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The Absence of Bibi and the Question of Rain - Naboisho, Nairobi NP and Meru in December 2013


pault

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It was our last morning in Naboisho. We woke to a drizzle of rain and the usual very dim light. I almost went back to bed, but was later very glad that I didn’t.

Good morning!

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(This jackal will feature later)

We left early to find the lions for our new guests, and sure enough they were already active out in the plain; getting ready for a hunt again, but even more playful and relaxed than on the previous day.

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The two older males were out in the open too, though, and were really laying down the law to the young males. Things got very aggressive indeed.

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Blow you down

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More testosterone

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Slinking away won’t work…..

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… because I’ll just blow you down again!

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But the liberal urination (look carefully at the terrified lion in the fourth picture in this post) and submission postures by the youngsters eventually put even the more aggressive male in a better mood...

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... and even in the mood for a bit of bonding.

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And throughout all this, a single jackal was going nuts. Barking and barking at the lions, and even coming in quite close to make sure they heard. We guessed there was a den nearby, but it didn't seem the wisest strategy given how worked up the males were. I was hoping the jackal would suss this, but she barked herself hoarse, until she was satisfied that the liosn were moving in the right direction. Surprisingly the lions just completely ignored her.

 

I had to be back quite early to eat before we left for an 11 am flight, but when the lions started moving out the same way as the previous day, Daniel asked if I would like to follow them out until the last possible minute. With a sad heart I told him that in fact this was the best way to end our visit to Naboisho, with the lions disappearing over the horizon on a hunt. That would be the last thing we'd see. Poetic. Daniel's eyes suggested that he thought that was a pretty stupid reason, and on reflection I think he was right, especially since we turned out to have much more time than we expected.


Flying lions

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You’re going nowhere

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Let’s go

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Stop playing … let’s go

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Goodbye

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So we had breakfast and then drove to the airstrip, seeing little of interest on the way. There was intermittent rain now, a cold wind, and heavy cloud - as there had been since the previous day.

Goodbye

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Goodbye

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Goodbye

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Goodbye

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So, that was it. Naboisho ended up being excellent. Pretty much on a par with Olare Motorogi, really. Different in that it was a bit rougher, hillier and bushier, there is more grazing by cattle allowed (but in a larger area) and the game is a little more skittish. But on the plus side (and rougher with slightly more skittish game will rightly sound like a plus to some) you'll probably get another year or so of special offers at the various camps, it probably has even less traffic, and the lion action can be outstanding. It’s pretty enough - there are some nice hills and valleys, but I wouldn't come here specifically for landscapes. I definitely will come here again for the animals. There are also some great-looking camps. The Asilia-Rekero camp, Ol Seki, the most luxurious of the Kicheche camps, the Basecamp (fantastic location on a ridge - really looks nice) and all the camps and guides are friendly to and positive about each other - a feelgood factor!


And of course there is Encounter Mara. I am very happy that I decided to stay there. No regrets at all - fantastic location, nice people with hearts and actions firmly in the right place, good and apparently committed guides, really comfortable tents, excellent food, and the hide and the lounge text with a view to a salt lick so the viewing of goings on in the bush never has to stop. Personally, it is a bit bigger and so necessarily perhaps a little less personal than I prefer (I know we had it to ourselves, so for me it was just great with no “buts”.... but we can tell those things) but that is something you know before you go - and you pay less for it too. Moreover, the camp covers a huge area, and so the tents are just as far from each other as at the smaller camps. Based on a quick cost-benefit analysis it’s got to be close to the best value in the Mara area (but you'll have to work that out yourself since it would depend how you weight the different factors). Taking advantage of their offer, we spent an average of I guess just over $300 pppn (inclusive of flights and fees and everything) for a week in Naibosiho, so it didn’t take much time to decide to give it a try. I was thinking it would be awkward if I didn't like it, since it is a Safaritalk member camp, but no worries - I did like it.

Goodbye

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Due to the situation in Bangkok this week, I will probably either have more time than usual to finish the first draft of photos or no time at all. So the next installment (Nairobi National Park) might come quickly or there might be quite.a break.

Edited by pault
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@@pault

You certainly had some fantastic lion encounters - including in the nest, and lots of interactions. You have got loads of excellent pictures of them - and I like the ones where you are struggling for angles and doing bits of manual focussing it makes it seem like we are being there in the reality of it!

It looks like a good camp - and a bargain price (compared to some in the ATR list).

I look forward to the next bit!

 

(We have seen some of the Bangkok situation on the news - I hope it is OK for you)

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Well, those lions certainly put on quite a show for you and I think the dull lighting really helped your photographic endeavours. Nice summary as well and really attractive value, quite thought provoking on the "can I fit in a quick trip" kind of way.

