Shuzhen and I flew from NY to Nairobi, the Capital and the largest city in Kenya. We met our OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) leader, Adan, and the other 7 members of our group. All 9 of us are great fans of wildlife and very excited about this tour. We spent a short time at the Nairobi National Museum, learning Kenya’s history and culture. Still, the skeleton of a ‘big tusker’ with her long tusks reaching the ground was especially impressive. Unfortunately, fewer than 30 of these creatures are alive in the world. We then visited David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for orphaned elephants. Most of the babies were rescued from the wild when they lost their mothers. They were bottle-fed and had to be taught to roll in mud and blow dust on themselves. We also visited the Conservation Center for the endangered Rothschild giraffe – their numbers have plummeted in recent years due to habitat loss. Those giraffes learned to take food from the visitors, even directly from their mouths. The last place we visited was the home and museum of Karen Blixen – the author of ‘Out of Africa ‘. In addition to many books she wrote, she was also a very accomplished painter.
We left Nairobi and headed to Lake Nakuru National Park. Kenya’s two-lane highways are very crowded and chaotic; the road was bumper-to-bumper with loaded trucks heading to Mombasa harbor, with cars passing them from both sides. Luckily, we had very experienced drivers to get us to the park safely.
For game drives, our group was divided into two Land Rovers with pop-up tops. The roads were bumpy and dusty. Still, the sighting of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, baboons, and various antelopes got everyone jumping in their seats and clicking nonstop. Both black and white rhinos are on the endangered species list. Still, Lakeakuru, with a commendable conservation effort, has seen their populations increase We then drove through the Great Rift Valley toward Amboseli Park, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro (the tallest mountain in Africa) This park shelters over 400 species of birds Between Adan’s vast knowledge and Regina’s Wildlife of East Africa book, I learned the names of many beautiful birds For a reason, even the starlings (called Superb) came in with florescent blue and green feathers Some of my favorites are Helmeted Guineafowl, Grey-crowned Crane, Bee-eaters, and Malachite Kingfishers What a paradise for bird lovers!
In the evening, we stayed in “tent” lodges with spacious rooms. Mosquito nets covered the beds. The solar-heated outdoor shower was a favorite for all travelers (only a giraffe is tall enough to peek over the tall walls). The dinners usually consisted of chicken, beef, and lamb cooked with mild Indian spices, vegetables, salads, rice, and potatoes. Sometimes, we had fish. The staff was always very attentive and pleasant. What an enjoyable way to explore East Africa with comfort!
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