March 13 ~ 28, 2004
I've always had a desire to visit enchanting
Africa’s highest mountain,
Upon arriving at the
Since I just finished reading Karen Blixen's (Isak Dinesen) book entitled "Out of Africa" and recently saw the movie with the same title for the second time, I enjoyed a personal tour of her stone farmhouse, now located in a
In the late afternoon, I was taken to a "tourist" attraction where one could feed four giraffes.
We departed from the Norfolk Hotel early in the morning bound for
An A&K guide/driver met me at the airstrip and drove me to Tortilis Camp inside Amobseli NP. Typical of a fixed-tented camp, it had spacious comfortable public areas including reception, gift shop, restaurant and bar. All of these areas are covered with thatch roofs and open outside walls to enjoy the landscape.
I was assigned "Tent 7". The tent encompassed two twin-size beds, writing desk with chair, security trunk with lock for valuables and hanging space/shelf storage spaces behind the beds. Attached to the 10 ft. long tent was a en suite bathroom with running hot and cold water, toilet, shower and wide vanity. The bathroom interior walls were finished in plaster while the exterior had split log walls. The overall tent with bathroom sat on a 12 ft. x 18 ft. wooden platform serving as the floor that was 18 inches from the ground. A thatch roof covered the tent, bathroom and deck patio. A very comfortable breeze was felt most of the time. It was neither too hot nor too cold. Also I didn't notice too many pesky insects. Perhaps my insect repellant was working!
Elephants form deep family bonds and live in tight social units. A family is led by an older matriarch and typically includes three or four of her offspring and their young. As we approached this family, the leading female tended to place herself between us and her family to protect them. Males normally leave the family unit between the ages of 12 and 15 and lead solitary adult lives.
Large tusks are present in both sexes of the African elephant (only the male Asian elephant has tusks). Tusks first appear at the age of about two and continue to grow throughout their lives. Elephants use tusks for peeling bark off trees, digging for roots, herding young, “drilling” for water and sometimes as a weapon. The trunk is probably the most fascinating feature of the elephant - it has two prehensile protrusions at the tip (the Asian elephant has only one). The trunk is used for eating, drinking, dust and water bathing, as well as an important form of communication. The trunk also shows the mood of an elephant when using its trunk to fend off other elephants and intruders, and also uses it as a punching or thrusting weapon. An elephant has a strong sense of smell and can locate water by smelling the earth above. An elephant has very small eyes in relation to its head and has poor eyesight.
The African Fish Eagle is found around water and seems to be comfortable on the ground as much as in the air.
I requested that the A&K guide take me to a Masai village. The Maasai people are the only culture in
Perhaps these people are best described in the foreword written by Elspeth Huxley in the wonderful book entitled “The Last of the Maasai” authored by Mohamed Amin, Duncan Willetts and John Eames. “For several centuries, Masai warriors had dominated much of eastern
Today, however, their nomadic life is almost gone. They reside in “permanent” huts -- made by women -- constructed of cow dung walls and thatched roofs. The huts combined with a fence made of tree branches encircle a central pen where cattle are kept at night to protect them from animal predators. A successful Masai man is judged in terms of how many children he has (from multiple wives) and how many cattle he owns. Asking a Maasai man how many cattle he owns is as offensive as asking a westerner how much money he earns. Once a fierce lion hunter, the Masai is now prohibited by the government in hunting and owning their once effective lion spears.
One other interesting bit about the Maasai is that they believe in a God similar to the Christian God. It seems clear to most scholars that they believed in their God long before Christian missionaries arrived in
Upon arriving, I was introduced to the chief through my A&K guide and interpreter. Along with other western visitors, the village performed their traditional dance. One who can jump the highest is most admired by tribe persons. I was shown around the village by the chief and was invited to one of his huts. Obviously, these surroundings were very primitive. We sat in a small dark room (approximately 10 ft. x 10 ft.) with a very short ceiling that necessitated me in bending over forward to walk around. I was invited to sit on the edge of their bed, which was a cowhide pelt over a hard surface. The chief put a very effective hard sell on me for education funds. Of course, I obliged. I found myself in the village’s “market” place where everyone wanted to sell me everything. I finally negotiated a few things for a fixed price.
