Africa 2010: Itinerary and Favorite Photos

Travel dates for this solo trip were January 14-February 2, 2010.  Itinerary as well as accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging) :

Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam

Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel

The Intercontinental Hotel has a familiar feel having stayed there twice on a previous visit.

The breakfast buffet  in the Terrace Room remains outstanding.  A great way to start out a safari drive.

My room this trip (#458) was recently remodeled with subdued colors, beautiful stained glass windows between the bathroom and sleeping area (great for a night light) and a king sized bed.  There was a coffee pot with a nice variety of tea and coffee.  Bathroom had a combo tub/shower and a large vanity.

The hotel staff were friendly.  The staff in the Business Center have always been particularly helpful.  Internet connection speed is fast.  If you have your own computer, it is a lot less expensive.  There were at least one security guard (sometimes two) on each floor who were always asking how everything was.

 

Amboseli National Park (2) Ol Tukai Lodge

Ol Tukai Lodge is located inside Amboseli National Park which makes game drives just moments away (in addition to what you can view from your room).

My room (#20) was located in the remodeled Elephant Wing with a view of the savannah (and yes, elephants).  Rooms on the other wing face Mt Kilimanjaro.  I absolutely loved this location.  The very spacious room was beautiful with a big, comfortable bed, colorful decor, plenty of charging outlets, great shower, desk and sitting area.  Make sure to close and lock your windows when out of the room or the resident monkeys will be visiting.

The food was well prepared and offered quite a few selections.  I was celebrating my birthday while here and the staff surprised me with a lovely cake and serenaded me with traditional song.

The grounds are lovely to walk around, affording opportunities to take lots of photos. I loved the fact that this place is so shaded that you can walk about and stay cool.

 

Lake Naivasha (2) Lake Naivasha Sopa

Visiting Lake Naivasha was a chance to relax between long drives.  The grounds are beautiful.  While unpacking, I looked out my window and there was a giraffe looking at me.  There are numerous waterbucks, birds, lovely flowers and if you are lucky, you will see a hippo grazing on the grounds at night.

All meals during my two day stay were buffets.  Selections were more than any of the other lodges on this trip.  Desserts were spectacular.  Lunch was a buffet set up by the pool.

Hells Gate National Park is a short drive away.  This park offers the opportunity to actually get out of your vehicle and take a walk or do some climbing.  You can also rent bicycles and ride but be prepared for the bumpy dirt roads.  The landscape is very different than the other parks I visited.  There are high cliffs which attract numerous birds.

Although this lodge is often used for conferences, I’m not sure about the technology for such.  When I checked on using the internet, there was only 1 public computer and it was either down or another person was using it the entire time during my stay.

Lake Naivasha is a 15 minute walk from the lodge.  Keep an eye out for African Fishing Eagles around the shore area.

Staff were very friendly.

 

Ol Pejeta Conservancy Sweetwaters Tented Camp

My stay at Sweetwaters was my favorite of this trip. I was in tent #1 which had recently been upgraded. It is the newer, lighter colored canvas so it is cooler. Perfect viewing of the watering hole. The first night, at 11pm, I heard elephants, and looked outside my tent. There were 6 of them, including a baby, ripping up the grass right in front of me. I sat outside on my porch and watched them for over 30 minutes. It was a definite highlight of the trip.

The bathroom area is large, the bed was comfortable and the staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The shower had plenty of hot water although first thing in the morning when it was cold outside, you had to let it run quite a while to get hot.  There was a large selection of food. Their internet service is very good as well.

 

Ol Pejeta Conservancy Ol Pejeta House

Unfortunately, this property is now closed.

The initial plan was to stay at Sweetwaters for 2 nights.  However, since there was space at Ol Pejeta House (also owned by Serena), it was suggested that I upgrade (at no additional cost) to see that property.

I stayed in Mrs. Khashoggi’s room on the upstairs level.  It was beautiful, with a separate sitting area, a 12 x 12 foot bed, beautiful long porch all to myself and a bathing/dressing room that was gigantic.

The staff at the house were extremely friendly. I could not believe when one woman slung my 40 pound bag on one shoulder and picked up my other 20 pound bag and toted them up the flight of stairs.

