Amboseli National Park
The guide books say this park lies nestled under the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro. The three days we were there, we barely saw the mountain, shrouded as it was by thick clouds.
As we drove out of Nairobi, and along long straight highways, we began to get an idea of the expanse that Africa is. Wide flat plains stretch on either side of the road for miles on end, as far as the eye can see, ending only on the horizon where the land meets the sky. Clear blue cloudless skies for the most part, and glorious sunshine. The weather was glorious on the way out, although we encountered rain off and on during the three days at Amboseli ... rain that sometimes had the driver scurrying to lower the roof of our safari vehicle. At other times, we preferred to let the drizzle in, the clear sight of the flat Amboseli plains and the animals in the distance was more than enough to compensate for the slight dampness.
Amboseli is an elephant conservation park ... and we saw lots of elephants. Starting with our hotel, the Serena Lodge, where as we waited to check in, we saw in the distance, a herd of wild elephants graze in what could loosely be termed the backyard of the lodge. And then every single day ... herds and herds ... grazing among the plains, near swampy areas, wherever there was some tree cover to be found, the elephants found it first.
Also spotted a cheetah the first day ... and then three the very next day ... the three were on a hunting mission near a pack of antelopes and gazelles. It seemed their mind was not on the hunt, for they were half-hearted about it ... and gave up fairly quickly. And we watched it all through excellent camera lenses which brought the animals almost to within touching distance.
Also realised the excellent camouflage the coat of the cheetah provides in the sandy grassy plains of the Savannah. I had read it in geography books, but when I failed to spot the cheetah in a sandy rocky patch, until it actually rose and started moving, only then was I able to appreciate how brilliantly Nature has provided the camouflage for her creatures.
Another prize spot one afternoon ... a lioness with her two cubs ... barely fifty yards off the track. The park radio is effective ... barely is an animal 'spotted', and the word goes out ... within minutes there are almost forty-fifty vehicles lined up along the dirt track, all with tops raised, as their occupants gaze at the animals and shoot them ... with their cameras. S was happy that his lenses got almost as many looks as the animals did! And even happier that he got great pictures, both father and son did.
Ostriches were remarkable spots the first, but we saw them every day thereafter, so after a while we stopped taking pictures. The same with the gazelles, antelopes and wildebeest. The clown cranes always excited interest, though ... always spotted in pairs, with their unusual, very flamboyant coloring, they were a colorful contrast to both the green grass, and to the sandy brown plains.
The guide books say this park lies nestled under the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro. The three days we were there, we barely saw the mountain, shrouded as it was by thick clouds.
As we drove out of Nairobi, and along long straight highways, we began to get an idea of the expanse that Africa is. Wide flat plains stretch on either side of the road for miles on end, as far as the eye can see, ending only on the horizon where the land meets the sky. Clear blue cloudless skies for the most part, and glorious sunshine. The weather was glorious on the way out, although we encountered rain off and on during the three days at Amboseli ... rain that sometimes had the driver scurrying to lower the roof of our safari vehicle. At other times, we preferred to let the drizzle in, the clear sight of the flat Amboseli plains and the animals in the distance was more than enough to compensate for the slight dampness.
Amboseli is an elephant conservation park ... and we saw lots of elephants. Starting with our hotel, the Serena Lodge, where as we waited to check in, we saw in the distance, a herd of wild elephants graze in what could loosely be termed the backyard of the lodge. And then every single day ... herds and herds ... grazing among the plains, near swampy areas, wherever there was some tree cover to be found, the elephants found it first.
Also spotted a cheetah the first day ... and then three the very next day ... the three were on a hunting mission near a pack of antelopes and gazelles. It seemed their mind was not on the hunt, for they were half-hearted about it ... and gave up fairly quickly. And we watched it all through excellent camera lenses which brought the animals almost to within touching distance.
Also realised the excellent camouflage the coat of the cheetah provides in the sandy grassy plains of the Savannah. I had read it in geography books, but when I failed to spot the cheetah in a sandy rocky patch, until it actually rose and started moving, only then was I able to appreciate how brilliantly Nature has provided the camouflage for her creatures.
Another prize spot one afternoon ... a lioness with her two cubs ... barely fifty yards off the track. The park radio is effective ... barely is an animal 'spotted', and the word goes out ... within minutes there are almost forty-fifty vehicles lined up along the dirt track, all with tops raised, as their occupants gaze at the animals and shoot them ... with their cameras. S was happy that his lenses got almost as many looks as the animals did! And even happier that he got great pictures, both father and son did.
Ostriches were remarkable spots the first, but we saw them every day thereafter, so after a while we stopped taking pictures. The same with the gazelles, antelopes and wildebeest. The clown cranes always excited interest, though ... always spotted in pairs, with their unusual, very flamboyant coloring, they were a colorful contrast to both the green grass, and to the sandy brown plains.
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