I’d like to invite you on a new adventure in Kenya.
Back in 2010, my husband Ben and I fell in love with Kenya, and we’ve been traveling there regularly ever since. This 2025 safari marked the first weeks of an important milestone in my life: retirement.
Of course, Felix—our guide and friend for all these years, whom some of you may even know from this forum—joined us again.
We chose an itinerary that takes us through the parks and reserves we particularly love in Kenya: Tsavo East (3 nights), Tsavo West (2 nights), a transition day in Embu, Samburu (5 nights), Meru NP (4 nights), Nanuyki to visit the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage (https://mountkenyawildlifeconservancy.org/) (1 night), and Aberdare NP (2 nights).
This safari wasn’t our most prolific in terms of wildlife sightings and photos (all taken by Ben), but I still think it’s worth sharing our experiences and impressions of the places we visited. Maybe other travelers will find useful information here to help them fulfill their dream of a Kenyan safari one day...
Living in Brittany, we left from Nantes on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, on the 6 AM Air France flight to CDG, then took the direct flight to Nairobi at 10:50 AM. No issues this time on either flight (unlike in October 2023...).
We arrived in Nairobi at 9:20 PM local time (there’s a two-hour time difference with France at this time of year). Going through passport control and collecting our luggage went smoothly. The hotel shuttle (https://67airporthotel.co.ke/) was waiting for us. We shared it with a friendly Swiss couple who were there to climb Mount Kenya. We arrived at the hotel around midnight.
The 67 Airport Hotel is 10-15 minutes from Jomo Kenyatta Airport and offers great value for money. Plus, it’s close to the Mombasa road, which is handy when heading that way the next morning.
On Thursday, January 9, we had breakfast at the hotel restaurant at 6:30 AM, and as planned, Felix arrived around 7 AM. We got to check out his brand-new 4x4 Nissan—we’d be the first to test it! [:)]
We set off for Voi, making our usual stop in Mtito Andei. Traffic was heavy on the Mombasa road, with lots of trucks.
We arrived at the entrance of Tsavo East around 1 PM and made it to Sentrim Camp (https://www.sentrim-hotels.com/sentrim-tsavo.html) just in time for lunch.
We found Tsavo East unusually green—there had been heavy rains in December, which isn’t typical. As a result, the animals were scattered and harder to spot. The watering hole visible from the camp’s dining area was completely deserted, whereas it’s usually bustling with herds of elephants and other mammals.
Our tent, No. 9, for 3 nights.
This camp is well-located inside the park. It’s simple but comfortable enough for our tastes, the staff is super friendly (as is often the case in Kenya), and the buffet-style meals are varied and good. Tsavo is the main destination for tourists staying on the coast who come for a night or two on safari. In January, some days at the camp are very quiet, while some evenings, the restaurant is packed with groups (lots of Italians, in particular).
Tsavo is, of course, famous for its elephants. This time, we didn’t see many large herds, but we did have some great encounters with solitary males.
Around this small watering hole, we saw a gathering of African open-billed storks—we’d never seen so many before!
Well, but there are still some lions in Tsavo East, after all.
Our first encounter was with a couple during mating season. The male is one of those maneless Tsavo lions. He might be a descendant of the infamous lions that, in 1898, attacked and killed nearly 140 African and Indian workers building the Mombasa–Lake Victoria railway.
For those interested in the history, there are several books on the subject:
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by John Henry Patterson
Terror in the Bush by Michel Louis,
But not all Tsavo lions are maneless—proof, the next day:
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Thanks Sylvie for this beautiful start to your travel journal in parks that bring back such great memories—I was lucky enough to visit them in 2021 during that really tough time to travel when Covid was raging around the world.
I still remember a pretty surreal scene in Tsavo West National Park where a leopard was being attacked by a troop of baboons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9jjqhmyTlM&t=4202s
at 1h07').
This is the first time we’ve seen this phenomenon on such a large scale: swarms of small birds. They fly together in the thousands, moving in formations that look like clouds or waves.
These are red-billed queleas ("chestnut" in English).
When you see them invade the savanna grasses, it’s easy to understand why they’re feared in Africa when they attack crops. They’re also called "Africa’s feathered locusts" because they cause the same kind of damage.
In the next photo, a group was gathered over a watering hole. Many struggled to take off again, much to the delight of the herons, ibises, and eagles in the area.
Around another watering hole, a group of large male elephants bathing put on quite a show for us.
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It's amazing, these swarms of workers (I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in Africa—do you know if they migrate?)
Apparently, they fly like starlings back home...
But I still have a soft spot for Verreaux's eagle-owl
Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)
This new safari in 2025 marked the first weeks of a major milestone in my life: retirement.
Awesome, Sylvie! Your retirement is off to a great start with a trip to the country you love so much 😊
To accompany us, of course, Felix, our guide and friend for all these years—some of you on this forum even know him.
