told the ordinarily built guide can you hold me ? Are you strong
enough - Since the hiking was bit risky and rains made it slippery. To that he
stared at Didi for 1 second and said "I am a Maasai" !
There
are about 42 different tribes in Kenya - each of these with its own unique
culture, but majority of them with intertwining cultural practices brought
about by the close resemblance in the languages, the similar environment and
physical proximity of the tribes. The Masai are the most famous tribe not
only of Kenya, but of Africa as a whole. They have become an international
symbol of African tribal life. But they are not the only one. Kenyan tourism has made the
Maasai and Samburu tribes the most famous because of their long preserved
culture.
Ethnic groups are:
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%,
other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%.
Most Kenyans know
English and Swahili, also a large percentage speak the mother tongue of their
ethnic tribe.
Swahili, a Bantu language with Arabic, Persian and other
Middle Eastern and South Asian loan words, later developed as a lingua franca
for trade between the different peoples.
Speaking Bantu, the Nilotes, the Cushites...
There are three
major unifying categories of languages:
the Bantu speaking people of the Coastal region,
the Central Highlands and the Western Kenya Region,
the Nilotes who are mainly found in
the Great Rift Valley and the Lake Victoria Region (Nilotes include the Maasai, Samburu, and Turkana people) and
the Cushites who are mainly composed of pastoralists
and nomads in the drier North Eastern part of the country.
The Maasais are a
nomadic people. Their style of life has remained unchanged for centuries and
their daily life rotates around looking for water and grazing cattle. They
believe the ‘sky god’ was once on earth and later went back to the skies and
sent all the world’s cattle to them for safe keeping of the Massai.
The cattle are still
central pivots of their lives with blood and milk of their cattle continuing to
be the preferred diet. The cattle hide acts as clothing, footwear and sleeping
mattress, while cattle still act as marriage bonds and used to pay fines.
The
jewellery of the Maasai tribe is always made by women , as this is one of
their many jobs. Leather, beads, and sisal plants are used as the main materials in these
intricate designs.The
men of the Maasai tribe are responsible for raising the cattle from which the
leather for the jewelry will be made. The cattle are also used as currency
for the purchase of the beads.Beads were not commonly used in jewelry until the
1900's. Although beads were introduced to the Maasai tribe in the
1800's by the Arabs and East Indians, they did not become popular until the
1900's. Prior to using beads, the Maasai mostly used copper and
brass wire, in addition to plant seeds, to make their jewellery. Glass and
plastic beads are now commonplace.
|
We came back to Nairobi from Hell's gate and met our group
members and went to sleep early, since tomorrow we will leave early for
Amboseli. We (abhijitda,Arunidi and me) went to have dinner at Carnivore once
considered one of the best 50 restaurants in the World. It is famous for Nyama
Choma - grilled meat of Kenya.They no longer serve “game meat” like Zebra.
6/4/15
Amboseli ( or Devil's wind) National_Park
Today we left our Nairobi house at 7.30 am and reached
Amboseli at 1.30 pm. At the gate we encountered colourful Samburu people.
Amboseli according to a Maasai word means Devil's wind, since you see the
wind formation all the time, which from a distance looks like a Tornado.
Amboseli belongs in the elite of
Kenya’s national parks, and it’s easy to see why. Its signature attraction is
the sight of hundreds of big-tusked elephants set against the backdrop of
Africa’s best views of Mt Kilimanjaro (5895m).
Africa’s highest peak broods over
the southern boundary of the park, and while cloud cover can render the
mountain’s massive bulk invisible for much of the day, you’ll be rewarded with
stunning vistas when the weather clears, usually at dawn and/or dusk.
Apart from guaranteed elephant
sightings, you’ll also see wildebeest and zebras, and you’ve a reasonable
chance of spotting lions and hyenas. The park is also home to over 370 bird
species."
Amboseli National Park is located in Loitoktok District, Rift
Valley Province of Kenya. The park is 392 sq km; Amboseli has an
endless underground water supply filtered through thousands of feet of volcanic
rock from Kilimanjaro’s ice cap, which funnel into two clear water springs in
the heart of the park.
We stayed in Serena Hotels serenaamboseli.
After having our lunch we went to afternoon game drive at 4 pm. Africa is
famous for its Big 5 animals.