Although most associate the drum with African music, the Maasai believe that the human voice is their best rhythmic instrument. Furthermore, each song dictates specific body movements. Masai warriors are known for their competitive jumping. As shown in this photo, typically two tribe members jump high in the air maintaining a stiff vertical posture never letting their heels touch the ground.
Although they look alike to us, each zebra has a unique black and white eye-catching stripe pattern that makes it different from each other. Their remarkable markings make them among the most familiar mammals in the world. Zebra, member of the horse family, are found only in
Wildebeest are often seen in the company of zebras. The two species are complementary grazers – wildebeest prefer the shorter green grass left behind after zebras have trampled and cropped the taller grasses. In addition, zebras seem to be much more alert than wildebeest and often act as an early warning system when danger (real or perceived) is near. When zebras break into their donkey-like hee-hawing alarm call, wildebeest are quick to react. There is no other antelope like the wildebeest. Some say it looks like it was assembled from spare parts – the forequarters could have come from an ox, the hindquarters from an antelope and the mane and tail from a horse. The antics of the territorial bulls during breeding season have earned them the name “clowns of the savannah.”
Baboons in the Amboseli are located where there is a patch of forest.
Despite the first impression of a dusty and arid land, actually Amboseli is overflowing with water all the year round, but under the ground. The snows of Kilimanjaro melt and flow downhill, soaking into the porous subsoil layers of volcanic rock. Waters converge into various underground streams, that rise in two clear water springs in the center of the park and ooze from down under in several points giving birth to large marshes, in which papyrus grow and elephants, hippos and buffalos find their particular spas, together with their accompanying cattle egrets.
In the morning, we left Tortilis Camp by Land Cruiser to make our way to the Kenya-Tanzania border. After a 2-1/2 hour drive, we reached the border anticipating a rendezvous with a Tanzania A&K guide/driver. While waiting for the exchange, it became apparent that no one was being dispatched from the
Kusini Camp was located in the southern Serengeti area around large sandstone outcroppings. The camp managers met me and welcomed me to their happy hour since it was 6:30 p.m. when I had arrived. What a long day—almost 12 hours of traveling! The daily cocktail hour was in progress on top of the large rock next to the camp’s mess tent. We sat on chairs sipping cocktails while watching the sunset. What a beautiful setting! After sunset, the managers started a camp fire and all the guests sat around enjoying the beautiful evening before dinner.
My tent at Kusini was similar to that of Amboseli. At night, young men employed at the camp would roam the camp and were prepared to chase away any unwanted wild animals.
Sunrises were as spectacular as sunsets.
The graceful impala is a slender, medium-sized antelope whose social organization allows them to adapt to prevailing environmental conditions. The female impala does not have horns and she is much smaller than the male. The male’s horns are a symbol of his maturity. The male and female are rather alike in all other characteristics. The males are territorial. Home ranges average 3 square miles, six to eight dominant males set up territories. The females form herds of 10 to 50 or more and wander in and out of male territories. Impalas eat tender young grass shoots in the wet season and herbs and shrubs at other times. During the dry season they must drink daily.
The world's fastest land animal, the cheetah is the most unique and specialized member of the cat family and can reach speeds of almost 70 mph. Unlike other cats, the cheetah has a leaner body, longer legs, and has been referred to as the greyhound of the cats. It is not an aggressive animal, using flight versus fight. In fact, this cat is very bashful.
Cheetahs do not roar like lions and tigers. Instead, they make birdlike chirping sounds for communication with other members of the family and they hiss when angered or threatened and purr loudly when they are content. If they are alarmed, they whine or growl. Cheetahs are typically solitary creatures. However, we were lucky to come across a family of four—mother and three youngsters. We were able to observe them for along time as our vehicle slowly followed their trek.
Kori Bustards are large, strictly terrestrial birds. Males may reach 40 pounds; females are half the size of the males.
All A&K drivers/guides were very knowledgeable naturalists and had a sense where to find animals.
I had the pleasure in experiencing the migration of millions of animals including wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles, in the Serengeti. In fact, we just drove in the middle of the migration looking at the various creatures. We parked under a tree at lunchtime and enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by my guide with millions of animals moving around us. Also saw many other species of animals and birds. So far the weather was cooperative—no rain. Some rain had fallen on this area several weeks ago and the savannah was green. Small yellow and white flowers were in bloom.
