Trip Report - 10 Days in Kenya
On the final 10 days of my summer adventures this past July I decided to link up with Wild Eye Photographic Safaris for their "Big Cats & Tuskers" itinerary. As I covered in my first blog post, it's always a good idea to travel with Wild Eye whenever possible, and this is a very exciting trip that they have put together. In addition to getting a chance to travel and shoot in the Masai Mara Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli National Park, I was also excited to finally meet and work with Gerry Van der Walt and Andrew Beck. Gerry and Andrew were the last half of the Wild Eye team that I had yet to meet in person, having traveled extensively with Marlon and having met Jono in Madikwe last year. These are guys I have tremendous respect for, always following their online content, and so it was an honor to work with them and soak up all their expertise. I had also moved Kenya up in the que for my expedition schedule, something I had felt compelled to do since the Westgate Shopping Mall and Garissa University terror attacks. I know people in the safari industry who have been hurt badly by these events (as well as the ignorant and irrational fear of ebola), and I really wanted to make another trip to the country to support them. It was also my way of "giving the middle finger" to those terror groups. The simple fact is nothing they will ever do will stop me from living my life the way I want to.
The Masai Mara National Reserve - The Mara is one of the most iconic destinations in all of Africa. Back in 2012 I made a solo expedition and worked exclusively in the Northern part of the reserve, near the Talek Gate. It was a good trip and I enjoyed seeing the famous Notch coalition of lions, as well as the black rhinoceros named Karanja. This time around I was keen to visit the Southern part of the reserve, an area more carefully managed by the Kenyan Wildlife Service known as the Mara Triangle. The Triangle is not far from the Tanzania border, and is less crowded than the Talek area. The safari began as, in my opinion, all safaris should begin... a light aircraft transfer from Nairobi into the Mara. The East Africa road transfer has its charms (at first), but once you've made one long transfer through the countryside there isn't much need to do it again. Aside from avoiding the inevitable T.I.A. moments (This is Africa) that occur on the road, a flight allows you to see the vast beauty of this old, wild place from a few thousand feet. The views are spectacular. As we flew into the Mara we couldn't believe our eyes, thousands of zebra and wildebeest were already gathering at the Mara River for a crossing. I couldn't believe my luck, the greatest show on earth, the Great Migration, had arrived early! The next few days didn't disappoint, the Mara never does. We had excellent lion sightings, spending much of our time with a group known as the Egyptian Pride (so named because the heart of their territory is centered around a few small pans frequented by Egyptian Geese). I shared a vehicle with a really great guy named Stuart, an Australian. We had a great leopard sighting as well with Andrew, and it is always a rush to see spotted cats. A young male put on a real show for us as he came down from one of the Acacia trees that are scattered across the savanna.
There were good interactions with elephants and even a few distant rhino sightings, but we missed out on the most famous attraction of the Triangle, the male lion named Scarface. Another vehicle in our group caught a glimpse of him and he apparently looked as though he'd recently taken a bit of a beating. We sighted other males well within his territory. Is it possible I was in the Mara during the last days of his reign? I hoped this was not the case as it is such a sad thing to consider, but lions live fast and furious, and the males often die young. They lose power in the same violent manner in which they gain it. (update -- since my visit it has been reported that Scar has recovered from his wounds!)
Accommodations were fantastic. We stayed at the Mara Serena Lodge, the only permanent lodge in this area of the reserve. The food was good, the rooms were comfortable, and the views from the lodge - which is positioned strategically on a high kopje overlooking the entire reserve - were stunning. It was an excellent first stop and I was sad to leave, but we had other exciting destinations ahead of us.