 

Keep safe in Bangkok.

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Is that really the end? Or are you waiting for us to call you back for an encore? If so "Encore!"

 

Super TR Paul. Love the lions.

I was going to comment that a warthog obviously tastes better than a water bottle, but I see that the lion retrieved the bottle once he'd finished eating

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armchair bushman

BTW, the camp you saw on your way out of the reserve, back up towards Naboisho looks like Speke's Camp. I understand it's kind of in "no-mans land" between Olare Orok and the Reserve.

I'm not 100% sure about this, so don't quote me on it. I know spekes camp is on the Olare Orok River and is not in the reserve of the conservancies, so I'm just making assumptions here (also based on the shape of the tent in your photo, which kind of matches).

 

Speke's camp is run by the same people as Jan's Camp in the Loita Hills - part of an operation called "Maasai Trails", which is primarily a walking safari operation across the Loita Hills, using donkeys as pack animals (instead of the camels favoured up North). Jan's camp is very nice - having ended up there purely by mistake last week.

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BTW, the camp you saw on your way out of the reserve, back up towards Naboisho looks like Speke's Camp. I understand it's kind of in "no-mans land" between Olare Orok and the Reserve.

I'm not 100% sure about this, so don't quote me on it. I know spekes camp is on the Olare Orok River and is not in the reserve of the conservancies, so I'm just making assumptions here (also based on the shape of the tent in your photo, which kind of matches).

 

Speke's camp is run by the same people as Jan's Camp in the Loita Hills - part of an operation called "Maasai Trails", which is primarily a walking safari operation across the Loita Hills, using donkeys as pack animals (instead of the camels favoured up North). Jan's camp is very nice - having ended up there purely by mistake last week.

 

I haven't heard of either but nice to hear of something a bit different (Jan's Camp). However, I think that camp (if you mean the one with the wildebeest running past, spied from the lion sighting) was inside the reserve. I could be wrong there, since it is really difficult to spot when you leave the reserve. Daniel seemed to think he knew what it was and it didn't sound like that. If it was where you say though, then they wouldn't be having as much passing traffic at all.

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Is that really the end? Or are you waiting for us to call you back for an encore? If so "Encore!"

 

Super TR Paul. Love the lions.

I was going to comment that a warthog obviously tastes better than a water bottle, but I see that the lion retrieved the bottle once he'd finished eating

 

:D @@Soukous There are twin encores in Nairobi and Meru National Parks to come. They have their moments too, but generally slightly more subtle ones.

 

That bottle kept on appearing - they may have had two, but they were definitely in love with the thing. One good reason for camps in Naboisho not giving their guests water in plastic bottles - someone might lose a hand! :P

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@@twaffle Well the "can we fit a quick trip in" is where we started. But you know you should!

 

The dull lighting did help in a way. I know what you mean. But I wish I had had just a little bit more of it- shooting at ISO 3200 and up and f/5 or f/6.3 and still not quite getting to 1/1000 sec territory made me cry a bit (and smile that I had the new camera). Some wonderful action was just a bit too fast-moving.

 

And thanks. Things were surprisingly calm today and fingers crossed for the rest of the week.

Edited by pault
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Fabulous TR and great photos. You capture the "cat with a mission" look that they seemed to have when they were out stalking. I'd have known that without reading the text.

 

This is tiding me over splendidly until I head to the same area next month. Keep it coming. Indeed, encore!

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What a wonderfully well written and well illustrated trip report!

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PT, great report as always. Absolutely fantastic lion shots in the last two installments. Also, thanks for the pricing info. Good to know for future planning!

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@@PT123. Future planning better be soon or it might not apply. They had a very special offer last year and I doubt they'll continue it much longer. If they have it this year, it'll probably be the last - although they are (relatively) very reasonably priced anyway.

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And thank you Peter and amybatt

So, to continue as the battle of Bangkok rages on the streets around me.... well, actually not, since bar a couple of smallish incidents it has all been pretty quiet so far (touch wood) and I have been working normally. No tanks rolling down Sukhumvit Road or police baton charges into the demonstration sites, and generally speaking everyone is being rather polite (not the guy who chucked a grenade at the protesters yesterday, but fortunately his aim was very poor). Last days of Amin's Uganda it is not. Protesters can walk into the Sheraton and get a room for under $20 a night (so just slip on a red, white a blue headband if you want to take advantage of this oiffer - probably not available online yet) and the weather is fantastic - although a bit chilly for camping in the streets.

So, with no reasonable excuse at the moment other than feigned stress, I better carry on with the trip report.

