8 days safari in Kenya

[francescodelv]

Hi all safaritalkers

 

We are just returned from Kenya for our second safari trip.all start from this topic

 

http://safaritalk.ne...umara-jan-2013/

 

when we are arrived in Masai Mara, we have changed program for stay 4 days in Matira Bush Camp and not in 4 different lodges. the reason? cats.... in the Matira area there is the Notch Coalition of five lions that dominate the zone and we are stayed with 3 of the 5 males during the days. The vocalizazions of these 3 guys from the right bank of Mara and those of the father (Kali) and the other son (Karimi) near Rekero Camp from the other bank start at 7.30 pm and finish at 8 am. It's very amazing for the cats lover to stay in this camp. just outside Matira, thanks to Antony, the manager and first guide of the camp, we have spotted also a mother cheetah with cubs, mother leopard with cubs borned 3 weeks ago and 2 lions pride: River Pride and Rongai Pride. In this days i try to make a complete report of the trip of Mara and the others 2 parks (Aberdare and Nakuru). These are some "shots" from Mara.

[Super LEEDS]

That python looks huge!!!

[pault]

It does.... and those lions look like aging rock stars. They should be doing a hurricane benefit gig!

 

Welcome back francescodelv. I look forward to hearing all about your trip and seeing more pictures. It sounds like your choice in the Mara worked very well for you.

[Atravelynn]

The wet head lions are a hit. Funny how the magestic king of the jungle can look so silly from a bad hair day. What's the story behind the snake?

 

You had lots of great sightings!

[francescodelv]

That python looks huge!!!

 

thanks to all. the pyton seems around 7-8 m! we have spotted it in the early morning. only antony have see it. a great spotter. I have about 2700 photos and 150 videos! i have charged 3 videos on youtube:

 

 

 

 

 

i don't know how put links in post without go on youtube. if moderators want to change post no problems. in this week i start with all the details of program. i have many video of interaction between animal. in Aberdare, from the terrace of Treetops i filmed interaction from elephant and buffalo. very amazing....

[Game Warden]

There you go

[francescodelv]

hi safaritalkers and sorry for delay. lke our program, first day was on Aberdare NP. we stay all day on Treetops Lodge, very near to Nyeri town. we have tried to spot a leopard which have terrotory from the Ark to Treetops but we haven't found him. From the terrrace, we have made some video of interaction between species like buffalo and elepahant. this is one of the video:

 

 

ando some pics from terrace.

 

 

[francescodelv]

i have jusp uploaded another video of sisa.

 

 

and this is the future.... the river pride have about 6 young male lions that are stalked everydays by the notch coalition without success

 

 

 

 

[graceland]

Very nice; including the videos and pics...Love seeing the game in green grass too.

 

Never tire of anyone's reporting on safari!

 

Thanks for sharing...

[Atravelynn]

Always something happening around The Ark. I think the eles were dominant that little confrontation.

[PCNW]

Thank you for sharing. Looks like you had a great trip.

[francescodelv]

hi safaritalkers and thanks for your appreciations. sorry me for bad english. it was a great safari. we have dedicate to Aberdare only one day. i thinks is a park from 2-3 days...bongo, elephants, black leopard, rhinos. enormous warthogs and buffalo.... many many birds....the second and third day are in Nakuru Lake. we have spotted lions, many rhinos (white and black), the largest buffalo we have see during the 8 days, many birds (3-4 variety of eagles) and antelope. no leopards, no cheetah but rangers have confirmed us that the best places for spot them is around the airstrip. for me is a great park for who have few days for make a safari and is possible to stay-in also with a simply car. here some pics from nakuru lake.

 

 

[samburumags]

I love your lion videos. An interesting report and nice to see Nakuru again. When are you going back?

[kruger]

Edited January 29, 2013 by kruger

[Game Warden]

That buffalo looks to have seen a few summers...

[francescodelv]

hi safaritalkers. i'm returned in italy the 10 january. nakuru, i'm sure, can't call it a classic safari park, but the for spot some species like rhinos and birds is fantastic. in the third safari day, in nakuru, we have tried to spot the 2 large male lions of a pride with many many cubs. they usually are on the trees during the day....a friend of mine, had spotted them some days before my safari around the sarova and the lake nakuru lodge, but we haven't found them. the fourth day we are arrived in masai mara around the 10 am. near the main gate, we saw some impala on alert, but we haven't spotted the 2 male cheetas in the bush. near topi plain, after seeing eland, elephants, topi, warthog and other species, we have spotted a lion pride in the bush (i don't know the exact name). Antony, the manager of Matira, have tell us that the pride is managed by a male lion very very aggressive. i have see some pics and he have a mane very golden without black. then, in the afternoon, after lunch, we have started to spot the female leopard, 15 years old!, with 3 cubs. In the early morning, antony have spotted the female when she go to hide the 3 cubs in a tunnel. all the drivers of the camp in the zone, every day try to spot the leopard but she is very elusive. I was impressed by the fact that there were no footprints in the sand around the tunnel!but she was there, hidden in the bush! while we were returning to the camp we have spotted 3 of 4 notch son on the hill very very close the camp. But the surprises were not over. Around 07:30-08:00 pm start the roaring. the 3 male start to call the brother and the father (notch) on the other side of mara. for me that love lions it was impossible to sleep before 3 am!!! :)

 

 

 

[Atravelynn]

Hopefully you got to take a nap during the day like these lions who kept you up all night.

[francescodelv]

:) . was what we wanted to live like experience. during the day, in turin, we listen only pigeon :) . no stress for not sleep. i have ask to matira if is possible to buy a permanent tent in the camp in the other 3 days, we have tried to spot cheetahs and the female leopard. the second day, before to catch the vid of the lions under the rain, finally we spot the female cheetah with the 3 cubs.

 

 

 

the third day, in the early morning (05:30 am), we have tried to spot the female leopard but a rekero masai female driver, meet before to arrive at the spot, have informed us that cubs are in the tunnel, but the leopard was out of zone because there were hyenas in hunt. only the last day, in middle morning we have finally spotted the female leopard. 15 years old!. called Lorian.
but surprise wasn't finished. before we were a few hours with Sisa and the Rongai female with the face scared in wait that they mate and in the afternoon with antony we decide to spot kali in the other side of mara. we found him in the late afternoon in front of us.
while we were waiting for him and one of his sons came out of the bush, we noticed several hyenas moving in the grass but we haven't understand why.... after some minutes, we heard something fall from the trees. with jeep, we entered in the bush and probably Olive or the River Ridge male Leopard had dropped the carcass of a small zebra from a tree.

Edited February 5, 2013 by francescodelv

[Atravelynn]

Nice leopard photo. I can make out the zebra in the dark on the ground.

[francescodelv]

a great sensation. in 200 m squares notch and his son, a leopard on the tree and hyenas around the bush on the other bank of mara river. a good jeep in mara is very important. all the camp driver of the lodge around the mara river know very well this part of park. the last day, before to exit for the main gate we spot 2 male male cheetahs. here some other video posted on youtube and pics

 

 

 

if you like, i post other videos in these days

 

 

 

 

[Atravelynn]

I knew there'd be cheetah eventually!

[francescodelv]

yes! the mother with the 3 cubs and the 2 males the last days. here 2 videos uploaded yesterday: