Safaridude and Game Warden's Excellent Adventure - February 2014

[Jochen]

Cowardice! What a cop-out! But ... actually, thank you so, so much for NOT giving us "the full monty".

 

Agreed!

[Jochen]

Coming back from a safari.

First day of work.

Always a bit depressing.

 

Then started reading this trip report.

Thanks for making my day all right after all, Safaridude & Matt!

[Super LEEDS]

@@Safaridude thank you so much for including Tsavo! There may be 'easier' places in the world but I love this one

 

GW, puke-tastic as always.

[Game Warden]

Chapter 4 – Sosian Ranch - Dog Day Afternoon (GW)

 

Stiff drinks were required in order to restore sanity: I snuck a shot of vodka into some orange - there's always a collection of bottles from which you can help yourself. One never had to ask, it was like being at home. (Except that at home I don't have a counter with so many bottles of various beverages to choose from...) The boma next to the pool was a very cosy area to relax, meditate and doze in the afternoon. (Which I did.) One can imagine when the lodge is full and the fire is lit, a group sat round the table in conversation it would be a very lively place to spend the evening.

 

Prior to the donning of the mankini, the boma had been a hive of activity. These shots show

how quickly it cleared. Everyone finding an excuse to be elsewhere...

 

And so we head out on a walk. Simon leading SD, James and myself, though James obviously didn't need leading, he looked at home in Laikipia. In fact, I didn't realise but he explained that Laikipia had been Maasai land until the early part of the 20th century when due to farming they had been displaced down to the Mara region. Slowly now were more Maasai returning. James was back here too.

 

Simon preparing to lead us into the wilderness.

A leopard's scratching post. Claw marks in the bark.

It gives us plenty of time for conservation conversation, we check out the tracks and spoor, examine a giant millipede, admire the vast horizons and spreading vistas as the sun sets over Africa. It's been a great introduction to Sosian and Laikipia for me, we've squeezed a lot in this first afternoon and there's still dinner ahead of us.

Dining. Inside, or...

Al fresco. Breakfasts were taken here. It was never cold at six in the morning.

The next morning was a slightly later wake up for me as SD was off for a drive whilst Simon and Megan were to take me out for a ride. The last time I'd been on a horse was 2002: I told them this. I was very confident and have no fear of horses and I love riding. (As the photo in Safaridude's post above shows.) I said that I was happy to canter but in reality my lack of experience was obvious. It certainly wasn't pretty but Megan stayed alongside offering me encouragement, tips to keep me from falling. I think they realised how pants I was and so took it easy on me, though we did go for three canters and as I relaxed into the swing of things, I got more comfortable atop my steed and by the third time, I was keen to go. However, by this time, the damage had been done to my posterior, my coccyx had been battered and my lower spine was aching. But it was great to be out on a horse in Africa. Looking at giraffe, at elephants, at a lion shaped bush... Even if whilst going through a river he stumbled and almost put me into it... Be prepared though: if you want to ride, don't exagerate your riding skills or experience. If you haven't ridden for a long time, or don't feel comfortable at a canter, then say so. You don't want to have to be in a position to ride at speed if something happens and put yourself or your riding guides in danger. They will assess your capabilities as you trot out, and if you are pants like I was, they will know and adjust the ride accordingly. Talk with them as you ride, if you are worried about anything Simon and Megan will listen: it's a wonderful if at times nervy experience.

 

I wasn't expecting a snooker table.

Following another great lunch what was there to do but sit upon the sofa reading copies of Swara, leaf through old safari books, talk, fart and hoping no one would notice and of course chalking up one's cue and playing a frame or two of snooker. James, admitting never to having played before, proceeded to soundly beat me much in the style of Ronnie O'Sullivan in this video...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpeBugHSCnU

 

I can't add much more to the afternoon and evening with the dogs than SD has said above. It was the first time I'd seen African wild dogs in the wild and so was excited and full of questions. Some excellent navigation and guiding from Simon brought us right into the pack. We sat there, engine stopped. Watched them approach, surround the vehicle. We didn't drive them down, they came to us, the pups the most inquisitive. And what I recall was their strong odour. That and meeting Bill Given from the Wild Source in a vehicle from LWC He recognised me by the beard. I recognised him from his Wild Source polo shirt. Shame we didn't have more time to talk: I could see that he was as enthusiastic as I was. The dog sighting as eloquently described previously must have lasted at least one and a half hours until the light faded: there had been two kills and the pups had exercised themselves chasing hares without success. It was an intense experience and we were all buzzing, including Simon and James. From here we drove to a most excellent bush dinner served alongside a river in which a hippo splashed and grunted. Saw two leopards by spotlight (*) and finished off eating wonderfully prepared Boran steaks under a lunar halo with great wine and conversation with a great group of people. This is what Africa at night should be all about.