Lions were indifferent to us and not afraid perhaps because they have no natural enemies. A young male will mature to stand 4 feet at the shoulder and 8-1/2 feet long plus tail. He'll average 450 pounds. Females are considerable smaller, weighing less than 300 pounds. Adult lions usually have a plain unspotted coat, light brown to dark ochre in color. Male lions have a brown mane, which tends to grow darker and fuller as the animal ages. Incidentally, the Swahili name for lion is Simba.
Females are usually sisters and/or cousins that have grown up together. When the pride hunts as a group they employ an ambush that forces large prey into the waiting paws of the males. Females have the speed but lack the body weight to knock down large "family size" prey such as the wildebeest. Despite their tremendous power and adaptive efficiency, lions are more likely to fail than succeed in their attempts to kill.
Grey Crowned Cranes require mixed wetland-grassland habitats. They typically nest within or on the edges of wetlands, while foraging in wetlands, nearby grasslands, and croplands. The main vocalization is a booming call. The crane also produces peculiar honks that are quite different other crane species. All cranes engage in dancing, which includes various behaviors such as head pumping, bowing, jumping, running, stick or grass tossing, and wing flapping. Dancing is commonly associated with courtship, however, it is generally believed to be a normal part of motor development for cranes and can serve to thwart aggression, relieve tension, and strengthen the pair bond.
The African Flamingo inhabits the soda lakes of the East African Rift Valley as well as southwest Africa,
The giraffe, the tallest land animal, is a highly selective browser feeding primarily on a variety of Acacia and many other plants. An average of 16-20 hours per day is spent feeding. Thorns do not seem to be a deterrent in feeding; the long muscular 18” tongue and thick gluey saliva enable the giraffe to process thorny foods through their 4-chambered ruminant (like cattle, sheep, etc.) stomach. Although generally quiet, giraffe have been heard to grunt, snort and bleat. Horns are bony masses covered with skin and tuft of hair and are not really horns at all. They may represent relics of pedicles from which antlers grew ages before (since giraffe are fairly closely related to deer).
Duikers are small antelopes that inhabit forest or dense bush land. They are a good example of how an animal can be very successful in finding and filling a certain ecological niche. They are the most widespread of all the forest antelopes and are represented in East Africa by 13 of their 17 species.
Departed Kusini Camp from its nearby convenient airstrip. Flew back west to Seronera where I originally arrived by air in the Serengeti NP. After about an hour wait for four expected passengers, flew east to Lake Manyara. An A&K representative picked me up at the airstrip. It took about 1-1/2 hours driving over a bumpy unpaved road to reach the A&K mobile tent at a special camping area overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater. This crater rim location offered amazing views over and into the crater -- a perfect setting for a well deserved sundowner. It is home to the famous volcanic Ngorongoro crater which is the largest unbroken caldera in the world. The crater (2000 feet deep and more than 1,600 square miles) is a microcosm of East African scenery and game. There are 25,000 larger animals within the crater itself, mostly zebra and wildebeest. However, this is undoubtedly the best place to see black rhino in Tanzania as well as water birds and other species seen on the savannah.
A&K set up this camp especially for me. I was the only guest with the crew of the boss, waiter, cook and laborer. A separate dining tent was set up for me to take my meals. Although this mobile tent complex was exclusive, it was somewhat too crude for my liking since my idea of camping is staying at the Hilton. No electricity or running water. I had to notify the crew when I would like to take a shower and they would heat up the water over an open fire. The shower reservoir (5 gallon bucket) prompted me to take a “Navy” shower (get wet, turn the water off, soap up and finally rinse off). Oh well, I just took this situation in stride and found that the attitude and service of the crew was excellent. During lunch it began to rain. After lunch the rain stopped and I had the afternoon free. So I had the opportunity to take photos, catch up with my daily log and do some reading while sitting in a chair overlooking this picturesque setting. In the evening, I enjoyed the beautiful sunset with cocktails. At night, a national park ranger with rifle stood guard in case of any wild creatures decided to join me.
