Day Six

Off to the Masai Mara, which was rumored to be the most spectacular place in Kenya and the reason people often save this destination for last in their itinerary. Our guide even told us that the entire trip thus far, as amazing as it had been, was just a warm up for what awaited us in the Mara.

The name Masai Mara is a combination of the indigenous and nomadic Maasai people who inhabit the region, and the word Mara which means “spotted” in Maasai language and is reflective of the many acacia trees that dot the landscape.

But before we get into the details of our time in the Masai Mara, and because we spent so much time traveling from destination to destination in our vehicle, I thought it would be fun to share some of my experiences while on the road. Some of the memorable highlights were:

• I had a chance to see several Kenyan runners on the side of the road. Because of the higher elevations (5,000-6,000 feet above sea level) and cooler temperatures, this part of Kenya is ideal for training.
• We stopped and had several “check tire breaks” which is essentially what Godfrey referred to as a rest stop or bathroom break. The bathroom experience was quite shocking – typically there were no seats on the toilets in the ladies room, and the men pee against a wall that trickles down into a small trough at the base of the floor. During our last pit stop I received the ultimate surprise with this… (yes, this is the ladies room)

• The speed limit for any vehicle carrying passengers is 80km, which is approximately 50mph. For safety reasons, the government requires these vehicles to use governors to regulate the speed, which is particularly important in the Matatus—small privately owned passenger vans that serve as a hybrid bus/taxi and may hold up to 15-18 locals. All other vehicles do not have a speed limit.
• There are always people on the side of the road, no matter if you are driving down a tiny dirt road or the trans Africa highway. Many of these people are walking to/from school or work, but most of them appear to be doing nothing and it seems like every shade tree has someone taking a nap under it.
• At any time you can see cows, goats, sheep, chickens, pigs or donkeys on the side of road, often with a one-man (or young boy) herder. Fences are rarely seen in Kenya, as the search for precious food and water for livestock often requires traveling great distances.

• The paved roads were surprisingly nice and smooth, however there are random speed bumps placed to slow traffic down every 2-20 miles. Our guide referred to these impediments as “dead traffic policemen.”
• Passing is pretty much subjective and can happen at any time. There are no “real” passing lanes and I found myself holding my breath a couple times.
• Often times en route to one of the resorts or lodges, it required traveling a long distance (i.e., 60 miles) on a dirt road. This was referred to as a “free Kenyan massage” because these roads are often rough and bumpy.
• There is a hierarchy of transportation. Most people walk, some have carts pulled by donkeys or cows, some travel on bicycles, some on motorcycles, and finally cars, which not many people have.

• At any time you can look out the window and see zebras, giraffes, antelope, gazelles, etc. etc. We even saw warthogs (a.k.a. Pumbas from The Lion King) roaming around in downtown Nairobi.

Now, back to the Masai Mara. People were not kidding when they said it is an African paradise and the most beautiful part of Kenya. As we arrived to the Mara West resort, we were taken aback by the serenity of the property, which was located at the top of the Oloololo Escarpment with the vastness of the Masai Mara unfolding beneath it. Oloololo means “endless” in the Maasai language, and indeed this ridge seemed to extend forever. It was along this escarpment, very near to the Mara West lodge, that much of the movie Out of Africa was set.

Mara West had a quaint simplicity with a single building for lounge and dining, and another building with gift shop and business center.

The tents were scattered throughout the grounds – our “tent” was one of the best in the resort with magnificent panoramic views of the Masai Mara. When we walked into our tent it was like a luxurious escape from reality. Picturesque décor, hardwood floors, large beds, a huge bathroom and shower – just the works!

We got settled in, had a bite to eat, and then were off on an afternoon/evening game drive. From the porch of our tent we had seen a few elephants far below us earlier in the day, and knew that this was going to be the day that we finally would come face to face with our first group of elephants. We also got to see more giraffes, lions, and buffalo.That evening Justin and I had a lovely, quiet dinner for two near the fire and then went to bed early in prep for the long following day.

Day Seven

Happy Valentine’s Day! I can’t imagine a more romantic way to spend a day with my husband. We were up early and ready to head out on an all day game drive.