 

No shortage of quality vintage safari books to read.

In the evening the fire was lit. It proved to be a great location to read and sleep...

Once back at the ranch, with the fire lit and just one more drink inside me I reclined as I have a wont to do on the sofa with a copy of Bror Blixen's biography. By this time, conversation had dried up and everyone had retired to bed leaving me to slumber and eventually fall asleep in front of the fire, Blixen's book spread across my chest dreaming of Karen's coffee estate and Kenyan safaris of old...

 

Another day was marked by two great meals. A bush brunch by the river: here we were introduced to Rosie's father, one of the founding investors of Sosian itself who joined us and proved to be very knowledgeable about the area, as he also lived in a house on the greater Sosian property. Whilst SD and James chose to walk down to the waterfall, (I did offer use of the mankini but was politely declined), I went back to the ranch with Rosie's father and Megan which gave us chance to talk more about the restoration of the old farm house.

 

Another ride in the afternoon, I felt much more confident, Megan had coached me in the finer skills of cantering and therefore I was keen to go straight away despite my throbbing arse and aching inner thighs. No matter the fact that my bumping style gave me three Adam's apples. I was on horseback in Africa and loving it...

 

The evening meal was a superb lamb roast which came from Simon's parent's farm which is almost next door to Sosian. One drives past it on the route in. At Sosian, you are not limited to just one serving: every meal there had been seconds, thirds even, the steak the night before and this expertly cooked leg of lamb saw me returning again and again. Here I didn't like to be served. I just got up and served myself: that was how staying here made me feel. At home. Part of the family...

 

 

It looks like Prince Harry is behind us.

GW: The pith isn't sitting right.

Rosie: Yeuch, his beard is touching my arm.

 

The last morning: an early start to drive up to Sosian's stretching plains, full with wildlife, SD's antelope, I watched the ostrich mating display which I'd never seen before: we found an injured zebra which had deep wounds to its hind leg: I wonder how it had survived the night and whether it would last through the day. The odd sight of the grevy's Zebra hybrid and of course the encounter with Sosian's prize winning Boran herd. But at the back of my mind, the thought that, soon, we'd be getting on another small plane and flying to the Mara... but this was not before we took the best game drive of the Sosian visit. Through the back garden of one of the staff cottages, (where Megan was living), in order to spot a Greater Kudu which we had been seeking since we arrived. Now we found it. Not more than a minute from the ranch itself. It had hopped into a walled enclosure where some horses were kept obviously for the choice grazing... and was standing by the gate as if waiting for SD and his camera...

I love the smell of aviation fuel first thing in the morning. I'd co-pilot the flight into the Mara...

SD: Have you got the sick bag ready?

GW: No, I'll just grab James's cap...

And so we were off on the next leg of our adventure...

 

 

(*) The two leopard turned out to be two jackal. I'll blame James for that mix up. I'll accept the rock shaped Pangolin which will come later but won't cough to the leopard call

[graceland]

@GW, you're like a kid in a candy store - and your description of finding the wild dogs mirrors it well.

So many go to Laikipia and those hopes are dashed.

 

You just pop in and they are running around in a frenzy because the Pith had arrived --and survived.

 

No pith on the plane; did you leave it with Rosie?

 

Great reporting from the bush.

[JD5000]

you certainly had a great time .the dogs in laikipia are fantastic not worried by the vans at all.

theres a coffee table book .its just called laikipia (the high country )it has some amazing photos .

julie,

[amybatt]

So enjoying this thread as I'm just a week back from the Mara. Now I'm totally daunted by starting my TR!

[Safaridude]

Make your own flip book...

 

Edited March 7, 2014 by Safaridude

[KasperW]

Is that a wooden horse?

[Game Warden]

I'm very graceful you know

[KasperW]

Still a little too much action for me.

 

The pony tail looks alive though

[Game Warden]

The pony tail looks alive though

 

That of the horse, or mine?

[KasperW]

 

The pony tail looks alive though

 

That of the horse, or mine?

 

 

 

Both actually, the horse's pony tail (?) is the only part of the animal that moves, is the tail battery powered?

