The Kenyan Airways flight from Muscat swept into Jomo Kenyatta International airport at Nairobi ( the name taken from the Masai word “Nyrobi” meaning “place of cool waters” ) in the wee hours of 4th October, ferrying a bundle of weary passengers in the form of VENU S, BALA S & yours truly on their first trip to Kenya . The airport wore a deserted look, save a few transit passengers travelling to various other African destinations. Contrary to our misgivings about rigid customs check carried out on unsuspecting tourists “for a few dollars more”, the visa & customs formalities turned out to be a breeze much to our pleasant surprise ! ( TIP : Keep both US Dollars & Kenyan Shillings , in particular small denominations for tips, small purchases, etc ).
Gathering our luggage, we trundled out of the airport to be met by Joe ( our driver- cum- guide ) whose warm welcome ( JAMBO in Swahili ) made the nippy weather of Nairobi a bit more bearable ( TIP : The best months for travel are June - September a season of dry weather ) . After helping us with our luggage into the Toyota open- roof van, Joe set off on the dual- carriage highway which snakes its way from Mombasa, the Kenyan sea port and slices across Nairobi running all the way to Uganda ( Kenya gained independence from the British in 1963. Geographically it is flanked by Somalia & Ethiopia to the north- east, Sudan & Uganda to the north & west and Tanzania to its south.)
The five- hour drive to MASAI MARA ( the world’s largest natural theater of wildlife ) , which was to be our first stop on the 5 day tour, passed through the Central Rift climbing up to the Alpine highlands before descending down to the Savannahs or grasslands. A breakfast- stop at TAROC later, we headed towards our destination, cutting across rugged Masai land, home to the indigenous semi-nomadic Masai tribe, one of 52 tribes dominating the cultural landscape of Kenya. We veered off the black top, heading deep into the jungle negotiating graded muddy roads which seemed to lead nowhere. After a 5 hour drive , we saw the first signs of SAROVA MARA Game camp, a tented camp- dwelling which w
ould be our home on 4th & 5th October 2011. We were accorded a traditional Masai welcome by the hotel staff dressed in shocking red outfits ( MAASAI LIFE : The dress colour of the Masais is red, so much so that every Masai drape screams out : “Give me red” ! The men typically wear a red checked shuka or Maasai blanket to keep away predatory wildlife which co-exist with the Masais. The tribe 
drinks animal blood & milk which are the mainstay of the Maasai diet, supplemented by another drink called mursik, made from milk fermented with cow’s urine & ashes, known to lower cholesterol ! Eeks ! Any chronic cholesterol patients wanna give a try ? )
After a sumptuous multi-course meal at the hotel, we set out on our first Safari into the wild. Driving deep into the vast sprawling grasslands or Savannah, we made our first sighting of Thomsun gazelles prancing around, followed by zebras looking majestic in their black & white str
ipes ( the question that instantly came to mind was : Were these black stripes on a white body or white stripes on black ! ? ) and as my mind tried to figure out the answer, we were stopped in our tracks by a huge form. As we inched closer, we were mesmerized by what we saw : The creature we call the ” King of the Jungle” at arms length ! We screamed in awe & excitement only to be asked to shut up by Joe because even a slight sound would shoo away our ‘prize’ catch. As we eased up to the open roof, furiously clicking away with our cameras, we were flabbergasted at the imperious gait of the lioness as it sauntered leisurely across our vehicle looking at us as if to say “ stay back in your van, if you come out you are dead meat ! ( TIP : Never get out of your vehicle to venture anywhere close to the animals, remember that YOU have to be in the cage ! )
As we drove further into the Masai game reserve which we learnt was s
pread over 1500 sqkm, we soaked in the essence of wildlife which we had hitherto seen only on National Geographic & Animal Planet. If there were Giraffes & Hardibeests on the left, we saw the Impalas & Topis to the right, Eland & Warthogs ahead with Baboons & Langurs not to be missed out. Just then, we passed another of the tour operators. After a quick exchange of words in Swahili, Joe explained that the operator had sighted one of the “Big Five” viz the elusive leopard ( the others being Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Cheetah ). Binoculars pointed, we strained to see the outline of the animal as it lay perched on the branch of an acacia tree which dot the landscape for miles. Pindrop silence prevailed, as if an examination was in progress with only the clicking sounds of Canons and Nikons to disturb the peace. The leopard seemed unperturbed by this unwelcome intrusion, instead choosing to turn the other way as if to cock-a- snook at the tourists.
