Africa October 2015: Itinerary & Favorite Photos

Travel dates for this trip were October 10-October 26, 2015. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging):

Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam

Nairobi – The Fairview Hotel (2)

 

This is my 2nd stay at the Fairview and would be my hotel of choice in Nairobi. The hotel has a very welcoming feel. Upon arrival, the check in staff are always very friendly and helpful. Security around the hotel is high due to being next door to the Israel Embassy. As a solo female traveler, I appreciate that.

On this visit, I stayed in room 33 which is located in the main building on the 2nd floor. The room has windows that can be opened with very new screens which is nice since Nairobi can be warm. There is also a ceiling fan (mine was a little noisy in this room). I also like the fact there is a sitting area (a couch which converts to a bed) and a tv if you desire to watch such. The bathroom is spacious with a separate tub and shower stall. The towels are very white and fluffy. I did mention to management that for some reason, I could not turn on the cold water faucet in the tub (I was hoping for a warm soak after the long flight). There is plenty of storage space and also a desk area to work. Beds are very comfortable with very clean sheets. Free Wi-Fi is available and it is fast. This is another reason why I choose this hotel over Safari Park Hotel. Safari Park charges a hefty fee for Wi-Fi and since I don’t carry a cell phone with me, email is how I communicate that I have arrived safely.

For this stay, I only had breakfast which is excellent. They even have a few pastries which I would consider a lunch or dinner dessert, served at breakfast. Works for me. There is an extensive buffet of well prepared items but if you don’t see what you are looking for, the chef is always happy to prepare it for you.

The grounds are lovely. Make sure you leave some time to walk about. I enjoyed an early morning walk (especially nice after the long flights) and saw a variety of birds.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy Sweetwaters Tented Camp (3)

 

When coming to Kenya, Sweetwaters is always on my list of places to stay. This was my 4th stay. They have the friendliest staff and are very welcoming. When I checked in, I was supposed to be in my favorite requested tent #1, but apparently a couple liked it so well, they decided to stay longer so I was in tent #3 which was just as nice. My tent caretaker told me when he came in shortly after my arrival that he thought they might be upgrading me to the newer Morani wing but I told him I was fine where I was. Although those tents look really nice, it is further from the water hole where the animal action is and further from the dining area.

On arrival into the dining area, James, the Dining Manager recognized me from previous visits and gave me a warm welcome again. Throughout my 3 night stay, he continued to check with me to make sure everything was fine. The staff is particularly good with solo travelers and stop by your table to engage in conversation if you are dining alone. I asked him one evening about Sarah who had worked in the gift shop and I had met 2 other times. He said she was in a different department, but he went and brought her to the dinner table so I could see her. That to me was going above and beyond.

One additional ‘tick’ to my positive list, is they allow your guide to eat with you at no extra charge. Some camps won’t do this even if you pay extra for the person. As a solo traveler, this is especially nice. It’s great to be able to share the day’s highlights and talk about tomorrow’s plans.

Everyone from the porters, to tent caretaker (Abdul), wait staff, receptionists and gift shop staff couldn’t be nicer.

The tents are large and spacious, with lots of room to hang clothing. There is plenty of space in the dressing/bathroom area where the toilet has a separate curtained area from the shower which is nice if there were 2 people in the room.

Wi-Fi is available in the tents and is very fast making it easy to upload photos. There are many outlets available for charging items.

The food here is excellent and continues to have a consistent standard. As I would browse around to see what each dish was, a chef was always floating about to see if you wanted something different. One night, they had an outstanding chocolate dessert. The next day, there were no chocolate desserts. I joked with him if there might be any leftovers. He came to my table with one of their wonderful brownies.

The water hole is always fun to watch during times when you are back at camp. Late one morning, 2 black rhinos were very entertaining taking their mud baths and scratching themselves.

Although this visit did not bring the wild dogs to me (and wildlife is always on the move) we did get to spend 2 hours as the only vehicle watching 2 cheetah brothers relax, stretch, climb trees and ultimately take off and hunt dinner. Wow!!

A visit to Kenya must always include Sweetwaters for me. It’s the best!

Samburu Game Lodge (2)

 

Unfortunately, this lodging has permanently closed.