In Africa out of Big 5 are : 2 carnivores - Leopard and Lion and 3 Herbivores- Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino.
Why not
the hippo,gorilla or giraffe you may ask? Are they not large
as well? How about the cheetah -- that would be an animal you
would probably like to see as much as a buffalo. Well, the term "big
five" was actually coined by big game hunters (not safari tour operators).
It refers to the difficulty
in bagging these large animals, mostly due to their ferocity when cornered and
shot at.
We saw wonderful view of Kilimanjaro and a wonderful view of horizon.
7/4/15
Today we went to morning game drive at 6.30 am and returned
our lodge at 8.30 am to have our breakfast and left for Nairobi. However we
went to a hillock and went to the top to have a wonderful view of the forest.
We went to Nairobi via Makindu and other group members went
straight to Nairobi. Sikh Temple
Makindu is located
about 170km from Nairobi on the main Nairobi to Mombasa Road. It was built in 1926 by the Sikhs who were working on the construction of the Uganda railway line from the coast (Mombasa) inland to Lake Victoria and beyond to Uganda.
Today, all types of people visit this Gurdwara everyday and it is a 'must-see' Gurdwara for any Sikh travelling to Kenya and East Africa.
This holy Sikh shrine provides a
peaceful atmosphere and has facilities for langar (free
food) around the clock and living accommodation for travellers. We had our
lunch over there. We clicked picture with a Virendra Sewag look a like. He
is from UK.
On the way back to Nairobi our
Tyre got punctured. We got down at a cafe cum curio shop and bought some masks
there. We were late since the office crowd made the roads of Nairobi completely
standstill - worse than Kolkata !
Today Didi did go with us. Today we left home at 6.30 pm and reached
Samburu at around 1.30 pm. The Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river (meaning brown
water) in Kenya. The park is
165 km² in size and is situated 330 kilometers from Nairobi. It is located in Samburu County.The Samburu National Reserve was one of
the two areas in which conservationists George
Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made famous in the best selling
book and award winning movie Born Free.The Samburu National Reserve is also
the home of Kamunyak, a
lioness famous for adopting oryx calves. You can see the hoarding
before entering the forest.
There are 5 animals called Samburu 5 which is only found here. They are : gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, oryx, Blue Shanked Somali ostrich and reticulated giraffe.
 |
| Grevy's Zebra |
 |
| Normal Zebra |
See the difference in stripes
 |
| Gerenuk |
 |
| Reticulated Giraffe |
 |
| Maasai Giraffe |
See the difference in stripes
 |
| Oryx |
We got the best resort in Kenya in Samburu. It is just beside Ewaso Nyiro River .click here
 |
| My favourite resort in Africa |
All three big
cats, lion, cheetah and leopard, can also be found
here, as well as elephants, buffalo and hippos.The Ewaso Ng'iro river
contains large numbers of Nile crocodile.
Other mammals
frequently seen in the park include warthogs, Grant's gazelle, Kirk's dik-dik, impala, and water buck. The birds
seen are grey-headed
kingfisher, sunbirds, bee-eaters,
Fish eagle, guinea fowl, lilac-breasted
roller, secretary bird, superb starling, red-billed hornbill.
We went for game drive at 4 pm. Today we were very lucky
to see a Leopard killing a Gerenuk.
They are normally very shy animal and hunt in the evening. Since
today it was cloudy so it was somewhat dark .Our guide said he saw it for the
first time in 10 years! We were told we can earn thousands of dollars by
selling that video to National Geographic.
People often confuse Cheetah with Leopard. In reality they are
very different.
Leopards hunt at night.
Cheetahs hunt during the day.
Leopards rely on stealth upto do 60
km/hr, Cheetahs rely on speed (up to 113 km/hr) over
short distances . They are the world’s fastest animal.
Leopard is also bigger in size. You find leopard in India too. Cheetahs are lighter, but taller, than leopards.Leopards live a solitary life while cheetahs are more social.
The two black lines below the cheetah’s eyes are known as tear
marks, and act as reflection absorbers while they are
hunting during sunny days.
Leopards climb trees since they have retractile
claws while cheetahs don’t.
We came back around
6.30 pm.
There you have
other options like Bird walk for 700 Ksh per person and Samburu cultural dances
for 700 Ksh per person.
In the evening the
crocodiles from the river come near the hotel and they are fed by the hotel
stuff.