The water and power at Mara West were very interesting. We had hot water for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. The hot water was produced by building a fire in a large furnace/boiler behind each tent, through which cold water passed in pipes and was heated up to a very high temperature almost instantly. Though probably not the most efficient means of heating water, it’s certainly a cheap method and it produced an endless supply of hot water for the duration of the fire. Unfortunately the fire starter overslept the night before, so our morning showers were delayed slightly while the fire was brought to life behind the tent. The power was turned on from 5:30-8am and again from 7-10pm. Outside of those hours, it was all-natural with no power.

We headed out at 8am for a full day experience in the Masai Mara. The scenery was beyond incredible, with endless views of rolling grassy hills with acacia trees scattered throughout. We saw all kinds of animals and got close to elephants, giraffes, lions, and antelope.

Around noon, we got to see a baby hippo resting next to its mother out of the water, which was pretty awesome. Godfrey mentioned that in his 20-plus years of being a guide he has never seen a hippo this small. Hippos do not venture out of water during the day very often, as they rely on the coolness of the water to protect them from the sun.

A little later Godfrey spotted a lion from about 150 yards away, and as we rolled up to it our jaws dropped in surprise as an entire pride of lions – one male, four females, eleven cubs – lay resting in the shade of a few trees. We sat for a while and watched the cubs play and nurse. Then, we got to see the females set up for a kill (even though they were spotted by the Topi and were unable to follow through). Being only feet away from these massive creatures was one of the highlights of the trip.

Lunch was soon to follow as we parked underneath a sausage tree (so named because the tree’s seed pods look like large sausage links hanging from the branches) and enjoyed a box lunch prepared by the chef at Mara West. It was just what we all needed to recharge for more viewing.

After we were finished scouting for animals, Godfrey took us to a local Masai Village where we had a chance to interact with and learn from the people. It was really neat to see the people dressed in vibrant colors and the women covered in beads. Red is a popular color worn by the Masai people because the animals see it as a threat and it scares them away. Hmmm, why did I not pack anything red for this trip?

A few of the men in the tribe showed us how they make fire, with very little effort. The people also performed a traditional dance, sang a native song, and gave us a tour of the village.

The houses are made of cow dung, dirt, and grass, and are built by the women as a gift to their husbands. There was no running water or electricity – only natural light and light from fire, and the doors to the houses were noticeably short considering the relatively tall height of the Masai. It turns out this is intentional, and forces the husband to bow to his wife as he enters the dwelling.

In addition to building the “houses,” the women do much of the work around the village while the men are tending to livestock, including cooking, firewood gathering, laundry, child rearing, and fetching water. Sounds pretty much like life in the U.S., right?

Polygamy is also a common practice among the Masai, and as long as a man has enough livestock he can take as many brides as he wants. It is not uncommon for one man to have five wives. Traditional masai females shave their heads, while males do not.

In their spare time (which can’t be much given the aforementioned list of responsibilities), the women make and sell a lot of jewelry, beads, and wooden artifacts to help provide income for the village and money to help build schools. We learned that education is becoming more and more important, and that children will walk up to nine miles each day, each way, to go to school. Pretty fascinating.

Justin and I noticed that if they were wearing any shoes at all, most of the people in this particular tribe were wearing old, beat up sandals that were literally falling apart. We decided to take off our running shoes and give them to the people so that they would have something a little more comfortable and cushy to walk on when traveling long distances. We were told that the shoes would be shared (anyone traveling particularly long distances would be given them to wear) and are very much needed and appreciated. Many acted as though we had given them a brick of gold. They also asked us for more shoes, and we are planning to work with our local running store, Foot Zone, to collect second hand shoes to ship to the village in the coming months.

After saying goodbye to our new Masai friends, we headed back to camp to freshen up and enjoy a nice Valentine’s Day dinner. The chef prepared a special menu and they arranged our table beautifully next to a cozy fire. The food at Mara West was exceptional, and was our first chance to order from a menu on the trip as opposed to eating from a buffet.

That evening we were escorted back to our tent and fell into a slumber quickly once again. During the night, we awoke several times to the sounds of zebras grazing in the moonlight right outside the tent.

Day Eight

Departure day. Very sad to be saying goodbye to Africa and our Kenyan adventure. At least we got to witness once last colorful sunrise.