For various reasons I had never visited Nairobi National Park, even though we've been through Nairobi something like 15 times. Part of the reason was that my wife wasn't very impressed with the idea, but a couple of years ago when I heard Anthony and Emma Childs had opened a lodge there, I knew I had the necessary ammunition to persuade her. Like Safaridude, we met Anton and Emma in 2006 when they were managing Elsa's Kopje and we had a bit of an adventure in the rain, in December. Not quite enough of an adventure for them to remember (they had a number of guests with unscheduled adventures during that very wet year) but enough for us to learn what good and nice people they are and how very well they do their job. My wife had not forgotten them in the meantime and was sure any place they were running would be worth visiting. So, Nairobi National Park at last.

You can look up Emakoko here to get other opinions in it - a number of people here have been there. But you can also save your time because I will tell you what they said. It's excellent and its beautiful. And having been there I don't view it as a great place to stay when passing through Nairobi, but as a great place to stay when visiting Kenya. The location on a hillside just above the river which forms the national park boundary is beautiful and the rooms are not rooms but very comfortable little bungalows. Bandas is not a word that suits them. If they weren't where they are I might dare to criticize the place as being unnecessarily overbuilt, but they are on their own land, across the river from the park and connected to the power grid and close to Nairobi, so I personally think they did it right going for the country cottage thing. I can imagine the absent Bibi absolutely loving it; just as she did with Meno a Kwena in Botswana (another place perfectly built for where and what it is). We loved it too, and we had poor Anton and Emma all to ourselves for two days too (yes, they were our private hosts whether they liked it or not!!). Seriously, it was different and very nice to relax. Although we had quite a busy schedule, it's a place that immediately relaxes you as soon as you cross the bridge. In my opinion we had enough coddling and relaxation for ten people on this trip, but if we're doing something a bit more adventurous at a hotter time, then a couple of nights here at the beginning, middle or end would be perfect. And it's not like there is nothing to do (although when you sit out on your balcony that is an attractive option).

We actually had our only hitch here as for some reason our guide thought we were on a slightly later flight (there were two arriving from the Mara 15 minutes apart) and so was snoozing or shopping while we waited outside Wilson. Of course, as is the way in Kenya, another guide came to ask us if we were all right, and when we told him where we were staying pointed out the vehicle. A surprised and very embarrassed Elisaben (not sure about spelling) then drove us to the park gates, about 10 minutes away, and through the park to Emakoko. Of course he had been at Elsa's Kopje in 2006 too, and had been the room boy for the room we had stayed in. He did look very familiar (he has quite striking features) but he definitely had't been looking after our room, so must have been on holiday when we were there, but returned for our last night. He told us we would recognize the barman too, and we did.

Basically while at Emakoko, you can do whatever you like. There is a menu of things to do, or you can think something up yourself. Vehicles and guides are at your disposal. Game drives, walks and visits to Nairobi attractions or shopping are the most popular activities. There is a helicopter pad somewhere for the extravagant arrivals. We went on three game drives in the park, and after one visited Sheldricks and went shopping for the obligatory souvenirs for everyone at home.

There is little else that needs saying (but don't worry, I'll say it anyway in the next post!!!). If you are wavering over whether to stay here, don't. Yes it is worth the extra money, if you have it, and Nairobi National Park is not bad at all, although I am not going to pretend it is a gorgeous wilderness the equal of Meru. Watch our for Sunday though. It gets pretty busy after 8 with day-trippers (not that this need bother you too much as you still have the part of the park around Emakoko all to yourself until 8 or later). On other days that part of the park does not start to see traffic until around 9, by which time you are likely heading back for breakfast anyway.

 

Some pictures from the game drives.

 

We'll get the standard but essential city-with-wildlife shots out of the way first.

 

 

Skyscrapers

 

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Giraffezilla

 

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The Lone Rhinocerous (that wouldn't move to the right place in the frame :P )

 

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Rhino and calf

 

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Rhino without calf - we saw maybe 12 individuals in our two days - over 20 sighted but some were repeats. Definitely a very good place to spit rhino.

 

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Other uncommonly common residents are the giraffes and Coke's Hartebeest that are much darker than those in the Mara (I thought they were Jackson's but am assured not by wiser heads)

 

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And a special treat are the Mountain Reedbucks, which we saw twice when looking (successfully) for Black Rhinocerouses.

 

Very pretty and distinguishable by the big back circles under the ear, light colour, rather rough and shaggy coat and thick, shaggy tail.

 

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To show the tail......

 

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On the second viewing, in the early morning, they treated us to a display of reedbuck jogging jumping and even a bit of pronking. Fantastic!

 

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Edited by pault
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Anton is in this year's Guinness Book of Records ( or whatever it may be called nowadays) under the entry for deadliest snake or something like that. It's just that he is the snake catcher in the picture they chose to illustrate the (incoorect) entry for a Spitting Cobra, but you can imagine how much stick he gets for it. And he had a catch while we were there, that he wanted to relocate to the national park.