Yes, Felix, whom you recommended for our first trip in 2021 and then again in 2023, and with whom we’ll travel again when we return to Kenya 😊
We chose an itinerary passing through the parks and reserves we particularly love in Kenya: Tsavo East (3 nights) - Tsavo West (2 nights) - a transition day in Embu - Samburu (4 nights) - Meru NP (4 nights) - Nanyuki to visit the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage https://mountkenyawildlifeconservancy.org/ (1 night) - Aberdare NP (2 nights).
Tsavo East and Tsavo West—two parks to add to our next itinerary 👍
We’re discovering his brand-new vehicle, a Nissan 4x4, which we’ll be the first to test :)
Cool, there’s gotta be a little spot for me with you and Felix 😊
Around this small watering hole, a gathering of African Openbills—we’d never seen so many...
I’ve never seen them in Kenya before—they look like black storks. Are they endemic to the eastern parks? That’s amazing—is it a gathering before migration?
"Voyager est un triple plaisir : l'attente, l'éblouissement et le souvenir." Ilka Chase
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Hi Muriel,
We’d never seen such huge swarms before, but in Botswana, at the entrance to the Central Kalahari, I remember a tree completely covered in them. In theory, you can find them anywhere in sub-Saharan and southern Africa.
Photos don’t really capture the phenomenon—a video might do it more justice...
https://vimeo.com/1093378182?share=copy#t=0
Amazed by the photos of the bird cloud, the elephants bathing, and the heron in flight.
I didn’t know there were lions without manes—it looks so weird... they seem less fierce
Welcome, Pascale!
Yeah, those maneless lions are strange. At first, I thought they were two lionesses, but Felix quickly reminded me about this Tsavo peculiarity.
I’m not sure they’re any friendlier [;)] ... Anyway, their ancestors snacked on quite a few humans [:/]
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Oh yeah, Isabelle, you can hop in. Felix would surely be thrilled to see you again in his 4x4 [;)]
We’d already spotted some African openbill storks in the marshes at Meru NP, but only a few. They’re definitely part of the stork family.
I don’t know if they were getting ready to migrate... they probably had enough food (snails) in the area.
If you're looking for second-hand copies, I recommend—if you don’t already know it—the "chasse aux livres" website. That’s how I’ve built up a nice "African library" over the past few years [;)]
For the African birdwatchers, we also had a great opportunity in February 2020, along the natural channel linking the Rufiji River to Lake Manze in southern Tanzania: there were thousands of them, stretching for kilometers... really impressive. See:
https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t14678p70-safari-photo-dans-le-sud-de-la-tanzanie-fevrier-2020
Not having encountered them in the same place during other trips, I think it’s a migratory phenomenon. (Similar time of year to your story)
The red elephants of Tsavo have amazing tusks... I hope they’ll still be there and still "colored" next October when we visit the region.
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Hi Alain,
I think I’ve seen more open beaks than red-billed oxpeckers!
Even though I wasn’t really into birds during my first safaris, I think I would’ve noticed them!
Thanks for the photos.
Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)
Thanks to Alain and Muriel for your contributions.
The heavy rains in December were great for nature but made game drives difficult. For those familiar with Tsavo East, the pipeline area, usually full of herbivores, is deserted. The surroundings of Ashnil Aruba, often a hotspot for great sightings, are also pretty empty. So, Felix decides to head southeast toward the Batchuma Gate for our last afternoon.
Great call—it’s in this direction that we spot bird interactions at the watering hole, and near some thick bushes and another small pond, we see our first lioness settling down in the shade.
She’s soon joined by a second lioness.
Then by two cubs.
A magical moment with lighting that’s perfect for the photographer....
Yes, Isabelle and Muriel, we were really lucky with this scene—good conditions with great light and no other vehicles nearby isn’t that common [;)]
Our luck continued a little further down the track with a family of bat-eared foxes (the parents with their two young ones). They started running in front of the car for several minutes. I think it was a game for them—they’d glance back at the car from time to time. Eventually, they disappeared into the bushes on the sides of the road.
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Hi Sylvie,
Still full of enthusiasm about Kenya!
For a trip that started off pretty light on wildlife, it’s still getting off to a great start, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Jacques
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Jacques and Didier: welcome on board or rather *Karibu* [;)]
Before leaving Tsavo East, here’s a little video of one of those beautiful tuskers.
Did you know that, just like humans, some elephants are right-handed and others left-handed?
This one’s a lefty—his dominant tusk is more worn down on that side.
Today we're leaving Tsavo East to head to Tsavo West via the MAKTAU gate.
For a change (we stayed at Kilaguni in 2023 and had previously gone to Rhino Valley Lodge, which is currently closed), we chose Severin Safari Camp (https://www.severinsafaricamp.com/) for two nights. It's really nice—almost a bit too fancy for our taste. The tents are well-appointed with a lovely bathroom.