We got up early, showered, packed, and headed to the restaurant for breakfast. As we roamed the property from our tent, we were surrounded by zebras, baboons, and the occasional giraffe.

Breakfast was excellent once again and the coffee strong. Apparently most Kenyans do not drink coffee because it is too expensive – they drink tea instead.

After breakfast we were off to the Masai Mara Airstrip, which is basically a strip of dirt in the middle of the savannah. Along the way we gave away our last soccer ball.

When we pulled up there was a parliament of giraffes out on the airstrip that had to be chased off by a vehicle right as the airplane was landing. Pretty entertaining.

We said our goodbyes to Godfrey, which was bittersweet, and loaded into the plane for our flight back to Nairobi.

Once we were in Nairobi, we had some time to kill so we had a long lunch at Carnivore, spent some time at a giraffe sanctuary where we actually got to feed the giraffes, and made our way through crazy Nairobi traffic to the airport for departure.

Now that the trip is over, it all feels like an incredible dream and I still have yet to wake up!

<–Part Two

Day Four

The day started with an early rise and departure on to our next destination – Sweetwaters Tented Camp just outside the town of Nanyuki. We retraced our tracks part of the way back toward Nairobi before turning off onto a dirt road for 30km of “free Kenyan massage” as our guide Godfrey liked to call the countless miles of unpaved tarmac.

On our way we were able to stop at a school and interact with the kids and teachers. The school has been open for about one year, and we were their first visitors from outside the area. The principal, Patrick, eagerly rummaged through a box of supplies from which he produced a guest book for us to sign and write in. The kids were SO EXCITED and happy to see us. We were able to tour the classrooms and experience the environment the children learn in.

There were three classrooms within a single concrete building, positioned in the middle of a dirt field. Each classroom had four to five wooden desks that the kids would share – about 17 kids per classroom. On each of the walls were chalkboards covered in pictures, letters, numbers, and words. Nothing fancy and very simple. We were told that education has become very important and that those who go to school learn English (it seemed as though most people spoke English).

Justin and I had brought along a few soccer balls and red playground ball that we were able to give to the school. The balls were welcome replacements for a pile of 4-5 deflated balls in the corner, and a refreshing alternative to the old motorcycle tires that the kids had been rolling around the playground during recess. We also gave the teachers a map of the United States for the classroom and showed them where we are from. Ann and Bob had a bunch of bracelets, glasses, toys, crayons, and coloring books that they handed out. The kids really seemed to enjoy the fun glasses. It was so heart warming to see their faces and looks of pure joy. It’s amazing what we take for granted here in the US.

Once we said our goodbyes and left the school, we had a short 20-minute drive to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy game park and our destination for the night: Sweetwaters Tented Camp. When we pulled up it was instantly jaw dropping and very authentic. Large grassy areas with beautiful yellow fever acacia trees spread throughout the property. We were greeted by a very cheerful crew of people and accompanied to our tent. This was definitely a “glamping” experience. We had a gorgeous view of the watering hole and savannah, and were able to watch a variety of animals, including a charming giraffe, graze around the area all from the comfort of our tent.

The restaurant and food at this resort were quite spectacular, with a buffet style that catered to a variety of taste buds and palates. We had lunch, enjoyed some down time, and headed out on our afternoon game drive.

At the beginning of the drive we were able to stop at a Chimpanzee sanctuary that was founded by Jane Goodall. It was quite interesting walking around and learning about the chimpanzees, most of which had been rescued at some point in their lives from the entertainment industry, circuses, cages, and other inhumane situations.

Along our drive we came upon a male and female lion that were lying on the side of the road, only feet away. Godfrey explained that they had just finished mating and would do so again, as they mate about 20 times per day (poor female). As we were getting ready to drive away, the lions decided to put on a show and mated again right in front of us. It was quite interesting, to say the least.

Continuing on, we crossed paths with a black rhino (very endangered species) and were able to see a cheetah and her cub stalk, chase, and kill a gazelle. It was an adrenaline pumping experience for us all, and one that took about 30 minutes of slow and deliberate stalking for what amounted to an 8-second chase and kill.