 

I am slowly beginning to understand the glore of the pith - it certainly has many purposes!

[Super LEEDS]

Aye, impermeable sick bag.

[Safaridude]

Chapter 5 – Mara North Conservancy – “Masai Mara… crazy…” (Safaridude) Part I

 

Half-Tail, Honey, Notch, Scarface… So picked over is Masai Mara, practically every cat in the region has a given name. Landmarks such as Paradise Plain, Musiara Marsh and Rhino Ridge reside casually in the vernacular of us safari geeks. The Mara infiltrates our living room via the television more so than any other wild place in Africa. Alas, its popularity is also its downfall (note the many mini-vans in the background of some scenes in The Big Cat Diary). That there are more lodges and camps in the greater Mara region than there are rhinos speaks volumes.

 

The operative question, then, is: can one still carve out a wilderness experience in the Mara? Visiting the Mara during the non-migration season is a start; staying at one of the conservancies north of the reserve guarantees it, as it turns out.

 

The Mara North Conservancy (MNC) is the largest of the 10 conservancies established in the last few years around the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The conservancies are essentially a series of collaborations between the Maasai landowners and tourism operators – in which tourism operators pay the landowners fixed lease payments and the landowners in return keep the land wild. So far, many of these conservancies in the Mara region have been able to avoid “elite capture”, which ails many of these arrangements on the continent, by having a transparent and fair lease payment system and governance structure. The results are startling in some cases. About 60% of the land in MNC, for instance, falls under the lease scheme and is boma-free. An unobtrusive amount of rotational cattle grazing is allowed even in areas under the lease scheme but under strict controls. Only the guests of MNC member camps (of which Offbeat Mara is one) are allowed to game view within MNC, and a one bed per 350 acres policy guarantees no crowding within the conservancy. Of course, best of all, the lease schemes in these conservancies have for the moment ensured wild space for the greater Masai Mara region’s animals.

 

A journey

 

A quintessential Mara scene

 

Offbeat Mara Camp is located in a most unusual Mara mini-habitat. The camp is situated in a secluded valley surrounded by rocky, broken, thicketed hills where the local lions (the “Offbeat Pride”) sequester themselves during the day and emerge in the morning and evening to hunt. Translation: it doesn’t get much easier than this to find lions – just drive around very slowly around the hills glassing for them. The tents are situated in a gallery forest near a stream thick with leopard. It is surprising then to meet a camp dog (“Pumba”) that has survived all these years in prime leopard country. Pumba, it turns out, has the perfect bush instincts for a Mara camp dog: she is a scaredy-cat. This lovable one will apparently even run from vervet monkeys. Pumba suns herself by the car park in the morning, and when the day heats up, she retreats under the mess tent to find her favorite cool spot under a sofa, spread eagled. James (Stewart, not Sengeny) and his sister Katie manage this wonderful, unpretentious, and harmonious camp (though Katie is away at the moment). James is wondrous in his praise of his fellow staff mates: “they are so good at what they do, sometimes I feel like a fraud ‘managing’ them.”

 

Thomson's gazelle

 

Pumba, at her favorite cool spot

 

The Mara region is James Sengeny’s home, and he likes to be in complete control of safaris conducted here. James keeps his own beautifully conditioned vehicle in the Mara, and he would drive it himself during our stay, with Kimani from camp as our spotter. Of course, since Matt is so anxious to see lions, they take a while to show our first afternoon. Our super slow motion game drive around the hills reveal just about all the herbivores on the menu (Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, impala, topi, Coke’s hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and eland), but no predators yet. James knows the lions are still in the thickets and will come out at some point later, and he proposes an early sundowner (twist my arm!) to leave time for later. Matt, while sipping a Tusker, randomly muses about the spotted hyena’s underrated hunting skills and its undeserved reputation as being largely a scavenger. And I “crap you negative” here… literally 30 seconds later, a spotted hyena is chasing after an impala lamb about 200 meters away from us (is Matt supernatural?). The hyena’s endurance more than compensates for its lack of elite speed in this case. The exhausted lamb slows noticeably after a long sprint; the hyena closes in rather casually and then crushes the lamb with the pair of powerful jaws. The ensuing scene is like a wildlife documentary cliché: the mother impala looks haplessly at her bloody, now contorted lamb; a black-backed jackal appears out of nowhere and tries to steal some scraps from the hyena; another hyena shows up to hopefully steal bigger scraps; and the first hyena runs off with the impala lamb dangling and bouncing from its jaws.