The sunshine was bright this morning. Sometimes clouds would pass by lowering the temperature. Overall the temperature was pleasant. So my guide/driver found a steep winding dirt road from the crater rim to the crater floor. The atmosphere in the crater changed from flat plains to swamp to jungle. In the morning, we saw wildebeests, zebra, buffalo, gazelles, warthogs and various birds including pelicans, eagles, flamingos and storks. Also saw lion, cheetah and elephant.
The Blacksmith Plover is a striking bird and has a very distinctive call which resembles the sound of someone hammering a piece of metal. It is found on muddy shores and in short grass near water.
The male ostrich is black while the female is tan.
A young male elephant crossed our path in the dense jungle area of the Ngorongoro Crater. Elephants will often rest their heavy trunk over one of their tusks. Elephant trunks have about 40,000 muscles.
Neither graceful nor beautiful, warthogs are nonetheless remarkable animals. They are the only pigs able to live in areas without water for several months of the year. Males weigh 20 to 50 pounds more than females, but both are distinguished by disproportionately large heads and the warts-thick protective-pads that appear on both sides of the head. Two large pairs of warts occur below the eyes, and between the eyes and the tusks, and a very small pair is found near the jaw (usually just in males). The face is fairly flat and the snout elongated. Eyes set high on the head enables the warthog to keep a lookout for predators even when it lowers its head to feed on short grass. The warthog's large tusks are unusual. The two upper ones emerge from the sides of the snout to form a semicircle; the lower tusks at the base of the uppers are worn to a sharp cutting edge. The long tail ends with a tuft of bristles. The warthog characteristically carries its tail upright when it runs, the tuft waving like a tiny flag. As the young run in single file behind their mother, the tail position may serve as a signal to keep them all together. Warthogs trot with a springy gait but they are known to run surprisingly fast. Incidentally, the Swahili name for warthog is Ngiri, not "Pumbaa", which is the name of the warthog in Disney's "Lion King" production and movie.
During the last century, the black rhinoceros has suffered the most drastic decline in total numbers of all rhino species. In 1970, it was estimated that there were approximately 65,000 black rhinos in Africa but by 1992-93, there were only 2,300 surviving in the wild. However, since 1996, the intense anti-poaching efforts have had encouraging results. There are other reasons that this species isn’t increasing more rapidly including in-breeding and competition of other animals. Numbers have been recovering somewhat and are now back up to about 3,610 and still increasing slowly. At the time of my travels, I was told that we had the best chance to see the black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater, which supposedly had about 15. On my visit we saw seven. When we spotted one at a distance, we raced down the park’s roads (we had to stay on the roads) to get better glimpses of the allusive animal. It was a huge male. Incidentally, black rhinos are not truly black at all. Perhaps the name was derived in comparison of that with the white rhino (also a misnomer).
Teamwork of great white pelicans is seen when feeding together as they plunge their beaks and scoop out food. Some pelicans stay all year in Africa. Some migrate to Eastern Europe and Asia but return in the winter.
Departed A&K Ngorongoro camp in the morning and traveled down the rough road to Lake Manyara. Briefly visited the town and stopped to take the photo of this unusual African tree. The baobab is found in the savannahs of African and India, mostly around the equator. It can grow up to 80 feet tall and can live for several thousand years. The baobab is leafless for nine months of the year. Some describe the baobab as it looks like it has been plucked out of the ground and stuffed back in upside-down. The trunk would be the tap-root, and the branches the finer capillary roots.
At noon boarded an airplane at Arusha airport for a short hop of about 10-15 minutes to Arusha’s international Kilimanjaro airport. After completing immigration and customs forms, waited for a short half hour for the flight to Nairobi’s Wilson airport. Cleared immigration and security at Wilson, then quickly boarded another aircraft bound for Maasai Mara National Park. Luckily A&K arranged for representatives to assist me when I boarded, transferred and landed at each airport. The fourth and final flight landed precisely four hours after I began the journey today. At Kichwa airstrip in the Masai Mara area I was met by an Olanona camp driver, who took me and some other guests to the camp.
The Olanana Camp is situated on the bank of the Mara River. The river is a home to hundreds of hippos and crocodiles and other submarine species. The accommodations in my tent were one of best on the safari.
From my tent, which was also on the river bank, I could hear the river rapids lapping over large boulders in the middle of the river. Hippos were actively moving and snorting in this location. However, the river's “white” noise drowns out all other sounds except the birds. This camp seemed to be one of nicest camps that I have stayed in.