We had our dinner
early and went to sleep. In the hotel after 9.30 pm the lights are switched off
to conserve energy. The electricity comes from diesel engine. When I was
feeling bit hot at night I thought of coming out of my room and sit in the
verandah, but I decided not to do it, since you never know which animals are
inside the complex, more so since the river water is very scanty! With
different types of animal sound you are transported to a different world. Officially
rain started in Kenya from 28.3.15.
9/4/15
We got up early morning and went for Morning game drive at 6.30 am and came back at 8.30 am to have our breakfast. Today we left for Nanyuki for Ol Pejeta conservancy.
Sweet Waters Tented Camp
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 360 sq km
not-for-profit privately owned wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya's Laikipia
County. It is situated on
the equator, west of Nanyuki,
between the foothills of the Aberdares and Mount Kenya.
It took around 3 hours to reach the resort. This one is also owned by Serena. Once the grand ranch house of multi-millionaire Adnan Kashoggi, this magnificently presented house stands at the centre of the private Ol Pejeta Conservancy very near to Nanyuki. There is glorious views of Mount Kenya from the resort. Just in front of our “tent” there is a watering hole. serenaolpejeta
After having our lunch we went for after game drive at 4
pm. By mistake I had one glass pineapple juice - since
I thought it was part of buffet and had to pay 300 Ksh. After
some time we went to see Rhino sanctuary. There is no entry fee, but you have to tip the guide. The Conservancy boasts the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and in 2013 reached a population milestone of 100 black rhino.
It also houses three of the five last remaining northern white rhino in the world. The word "white", in the name "white rhinoceros" is a misinterpretation of the Afrikaans word wyd, itself derived from the Dutch word wijd for wide, referring to its square upper lips.
Being one of the first rhinos born in the open fields of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy on November 20th, 1994, the tender hearted mammal was aptly named Baraka meaning “blessings” in Swahili. Black rhinos are very aggressive and will fight each other to protect their territories and unfortunately for Baraka, he was involved in a fight that caused an injury to one of his eyes. This eye later developed an abscess that ruptured and consequently had to be removed. As if life hadn’t proven to be difficult enough for this young rhino, Baraka later developed a crystallized cataract in his other eye which, even after numerous attempts at finding a cure, eventually led him to become completely blind.
We fed Baraka. The black rhinoceros or hook-lipped
rhinoceros is a species
of rhinoceros, native to eastern and central Africa . Although the
rhinoceros is referred to as black, its colours vary from brown to
grey.They have pointed or hooked lip. They have two horns.
These species are now sometimes
referred to as the square-lipped (for white)
or hook-lipped (for black)
rhinoceros.Both black and white
rhinoceroses are actually grey. They are
different not in colour but in lip shape. The black rhino has a pointed upper lip, while its white
relative has a squared lip.
Update : In 2018 the only male white Rhino Sudan died, leaving only 2 female white rhino.
Update : In 2018 the only male white Rhino Sudan died, leaving only 2 female white rhino.
The difference in lip shape is related to the animals'
diets. Black rhinos are browsers that get most of their sustenance from eating
trees and bushes. They use their lips to pluck leaves and fruit from the
branches.
White rhinos graze on grasses, walking with their
enormous heads and squared lips lowered to the ground.
Except for females and their offspring, black rhinos are
solitary. Black rhinos feed at night and during the gloaming hours of dawn
and dusk.
Then went to see the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. There is no entry fee, but you have to tip the guide. It provides a haven for orphaned, abandoned and rescued chimpanzees.The opened in 1993 in a negotiated agreement between the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Jane Goodall Institute. The facility was initially established to receive and provide lifelong refuge to orphaned and abused chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from West and Central Africa.- Rwanda,Ghana and Burundi in 1993 . This group of chimpanzees needed to be evacuated due to the outbreak of civil war in Burundi.
chimpanzee_sanctuary
Then we went back to our resort to have
our dinner. In the night I saw water buck, zebra coming to the watering
hole sitting on my tent at the same level – only a narrow moat separating us.
We also saw elephant in the evening at the waterhole. We were told sometimes
waterbuck jump off the fence and come just in front of the tent.
10/4/15
In the morning we had a wonderful view of Mount Kenya from
our Tent.