Meals were served in the beautiful dining area and the selections were well prepared.

Although this upgrade was a wonderful opportunity and I was treated like a Queen, I preferred Sweetwaters Tented Camp (15 minutes away) because there were more visible wildlife.

 

Samburu National Reserve (2) Samburu Intrepids

After a long drive from Ol Pejeta to Samburu Intrepids, it was great to be greeted by a tall, cold glass of juice and a cool washcloth that had been soaked in a eucalyptus water.

My tent (#9) was situated along the Mara River.  When I arrived, the hippos were busy swimming just outside my tent flap, making all their vocal noises.  Normally during portions of the day and at night, the generators would be turned off to conserve electricity.  At this particular time, it was very hot and there were quite a few guests, so they left power on so the ceiling fans could create a nice breeze.   There was a large, comfortable bed, dressed in colorful linens and surrounded by mosquito netting.   The shower stall had a wonderful rain shower with adequate hot water and pressure.  The toilet is somewhat secluded to the side.

There are security guards walking about the camp at night.  Sometimes their voices can carry, but it is easy to fall asleep from the night noises.

Tea and cookies are brought to your tent at whatever time you wish.   During my two day stay, breakfast was buffet and lunch and dinner were served.  Dinner selections were limited but the food quality was good.

The gift shop had a nice selection of items with very reasonable prices.  There is a small pool, but even with the heat, I opted not to use it as it didn’t look very clear.

 

Mount Kenya Naro Moru River Lodge

This lodge has several different types of accommodations.   My room was located on the top level of the main building.  When the weather cleared, Mt. Kenya was visible.   The room had a more rustic feel to it with wooden paneling.  There was a large fireplace that staff said could be lit at night for warmth.  I’m not sure how well the ventilation was as the room had a smoky odor.  The twin beds were surrounded by mosquito nets.  The bathroom included both a tub and shower stall.  There were also buildings that had small kitchens and sleeping quarters for climbers.  In addition, some visitors just pitch tents in the grassy area.  Something for everyone.

Food was ok though not outstanding.  The lounge area had a nice display of t shirts left by people that had successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The lodge was convenient for a night’s stopover when traveling between locations.  It was ok, but if I had to overnight some place in the area, I’d try a different location.

 

Lake Baringo (2) Island Camp

In February, 2022, after 2 years of pandemic and flooding, the camp is now back open.  Email: islandcampbaringo2020@gmail.co for inquiries. Website is not up yet.

There is a secured parking area for vehicles if you are staying at Island Camp Lake Baringo.  I was surprised at the small size of the boats transporting us to the island.  The boats looked tippy and with the amount of luggage we were carrying, I was a little concerned – especially knowing that the lake contained hippos.  However, the ride was a smooth 20 minutes.

When you arrive at the island, you are greeted with fresh juice.  You are also greeted with steep steps leading up to the main dining area.  In the heat of the day and with the elevation, this can be a little challenging.  My tent was back down a set of steep steps and over looked the lake.

After my visit, I heard they were planning to remodel the tents.  That would be a definite plus as the tents were pretty old and dark.  Everything in the tent was pretty basic.  The double bed was comfortable, but lighting was limited, particularly in the bathroom area.  There was a stall shower which definitely had seen better days.  The flush toilet sometimes needed to be flushed more than once.

Although I was here at a warmer time of the year, I was thinking that being on an island there would be a nice breeze.  There was, but it did not come until 4pm in the afternoon.  I could see why several guests were at the pool.  Although I didn’t take a swim, it was an extremely clean and clear pool.

Food was well prepared.

I overheard a couple talking about what a great variety of birds they had seen.  Apparently, they had taken a walk around the island.  Although the birds were interesting, I was more into larger wildlife.  Two nights at this camp were too long for me.  Although I did enjoy a trip to nearby Lake Borgoria, I would not plan to return to this area

 

Lake Nakuru National Park (2) Sarova Lion Hill Lodge

During my stay of 2 nights, I was upgraded to the Chui Suite which was extra special. It had a separate living room with fireplace, dining table, huge bedroom with an extremely comfortable queen sized bed and a big bathroom (including a separate shower stall, tub and hair dryer).  The wall art was beautiful.  Another nice touch was a pot to heat water in for tea.

