The Offbeat circuit safari in Kenya, January 2016

[deano]

@@mapumbo - I really hope to get to the Mara and the Serengeti. A safari CV (resume to our American friends) could be considered incomplete without at least one trip there and you can let Mama Ndege know that her photographs are doing a great job of persuading me that the visit should be sooner rather than later.

 

It is fascinating to me that the landscape there just looks so different to the sort of places I am used to visiting to view the animals of Africa. Really liked the giraffes in that early morning fog.

 

And I see your Amarula and will raise you with a large Jamesons!

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[mapumbo]

And I see your Amarula and will raise you with a large Jamesons

@@deano I will have to give your Jamesons a try next chance I get. It's part of my tradition in Africa to have the taste of Amarula, Tusker, and Red Bush Tea to go along with the safari.

[twaffle]

I love those misty photos you have captured, it changes the whole feel of the Mara.

[Marks]

Really like your hippos in the water and gorgeous panorama.

Also a big Amarula fan!

[mapumbo]

Thank you @@Marks and @@twaffle. The foggy morning led to some of our best light when it started to lift of our trip.

 

Yes, the Amarula hits the spot after a day on safari. The staff kind of lifted their eyebrows when I requested some at the sundowners. It's a bit hard to come by here in the states.

[mapumbo]

That afternoon, instead of a game drive, we opted for a walk. Kyle with his rifle and Kapen with his bow and arrow were to lead the two of us. It was a beautiful day with a slight breeze and pleasant temperature. We learned about the smaller things you don't get to stop and investigate when you are in a vehicle. We were fairly close to plains animals to get some nice views.

 

 

Kapen with his bow.

Kyle the camp manager and Kapen on our walk.

From the top of the hill we could see a group of lion near the river. It looked like more of the Offbeat Pride had assembled.

When we finished our walk we went back to the tent before dinner. Wilson, who is our guide David;s brother, came to the tent and told us there was a lion just outside the tent passing by.

Edited April 3, 2016 by mapumbo

[mapumbo]

Our last full day in the Mara and Kenya dawned clear and bright. We were anxious to make the most of the last day. We expected to have a good chance at seeing the full Offbeat Pride since we had seen them at a distance the night before on our walk.

 

 

Sure enough!! As soon as we breached the hill and open plains just above camp, there was the entire pride on a kill. They were just finishing off an impala. There were 4 females, 7 cubs and the two dominant males named Frank and Jesse. These were two massive, healthy looking males named after a couple of desperadoes, Frank and Jesse James of the James gang, who robbed banks and trains in our home state of Kansas back in the late 1800's.

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@mapumbo

 

I love your image of the lion and the smiling guide.

The photograph of Kapen with his bow is also interesting.

Thank you for posting these.

Tom K.

[mapumbo]

The light was quite nice so Mama Ndege was firing away with her camera. It is not so often that you have a pride fairly active out in the open where you can sit right among them on a kill. There were lots of opportunities for good photos and I had a hard time deciding which of the many to present.

 

[mapumbo]

We spent a good bit of time with the Offbeat Pride and then finally decided to venture onward. We saw a nice herd of impala with the male keeping them in line. Also a very peaceful herd of Topi.

 

[mapumbo]

Further on we stopped for our always much anticipated breakfast on the plains. As we were relaxing our two guides, as always, were on the job. We were very much enjoying watching them scan the horizon and plot their next move. You can just see the joy on their faces to be doing what they love.

 

 

 

[mapumbo]

After breakfast we were going to go back across the river to drive the plains on the other side. When we came to the crossing the river was too high to attempt to cross. It was a good thing we didn't go across earlier when the river was down. They had more rain up stream and the river came up later in the day. We were to fly out of the Mara at 4 PM so we might have had a hard time getting back to camp to get our luggage.

 

 

We then went back to camp for lunch and to finish packing and say our good byes to the staff. Another stellar stay at an Offbeat Camp on this safari. All three camps were a little different in approach a well as topography, but all were well run and enjoyable.

 

We had plenty of time to make the journey to the airstrip so David and Kapen made another game drive for us on the way.

 

[mapumbo]

Our approach to the airport.

 

 

As happens so often when you spend several days in the company of good fellows that are your guides and soon become friends, it is too soon to bid farewell to them. As we were waiting for the plane to land we had a last visit with David. I asked him if he would like one of the photos that we brought along to show what it looks like where we come from. He gave a big smile and said that he sure would and that he would like the one with the cows, of course.

