The Offbeat circuit safari in Kenya, January 2016

[Marks]

Beautifully dark dogs, and lovely photos of them.

[TonyQ]

A fascinating visit to tthe village.

I love the picture of the buffalo skull with the Agama lizard on it.

[mapumbo]

@Marks Yes, it is remarkable that the wild dogs can have such a variance in color from one location to the other.

 

@TonyQ We enjoyed viewing the culture in the village but felt a bit uncomfortable to insert ourselves as strangers into their daily life. You really can't tell from the photos but there were a large number of people and it seemed that there was a huge amount of domestic species for the available resources.

[Tom Kellie]

@TonyQ We enjoyed viewing the culture in the village but felt a bit uncomfortable to insert ourselves as strangers into their daily life. You really can't tell from the photos but there were a large number of people and it seemed that there was a huge amount of domestic species for the available resources.

 

~ @@mapumbo

 

When I read your comment above bells began ringing in my memory.

I've felt exactly as you've described, although heretofore never written about that.

I feel queasy stepping into anyone's private business or private lives for any reason unless a fairly vigorous connection has already been well-established.

What you've alluded to, i.e. the sprawling herds, have also made quite an impression on me.

Thank you for your candor in explaining your experience in Kenya. I find what you've mentioned to be reassuring, knowing that I'm not alone.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[deano]

@@mapumbo - just caught back up. Really interesting stuff here particularly the cattle and village scenes. I agree with your comments about village life - I always wonder what they really think about us wandering about with cameras dripping from our necks although I would happily go without a camera and just talk (but my wife can talk the hind legs off a donkey so no need to leave the camera). Those almost all black wild dogs are very striking and I never cease to be amazed by mother nature and the variety, adaptions, quantity and type of creatures still to see. Vulturine guinea fowl - very elegant looking birds I think.

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[mapumbo]

@@Tom Kellie @@deano

 

It is very easy to mainly focus on the flora and fauna when on safari. But as with any travel we owe it to ourselves to perhaps get out of the comfort zone a bit to learn and experience more of the culture and learn about the bigger world around us. After all we have spent considerable time and money to get to that point.

 

I feel that there is some trade off to visiting the villages and stepping into their private lives with the value that tourism contributes to the local economy. Saying that, it does not preclude us, as travelers, to not be humble and polite when given that opportunity.

[deano]

@@mapumbo - I agree with you. I do enjoy the non safari activities and have fond memories of a tour around a village where the school kids sang for us. It was genuine on their part as was the spontaneous break dancing/Saturday Night Fever dance routine I performed for them although those kids will forever think all Westerners are really bad dancers!

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[mapumbo]

@@deano you are cracking me up. Both my wife and I laughed out loud at your last two replies. We would have liked to have witnessed your dance moves. No comment on the donkey with the missing legs.

[mapumbo]

Our last day at Sosian was to begin with a morning walk. Again, there was heavy rain overnight and no place for the water to go but down stream. We left on foot from the lodge but had to stay on the roads because everything was soaking. As we came to where the stream, now a raging river was in our path, Ambrose was waiting for us in a vehicle. Simon, the Sosian manager, took over the wheel and for dramatic effect gave a worried look over his shoulder before crossing the stream.

We reached the other side safely and resumed our walk.

It was good to get out and stretch our legs and have a quiet walk in the bush. We got back in the car to head back for breakfast and we came on a male buffalo. He was right next to the road and gave us a warning snort. We were glad we were not still walking at that juncture.

 

After breakfast our plan was to go up on the open plains where they keep the mature herd of breeding bulls. Misheck had his work cut out for him with the slick roads. Along the way we saw Oryx, Tommys, elephant and this Kori Bustard.

 

We reached the area where the Boran bulls were grazing with one herder keeping watch. We were again impressed by these massive, thick, heavy muscled animals.

 

The herder was sitting down when we approached, and when he stood up we noticed that he was carrying a small wooden object. I asked if I could inspect it and it turned out to be his handmade stool that he uses to rest on when minding the bulls. It was really a work of art and useful as well.

[mapumbo]

Our last drive with Misheck and Patrick was a scenic drive along the river and then up on the plateau towards Baboon Rock for our sundowner.

Female Defassa Waterbuck

Black and White Cuckoo ??? not sure on this one.

River with Baboon Rock in the background.

Von der Decken's Hornbill attempting to knock the spines off a caterpillar.

Mishek and Patrick on Baboon Rock during sundowners

Mama Ndege and Mapumbo

 

 

[deano]

@@mapumbo - I had to do a double take with the second kori bustard picture. The small bush (acacia?) threw me and for a minute I thought it was an ostrich by a full size tree. I've never seen a kori but I'm pretty sure that are not as tall as an ostrich! That picture of baboon rock with the river is stunning and could be straight "out of Africa" and is my kind of place. I would ask the guide to drive there and happily spend all day scanning the gaps in the bush with my binoculars. If that rock could talk.....

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[mapumbo]

@@deano Yes, the perspective of the Kori Bustard was deceptive. I'm not sure how that was accomplished but it does catch your attention.

 

The photo with the river and Baboon Rock is one of our favorites. Thank you for your comments.

[mapumbo]

Leaving Sosian Ranch, we had to drive about an hour to Nanyuki to the airport. Rosie needed to go for supplies so we rode with her in the pickup with cases of empty bottles in the back to return. The road is the same road that we took to see the wild dogs and there was opportunity for game viewing along the way. One of the species I was most interested in seeing in Kenya was the Grevy Zebra. We had spotted them a couple of times but they were pretty far off in the distance. As we were driving to Nanyuki we had a small group cross the road right in front of us and had to stop to let them pass.