The Hippopotamus, whose name means "river horse", is a plant-eating water-loving giant. A relative of camels, pigs, and deer, the hippo has two lives in one! The center of a hippo's day life is water. Like a hippo pool-party, sometimes hundreds of hippos, will share a territory of water during the day. Whether it's mating, playing, fighting or giving birth, hippo's all wet. The hippo's night life begins a few hours after sunset, when all the hippos file out of the water to graze on land by the light of the moon.
We went on an early game drive. Since the majority of animals are on the migration in the southern Serengeti, the population was smaller. However, we saw elephant, Thomson and great gazelles, warthogs, water bucks, some large birds, lions and Maasai giraffes.
The Masai giraffe is one of the major subspecies of giraffes. The ones that encountered seemed to be unafraid of us and were more curious than others seen during my safari.
The jackal, a medium-sized carnivore with doglike features and a bushy tail, is widely distributed in Africa, the Middle East and India. This animal has long been the subject of superstition about death and evil spirits. The ancient Egyptians believed a jackal-headed god, Anubis, guided the dead to those who judged their souls. Such beliefs were probably encouraged by the jackal's cleverness, nocturnal habits, eerie howling and scavenging.
We found lion kittens and mother under some low trees resting during the daytime. I suppose that they haven't seen many humans in safari vehicles because they seemed a little unsettled about our presence. The mother or maybe she may be a grandmother wasn't too concerned about us, but the kittens were curious.
After lunch I decided to visit the nearby Maasai village within walking distance of the camp. This camp was supported by the Olanana camp in terms of bottled water, medicine including tetanus vaccinations and school supplies. Therefore, the atmosphere was completely different than the Masai village in Amboseli. No entrance fee, no dancing, no high pressure. Before I visited this village, I asked the Olanana hostess that I would like my photo taken with four warriors. Furthermore, I requested that she accompany me in their market area to assist me in selecting some nice souvenirs. A member of the tribe met me at the Olanana camp and we walked to the village. During our walk, the member, who could speak good English, pointed out the various tree barks and plants that they use for medicinal purposes. Upon arriving at the village after a short walk, I was introduced to some elder men. About 12 women and four children sang me a song. Afterwards, two women asked (through the interpreter) about my family. I showed them pictures of my granddaughters and they seemed pleased that I shared the photo. The village was considered medium size with four families. Again, it is impolite to ask how many people live in the village and how many cattle are owned by the village. Had my picture taken with the warriors and bought some items as expected without any hassle. I found the people to be very mild and polite. Later back at the camp, I donated some money for their school. After returning to the U.S., I did receive a thank you letter from the village teacher.
The hartebeest is seen many times standing on a termite mound. This stance seems common perhaps it gives them a better view of the savannah. Classified in the antelope family, some observers say their first impression is that this animal is clumsy in appearance. It is hump-shouldered, with a steeply sloping back, slim legs and a long, narrow face. It is far from clumsy, however, and is in fact one of the fastest antelopes and most enduring runners. These qualities gave rise to the name "hartebeest," which means "tough ox." Hartebeest are mainly found in medium and tall grasslands, including savannahs. The hartebeest is one of the most sedentary antelopes (making it easy to hunt), but it does move around more when larger groupings form during the dry seasons or in periods of drought, to seek water and better grazing.
At first glance, I thought that I saw a tall tree resembling a pine tree. That isn't really a tree! It is a disguised cell tower near one of the lodges. When our safari vehicle came close, I called my wife, Jeannette, back in Texas from my cell phone. Although it was the afternoon here, I woke her up because it was the middle of the early morning there. Sorry… Also my cell phone worked in Nairobi. Actually my cell phone with GSM technology used throughout the world allows me to communicate with folks back home even when I am on a different continent.
The Mara River is full of large crocodiles waiting for some unsuspecting wildebeest trying to migrate across. Since the migration was south in the Serengeti, we did not witness any crossings by animals.
Elephants use their trunks to drink but the water doesn’t go all the way up the trunk like a straw. Instead, the elephant sucks water part way up the trunk, curls it toward its mouth, tilts its head up, and lets the water pour in. Elephants often spray themselves with water, or roll in the mud or dust for protection from sun and biting insects.