As we hit the road again, Joe asked us to stop chatting and concentrate ahead. As we peered through our binocs, we could see the outline of a black form ie a herd of African tuskers marching ever so slowly. We pitched our vehicle close to the mammoth creatures holding our breaths as well as our tongues. The majestic pachyderms, we were told, were generally meek & friendly but brooked no nonsense if they sensed danger to themselves or their babies which cutely followed their” mamaa & dada” in a single file.
And as we headed back to our hotel to call time on a fantastic day of wild life gazing, we were happy to have chosen this wonderful tourist lodge which made us feel completely at home with its elegant ambience, friendly staff, delectable cuisine and comfortable tented accommodation set right in the middle of the forest. ( TIP : You can choose from some optional activities such as Balloon Safari, Nature Walks, Hikes )
MASAI MARA
After a leisurely breakfast , we set off for the “Masai Mara” at 7.30 pm, the deadline set by Joe for departure. Though we had seen the grasslands only the previous day, we started out afresh with expectations of sighting newer species of wild life. And we were not disappointed. Suddenly Joe stopped while our jaws dropped ! We were staring ahead at some big cats ( lioness ) feasting on a dead zebra. And just when it seemed they were done, it was the turn of the hyena, that ugly looking creature also known as the scavenger , to partake of the dead remains ! And as the hyena dragged off the dead animal, we peered into the distance to see a march past of animals on the horizon. We were told that this was the migration of the “Wildebeest” , a yak-like animal , marching like a well- disciplined army from the Serengati in Tanzania across to Kenya. This was only a sample of “ The Great 
Migration which is at its peak in the months of July & August . As we strained our eyes through binoculars & cameras, a few birds flashed across the lens. Welcome to the world of the eagle and cranes ! Before long, we were at the Mara river, home to water hippos and the deadly crocs. As we walked around the river bank to its upper reaches, we saw water ripples being created by the lazy crocs fighting for space with the hippos. A chill went up our spine on sighting dead carcasses of wildebeests on the banks. Apparently these migrating animals in their eagerness to follow the leader of the herd ended up as fodder for the crocs lurking inside the river waters. While some animals made it to the other side, many ended up in the crocs inside! We trekked back to our starting point led by a local guide holding an AK 47 to make us feel a bit more safe, perhaps against attack by a fellow human being ! Lunch was courtesy our hotel which had been wise enough to supply food packets which we consumed at the Tanzania – Kenya border ( marked by stones ! ). On the way back, we stopped b y at the Equatorial line passing through many parts of Kenya one of which was at Nanyuki where an enterprising lad used his compass tricks to show us that we were indeed standing on the equator, even awarding me with a certificate to show that I had crossed the Equator , signing off as a Dr.William ( TIP : If you want to get conned, don’t ask God for help). Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped by at a Masai village dotted with mud huts. As we entered the dark & dank dwelling, we were greeted by a Masai family. One of the members had gained adequate English proficiency to explain in detail the lifestyle & culture of the Masai tribe. An interesting aside was the fact that in a tribe where polygamy existed, the highest jump by a bachelor gets him the hand of his choicest girl. But not before he has brought home, the head of a lioness to elicit the desired attention of his prospective bride. We were told that w
hile the men hunted, the women took care of the children at home. And as we streamed out of the foul smelling hut, we were glad to get a breath of fresh air but at the same time left wondering how one could live without the trappings of modern day comfort and technology ! The day ended with a sumptuous dinner at our hotel followed by a traditional Masai dance. And as I lay in bed, I could not believe that I was lying in a jungle, caged as it were, surrounded by wild animals roaming in the wild. You name it and we had seen it : Elephant, Zebra, Giraffe, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Rhino, Jackal, Wildebeest, Impala, Thompsons Gazelle, Grants Gazelle, Bat Eared foxes, Banded Mongoose, Hyena,Kongoni, Warthog, Forest Hog, Secretary birds, Fish Eagles, Vultures, all of which was made possible by the sharp eagle eyes of our driver Joe ( TIP : Make sure you have a good driver-cum-guide who is willing to log in miles with plenty of smiles, rarely to be seen on human faces these days but which seemed more visible on that of animals !