Lake Nakuru National Park - Remember when I said road transfers in East Africa eventually lose their charm? Our four hour transfer from the Mara to Nakuru ended up turning into an arduous nine our journey. By the time we arrived at the park gates I was having my doubts about how positive the experience would be. Driving through Nakuru itself, one of the largest cities in Kenya, I was aghast to see the overcrowding and pollution. How could this city be in such proximity and not have a negative effect on the park? As we passed through the gates all of my fears melted away. Nakuru is, in a word, surreal. Like entering Jurrasic Park, you feel as though you've just passed into a land that time forgot. Anchored by the massive saltine lake itself, one of the smallest parks in Kenya is also one of the most unique. We made our way around the lake towards the Sarova Lion Hills Game Lodge, winding our way through the Fever Tree forests. Black and white colobus monkeys and Verreaux's eagle owls greeted us. As we stopped to photograph one of the owls, suddenly a long-crested eagle swooped in and attacked it! This place was going to be special.
Our second day in Nakuru produced the one sighting I really wasn't expecting from this location, lions. We spent much of our day working with one of the most interesting pride of lions I had ever seen. These were true swamp cats, staying in the thick forest in a heavily watered area. The pride dynamics did not feel right, and led us to suspect there had been a very recent takeover by new males. We had lions in the brush, lions in the stream bed, lions in the road, and then suddenly... a lioness in a tree! There are a number of lion populations in Kenya and Tanzania that will climb trees, notably in the Mara and Serengeti ecosystem, but in our wildest dreams we never imagined we would see one in one of Nakuru's famous Fever Trees. Late in the day, just as we were wrapping up our drive, we were stunned to find a well-conditioned, powerfully built lioness lounging in a tree overhanging one of the main access roads. Gerry had arrived on the scene first and positioned the Wild Eye vehicles perfectly for what was about to unfold. There was only one way she had gotten into the tree, so there was only one way she was coming down. The waiting game began. Everyone gets to see the end product, the magnificent photo, but this situation was a perfect example of the patience and dedication required to produce these images. We waited, and waited, and waited. We stayed in the swamp while she snoozed in the tree. With the light changing by the minute, we updated settings and took test shots, reading histograms and trying to stay ready for the moment. And then it happened. She got up, gave us a big yawn, a bigger stretch, and then jumped out of the tree. Jackpot!
Of all the places we stayed on this trip, and they were all wonderful, the Sarova Lion Hills Game Lodge was my absolute favorite. Built into a hillside with rooms overlooking Lake Nakuru, the lodge itself is intimate and personal. The food was the best I've ever had in Africa, both in terms of quality and selection, and we even had working wifi that allowed me to check in share what was happening. We spent a few nights there before moving on to our next destination, and this was a place I would have easily enjoyed a week or more to really focus on capturing all that there was to see. Nakuru will surprise you. It will take your breath away. It is a dreamscape for photographers, a visual playground and a natural wonder.
Lake Naivasha - Having crossed the halfway point of our expedition, we made a brief stop at Lake Naivasha to break up the road transfer to Amboseli and work on some bird photography. After days of driving rough roads in game vehicles, Naivasha gave us a chance to out onto the lake and do some photography from boats. This was a very nice change of pace.
Taking pictures from a boat is a much different experience than a game vehicle (when I say "boat," I really mean a canoe with a motor on it). Adding to the intrigue was the fact that our subjects were birds. Being a wildlife photographer requires a lot of patience and practice, being a bird photographer requires a divine gift of patience. Despite our flighty subjects and the challenges posed by shooting from a platform always in motion, it was a pleasant experience to be on the lake. I even managed to snap a shot or two of some birds!