 

James in charge

 

Hyena kill sequence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps stimulated by the sound of the kill or the smell of the blood, a lioness finally emerges out of the thickets. She investigates the crime scene, which has been vacated by everyone now, and then turns and calls her mates. Her roar is answered by a baritone one – even if you aren’t a cat biologist, there is no doubting that roar is from a fully maned male lion in his prime. The sun has set, the ambient light is fading, and all other animals and birds have gone silent. The two lions reassert their authority over the valley for the night.

 

Lioness coming to investigate

 

Calling her mates

 

In a true “Mara fashion”, a sleepy game run turns into an almost implausibly action-packed show. Moments after we leave the lioness, the spotlight picks up a huge male leopard relaxing under a croton bush near camp. All this within a half an hour and not 1 km from camp… a disbelieving chuckle and a shake of the head are in order… “Masai Mara… crazy…”

 

Male leopard sequence

 

 

The following morning, a male lion is seen running with purpose over a ridge. There are some lionesses and cubs scurrying about as well. The male is an intruder from the neighboring Cheli & Peacock Pride, and the pink nose and an incomplete blond mane suggest he is perhaps four years old (two years or so shy of full maturity). He is full of precocious bravado, however, as he beelines toward one of the pride males of the Offbeat Pride. When the young male reaches the top of the ridge, he gets a good clear look at the Offbeat male – all muscle, dark mane and hostile glare. Fun and games over. The young male lowers his head, turns around and jogs back. Surprisingly, the Offbeat male does the same.

 

Intruder from the Cheli & Peacock Pride

 

Other lions scurrying about

 

Offbeat Pride male sequence

 

 

 

 

 

The intruder male settles down after fleeing

 

Offbeat Mara is located too close to the reserve for us not to peek in it. We take a full morning run inside Masai Mara proper, entering from the Musiara Gate. Within minutes, we are welcomed by Scarface, one of the “four musketeer” males in control of the Marsh Pride. James got word just prior to the trip that Scarface had been speared by a Maasai defending his cattle; Scarface’s spear wound is clearly apparent. By the famous Musiara Marsh, many elephants and giraffes browse along the woodland margins. A serval and a pair of bat-eared foxes prove to be bonus sightings. Further south on Paradise Plain, a topi “lek” is in full motion, the males sparring in the open in order to attract and impress the females.

 

Scarface sequence

 

 

Note the spear wound on his side

 

 

On the edge of Musiara Marsh

 

Bat-eared foxes

 

Topi sequence

 

 

Edited March 8, 2014 by Game Warden

[twaffle]

Beautiful lion sequences. I'm so glad that the Mara delivered for Matt.

[Safaridude]

Chapter 5 – Mara North Conservancy – “Masai Mara… crazy…” (Safaridude) Part II

 

North of Offbeat Mara Camp, there is a plain with a vista stretching out all the way to the hills of Aitong. During the non-migration season, this is one of the few places in the region where you can expect to see small herds of wildebeests. These are not the “Serengeti” wildebeests (they have all left for Tanzania); these are “Loita” wildebeests (noticeably darker than the Serengeti ones). Lesser known, the Loita wildebeests have a migration of their own, journeying between Masai Mara and the Loita Plains to the east. Due to habitat loss in Loita as well as a constricting of the migratory corridor, this Loita population has diminished in recent years. James ponders that preservation of the Loita migration may be one of the most pressing conservation issues in the Mara region.

 

Loita wildebeests with Aitong hills in the background

 

A frisky stallion

 

Grant's gazelle

 

A zebra herd at sunset

 

Sunset

 

There are four known leopards in the immediate Offbeat area. Aside from the big male we saw the first evening, a particular female leopard obliges us on three different occasions. On two of those occasions, she exhibits her pre-programmed leopard behavior: she is relaxed, looking well-fed and content one moment; a cock of the ear later, she crouches in an ambush position, belly to the ground and ears peeled back, inching toward prey we cannot see. Belly full or not, she cannot help herself from pursuing things that move, for she is a leopard. James showcases his uncanny bush skills in following her, anticipating her every move, calling it out (“I am going to back up because she wants to come out of that gulley and cross right here”), and positioning the vehicle appropriately (and yes, she crosses right there).