6th October 2011
We checked out of Sarova Mara hotel for our next hotel of call, namely Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort on Lake Naivasha, a sweet water lake approximately 177 sqkms in size and home to a varied species of flora and fauna. ( NAIVASHA denotes the characteristics of the lake while SOPA denotes HELLO or JAMBO in Swahili ) descending 3500 feet into the Great Rift Valley. The history 
of the area has been important since it formed the main route of the slave trade from Uganda and the highlands of Kenya .The bus drive through the plains was not as spectacular as our drive to Masai Mara with hardly any wild life on the way. Enroute we stopped at a curio shop for some gift bargains ( TIP : Be ready to be ripped off by the shop owners, so make sure that you drive a hard bargain before parting with those USDollars or Kenyan Shillings ). After a heavy lunch ( TIP : I recommend all the hotels we stayed at, as much as for the comfort & service as for the ‘taste- bud tickling’ treat ) it was time for a boat ride on Lake Naivasha at USD 30 per head. Donning life jackets, we got on to a motorized contraption much like the ones we have at Qantab ! The lake was dotted with varied species of flora and fauna including water lilies, pelicans, water hippos, etc. living in a tranquil world of their own. And as we docked after the ride, we were greeted by a tourist guide for a walk-about near the lake to see those giraffes, zebras and wildebeest up close. As we hit the camp, it was almost dark. And as I began to retire for the day, I was woken up by sounds and looking out, I could see the outline of huge animals. A brown silhouette of the Hippo standing close to our lodge. An awesome experience indeed !
7th October 2011
We departed from Naivasha heading out to Mount Kenya ( the second highest mountain after Mount Kilimanjaro ) or the granary of East Africa. Here, at the foothills of the mountains nestled the MASAI MARA SOPA LODGE ( Sweetwaters Tented camp or Sangare Ranch House ) amidst lush green surroundings , home to the Chimpanzee, Rhino and Forest Elephants. Post lunch Joe drove us to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary which was choc-a- bloc with bus loads of school children who had come to see this ancestor of the Homo Sapiens. The caged chimps oblivious to the human civilization around it, were too busy in their own romantic pursuits with mother chimp sometimes lovingly attending to her brood. For a change, we saw animals in a cage ! Our next stop was the Rhino Park housing one of the most endangered species on this planet. We were informed that eight rhinos were brought into Kenya from Czechoslovakia and let out into the wild for breeding but this one eyed rhino had been caged to ensure its own safety from human predators for whom t
he rhino horn is more weightier than gold in the world market. The question that begged to be asked was : Is there a beast in every man ?
And as dusk enveloped, our Man Friday Joe, rang the curtains down on the Safari and brought us back to our tented dwelling to the eerie sounds of animals for whom perhaps the day had just begun !
8th October 2011
All good things must come to an end and so it was with our Kenyan Sojourn. Packing our bags for one last time, we set off for the airport with a heavy heart not wanting to leave our animal friends behind in a country we had called home for the past 5 days. And as we bid Kwa heri ( Goodbye ) to Joe, I looked back fondly on the memories of the past few days reminiscing on how uncomplicated the animal world experience had been.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS
A ) Sarova Mara Game Camp, MAASAI MARA
Tel : +254 050 22386
mail: sarova.mara@sarovahotels.com
Tel : +254 020 2716688
mail : centralreservations@sarovahotels.com
website : http://www.sarovahotels.com/
B ) Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort , Naivasha
Tel: 050-50358/9
Fax : 2021216
Mail: Insr@sopalodges.co.ke
C ) Sweetwaters Tented Camp, Mount Kenya
Tel: +254 20 2842000
Fax: +254 20 2718100/1
D ) Masai Mara Sopa Lodge Ltd
Lodge : Tel: 050-22196/22197
Nairobi : Tel 020-3750235/3750460
PREPARATIONS FOR THE TRIP
DOCUMENTS & PAPERS
1. Passport & ticket ( plus copy of one set of all documents )
2. Foreign currency ( USDollars / Kenyan Shillings…… small change as well ) ( US Dollars with print date later than 2002 )
3. Travel insurance
4. Guidebooks for Kenya
5. International Telephone card / roaming SIM ( ask for a local SIM from the hotel )
6. YELLOW FEVER CARD ( This will be issued by the Ministry of Health in Oman after vaccination one month prior to travel and the card itself is valid for 10 years )
SPECIAL ITEMS
1. MALARIA TABLETS ( dosage to start one day prior to travel to Kenya & end one day after departure from Kenya )
2. Mosquito net ( safer to carry in case the hotel is not equipped )
3. Sun-screen lotion SPF 30
4. Mosquito repellent
5. Sun Hat
6. Long socks & hand gloves ( protection against mosquitoes )
7. Monkey cap (for cool night weather)
8. Sunglasses ( must )
9. Video camera & still camera ( most important) ……with extra batteries
10. Dust mask ( optional )
11. Medicine kit
12. Light jacket
13. Suitable footwear ( Walking shoes/ sandals/evening shoes )
14. Ready- mix tea / coffee
15. Travel kettle
16. Binoculars ( must )
17. Travel iron
18. Wet & dry tissues
19. Multiplug & phone charger
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