Tim 4th Safari. August 2016 Monte Family.

Monte Family

DETAILS

7^th to 15^th August 8 nights 9 days Safari, 2 nights Samburu, 2 nights Olpejeta 1 night Naivasha & 3 nights Maasai Mara.

INFORMATION

This was one of the best circuits that I enjoy doing when am doing a long Safari, Samburu for leopards, Olpejeta for rhinos, Naivasha for birds and Maasai Mara for Big cats.

I picked this beautiful family from the JKIA and transferred them straight to Eka Hotel along Mombasa road. Before I left I advised them to relax, relax and relax coz the Safari ahead is long.

The Safari started the following morning heading to Samburu for two nights followed by Olpejeta another two nights, Naivasha one night and lastly Maasai Mara three nights.

Go through the gallery part as the pictures are arranged according to time and days mostly.

GALLERY

We arrived in good time for lunch but before getting to the lodge, we encountered a lioness carrying a Baboon on its mouth. My guest got the best pictures since my gears were still packed; I just got these pictures of her in a shade eating.

We checked in and come out in the evening for a game drive. We saw some general game consisting of some Samburu special five, this were the reticulated Giraffe, Grevy Zebra and Gerenuks.

We also saw some grant gazelles and a lioness walking towards us.

And lastly before heading back we had a cool sighting of a herd Elephants with the golden light behind.

The following day was more than great as this was our last full day before heading to Olpejeta conservancy the following day. Our first sighting was a Male Lion

A male gerenuk standing on its hind legs so as to have vantage over the tall browsing leaves.

We went on looking for the leopard and yes we were lucky, we got this young boy that gave us some great opportunities to photograph.

We found him walking and he went up the rock to busk on the sun.

He decided to come down and went further up the rocky terrain.

We went for a picnic breakfast and we found Beisa Oryx as we head down by the river.

On the dry bushes was a white browed social weaver.

After a neat bush breakfast we continued to the other part of the river, and on our way we bounce into a big male elephant. I was not so comfortable with him, since this is a migratory corridor.

We went further to the river and found another herd of Elephants breaking tress and it was too neat seeing them do what they like most.

After a cool morning drive we went back to the lodge for lunch, and come out later for an evening drive. And this was our first sighting, a male lion looking at us. According to me they look impressive without the big manes though their size is really big.

We went on search of the young leopard that we saw early in the morning. And lucky enough we found him on the rocky area that he was headed.

We decided to end our day with some general game of other animals, and we were lucky to get a cool picture of this reticulated giraffe on golden light.

OLPEJETA CONSERVANCY

We left Samburu to Olpejeta conservancy right after our morning heavy breakfast. Arriving in Sweet waters Serena Camp for lunch followed by and evening game drive.

Our first sighting was a heard of Buffalos, numbering more than hundred of them. By them living in big groups like this, they afford the protection needed to survive on the wild.

Our second sighting was off the big cats mating, it was one of the best mating sightings I have ever experience.

The first mating took place and it lasted more than the normal 10 seconds, as the male was on top close to half a minute. And it ended smoothly and the lioness didn’t slap the Lion on face due to the pain when extracting the barbed penis of the male.

We waited for another 15 to 20 minutes and I saw the lioness up and ready again heading to the lion. And this will tell you that it is still the beginning of their mating long process.

The lion went up but only for a few seconds and he was out again making a loud growl.

Since the penetration is sweet and the extraction is painful when it’s very fast the female hard to slap the male on the face, sometimes causing injury on the face.

This is usually a long process taking close to seven days, and the couples involve will have to devolve themselves fully by not eating but only drinking water for all those days. Reason being it’s very hard for the female to conceive until several attempts every day to make the female egg ready. And on the 5^th and 6^th day is when the lioness will conceive if the male is still strong. And if not the brother who defend the same territory will come in and finish the job for him.

As we head back to the lodge we encountered another buffalo looking at us

A grey crown crane and its young chick.

The following day was cool on views only but not photographically. Though we hard this beautiful bird to photograph. Lilac breasted roller, it has several colours to display when on flight.

Elephants were not left out to close our olpejeta Sanctuary Safari

LAKE NAIVASHA

After and heavy meal in sweet waters we departed straight to Simba lodge in Lake Naivasha arriving there for late lunch since the distance was quite long.

This was only an overnight stay as we were going to Maasai mara the following day. We decided on a boat ride safari for some birding activity.

African Jacana gave us a cool photo

Common Moohen followed suit.

Cormorants were in plenty as this is the best place to view them

We also had the Great white pelican as the other one was on flight.

The grey Heron was also on our list with their impressive long necks

African fish eagles were also busking on the on top of dead trees

One of my favorites Heron, Purple Heron only seen along this water bodies as it looks for food on reeds.

MAASAI MARA

From Naivasha to Maasai Mara arriving in good time for lunch followed by a late afternoon nap. Then followed by and evening drive and Maasai giraffe were around to welcome us.

After going further for some miles, I spotted one lioness and her cub on a small seasonal drainage named Olkeju Rongai.

As I continued explaining about lioness and their cubs a lion appeared from the other side of the bush. Oh he was a big prober boy, He come to the middle of the drainage and we could clearly see him.

The numbers of cubs also come to an increase as they were playing with one of the lioness. And this is the time I knew I will spend the rest of the evening here waiting for the rest of the pride to come out.

As the cubs kept playing other lioness come out one by one, making it a full pride of four sisters and six of their cubs and one Lion.

Two of the cubs continued playing going to and extended of jumping on top of their dad who was not too happy about that.

That’s how my first day ended.The following day I had decided on a full day drive in the quest for witnessing crossings on the banks of Mara River.

On our way we saw a clan of hyenas feeding on a Carcass and Vultures awaiting them to vacate the scene. Alongside was a Southern ground hornbill walking away from the chaos.

The crossing that week was from Mara reserve heading to Mara triangle, and my wish is for the guest to witness the very best of them coming towards us.

They were two crossings in look out and BBC and I was in look out, when the BBC started the guy delayed to inform me but I managed to get some few 10 minutes of that croosing.

PICS 2

I drove backed to look out so as not to miss the other crossing. I got their position and the Magic started. I had the opportunity to get these great pictures.

Since our day was a success we went for picnic lunch and started heading back slowly. On our way we saw a secretary bird and a lion relaxing by its own. And that’s how our day was.

Our last day we went out hunting for Sunrise and a request by quest of a Cheetah and Cubs from the previous day.

First request was done sunrise.

As we went on looking for our second request, we encountered what we call a takeover by young lions. They were trying to mate with this lioness but she was not ready as she can’t allow conceiving until the young boys establish themselves fully in the territory.