 

Female leopard sequence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lions have become so successful in MNC, the once abundant MNC cheetah population has dwindled recently. Currently, there are two cheetah brothers who go back and forth between MNC and Lemek to the north, aside from the odd transients. The two brothers were seen a few days ago in MNC but have since disappeared. James literally knows everybody in the Mara region, and he dials up some of his friends in Lemek who confirm that the cheetah brothers are currently patrolling Lemek. Though we make a couple of concerted efforts near the boundary of MNC and Lemek, the cheetahs elude us. Such is the ebb and flow of predator population dynamics.

 

Our last evening, Matt makes up for a botched pangolin call a day earlier (it was a rock, not a rock lobster, and certainly not a pangolin) by spotting two aardwolves peaking their heads out from a burrow. These are some of the shyest, most fragile creatures, and they do not allow us any closer – but what a sighting and a perfect way to celebrate an outstanding safari. It just happens to be a big staff meeting night at camp, which means goat roast in the back of camp, and the wageni are allowed to sample the delicacy. Matt and I take in, absorb, relish, devour our last night on safari.

 

Aardwolves

 

The answer

 

There is that sense of dread heading toward the airstrip on the last day of safari. You know… everybody in the vehicle goes silent, and you start thinking about the pile of stuff civilization has waiting for you upon your return. Matt wears a subdued, philosophical look today, but I think this has been a good trip for him. “Break away once in awhile from the computer screen and cleanse the pith helmet with some fresh African dust, Matt!” Presently, I see him looking out the window of the plane, like a kid on the bus on the first day of kindergarten, wistful perhaps, his face pressed against the window that is fogging up with each exhalation. The crazy dream of his – in hopes of making a difference, connecting in cyberspace safaristas and conservationists – seems reinvigorated, and we Safaritalkers have not only much content but also energy from him from this trip to look forward to. That, for the moment, makes leaving James and the Mara a bit more bearable.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2014 by Safaridude

[Safaridude]

More photos from Mara North Conservancy/Masai Mara...

 

Zebras

 

Bull eland

 

Impalas by Musiara Marsh

 

Zebras on a rocky hill near camp

 

The mess tent

 

From a different angle

 

Tawny eagle

 

Night drive

 

Topi

 

Topi mother and calf

 

A jackal with an itch

 

Zebras after watering

 

Zebras and wildebeest

 

The famous Leopard Gorge

 

A topi herd

 

Matt and Yours Truly

Edited March 8, 2014 by Safaridude

[Treepol]

@@Safaridude and @@Game Warden thank you both for an entertaining, thought provoking and dream making safari.

 

Enjoyed the photos very much too.

[pault]

Damn, that was over much too quickly - although I think we have to hear from Matt again yet?

 

Superb report and great sequences from the Mara @@Safaridude and some gorgeous standalone pictures too. I want!!!! (Sorry, that just popped out.) It looks very cloudy from the colours (and the sky when seen) or do I just need a new iPad?

 

I like how you two did this report by the way. It works very well.

 

@@Game Warden Can you explain three Adam's apples for the non-native English speakers in our ranks?

[twaffle]

Very good finale SD, and super photos. I think we can all relate to that wistfulness as we gaze out of the window at the fading Mara plains and Oloololo escarpment.

 

I'm sure that we all hope that it's just the filip Matt needs to help him continue on this often thankless journey he's embarked on.

 

Looking forward to Matt's final thoughts although this trip seems to have flown by.

[AKR1]

Some, make that several truly exceptional shots. The hyena hunting sequence is simply superb. Despite what many a jaded safari snob may believe, the bottom line is, the Mara never fails to deliver, provided you know what you are doing and are utilizing the services of a top guide.

I would be interested in Matt's views of the Mara in comparison to the other, more remote places you both visited this safari. He is far from safari jaded and I suspect just as fascinated of the Mara as the average person on safari.

[samburumags]

The leopard photos are beautiful. I visited the gorge last November. I felt a real lump in the throat reading your closing paras

[Game Warden]

There's still lots to come yet...

[JD5000]

I feel like I have said thank-you to each and every chapter of this report and its so definitely deserved .

safaridude you made me cry just like Matt we leave to return to the airport all silent and in thought my mum and I often silent tears running down our cheeks .the men being brave you cant cry in front of a tough masai man.

All wondering when we will be back , my parents went first then we went back with them and our teenage children ,then a few trips later and now we hope to keep going, Hopefully with luck and the continued work of the masai and other tribes there will be lions and leopard and cheetah and giraffe to see when i am old and have grandchildren to show it all to.

Julie.x