Elephants are known for their enormous trunks. An elephant's trunk is essentially its nose in which it can breathe through. The trunk is also a tool. Elephants use their trunks to scratch behind an ear or to bathe themselves in a similar way to drinking. Within reason, elephants can pick up and even throw objects with their trunks! African elephants have two fingers on the tips of their trunks which help them pick things up. Elephants also use trunks to 'hug' a friend or poke and play with them.
The African ground hornbills are the only ground dwellers among hornbills. Hornbills are notable for their large bill, long eyelashes and rather stubby legs and toes, with broad soles and the bases of the three front toes partly fused. The African ground hornbill's throat skin is inflatable, and sometimes inflates when it makes its guttural call.
We spotted a couple in male bushbucks, which are forest-edge antelopes. They are active in the late afternoon and early morning. They rest during the heat of the day. Bushbucks are predominantly browsers but will eat roots and young shoots.
The cow-like eland is the world's largest antelope and is the animal most often depicted in the early rock art of East Africa. Even today, it still holds an important place in the mythology of some southern African tribes.
The Cape Buffalo is large, heavily built and formidable, and is a well-respected member of Africa's “Big 5”. Although buffalo are not normally aggressive, if wounded they become one of the world's most dangerous animals. Buffalo live in large herds, which even today can number thousands. One of the most impressive and frightening sights of Africa is the mighty stampede of a herd of buffalo thundering across the savannah plains.
Buffalo are gregarious, occurring in herds of up to several thousand individuals. These herds are relatively stable associations, with the smaller herds forming into larger ones temporarily. Buffalo herds move seasonally in search of adequate grazing and water. There may be family cohesion of females within the herd: family ties in the males do not last beyond three years of age. Old and young bulls may leave the herd and form small bachelor herds, but the two age classes are usually found apart.
In the morning, took a 30-minute private charter flight from Maasai Mara National Park to Rusinga Island on Lake Victoria. This destination was not meant to be a safari experience; rather I wanted to see one of most important lakes on the African continent. Landed on a grassy landing strip and the plane pulled up to the entrance of the Rusinga Island Lodge. As planned, this lodge and Lake Victoria was a tropic experience—a nice relief from the daily game drives.
Upon arrival at this tropical lodge, I was met by the two managers. Rusinga Island Lodge exudes an atmosphere of serene tranquility. The manicured, velvet lawns stretch to the water’s edge and the grounds, with its exotic trees, are a haven for a myriad of bird species – many of which are unique to this area of Kenya. The lodge is known for its hospitality and delicious home-grown, home-cooked food. The wild fig tree was the most notable with its unusual trunk and expansive canopy.
Of course, this lodge had a great pool and cabaña. One meal with other guests was enjoyed at pool side. My lodge was very nice and spacious overlooking the lake.
This beautiful site supported many birds including Egyptian geese. I went on a boat ride to another part of the island to visit a poor fishing village. Bought some writing cards at a youth pre-school.
During my stay, the lodge was visited by the district commissioner, police chief (to both of whom I was introduced) and their entourage. After lunch, a lodge guide pointed out various plants and birds as we toured the beautiful grounds. Then we left the oasis and walked down dirt paths to a desolate area where gray ash and red lava rock exuded some mysterious feelings. This volcanic area contained many small fragments of fossil remnants of pre-historic crocodiles. Also in the same area, the guide pointed out where the remains of Proconsul Heseloni, a cranium and mandible of a typical Miocene ape was discovered in 1948 by Dr. Mary Leakey. It lived about 18 million years ago and is widely held to be ancestral relative to many later apes.
Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world (slightly smaller than Lake Superior), feeds the mighty Nile River. Bird Island on Lake Victoria is inhabited by thousands of birds who nest together.
After viewing wildlife and activities on Bird Island, Bridge Island and the lake, the afternoon was spent visiting the memorial and grave of Tom Mboya, a Kenya hero. A short walk from the lodge, I enjoyed an interesting experience in this modest but well done memorial. The Oxford-educated leader held various cabinet posts before and after Kenya's independence in 1963. Mboya was the major spokesman for Luo interests in a Kikuyu-dominated government and one of Afric
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