For meals, there’s no buffet, but table service with hearty menus and plenty of choices.
The restaurant is open to the savanna, where you can see lots of animals. We spent an entire evening watching a group of impalas.
The only slight downside to this camp is that it’s quite far from the rhino sanctuary. Given the sanctuary’s opening hours, we weren’t able to visit this time...
Over these two days, we saw a few more herbivores than in Tsavo East, but no predators.
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Hi there,
I’ve already had the privilege of spending long moments with a family of adorable bat-eared foxes, but I’ve never yet encountered a fringe-eared oryx: that’ll be one of the goals of the October trip in this region. As for the lesser kudu, that’s THE main goal...
What will Nature decide at that moment? It’s a kind of torture for me to see that all my friends have managed to spot them (some without even knowing what they were... the irony!), while for me, it’s been just a fleeting glimpse of 3/4 seconds...
Thanks, Sylvie, for this follow-up.
(I’m probably up for the Madagascar bee-eater, though I’m no ornithologist either...)
https://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/guepier.de.madagascar.html
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Thanks Alain,
I also use oiseaux.net for identification. In this series, it's mainly the short-toed eagle/buzzard that's giving me trouble.....
Heading to Tsavo West should be good for the lesser kudus this time..... but with nature, you're never certain of anything—it's all part of the fun.
Yes, it was a beautiful end to the day, with the lions coming to drink and the race with the bat-eared foxes. What I love about game drives is when there’s some action or behavior to figure out.
Thanks, Didier! The red earth of Tsavo is indeed photogenic. We found the same color on some trails in Meru NP too.
Before leaving Tsavo, a few views of Kilimanjaro:
We exit Tsavo West through the MTITO gate around 10:30 AM. Heading to EMBU, which will be our stop before reaching Samburu.
This road is in good condition and not heavily used by trucks. The landscape is very green: tea and sisal plantations, lots of baobabs, mango trees...
A lunch stop in the small town of KITUI at Café Kazuri, a local restaurant with excellent value for money.
Around 5 PM, we arrive at the Walton Izaak Inn https://www.izaakwaltoninn.co.ke/. This is the second time we’ve stayed at this hotel. The rooms could use a little renovation, but the large garden is gorgeous, and the food is very good.
The next morning, we leave around 8:30 AM and arrive in Isiolo at 11:50 AM, where we do some shopping. We’re at the entrance of Samburu Reserve by 1 PM. Since our last visit, the office has modernized: payment is now by credit card, but the rate has gone up to $85 per day....
We settle in for three nights at Samburu Riverside Camp https://www.sambururiversidecamp.com/. A camp we’ve known for many years. We notice the latest upgrades: expansion of the floor area and a raised roof over the dining/kitchen area. This improves ventilation and helps keep the heat down.
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Grevy's zebras are becoming increasingly rare, unfortunately:
This explains why we only saw 2 (or more precisely, 2 sightings of a single one) [:/].
Is there a known reason for this? (Other herbivores don’t seem to have been as affected).
Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)
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Hi Sylvie,
Is the transfer to Samburu not too long? It’s still quite a few hours on the road… Samburu really interests me because we’re going there next year, almost at the same time. The species you encounter there are particularly stunning, I think.
Have a good day,
Jacques
It's true, Muriel, that unfortunately the Grévy's zebra is endangered. According to the Grevy's Zebra Trust association https://www.grevyszebratrust.org/conservation-status/#, there are only about 3,000 left, mainly in Kenya.
Back in 2012 or 2013, we saw large herds of dozens of these zebras, especially in Buffalo Springs, but since the drought years, they’ve become much less common in the reserve. You can also find them in the Laikipias, the conservancies around Samburu, and a few in Meru NP.
I think the main causes of their decline are habitat loss and degradation, particularly due to climate change. Here’s a short BBC report with the wonderful voice of Sir David Attenborough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHuqeIP3_HQ&t=12s.
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Hello Sylvie,
Not too long a transfer to Samburu? It’s still quite a few hours on the road... Samburu really interests me because we’re going there next year, almost at the same time. The species you encounter there are particularly beautiful, I think.
Have a good day,
Jacques
The transfer time to Samburu obviously depends on your starting point.
From Nairobi, it takes about 6 hours. The road is pretty good (I find it less dangerous than the one to the Maasai Mara or Voi for Tsavo).
This time, we were in Tsavo, and the trip can’t be done without a stop. For several years now, when traveling from Tsavo to Samburu or Meru NP, we’ve been going through Embu instead of Nairobi. The road is better and much less crowded.
We also did the Samburu-Nakuru route again a few years ago, and once more, we were pleasantly surprised—the road is quite decent.
Overall, in recent years, we’ve noticed major improvements in Kenya’s roads.
A superb starling or royal starling.