Day Five

Our time at Sweetwaters was a bit short and we all agreed that we could have stayed a few more days. The tents were comfortable (they even put large hot water bottles under the comforter during turn down service to combat the cool evening temperatures at 6,000 feet above sea level) and the environment just felt like home. Unfortunately, after breakfast we had to pack up and get on our way to our next destination five hours away – the Sopa Lodge at Lake Naivasha.

On our way we stopped at the equator and watched a fascinating demonstration about the earth’s rotation. One entrepreneurial local who called himself “Professor McKenzie” proceeded to give us a demonstration using a pitcher of water, a large funnel, and a matchstick. Just 20 feet north of the equator, the match spun clockwise as the funnel drained into the pitcher. 20 feet south of the equator, the match spun counterclockwise. And right on the equator, the match didn’t rotate at all.

After some souvenir shopping at the equator stop, we were back on the road and had some time to make up. Unfortunately, we were met with a minor delay when a simple inspection station (they are common all over the roads there, and are intended to keep unsafe vehicles off the roads) with a braggadocious police officer put a wrinkle in our plans. The officer called into question the safety of one of the tires, as well as the reflective signs on the back of the vehicle, and wanted a $5,000 schilling (about $60) bribe in exchange for allowing us to proceed on our journey.

Corruption is rampant in Kenya, but our guide Godfrey is a man of integrity and was unwilling to pay the bribe out of principle and because it would only perpetuate the problem. Besides, tourism is vital to Kenya’s economy and tourists, while not immune to the law, are generally not supposed to be detained for such minor infractions (whether valid or not) while on safari. While driving to the police station to settle the matter, Godfrey called the Kenyan Tourism Police on his UHF radio. Once we drove back to the police station, he called the KTP on his cell phone (a whole other story…I can’t even get service everywhere in Bend, but cell phones work EVERYWHERE in Kenya) and the chancellor of the organization gave the police officer a stern talking to. That put a quick end to what had become a 90-minute delay, and we were finally back on our way.

After several hours in our Landcruiser, we arrived at the Sopa Lodge and were greeted by several staff members and colobus monkeys in the trees above.

The rooms had a beautiful and expansive view of the resort grounds, with waterbucks, zebras, giraffes, and other various creatures roaming around.

After lunch, Justin and I toured the property and enjoyed an afternoon walk around the grounds. We were able to get up close and personal with a zebra and waterbuck.

The property extends out to Lake Naivasha, a huge lake that is home more than 400 species of birds and thousands of hippos. At this particular resort, they warn all guests of hippos and water buffalo (the most dangerous animal in Africa), both of which can pose a threat. Although hippos are vegetarians, they are territorial and will charge/stomp to kill. After dark the hippos come out of the water and onto the property grounds, where they graze on the grass throughout the night. Thus, after dinner we had to be escorted by a guard for safety. We were able to see the hippos both in water and late at night from our balcony. Boy, are they remarkable creatures.

One of the security guards actually took Justin and I on a private walk “off the beaten path” to show us the hippos and teach us a bit about their lifestyle. The guard’s name was Kapatipu and he grew up in the Masai Mara, but now works at the resort. He told us his age (28 years old) and about his wife and two young kids whom still live in one of the Masai villages. His work requires him to stay and live at the resort for 3 months at a time, allowing him 7-10 days in between to go home and be with his family. It is tough to imagine this lifestyle, but apparently it is normal in Kenya – a way of life that they feel very fortunate to have.

Another exciting moment was watching the giraffes roaming and eating around the grounds of the resort. As Justin and I were making our way to dinner, four giraffes passed right in front of us, including a baby. They were so beautiful to watch and their movements seemed very Dr. Seuss like. Watching them run was even more impressive as it looks as though their legs should break with each step – yet they are very graceful. I am still amazed that we were only feet away from these magnificent creatures.

The best is yet to come…

<–Part One | Part Three –>

I’m back! After disappearing from the blogging world for a solid 10 days, I am ready to sit down and share all of my adventures in Africa. I decided to keep a journal of day-to-day activities, details of the resorts, and memorable moments so I could put each region into a blog post. So, let’s get to it!