This is my second stay here. The location is the main reason. It is within the park and is located along the Ewaso Ng’iro river under shady trees. The shade is a good thing, as the Samburu area tends to be quite warm. Last time I stayed in Room 40 (close to the dining area). This time the receptionist said I was in room 70. I asked if it was a room at the far end along the river and she said, “yes, it is our best room”. It was a very long walk from the dining area, but after sitting a lot in the camps, the exercise was welcomed. You do however, need an escort when it gets dark.

On this visit, there was no water at all in the river. If there had been, elephants might have been drawn to it and fun to watch. There is a nice balcony overlooking the river although you do have to be wary of the “naughty monkeys”. Those are the vervet monkeys who will make any attempt to come into your room and see what exciting items you may have brought. This room was considerably larger with a king sized bed plus a twin bed. There is a separate changing room with ample storage, seating area and desk. The room has a fan mounted on the wall which is great but there are times of the day when the power is off. The bathroom is large and has both a tub and shower stall. My first night, I could not get 2 lights to come on. A security guard was able to fix one and called someone to fix the other.

A pleasant addition on this trip is they now have free wi fi in the bar lounge area.

The food here is ‘food’. Anything with vegetables is very good but the meats are not very tender. During this stay, since there were not many guests, all meals were served instead of buffet. In the evenings, the friendly genet cats hang out around the dining area looking for morsels of meat. I think my favorite item to enjoy here is the hot chocolate offered in the morning before going out on a game drive.

The staff are all very pleasant and helpful.

I really like Samburu Park. The elephants and lions were amazing to watch. I just wish it wasn’t so hot.

Sarova Lion Hill – Lake Nakuru (1)

 

This is my 3rd visit to Sarova Lion Hill. I’ve always found their service to be consistent. The staff are extremely helpful, the rooms clean and the food excellent.

For this visit, I was in room 59 which is on the top level. The view of the lake is obscured due to the trees. If you have issues with climbing stairs, you may want to get a room on the lower level. It is a good way to get some exercise after sitting in the vehicle and eating their great food.

On arrival, a nice person came from the laundry area and mentioned they had a special going for same day laundry services – 1000 KES for any 5 items. I thought it was nice he came to ask as I did have 3 items. He explained it was no problem and that I could have them done for 600 KES. Great!

Angelica, the Dining Room Manager is always very friendly and engaging in conversation. I particularly like the food here because they have coolers to keep items cold. I find their desserts to be some of the best of any place I’ve stayed. Their buffets offer a high number of selections.

Lion Hill also has free wi fi (very fast) throughout the grounds and rooms which is great.

I also don’t miss a trip to the Gift Shop at this location. They have a wide variety of items, different from many shops and their prices are reasonable. I was excited to find another pillow design to go with a previous purchase I had made at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge (1)

 

This is my 3rd stay at this location. Originally I was not to stay here this trip. But due to the travel time to the Mara Serena, it was suggested.

It is a great place to stay if you want to do some relaxing and walking. Since I had taken a boat ride last October, I did not do that this trip. But I did take a nice long walk around the grounds and by the lake which offer a lot of interesting photo opportunities.

On this trip, I stayed in Room 13. It was on the lower level and fairly close to the main area. The walkway is filled with lovely flowers. In the evenings, they ask you to call a security guard to walk you. I can see why. After dinner, a hippo was not too far from the path. Around 9pm, there were 5 of them grazing right outside my door. The room had 2 queen beds (or maybe kings) and there was a comfortable seating area 2 steps down by the windows. The bathroom is large and this one had a tub/shower combo.

The receptionist mentioned that Wi-Fi was available in the main building around the lounges. On my last trip while in Room 40, I found I could also pick it up directly in the room. On this trip, I wasn’t that lucky. In fact after dinner, the internet wasn’t working at all.

All meals were buffet but I’m guessing that is because of the number of people staying. Francis, my dining table person for the majority of meals, was a familiar face. When he came to the table, I told him he looked familiar. He said “yes, last year you sat over there” and pointed to exactly where I sat before. That is remarkable to me. He’s a very hard worker.

My most negative comment about this place is that they will not allow your guide to eat with you. It appears that this is common at the Sopa chain. It is enough to make me not want to stay at them. On the day I was checking out, I thought my guide might join me to drink his coffee while I ate my breakfast. He reported to me if he did, they would charge him $20. That is just crazy. He is the reason I came here.

