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Kenya - Still at the Heart of the African Safari Experience
By Andrew Muigai
The popular image of safari, especially in the west,
is inseparable from Kenya. Earlier in the last century, gifted writers
such as Ernest Hemingway and Karen Blixen brought to life the vivid
images and uplifting life experience that constitutes a Kenyan safari.
It is at this time that leading celebrities of the day such as Teddy
Roosevelt and Prince Edward traveled to Kenya on safari. And so
the safari gained a certain snob appeal. The famous went because
it was expected of them. And those on the make because the safari
was part of the certification they needed on the way up. If you
want to take a peek into the mood and character of the players at
that time, read Hemingway’s intriguing short story “The
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”.
In our day however, a Kenya safari is accessible to many more people.
Despite competition from other destinations, Kenya remains the heart
of the African safari experience. The magnificence and diversity
of the wildlife and landscape is unsurpassed. You are guaranteed
to tick off the full roster of the big five – lion, buffalo,
leopard, rhino and elephant. Other less well-known but essential
and chartered members of the savannah ecosystem are also abundant.
The landscape kaleidoscope rolls out the magnificent rift valley,
the central highlands, the savannah grasslands, snow capped Mount
Kenya and the desolate moonscape of the north. This is perhaps why
the experts advise all those faithful lovers of wildlife and nature
that at least once in their lifetime they must partake of a Kenyan
safari.
Kenya has over 50 national parks and game reserves where wildlife
is protected. But as you already suspect, on the average safari
you cannot hope to cover all of them. It is therefore a good thing
that you get very good value by visiting only a few of them. This
is unless of course you have a lot of time and can afford to take
off the beaten track. The most popular and from which those with
limited time and budget need to pick from are- Maasai Mara, Amboseli,
Lake Nakuru, Aberdares, Samburu and Tsavo. Top in the off-the-beaten
track category for either wildlife or back to nature activities
are- Kakamega Forest, Marsabit, Meru, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon and
Shimba Hills.
Maasai Mara is the big one. This is where you must go even when
all the time you can spare is two nights. This is mostly where all
those wildlife videos on Kenya are filmed. The Mara, as the Maasai
Mara Game Reserve is commonly known, is part of the ecosystem that
includes the equally famous Serengeti of Tanzania. Covering 320
square kilometers, it is nested in the southwestern corner of the
country. The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance
that it is difficult to believe. On a two-night visit, I saw lions,
rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo,
warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard, nine kinds
of antelopes and elephant. The birds are also in plenty –secretary
birds, cranes, stork, vultures and ostriches.
It is in the Mara that perhaps the most spectacular event of the
natural world takes place. I refer to the annual migration of millions
of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti in search of water and
pasture. The timing of the phenomena is conditional on the rains
and occurs between June and August. The reverse journey is usually
taken in October. With or without the migration the Mara has abundant
numbers of resident animals and you are sure to have a good wildlife
viewing experience whatever time of the year you visit. If you have
sufficient funds, consider taking a balloon trip over the reserve.
This popular and thoroughly memorable ride usually commences before
dawn and includes a champagne breakfast. The Mara is 5 hours from
Nairobi by road and 45 minutes by light aircraft.
Amboseli National Park sits on the lower slopes of mighty Kilimanjaro
whose peak is across the border in Tanzania. It is quite an experience
to see the Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in an early morning.
As the keen photography enthusiast can already imagine, the mountain
gives a dramatic backdrop for animal pictures. Amboseli is renowned
for its huge elephant herds. You will also see buffalo, black rhino,
zebra, wildebeest and other plain animals. Lions and other cats
can be seen but are less plentiful here than in the Mara. The park
is 3 hours from Nairobi by road and can be approached through Namanga,
the border post between Kenya and Tanzania.
Lake Nakuru’s claim to fame is anchored on its flamingo’s
and the over 400 species of birds found here. The lake itself is
a soda lake on the floor of the rift valley. The sight of the at
times millions of flamingos is quite spectacular. From a distance
the lake appears ringed in pink. Lake Nakuru is also host to a sanctuary
for the endangered black and white rhino. Lions, Rothschild’s
giraffe, buffalo and baboons are all residents here. The park is
the most accessible of Kenya’s bigger parks and is only two
hours from Nairobi by road.