Day One – Travel

Getting to Kenya is an investment of time and energy in and of itself. Justin and I headed out the door at 6:30am in preparation for the snowy drive to the Portland airport. The temperature was minus 11 when we were leaving Central Oregon. We arrived at the long-term parking and were shuttled to the terminal to catch our 1:15pm flight to Amsterdam.

The flight went really well – I always forget how spoiled I feel on international flights… free movies and in-flight entertainment, food every couple of hours, and free adult beverages. The 9.5-hour flight landed us in Amsterdam at 9am the next morning, which felt really weird. We had but a few moments to make our way across the terminal to catch our 10:20 flight to Nairobi.

Once we arrived in Nairobi and passed through immigration and customs, Justin and I met with a Kensington Tours driver who took us to the Nairobi Serena hotel, which was much nicer than we expected. It was also an extremely secure hotel, as violence and terrorism are very rare but real threats in Nairobi. From armed guards on the roof, to bomb inspections of the vehicle undercarriage, it was clear the hotel takes the safety and security of its guests seriously.

Eager for rest but excited to meet up with Bob and Ann (Justin’s dad and his wife), we checked in and then headed downstairs to see them for an hour before finally hitting the sack. After 28 hours of traveling and an 11-hour difference in time, our bodies were in need of sleep.

Days Two and Three

Our first full day in Kenya started with a nice buffet breakfast (buffets seem to be the thing at most of the hotels and resorts in Kenya) at the Mandhari Restaurant and a quick tour around the property. It would have been nice to have a little more time here, but we were antsy to head out and start the safari.

After breakfast we were briefed by our tour company and introduced to our safari driver and guide for the week, Godfrey. He escorted us to our vehicle, a beast of a Landcruiser with lots of room. The four of us piled on in and headed off to the Samburu Simba Lodge, which was about five hours away. It’s worth noting that a five hour drive in Kenya doesn’t really get you as far as a five hour drive back home, since all safari vehicles have a throttle governor that maxes out at 80 kilometers per hour (roughly 50 miles per hour).

The drive was a very eye opening experience as we passed by literally thousands of people walking and waiting on the side of the road, donkey carts, camels, road bikes, motorcycles, and one guy even riding a horse along the shoulder. Godfrey informed us that 60 percent of people living in Kenya are unemployed. The people were always very curious about us and the kids would smile and wave as we passed by. At one point when we came to a stop, a little girl curiously approached our vehicle and Justin and I handed her a soccer ball. She jumped for joy and acted as though she had never been given anything before. It was a really touching experience.

We passed by and through several towns, coffee and pineapple plantations, endless rows of greenhouses growing flowers, fruits, and vegetables, up the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya (obscured by clouds this day), and on to Samburu National Park.

When we arrived at the Samburu Simba Lodge, we checked in, had lunch, explored the property, and got settled in our room. An interesting thing about this particular property was that they shut the power off at various times during the day. Because it is literally in the middle of nowhere, they run on a generator, thus there was no power until after our drive.

Our first trip out into the wilderness was filled with anticipation for what we might see, and did not disappoint. The landscape was absolutely incredible and changed sporadically over the course of a couple hours.

All meals at this lodge were buffet style; we were seated at the same table during the entire stay and were serviced by the same waitress. The food was a variety of veggies, rice, curry, pork/beef/chicken, and coffee and teas were popular drinks. Refrigeration is kind of an afterthought in Kenya, so most drinks were served at room temperature including bottled water, soft drinks, and juices.

On day three, we headed out at 6:30am for a morning game drive. The sunrise was absolutely stunning with a variety of colors painted across the sky. We saw lions, giraffes, monkeys, dik diks (a miniature deer), zebras, gazelles, long neck gerenuk (also called giraffe antelope), and a variety of other species. The morning drives typically took place between 6:30 and 9:30am, while the late afternoon drives were from 4:00 to 6:30pm. Because temperatures are cooler during these hours, more animals are out and about roaming around.

That afternoon we relaxed at the pool between game drives and read, enjoying the sunshine and warm weather. Before our late afternoon game drive we had a bite to eat and enjoyed an adult beverage in the lounge area – then we were off!

Dinner that evening was pretty entertaining as we got to view crocodiles, giraffes, a hyena, genet cats, and a beautiful sunset as we dined!

More to come soon –> Kenyan Safari – Part Two