 

Our host showing off his dangerous snake

 

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Release observed by Emma and dog

 

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We found a pair of mating lions, but the male didn't seem to be in the mood and the female didn't seem pleased about that.

 

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No sex please, we're a bit sleepy

 

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When we entered the park on the way from Wilson Airport, we opened the roof of the Landcruiser, which has two separate openings rather than the pop-up style roof. I prefer to shoot out of the windows but they were a bit stiff and the grass was long (as you can see above). We saw three ostriches and then notcied that there were five chicks, almost camoufaged in the long grass. That seemed worth a photo and so we stopped up and I leapt into action - right into the partition between the two openings. Whack! The whole vehicle shuddered and I slumped back into my seat, causing some concern, followed by much laughter from my wife once I recovered my senses and set about shooting the ostriches. I was fine, or so I thought, although I did manage to draw a bit of blood, and actually I wasn't quite as fine as I thought - but wouldn't know that until about 40 hours later.when we were leaving Emakoko and I was forced to actually do some thinking, planning and stuff as we moved to Meru. Before that, apart from a fwe shopping decisions (and I came back with a very odd selection of souvenirs) no thinking was required - just enjoy the lodge, park, food, wine and company.

 

Given the cost of these photographs I feel I have to post them. Although they are definitely not in the "well wortth a concussion" category, I am quite impressed since I was basically away with the fairies while taking them.

 

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Young giraffe

 

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Sheldricks was somewhere I thought I would never go, but when Emma told my wife she should go before we did our shopping, she decided she wanted to. And actually it was quite fun, and the cuteness factor of the calves cannot be overestimated. I suspect my conscussion caused me to be a bit more susceptible to their charms than I would usually be, but my photos and my wife confirm the cuteness was not all a product of temporary rewiring of the brain.

 

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Just a bit of hartebeest talk. They vary in colour quite a lot and I have to be honest that I have quite a bit of difficulty telling a Jackson's and a Coke's apart. Rather than running to the internet, I thought I'd post another picture of the darker Coke's of Naiirobi National Park (they are all this dark and appear quite red if there is some nice light). They do look quite different, but they are defintiely the same sub-species, right?

 

I remember the Jackson's Hartebeest is somehow unusual and there is (or was) some dispute over sub-species, but cannot remember if that is only in Meru or everywhere it is present.

 

 

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Edited by pault
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Excuse the typos today - I have a bit of a fever and have corrected 5-6 already, but there are probably moire. :(

 

 

:P "Spit rhino" .... Just found another. Oh dear!

Edited by pault
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 Yes, looking at pictures (and I have some too) the horns are so different I wonder how I ever got confused. I suppose it's because I haven't really ever had to distinguish them so long as I know what the local hartebeests are going to be before I get there.

 

But of course the underlying problem is that I have become so lazy about reading. I knew so much so quickly in the first few years and since then my knowledtge has stagnated or even regressed. Time for a resolution, even if not a New Year's one! :mellow:

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As always excellent photography and a highly entertaining report. And look at you... Visiting Sheldricks and falling for the little ones. Did you see our baby Barslinga? Thanks for your time and effort.

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armchair bushman

Did you notice the Black Bellied Bustard creeping into your first Rhino picture?

 

Still enjoying the TR. Continue.

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keep it coming @@pault. I need a safari fix to get me through this abysmal winter.

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As always excellent photography and a highly entertaining report. And look at you... Visiting Sheldricks and falling for the little ones. Did you see our baby Barslinga? Thanks for your time and effort.

 

@PCNW It was just some dust in my eye. :) I am afraid I cannot remember any names.

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Did you notice the Black Bellied Bustard creeping into your first Rhino picture?

 

Still enjoying the TR. Continue.

 

Good spot - must be the binos!

 

@@Soukous

I'll continue soon but the Monday fever has tuirned out to be a flu bug..... urrrgh. Bet everyone is feeling pretty poorly there at the moment too.... I heard on BBC World Service that it's all because of someone called David's cheerful marriage to a guy called Bill. Reception wasn't great though..

Edited by pault
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madaboutcheetah

@@pault - just caught up with your report - Naibosho sounds fantastic......... Love your images!

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Excuse the typos today - I have a bit of a fever and have corrected 5-6 already, but there are probably moire. :(

 

 

:P "Spit rhino" .... Just found another. Oh dear!

Moire?

 

What typos?

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Still enjoying your report, sorry about the concussion. And sorry you are feeling poorly now.Hope you get better soon. At least you have a real reason for not going out during the lockdown hours.

Edited by Kitsafari
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