Mara Serena (3)

 

This is my 4th visit to Mara Serena. It is like coming home. This lodging is in a prime area for getting to see wildlife asap. Sitting up on a bluff, you can look out your sliding glass doors and see giraffes, elephant, zebra, cape buffalo, bush bucks, and other wildlife. Make sure you close the doors when you go out or the naughty monkeys or baboons will come in and snoop. On this trip, there were no naughty monkeys (the vervets) to be seen. I asked about that and was told a fruit they particularly like, was not available to they move to other locations.

From the time you check in, everyone is friendly and helpful. As a solo female traveler, I find this particularly positive. The rooms are bright and colorful with great lighting. Wi fi is free and very fast. The bathroom has a nice supply of toiletries and everything is very clean. They always seem to know when you are out because you return to find wastebaskets emptied, wet towels replaced and bed straightened if you’ve taken a nap.

The food here is great and there is always a large variety of choices. On this trip, my table server Bernard, was particularly outgoing and helpful. He’d engage in conversation and always had a smile. All meals during this visit were buffet. I love the variety of salads they have (especially enjoy those nuts and raisins they offer). The chefs at the cooking station do a fantastic job but if you don’t wish to wait a couple of minutes for your individually fixed meal, there are plenty of other choices. Desserts rank up there at the top of my favorites.

The Assistant Manager Dan was also very pleasant and I enjoyed meeting him at my first dinner and throughout my stay. When I arrived, I found a letter welcoming me as a repeat visitor along with a bottle of wine. Very nice touch. During my 3 night stay, my guide also asked if we might be able to enjoy breakfast at the Mara River where the hippos congregate. Dan most generously said yes and we enjoyed an outstanding breakfast in the company of many hippos, birds and even several friendly mongoose. Mara Serena really knows how to make their guests feel comfortable.

The Gift Shop has a nice selection of items although the prices are a little higher than other shops.

On Wednesday evenings, researchers from the Mara Hyena Project come to give a presentation. They are special to me not only because I like hyenas, but they are affiliated with Michigan State University, my alma mater.

Every time I come to the Mara, Mara Serena is my lodging of choice. Thank you again for another wonderful stay.

Matira Bush Camp (2)

 

When traveling here, you’d better be with someone who knows the location as there are no signs. We were coming from Mara Serena which means you have to cross the river. This can be a little challenging when it has rained. As people have commented, it is in a good location for spotting wildlife. There were a number of big maned lions in the area. A highlight for me was spotting a topi who had just given birth. It was probably only a hour or two old as it couldn’t even stand. We watched for an hour how the little one tired over and over and became stronger which was good as there were lions nearby.

Matira is definitely a bush camp. There are no fences surrounding the camp so animals can come and go. Escorts are mandatory at night. It is definitely a more simplistic camp than what I am accustomed to but I’m definitely glad I went. Upon arrival, juice is served. I was provided with a camp orientation. Power is off during the day and generators are switched on at night from 6:30pm-12m. I stayed in the Main Camp which offers continuous hot water (have to let it run a few minutes though) and not the bucket showers. Once the water becomes hot, you basically have to turn it off and add cold water to prevent scalding. Flush toilets are also in the room. My room had 2 double beds (very comfortable), a clothes stand, desk and 2 chairs. There is a power strip in the room for charging items when the power is on. When the porters take your bags to the tent, a thorough explanation is given about the location of everything and how it works. There were also a couple of chairs out on the tent porch but the view was obstructed by the brush.

The manager asked if I had any dietary restrictions and I mentioned I don’t care for fish which he said was good to know. The food is ok but basically they offer 1 starter, 1 main dish and 1 dessert. Frankly after all the buffets, it was nice not having to make food decisions. I ate less here than any other location primarily because the sauces the meat was in seemed rather spicy for my taste or the food just didn’t have much appeal. I tried to communicate with the table server to bring me very small portions (since I don’t like to waste food) but she always came with a full plate so maybe she didn’t understand.