 

We arrived at the Nanyuki Airport in good time and said good bye to Rosie so she could do her shopping. There was this metal rhino in the front yard of the restaurant.

 

[mapumbo]

We were the only two on the plane leaving from Nanyuki headed for the Mara North Conservancy.

 

We stopped at Ngerende airstrip to pick up another couple and then back in the air for five minutes to the Mara North Conservancy airstrip.

Upon landing we were met by David our guide and Kapen our spotter for the next four days. As soon as we had driven out of the parking lot of the airstrip we were in full safari viewing mode. The plains area of the Mara was a feast for the eyes to these two ranchers from the tall grass prairie of the Flint Hills of Kansas. We would occasionally come into an area with rolling hills and tree lined steams in the valleys that would remind us of home.

 

[mapumbo]

We were both just beaming with pleasure and expressing our delight at the lush open grasslands dotted with an occasional picturesque tree and all the plains game species scattered around. While driving down the track making our way towards camp, Kapen spotted a lion in a tree a good distance away. We couldn't believe our eyes. She was well up a tree with the first limbs at least 15 feet off the ground. David thought that she might be trying to escape the flies that were so numerous due to all the rain.

 

A young male trying to avoid the flies as well with a different strategy.

[mapumbo]

We headed on after the stunning view of the lioness in the tree. There had been some rain before we came and this was evident by the muddy road in places.

 

After about an hours drive we got our first view of the camp.

We were greeted by Kyle and Lara, the recently married young couple that managed the camp. We were then shown to tent #3 that was considered one of the best tents because of the view out onto the open plains. We certainly were excited to get settled in and start our next game drive.

Inside of tent.

View from our tent.

[michael-ibk]

Very nice introduction to the Mara, and great Sosian still gave you Grevy´s in the end.

[offshorebirder]

@@mapumbo - I LOVE the photo of the Impalas in front of the lone tree! Really wonderful shot with the bachelor herd (and zebra) playing their part.

 

Lucky y'all to get tent #3 at Offbeat Mara. Great birding and best game viewing in my opinion. Tommy and I had #4 which I rate as second-best. But they are all good!

 

I know what you mean about enjoying the lush grasslands and herbivores taking advantage of the bounty. Of all the habitat types, "healthy grasslands" is my favorite. It was wonderful to see in Kenya this El Niño year and your trip report is doing a good job conveying it.

[Alexander33]

I love the panoramic scene of the lion in the tree. Classic!

[mapumbo]

michael-ibk, offshorebirder, Alexander33, thank you all for your kind comments. Also thank you to all the likes. It keeps me going to finish this report.

[mapumbo]

At lunch we met a good part of Kyle's family. His Mom and Dad, Grandparents and uncle. They were a neat group of folks to get to know. This was their last full day to be in camp. Then at tea time we had the pleasure to meet @@offshorebirder, Tommy, and Ben. We did not know until later that offshorebirder was a safaritalker.

 

When heading out for our afternoon drive we were assigned a car with David and Kapen as the guides and Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle. We had learned that Kyle's Grandparents had been on safari several times but had never seen a leopard. They along with his uncle live in the UK. They were all very keen to see a leopard and we had said that we had been fortunate to have sighted several in our different safaris. They expected us to be their good luck charms.

 

It was evident from the get go that David and Kapen were in full leopard searching mode. A river runs directly behind the camp to the east and we headed north along the edge slowly scanning the trees. We went a couple of hundred yards until a side draw from the west made a point in the tree line that we navigated around and then headed back towards the river. The grass was extremely tall on both sides of the track we were navigating. Everyone was scanning the trees and the ground underneath the cover when suddenly just a mere two to three feet away in the tall grass next to Kyle's Grandmother a very large male leopard sat up. Everyone let out a gasp. This big boy calmly stood up and walked across in front of the vehicle for about 10 yards and laid down again in the tall grass. After everyone caught their breath, we noticed that the emotions had overcome this sweet lady, she had finally seen the leopard which she had so dearly been hoping for. This was enough to get Mama Ndege and my eyes to start tearing up as well. What a wonderful moment!!!

 

A download of the leopard.

 

My Movie.wmv

 

 

 

We learned from offshorebirder that this leopard was called the Offbeat Leopard. He was a big handsome guy.

 

We left after he laid down in the big grass since we didn't want to drive off the track and disturb him. The guides let the others nearby know where he was and the other vehicles from the camp were able to get a look at him resting in the grass.

 

 

[xelas]

@@mapumbo

 

It is my deep belief that Mother Nature provides to those that are patient with Her!

 

Thanks for the movie. What a sight it was!

[TonyQ]

Offbeat Mara looks like a nice camp. I love the photo of the lion in the tree - and well done on spotting the leopard!

[offshorebirder]

Wonderful Leopard sighting @@mapumbo - and very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing the news with us - we enjoyed seeing the big Leopard very much - it was our first as well.

[mapumbo]

We were more happy for Kyle's family to see the leopard than we were for the sighting for ourselves. offshorebirder, glad that you were nearby to be able to see the Offbeat Leopard.

 

@xeles I think if you take what comes on safari and enjoy whatever it is you are better off than wishing to see a certain thing and then possible disappointment.

 

TonyQ I think the stars were aligned for the family to see their first leopard on their last day in camp.