At the same distance from Nairobi as Lake Nakuru is the Aberdares
National Park. The park has a diverse topography that includes waterfalls,
rain forests and the rivers that supply water to Nairobi’s
millions. The flora and fauna is quite unique and is not found elsewhere
in the country, expect on Mount Kenya. Leopard, elephant, rhino
and the rare bongo can all be found here. But dense vegetation and
inclement weather makes it difficult to spot animals. You are however
guaranteed to see some animals especially elephants and buffalos
at the floodlit waterholes of the two famous tree hotels, The Ark
and Treetops.
Students of the history of the British royal family will recall
that it was at the Treetops in 1952, where the then Princess Elizabeth
was staying on honeymoon when her father, King George VI, died.
She descended from Treetops to assume the backbreaking role of presiding
over the far-flung dominions and colonies of the empire. If you
stay at the Treetops you are bound to meet with some of her fans.
Though not as famous as the Mara, Samburu National Park is another
wildlife haven. Here you will spot lions, elephants, cheetahs and
the elusive leopard. Some animals are unique to this northern park:
Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudu and gerenuk. You will find
the semiarid landscape quite dramatic. On your trip to Samburu,
you may also want to take in the nearby Shaba and Buffalo Springs
game reserves. In addition, this is the place to take a camel safari.
Samburu is three hours from Nairobi by road.
Tsavo is so huge, all of 20,000 sq km, that it is administered as
two units: Tsavo West and Tsavo East. This is the park that is closest
to Mombasa at the coast. The park is three and a half hours away
from Nairobi by road. You will find large herds of elephant, especially
in Tsavo East. Tsavo West is filled with crocodiles, vervet monkeys,
antelope, baboons, giraffes and hippos. It is in Tsavo that poachers
were most successful in their bloody racket and this saw a dramatic
fall in elephant population. The good guys have in recent years
gained the upper hand and numbers are recovering.
But Kenyan authorities are still extremely wary of the future of
the elephant in Tsavo. The country is very active in seeking a permanent
ban on the international ivory trade. I wish at this point to declare
to all that I am a great fan of the African elephant. I believe
this to be the true king of the jungle and not that overrated pretender,
the lion. You may recall from the movie “The Man-eaters of
Tsavo” how cowardly lions disrupted the building of the railway
in the Tsavo area by feeding on the workforce. Would true royalty
be involved in such a disgraceful affair?
Kenya is a year round safari destination. The rains come around
April- May and November-December. This does not however, much affect
the travelers’ ability to get around. This is except for the
heavily forested Aberdares. In the wet season the roads in the Aberdares
are extremely slippery and the park is at times actually closed
down. Generally the best time to go on safari is over the drier
months when the grass is short and sighting animals is so much easier.
But in areas such as the Mara, the animals are so plentiful that
you are going to see lots of them regardless of the season. The
peak tourist season falls around January to February and July to
August. April to June is the low season and prices for accommodation
in the lodges can be as much as 40% lower than in the high season.
Accommodation on safari varies from basic camping to luxury lodges
and tented camps. Out there in the bush, you will be pleasantly
surprised that all the trimmings of 5 star accommodations are available.
But if you want to rough it out, you will find campsites in almost
all the game reserves and national parks. Info on Kenya hotels,
lodges & resorts accommodation options is available online.
It is generally recommended to take an escorted Kenya safari tour
package that includes transport, park fees and accommodation. The
reason for this is that the tour guides are usually well versed
about the animals, where to find them and how to get there and have
other such useful local knowledge. Have a look at some offers of
various durations and budgets.
But if you have a lot of time and need more freedom as you get around,
then hire a vehicle in either Nairobi or Mombasa. For Kenya car
rental there is a choice between self-drive and chauffer driven
vehicles. On safari, wear light cottons and linen. Warmer clothing
is needed for the evenings and for your early morning game drive.
Some rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and
December.
You should bring along a decent pair of sunglasses. The glare you
experience in bright tropical light is a new and uncomfortable experience
for most. It is also a good idea to carry a pair of binoculars.
They are very useful for spotting animals and will earn you the
envy of your less knowledgeable traveling companions.
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Copyright
© Africa Point
Author
Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter.
You can view more info on Kenya safari and tours at the website.
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on this web site is as accurate and current as possible. The information
is provided 'as is' and Africa Travel will not accept responsibility
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