Kenya February 2020: From Tsavo to Samburu via Meru National Park (page 3 of 5)

Oh yes, we're here and admiring it with envy 😛 😎

Thanks to everyone for your encouraging messages!

Today we're leaving Tsavo to head to Nairobi for an overnight stop before Meru.



We're passing through the Galana River, a less frequented area of Tsavo.







A stop at Lugard’s Falls for a short walk.











Here it’s forbidden to "bother" the crocodiles, so we didn’t 😉

A monitor lizard in a termite mound



A singing goshawk



We also stop by a large reservoir: Mudanda Rock waterhole, which after a short climb offers a great view. During the dry season, animals are supposedly numerous here, but today there’s no one around...



For those interested in the practical details: in Nairobi, we booked at the "Best Western Meridian." It’s located north of Nairobi, which saved us from having to cross the entire city to reach the road to Meru NP in the morning. Plus, this transition day was a Sunday, so there was little traffic at 7 AM.

Good evening Sylvie,

Nice catch with the Varan and the unseen scene. Great shot of the Singing Goshawk. What’s its Latin name 😉? The series on the lions is really interesting... and what a great atmosphere.

Thanks Eric!

After a 6-hour drive, we arrived at Meru NP, one of our favorite parks for its wild side and beautiful landscapes. For a more detailed description and more photos, check out my previous travel journal: https://voyageforum.com/discussion/kenya-hors-sentiers-battus-d9781073/

This time, we decided not to stay in self-catering at Kinna Banda inside the park. Instead, we booked at IKWETA Safari Camp, located just 2 km from the park entrance. A truly wonderful discovery: only 10 tents, tastefully and simply decorated, with a very friendly welcome, excellent and flexible meals...













The park entrance:





The welcoming committee:

An elephant that doesn’t lack tusks! Enough to make Asian cousins (and especially the female ones) green with envy...

Thanks Sylvie for your travel journal—it’s always so interesting and well-documented!

Have a great day, take care!

BL

Hi Sylvie,

We were out of touch for about ten days, for no apparent reason—maybe a quarantine. We’ve noticed, though, that you’ve been taking it easy in Tsavo since we haven’t heard from you in a while, but the park is so huge! Luggard Falls was a fantastic memory—nothing’s changed except for a new sign. We saw a magnificent elephant with impressive tusks and a heavy trunk. Looking forward to the next update. Best regards, Jacky

Thanks to Bernard and Jacky for stopping by this travel journal that’s really coming along *pole-pole* (slowly but surely)...

We’re heading back to explore Meru NP, where the vegetation has flourished with the recent rains. The search won’t be easy, and here, you can’t rely on other visitors for info—it’s rare to even spot another car...

We set off this morning at park opening time with breakfast packed in a cooler. Felix decided we *had* to find a lion before eating...



A leopard tortoise



Phew! We could finally open the cooler and enjoy our breakfast—I was *starving*...



In the afternoon, we came across a trio of lions:

A couple where the male has a collar (too bad for photos)











The third buddy soaking up the sun.

Hi Sylvie, Are many lions fitted with collars? Is it for research purposes or so guides can track them? Muriel

Good evening Muriel,

When you need to track the movements and behavior of a lion population in a specific area, it's important to monitor some of them for a while. I think this was the first time we’d come across one with a collar in Meru. This isn’t for the guides, as they don’t have access to the data collected by the collars.

In Meru NP, the "Born Free" association is very active in lion protection. Here’s the link to their website where they describe their work: https://www.bornfree.org.uk/lion-conservation Born Free was created following the film based on the book and the story of Joy and George Adamson and their lioness Elsa. They lived their adventures in the Kora-Meru area, and the lions we see there might be Elsa’s descendants... The association now works on protecting animal species in many other countries.

We sometimes crossed paths with their vehicle in the park, but not this year.

Thanks Sylvie for the details. Muriel

Still in Meru NP: a beautiful herd of buffaloes.



A solitary elephant.



A European roller.



You can occasionally spot Grevy's zebras in Meru.



We’re approaching the rhino sanctuary area. Since our last visit, there’s no longer a guard at the entrance. We can come and go without any particular checks. It’s safe to say there are so few visitors..... In the area, all animals can move freely—only the rhinos don’t know how to cross the wooden posts and electric wires.



The vegetation is extremely dense at this time of year, and we’ll spot several rhinos, but it’s tough for photos...... Luckily, we’re in luck because a family of white rhinos has chosen to rest on the track. We’ll keep a respectful distance but really enjoy this pretty exceptional moment.

Hello Sylvie,

Still such beautiful photos that make us want to escape during these times of lockdown and then reopening: elephants, buffaloes, Grevy's zebras, European rollers (there are several couples in our area right now), and more. The Rhino Sanctuary used to be* a small enclosure of a few hectares, guarded day and night by two or three rangers, where there were only 4 white rhinos transferred from South Africa (Umfolozi, I think). The keeper would bring them inside a shed every evening, which was an opportunity for the rare tourists to approach them and pet their collars, like simple cows. Even there, poachers managed to kill one or two. They seem safer now and, of course, more numerous? We can be glad about that because this animal is quite fascinating despite its grumpy look and poor eyesight. Best regards, Jacky. *Back then, it was 1980.

Hi Sylvie,

+1 for the roller if that’s what it is! We didn’t see all these animals in Meru during our trip. Oh, what a regret, isn’t it?

I'm catching the "train" a little late! Just discovered your travel journal and I'm really interested in what comes next!

Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to this travel journal—the work’s been a bit too overwhelming for my liking lately... Thanks, Jacky, for those memories from the 80s—it’s really interesting to see how this national park has evolved. Welcome, Anne!

This morning, we had breakfast near the "hippo pool," a spot where you can get out of the car. The upkeep of the walkway leading to the river is sadly lacking. We remember it being in perfect condition just a few years ago.







Another highlight of the safari was this encounter with two elephants taking a bath—they kinda disturbed the hippos that are usually submerged there ;)

Awesome, it's back! We were all a bit (a lot) craving some safari Africa, and your travel journal brings us a much-needed dose of it!

Thanks for sharing, Sylvie.

BL

Hi Sylvie,

Thanks for the photos and the text. Could you tell us exactly where in Meru it is?

Thanks Bernard! Reliving these African vibes is such a joy....

Eric, the elephant bath was in the Bwatherongi River marsh area, not far from the airstrip and the headquarters. The hippo pool where you can go down is along the Rojewero River.

The video quality is really poor, but you can watch it to get a bit more into the atmosphere.......

https://vimeo.com/437237273

This elephant bathing scene is so cool, Sylvie. And you're right, it really puts us in the mood with all the splashing, the pachyderm sounds, the water noises, and the camera shutters :=).

Thanks for sharing!

BL