Then we
went to morning game drive at 6.30 am and returned back at 8.30 am for
breakfast.Inside the Park we saw the equator point. Then we saw many
Zebras at the waterhole in front of our tent.
 |
| Just in front of our tent. |
It took around 4 hours to reach Nariobi. On the way we had
lunch at Village Market food court - one of the most expensive places (Mall-
Nakumatt) in Kenya, since UN offices are nearby.One chicken fried rice at the
food court costs Ksh 480. This is the cheapest of all the foods! Then I went to
the Maasai Market to buy some handicrafts. It is a wonderful market and prices
are reasonable. But normally you have reduce the price from one tenth to one
third generally ! Kenyans are real gentleman and they have a typical style
while bargaining. They will say " This is a secret...don't discuss with anybody...because
this is a business deal.".Once my didi's friend told them my price is so
low I am ashamed to tell you, then they said please whisper !
Didi's friend Satarupa and her husband came to meet us and treated us with reciting wonderful Bengali poems.
We went to sleep little late though tomorrow we will leave for Maasai Mara at 6 am. Mother of all safaris in the world.
11/4/15
Today we left home at 7 am and reached
Maasai Mara at around 1.30 pm. Didi , Baba and Gopu left by Plane. We took the
Naroke route. Till 11 am the road was metallic and perfect.Then we took left
turn and took the non metallic road - like all other roads to National Parks in
Kenya. But the distance is by far the more than other places. We had to travel
for 3 hours on that bad road.
Didi reached before us. Their 15 seater
plane left Nairobi at 10 am and reached at 11 am. Like other major resorts our
resort also has a air strip where plane land and from there it is transferred
to the resort by a jeep. The fare is around 185 USD to and fro.
We intentionally kept Maasai Mara at the
last since it is the grandest of all.The Maasai Mara National Reserve not the
largest conservation area in Kenya but it is the most famous one. The Masai
Mara and the Serengeti are part of the same Eco-system.
Park Fee is USD 80 per adult per
night, valid for 24 hours. This Park Entry Fee- will allow you to go on
game drive in one the 3 parts of the official perimeter of the Masai Mara
National Reserve (there are 3 areas or districts: North Conservancy, Keekoroke
and Mara Triangle). The areas are independent and if you pay the park fee for
one of them you cannot visit another part unless you pay a second park fee.
Normally people stick to Mara Triangle. My sister's Bengali friend Jui has opened a resort - Porini Camp - Olkineyi Conservancy - which is a Private conservancy. They pay for the upkeep and is very expensive. However experience is unparalleled. It is Ol Kineyi Olkinyeimasaimara .
Like all other places we were greeted by a
welcome drink and wet towel at the wonderful resort - Mara Serena. There
is a grand view of Mara sitting on the balcony. The grandness of these
parks are unparallel compared to obnoxiously priced parks in India and actually
within the range of many Indians contrary to what people in India think. We
hired a local Bengali Travel agent (staying in Kenya for 16 years)
The Maasai Mara National Reserve (also
known as The Mara) is
a large game
reserve in Narok
County, Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti
National Park in Mara
Region, Tanzania.
It is basically an extension of Seregeti , which is much bigger. It is named in honour of the Maasai people (the ancestral inhabitants of the area) and their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara," which is Maa (Maasai language) for "spotted," an apt description for the circles of trees, scrub, savanna, and cloud shadows that mark the area.
Grasslands have many names—prairies in North America, Asian steppes, savannahs and veldts in Africa, Australian rangelands, and pampas, llanos and cerrados in South America. But they are all places where there is too little rain for trees to grow in great numbers, but not so little to form a desert . They are however scattered with trees mostly Acacia and Bobab.
Based on climatic dryness there are 2 types of Savannahs - Tropical grassland (also know as Savannah are located near equatory) and Temperate Grassland. African tropical grassland or Savannah has more variety compared to South American Savannah like Pantanal. One fourth of the earth's land is grassland. According to WWF there is third type called Flooded grassland.
It is globally famous for its
annual migration of zebra,Thomson's
gazelle, and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti every year from July to
October, known as the Great Migration.
When it was originally
established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary the Mara covered only 520 square
kilometres of the current area, including the Mara Triangle. The area was
extended to the east to 1,510 sq km in 1984.
In 1995, the TransMara County
Council (TMCC) was formed in the western
part of the reserve, and
control was divided between the new
council and the existing Naroke County Council
in Mara Triangle.