Amboseli National Park - The word Amboseli means salty dust in the native Maa language of the Maasai people. I don't think I have ever been to a place that was more appropriately named. If I am being completely truthful, the main reason I signed up for this expedition was my desire to visit Amboseli. For years I have supported the elephant research and conservation efforts based in this region, and of course it is the dream of every wildlife photographer to eventually see Kilimanjaro, the shining mountain of Africa. We concluded our adventure with a three night stay at the Amboseli Serena Lodge. Again, all accommodations exceeded my expectations. The park itself was much different than I had expected, but not in a negative way. We often see images of big tuskers standing in front of the mountain with a clear blue sky, but after just a day in the field I came to realize this would be a very challenging place to shoot. The ecosystem is fed by glacial runoff from Kili, and at the base of the mountain deep green marshes thrive as the fresh water pumps through them. As you stray from the marshes however, Amboseli becomes very harsh, and is a land of great contrast. Lake Amboseli is now a dry bed of cracked earth, and dust devils the size of tornadoes swirl across the landscape. Within the same ecosystem you see the harshest of desert conditions and lush green wetland. It is amazing. The glacier on the mountain is declining, and it is barely visible from the Kenyan side. It is a worrisome situation as that water is the life-blood of thousands of animals living within the park. Experts believe it may be gone completely within 20 years, and if that happens Amboseli and its residents will not survive. With aggressive protection by the KWS, cooperation from the local Maasai, and dedication by NGOs like the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, this is one of the few places in Africa that you can still see big tuskers. Well fed and watered by the marshes, the jumbos in this park grow to remarkable sizes, and are bigger than any other elephants I have seen on previous trips to the continent.
Ken (our fantastic driver), Stuart, and I spent a significant portion of our final day and a half tracking cheetah. The duma was one of the only animals I had yet to see on this trip and with the mountain shrouded in clouds we thought we would give it a try. Though our quest for spotted cats in Amboseli ultimately came up empty, it did give us a chance to explore different areas of the park. On our last day the sky finally cooperated and gave us a view of the mountain. It was a tough, but enjoyable three days. The dust and wind made it difficult to keep both photographers and photographic gear functioning properly. While dust is the ally of the image maker for atmosphere and lighting, it is the enemy of image sensors and lenses. In this sense Amboseli proved to be something of a grind, but a rewarding one.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the ample presence of predators. At a glance this isn't a place known specifically for predator sightings, but with well-fed prey everywhere in sight, it shouldn't have been so surprising to see so many predators. Like every other destination on our trip, we had good lion sightings every day. We spent one morning with a powerful pair of males, and also saw females from multiple prides. For the most part they looked to be in good condition and seemed to be doing well. It was obvious however that the real dominant presence in the park were the hyena. Both in terms of their numbers and their condition, this looked to be a place designed for them to thrive in.
The den sights were just beyond the marshes, in the wide open territory between the water and the dry lake bed. This was perfect hunting ground for these apex predators. Though (incorrectly) reviled as cowardly scavengers, hyena are actually prolific hunters. They use strategy and endurance to wear down their prey. While lions are much more romanticized for their hunting prowess, hyena are cruelly efficient, and in Amboseli they are in their element. During my short stay I gained a tremendous amount of respect for the animals that not only survive, but thrive in this challenging and punishing place. Both predator and prey alike have adapted perfectly, but the ecosystem is fragile and the threat of climate change is as real in this place as it is anywhere else in the world. Without the constant supply of water from the glacier, the herbivore population will collapse and the predators will follow closely behind. I got the distinct sense that I wasn't just looking at endangered animals, but an endangered place. The brutal arid Lake Amboseli is a constant reminder of how the desert and the dust could so easily swallow this magical place. I am thankful for having had the opportunity to see it now, because the future is uncertain in the land of Salty Dust.
If you are looking to see the "Best of Kenya" then Wild Eye's Big Cats & Tuskers is a good place to start. It's hard to imagine a better itinerary at a more obtainable price. Everything about this trip was fantastic, from the locations and accommodations to the (as always) expert guiding by the Wild Eye team. Special thanks to Ken, our Wild Eye Kenya guide who I was with for the entire duration. Andrew and Gerry were as professional as could be, top guides at the top of their game, and Stuart, my new Australian friend who shared a vehicle with me throughout. He was infinitely patient with me as we scoured the plains for cheetah that weren't to be found. Perhaps the only change that I would make would be to somehow add Tsavo to the itinerary, but then, now I have a reason to go back don't I?
~DM
~DM