They do have wi fi in the lounge area, but it comes and goes or is quite slow. I was a little concerned about something I noticed while sitting there. A person was taking the glasses/dishes to a sink full of water at the bar and washing items. I asked if they used bottled or boiled water and he reported they used tap water. So I raised the question since they told us to only drink bottled water, why did they use tap water for washing dishes. He replied the soap ‘took care of things’. OK, I could possibly see that, but they still had to rinse the dishes and they used the tap water. It could be coincidental, but after having lunch and dinner on my arrival day, the next morning, I had quite the upset stomach which I had for the remainder of the trip.  I mentioned this to Alex, the Owner of All Seasons who contacted the camp.  They replied to him that “We have a source with pure groundwater from the small stream.  From there, we pump the water, this is the water coming from the tap.  For the washing of the dishes we boil the water.”  This made me feel better and apparently was not something their newer employees knew.

A highlight while staying here is that we were able to see Malaika the cheetah and her 3 remaining cubs. I had photographed her last October when the cubs were quite small. It was nice to see them grown up. It was a little concerning because they were having a disagreement with a leopard (mother of 2 cubs) and there was a lot of confrontation between the two, but I guess that is nature. The cheetahs seemed to be quite nervous with all the vehicles surrounding them.

Although I liked the location of this camp from the wildlife standpoint, I doubt I’d stay here again. There is a lot of places to choose from, and for the cost of this place, I’d expect a little more.

Nairobi Safari Park Hotel – Day Room

 

For this trip, I only stayed here for a day room on my last day. If I had a do over, I would have stayed here for the night. It’s a nice, quiet place to get a good night’s rest before boarding the long flight home (and I never seem to get any sleep on the long flights).

My room, room #457 was on the upper level which has a nice view of the courtyard. It is considered a Junior Suite and has lots of space with a king sized bed and a sitting area. The bathroom is enormous with a nice soaking tub and shower with lots of water pressure. Plenty of counter space as well as lots of good lighting. Everything was spotless.

Alex, the owner of All Seasons treated me for a late lunch in the Cafe Kigwa. Although there was a buffet going on, we asked if we could order off the menu since I wasn’t real hungry. That was no problem. Food is available 24 hours which is good because you never know when you might be hungry. I had the chicken/asparagus pasta dish that I had before and it was very good although they substituted another vegetable for the asparagus. The portions were very generous. Cost for this entree was 900 KES. Depending on your time for dinner, the buffet may or may not be available.

Out of curiosity, I checked out their laundry service prices. They charge at least double or more than having laundry done at lodging ‘out in the bush’.

They still have not included free internet as most places do. Price for internet was 100 KES/hour or 2000 KES/24 hour time frame. It was this reason that made me choose the Fairview on the front end of my trip for the first 2 nights. It is important for me to touch base with family to let them know I have arrived safely.

The biggest negative comment I have (other than the internet) is that check out can take a while. I was checking out at 6pm and there was only one person at the desk so there was a bit of a wait. This happened last year as well.

I would consider staying here at the beginning of safari if they included internet in their room rate.

Traveling with All Seasons Safaris and Tours

 

This is my 3rd safari with All Seasons. The first trip, I had 3 different guides because I traveled into Tanzania. After the first trip, I always request Daniel as my guide. He shares the keen interest I have in photography and knows the best times of the day to capture images. He is easy to get along with and understand, a great spotter of wildlife and has a great sense of humor. These attributes make him my #1 choice for guides.

Communication with Alex during the planning stages is always easy. Since this was my 6th trip to Kenya, he knows that I have a good idea of where I want to go. I’m open to suggestions on possible new places to stay and also have learned, they know the best travel order due to the time it takes to travel between locations. On the occasion that Alex was out of the office, Meshack and Ann got back to me promptly or let me know that Alex would get back to me the next day.

Upon arrival at the Nairobi airport, Meshack was there to greet me. After the long flight, I was especially happy that he stepped out of the big crowd of people waiting for arrivals and came up to me so I didn’t have to try and read the mass of signs (hard when you’re tired). Didn’t take long to make our way to the Fairview Hotel and my check in was smooth. Plans were discussed for the following day.

Meshack picked me up promptly at the hotel and shuttled me to my favorite spots in Nairobi – the Galleria Mall to pick up some items at Nakumatt, then to Sheldricks for the 11am public visitation followed by a stop at Kazuri Beads. For lunch, I had requested going to a new place for me, Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens. It is a lovely setting and Meshack and I enjoyed conversation over lunch. Having finished my errands early, there was still some time before the adoptive parents visitation at the elephant orphanage. Meshack suggested that I might enjoy a stop in at Marula Studios in the Karen area. I’m so glad he suggested it. I got a guided tour of how they make these wonderful/colorful animals from recycled flip-flops and another way to support community development as well as buying some wonderful treasures to take home. Meshack also mentioned that we were going to pick up two women traveling from Australia who had just finished their safari with Daniel on our way to the orphanage as they were also going and were on our way. I had been in communication with via Trip Advisor with one of the ladies so it was really nice to meet them in person.