 

 

Angus cows in the Flint Hills of Kansas in Mara like conditions. Photo that David chose to keep.

 

Thank you all for following along on this trip report and the many likes and positive comments along the way. This safari ended up being tied for first with our trip with one other couple and guide friend to Tanzania over ten years ago of all of our travels that we have done.

[Marks]

What a beautiful impala herd.

I can certainly see why this trip ranks up at the top! Thank you for posting everything here.

[mapumbo]

@@Marks, @@Tom Kellie. Thank you for your kind comments and following along with this trip report.

[pault]

Love the last photo and the story of what happened to it. I enjoyed your stories of interactions with your guides and am sure they enjoyed the company of people who knew one end of a cow from the other,

 

Good report and glad you all had a wonderful time.

[TonyQ]

@mapumbo and Mama Ndege

I have loved following report (especially since I have met you both!) and am sad it has finished.

Those are beautiful lion photos at the end - a great mixtureof close-up and lion in the environment.

I have also enjoyed your "people" shots - and I am sure your knowledge and love of cattle would chime with your guides.

The overall trip has looked excellent with 3 very different environments and wonderful sightings throughout

Thank you very much for posting this excellent report

[mapumbo]

@Pault We found that once we showed our pictures and did actually know "one end of a cow from another" that our Masai guides would immediately connect with us. It has been our experience that where ever we travel that our agriculture interests enhance the volume of things that we enjoy seeing and learning about.

Thank you for your kind words about the trip report.

 

@TonyQ It was really fun to have met you and @@Thursday's Child at our first camp and then follow your trip report at your next camps that corresponded with the same time frame as ours in the same general area. You also had a fantastic number of great sightings and with your photographic skills you were able to present them in a particularly glorious fashion.

 

I think that the recent Kenya reports that have been posted should prompt Safaritalkers to take a close look at a trip there. We will be looking forward to your next trip and subsequent TR.

[michael-ibk]

A pity this is over, really enjoyed your report - words and photos! The pride gave you a nice send-off, lovely pictures of the the lions.

[mapumbo]

@Michael-ibk Thank you for you kind words. Glad you enjoyed this TR.

 

You reminded me that 5 out of 6 of our Africa safaris have had lion sightings on the day we are leaving to go home. My wife and I had actually commented on it previously but had forgotten about it on this last safari until you mentioned "the nice send-off"

[deano]

@@mapumbo and Mama Ndege - thank you for this report. Thoroughly enjoyed your words and photos.

 

I can't get over how innocuous the landscape looks. I hail from Yorkshire in the UK originally and your images remind me a lot of the Yorkshire Dales with its hills and valleys....just with added stuff that can eat you. I find it amazing that there is such a gathering of wildlife there on those Kenyan hills and you clearly had a great time and made some friends with your fellow cattle herders and safaritalkers.

 

Where to next?

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[mapumbo]

@@deano

 

Thank you for following along and your very nice comments to Mama Ndege and I.

Yes, the open plains of the Mara and Serengeti have a totally different feel than the heavy bush in other African wildlife areas. It is our favorite in that it is similar to where we live and love and that you have the huge grazer herds and the predators to accompany them.

 

Our next jaunt is to Utah and the Zion and Bryce Canyon National parks and then later in the year to Eastern Europe.

 

If you are from Yorkshire this photo of our ranch might make you a little bit homesick.

 

[offshorebirder]

Just catching up on this trip report after being away from the Internet for a while. Great job @mapubmo and please convey my compliments to Mama Ndege on her photos.

 

I especially like the photos of the camps, guides, hosts and other non-game aspects of your safari.

 

I was also especially gratified to hear that the lost Offbeat Pride cubs were reunited with their pride after we left Offbeat Mara to return home. It is funny how quickly one becomes emotionally invested in individual critters on safari.

[mapumbo]

Welcome back @@offshorebirder. Hope you had a productive birding adventure.

 

I thought you would be interested in the outcome of the Offbeat Pride youngsters.

 

Thank you for following along and your kind comments.

[deano]

@mapumbo; dry stone walls are very Yorkshire.

 

This will probably be lost on you but not so long ago there used to be an ad on the TV for a bread called Hovis and your pic brought back memories of the colliery brass band playing what became known as "The Hovis" tune.

 

Eeeh, when I were a lad.......!

 

Thanks again and enjoy your trips to Utah and Eastern Europe.

 

kind regards

 

deano.