The main dining area of the lodge was spacious. Plenty of selections of good food. Especially enjoyed the salads and desserts being kept in separate coolers. There were a lot of guests during my stay which made the dining area quite noisy.

The gift shop had a very nice selection of items at reasonable prices. Hotel staff were very friendly. Internet is available, but it is in an office area where staff came in and out so I felt a little in their way although they never said anything.

 

Masai Mara Game Reserve (2) Mara Serena Lodge

The location of the Mara Serena Lodge is beautiful.  It sits high up on a hill overlooking the river.

Initially, I was assigned to Room #1, right off the main dining area.  Nice location to avoid climbing the hill up the long pathway.  However, the twin beds were very small and I was supposed to be in a room with a large bed.  The second day I was switched to room #5.  This room had one large bed plus a single bed out towards the balcony and was much larger.  The bathrooms were identical, single sink vanity, stall shower and nice assortment of toiletries.  The bathroom does back up (and so does the room door) to the main pathway.  If the lodge is crowded (like it was during my stay) it can become noisy.  There were times I thought I was sharing the bathroom with another person.

The private balconies are nice although there are no screens on the doors.  Make sure you lock your balcony door when leaving or the monkeys will help themselves to whatever they can find.

The food was well prepared and there was a good variety.  The dining room seemed very noisy and again, probably because the lodge was very busy.  Tables are very close together.

Gift shop was small and with higher prices.  The pool was very busy and looked clean.  Internet service is available from your room although it was not working when I tried to use it.  I used the lobby computer which was more expensive and had a very slow connection.

The location of this lodge would bring me back again as it is a very short drive and you are in the middle of wildlife.

 

Masai Mara Game Reserve (2) Mara Safari Club

This well shaded tented camp is located along the Mara River.  The main reception area is beautiful.  The first night I was there, there were a few other guests. The second night, my guide and I were the only clients in the camp. It is very quiet, except for the ‘hippo speak’ during the day. At night, they go elsewhere to graze. There are some dogs that belong to locals across the river that can bark at night but they didn’t disturb me.

My tent (#2) had beautiful furnishings and a comfortable queen sized bed as well as a ceiling fan.  There is also a phone if you need to contact the front desk and request an escort after dark.  The vanity area has multiple plugs to charge items and also has a hair dryer.  Power is turned off around 10pm until 5:30am but they appear to adjust this depending on the needs of the clients. It is also off 3pm-6pm.  The toilet area had a privacy partition.  The large shower stall had plenty of hot water but you need to let it run a while.

The staff were extremely friendly.  The food was very good.  All meals were served except breakfast but they did take your order for hot items such as eggs, bacon and pancakes.  My best dessert of the trip was at this location – a warm macadamia nut torte with ice cream.  Cookies and hot chocolate delivered to my tent at 6am was a very pleasant way to start the day.

Internet service was available for $4 for 15 minutes.  The connection was incredibly slow so the charge was deducted from my bill.

Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel Day Room

 

The Best of the Trip

 

Spending my birthday in Amboseli National Park

Photographing a young jackal posing by the side of the road – my guide said “your birthday present”

Coming across a procession of 400+ elephants in Amboseli late one afternoon

More beautiful sunsets in Amboseli

Watching a mother and baby elephant ripping up grass about 100 feet from my tent just before bedtime at Sweetwaters

On an early morning game drive in Ol Pejeta, spotting my first cheetah before my guide did

Capturing the golden glow of the eyes of a lion as the sun was setting in Buffalo Springs

The magnificent elephants in the Masai Mara who stood so close to our vehicle that you could smell their breath

The thrill of coming upon and photographing two cheetahs sitting on a rock very close to the road after all the other vehicles had headed back to the lodge for breakfast

Observing a very young lion cub learning to climb a tree while his mother watched from below

Having the good fortune to capture the image of a complete double rainbow in the Masai Mara on the last game drive of the trip

The Less than Best of the Trip

 

Leaving Africa………

 Favorite Photos