My guide Daniel is always a pleasure to travel with. He has learned my likes and dislikes and goes out of his way to make sure everything is just right. I had put in specific requests for accommodations with All Seasons, and before arriving at each location, Daniel would call them and check to make sure all was on track. He goes out of his way to be helpful, even carrying my heavy photo back pack into the reception areas to save my back. He’s prompt for game drives and even on a few occasions either came and got me early or sent a staff person to let me know we should go out early because something exciting had been spotted. One day at Sweetwaters, we were able to spend 2 hours watching 2 cheetah brothers with no other vehicles around because of his communication with another guide. As a photographer, this is really special.

It is often said that a guide can make or break a trip. But I also feel some of the responsibility of having a great safari relies on the client communicating well with the guide. Having now taken 6 trips, I don’t find the need to stop and photograph every single zebra. However, as a photographer, if any animal is in just the right lighting, there is a good chance that I may want to capture the image. Having a guide that also has an eye for good photography only enhances the trip. Often clients wonder why their guide is on the phone so much. Our vehicle has a radio which was on to hear what other drivers were spotting which is helpful. But drivers also know which of their guide friends are in each park. They often will call to ask where something may have been spotted and work as a team to make for happy clients. Being able to understand some Swahili has helped me to understand that the calls are not all ‘personal’ as some might think. Unless you have traveled with the same guide several times, you can’t expect them to be mind readers. If you’re looking for a specific animal, let them know. The big joke in our vehicle is always that I’ve now taken trip 6 and still haven’t seen my honey badger. Course that only makes me want to come for trip 7.

When we returned to Nairobi after another great 14 night safari, we were met by Alex at the Safari Park Hotel where I had a day room before my flight. Alex really likes to meet with clients to receive feedback on their safari experiences. He’s always open to both the positive and negative aspects of the trip and what he can do to improve. Last trip there was a little snag with the MPesa system which I had mentioned to him. This trip, it was perfect. I selected all the lodgings (and I make a point of choosing 1 new location each trip). That particular lodging didn’t seem to be the best fit for me but I certainly can’t blame that on All Seasons.

I will continue to travel with All Seasons. This was yet another great trip and why I tell my friends that Kenya is my second home.

The Best of the Trip

 

The JOY of visiting my sweet little girl Dupotto up close and personal at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi. My, how you have grown into quite the lady. Must be you watched my boys Kithaka and Barsilinga and picked up some of their mischievous ways of water spraying. But that is what happy young elephants do.

The excitement of watching a male bull elephant attempt to charge. In all of my 6 trips, I’ve never seen this happen. Luckily, Daniel’s quick response averted any problems. Must be he was having a cranky day.

A great photographic opportunity to watch two cheetah brothers bask in the sun, stretch, communicate with each other and ultimately depart in search of dinner. The best part was observing this behavior for two hours with no other vehicles to bother them. A real treat.

Getting to meet two lovely ladies on the way to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Kim and Myra) who I had been in contact with on Trip Advisor. Always nice to put faces to the names.

Watching life begin in the Mara where a mother topi had given birth a short time before. To watch her baby struggle to stand and find a source of nourishment, in the face of nearby lions was a true miracle. Wishing you the best in your new world little one.

Traveling with my guide Daniel who shares my interest in photography making it possible to get the best lighting, angles and positions for images and who goes above and beyond to chat with other drivers to learn what they have seen. His patience and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.

The Less than Best of the Trip

 

The wild is about survival. And we know death is inevitable . I’ve always thought of jackals as being opportunists. But on an early game drive, two of them must have been really hungry to go after a young impala and fight off her protective mother. The mother put up a valiant fight, but in the end, it was the jackals who survived to face another day after a full meal.

Feeling homesick for what I consider my second home, Kenya, an amazing place full of hospitable people, incredible wildlife and wonderful smells and sounds. Many of you have become my extended family. I feel blessed to have had this sixth opportunity to visit and look forward to returning again.

Favorite Photos