In May 2001, the not-for-profit Mara Conservancy took
over management of the Mara Triangle. So this part is privately managed
and rules are strictly followed and the rangers are the highest paid
among all the rangers in Kenya. If you don't come back within
6.45 pm you will be fined.
The best kept secret of the Mara is the Mara Triangle. Although one third of the Mara, The Mara Triangle has only one lodge within its boundaries (compared to the numerous camps and lodges on the Naroke side) and has well maintained, all weather roads. The rangers patrol regularly which means that there is almost no poaching and therefore excellent game viewing.
We had our lunch and left for afternoon game drive at 4 pm and returned back at 6.30 pm.
Today it started raining when we were very near to herd of lion.We saw some ostriches too.Normally during peak season you are not allowed to see lion for that long (normally 5 minutes) due to large number of jeeps. We saw them for 30 minutes since it is just outside typical season time.
Typically in breakfast : they serve 7-8 types of bread, butter, jam, fruits,various types of tea and coffee with scones,muffins, cakes,various types of cheese, at least 4-5 types of juice - passion,orange,pineapple,tree tomato,water melon,active cooking - pancake,various types of omelet,sausage (beef,pork),bacon,Rajma,beans,custards,desserts etc
In lunch and dinner normally they serve cream of broccoli or carrot etc soup with bread,under active cooking pasta, spare beef,Pork ribs,bacon,Rajma,papad,roti,various kinds of rice, beans,baked beans,various kinds of desserts,fruits,custard. Ugali and sukuma wiki, staples of Kenyan cuisine was also served.We were told that Gujrati and Panjabis controls more than 70 % of the economy and that is why you find Indian food there and they are the only Kenyans in the national parks there normally.
12/4/15
After coming back for breakfast we (Gopadi, Bappada,Barun and I) left for Maasai village around 10 am. It is around 25 Km from our lodge.After coming back for breakfast we (Gopadi, Bappada,Barun
and I) left for Maasai village around 10 am. It is around 25 Km from our lodge.The Maasai village is near Oloolaimutiek gate of this
game park. It is a good experience and will help you to deepen your
understanding of the Maasai's culture and simple way of life. The main person
speaks good English and went to a school. The entry fee of the village is 20
USD per person.
We interacted with them and also danced
with them. Some of the curios were also for sale. They asked 900 Ksh for the
keyring which we bought for 50 Ksh in Maasai Market.
We came
back around 12.30 pm from the village.Then we again went for evening safari at
4 pm. Today we saw the lions really very very close.
We came back at 6.30 pm and had dinner and went to sleep
early since tomorrow we will have a long safari.
13/4/15
Today we left for safari at 7.30 am after
having our breakfast and came back at 12 pm. Today we went with our car since
the resort's car does not have facility for extended safari. Didi is bit
upset with that. It is also possible to go for hot air balloon
safari early in the morning and see the sun rising above the wildlife and the
magnificent landscapes.
Today we had saw Cheetah with its cubs -
which is a rare sight among other things.
 |
| Agama Lizard |
We came back and had our lunch and again went for afternoon
safari with didi's car. Today we saw the first lion in our Kenyan tour (though
we have seen many lioness) and saw a very rare phenomenon called fire rainbow
cloud.
Today we got down near Maara river and saw one of the important
places where great migration takes place. With an armed guard, we saw many
hippos in the river. We saw the foot marks of hippo, Zebra, Lion.
14/4/15
Today we went to morning game drive at 6.30 am and returned
our lodge at 8.30 am to have our breakfast and left for Nairobi. Didi went to
Nairobi by plane. After coming back to Nairobi I left for local market to buy
some stuff. I reached there at 5.15 pm. It normally closes by 6.30 pm.
We had our dinner and went to sleep after doing all the
packing.
15/4/15 and 16/4/15
Today I went to the Maasai Market once again since I could
not buy everything yesterday. After buying some items which could not buy
yesterday I came back home and left for Nariboi Airport with Alex for going
back to India.In these 14 days Alex has honked the car only once ! Our plane is
at 5.30 pm and left home at 12.30 pm !
We reached India safely on 16.4.15. and went to office
directly from airport but Africa remained in our heart for quite few days.
PS: Our tour cost was around $1300 ex-Nairobi.
