Kenya February 2020: From Tsavo to Samburu via Meru National Park (page 4 of 5)

Thanks Bernard for following our adventure so enthusiastically! 🙂

the sounds of water and the clicks of DSLR shutters :=).

BL

Yep, Ben hadn’t turned on silent mode 😉

Our last afternoon in Meru, we’re far from the main tracks when suddenly, from a doum palm and nearby trees, the cries of dozens of baboons ring out. Félix immediately alerts us: "cats"—a feline, there must be one nearby. The baboons’ cries are unsettling; you can really feel their distress.



It only takes us a few minutes to spot a lioness devouring a baboon.





We quickly realize there are two lionesses. The second one would like to share the catch, but that doesn’t seem to be on the menu.



She smells the blood left by the prey.



The track is really narrow at this spot, and we’re very close to the scene. It seems to bother the lioness while she’s eating. She gives us an intense look that sends a chill down our spines and walks away with her prey. Those who’ve ever locked eyes with an irritated lioness will understand......





Her companion follows closely.





As we move away, we discover a cub was also there, well hidden in the vegetation....

Cute lion cub to wrap up this getaway in Meru. We’re still following in the lions’ footsteps. Now waiting for Samburu.

Best regards, Jacky.

Thanks Jacky! Happy Bastille Day to everyone!

Yes, we’ll be heading to Samburu soon (just a quick 3-hour drive from Meru). But I still have a few more photos from this park—we keep finding it harder and harder to leave. We’ll definitely be back, especially since Ikweta Safari Camp really won us over.



A white-throated bee-eater and a cut-throat finch (male).

One last elephant before hitting the road to Samburu—this one was thoroughly scratching itself against a tree.

Today, as promised, we're heading to Samburu. Conditions have changed a lot since our last visit in August 2019. We arrive in the middle of a storm, and it's the first time we've seen water on the tracks. The vegetation is very dense, the Ewaso Ngiro River is flowing strongly, and the bridge between the Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves isn't passable for vehicles.....

The presence of thousands of very young locusts in some areas suggests a worrying invasion is on the way. ....





Our first encounter—we'll come across many elephants, including very young ones. Notice the puddles of water on the track, which is very unusual for Samburu.

During this stay, we'll see lots of birds with their chicks. To start, a pair of black-faced sandgrouse (Pterocles decoratus) with two chicks they're keeping a close eye on.







The takeoff of a lilac-breasted roller. I’m including all three photos because I couldn’t decide which one to pick ;)

Another day on the trails of Samburu.

Oryx and Grant’s gazelles with Mount Ololokwe in the distance.



Reticulated giraffe



Martial eagle



Red-bellied parrot



A very busy African goshawk gathering twigs, probably to build its nest?





A singing francolin belting it out from its rock



A kingfisher having its breakfast





A little elephant nursing while its mom eats. These little ones aren’t easy to photograph because in the family, the females (big sisters, aunts, etc.) protect them and often position themselves between the baby and the vehicle.

In another travel journal (https://voyageforum.com/discussion/kenya-hors-sentiers-battus-d9781073/), I told you about a feline we’ve always been lucky enough to spot during our visits to Samburu. So, will we have that encounter again this time?...

This beauty usually lounges on a dead tree in the evening... but you’ve still got to find the right tree...

Gorgeous!! Thanks Sylvie for this travel journal. A real treat

Good evening Sylvie, A journey in small doses but oh so magnificent! Samburu is a true treasure because the encounters there are fantastic—all of Africa’s wildlife can be found in this small park, which for me is the most beautiful in Kenya. These leopard photos are really stunning—luck but also talent: bravo. Best regards, Jacky.

Good evening Sylvie,

Wow, that lion portrait is stunning... Still so striking in black and white. Evening wear, I imagine, to blend into the African night. The hunt is on!🙂

Gorgeous photos! Thanks for this travel journal, Sylvie 😉

Thanks Anne for this nice comment!

Thanks Jacky and Yolande, Ben appreciates your comments on his photos! We’re big fans of Samburu even though this year’s sightings were tougher than on our other trips......

Thanks Eric, Ben appreciates your take on this "black and white" option he chose for this portrait. Encountering a lioness is always a highlight of any safari. This one was particularly relaxed and let us observe her to our heart’s content. Hope her hunt was successful!....

Thanks, Pascale, for your kind words about the travel journal and photos. It’s a real pleasure to share all these memories with you!

An interesting but less photogenic sight than the leopard: a battle between yellow-necked francolins.



Two bateleur eagles



As mentioned earlier, this year mammals were hard to spot in the Samburu area. Fortunately, there were more of them in Buffalo Springs.

Beautiful herds of oryx.



Two young oryx



Grevy’s zebras



The swimming pool at Buffalo Springs (built by the Italians during the last world war).



This year, though, it wasn’t a great idea to feel like taking a dip—just a few dozen meters away, a couple of lions were enjoying their mating season...

Hi Sylvie,

I just read your story in one go. Thanks for this well-documented travel journal and the gorgeous photos. It really makes me want to discover Kenya. What amazing observations you made! Liliane

Sylvie, I’m still just as interested in your fascinating travel journal! Thanks for such a generous share!

BL

Thanks to Liliane and Bernard for your kind words! Hopefully, our dreams of traveling outside Europe will come true in the near future. Just so you know, the Kenyan government has cut the entry fees for national parks by 50% for non-residents in 2020. It makes new plans tempting, but given the current pandemic situation, caution is still advised...

Here are a few more images from Samburu/Buffalo Springs:

The same lion we encountered the following day.





A rather surprising scene with a young impala who was very unhappy about the presence of a pair of ostriches and their many chicks. The impala was making noises at the ostriches, while the other impalas in the area were looking on, seemingly puzzled about what the problem was...







A feeding scene with an African hoopoe:



Samburu wouldn’t be Samburu without Dik-Diks...



A giraffe needs flexibility to quench its thirst...



The sun will set soon...

Wildlife, more wildlife (© Muriel), luckily there’s a Land Rover! And that languid leopardess—an incredible sight. (The pangolin moves in stealth mode. )

Tsavo rocks!

Thanks Jean-Luc! It’s true that “the pangolin moves in disguise” would’ve made a great title for this travel journal ;)

Alright, I’ll try to finish this presentation that’s dragging on... but since new travel plans aren’t possible yet, it’s nice to stay in this vibe.

Samburu isn’t really Samburu without the vulturine guineafowl. No worries, the next generation is here.



A lovely group of white-throated bee-eaters.





A grey-headed kingfisher.



A martial eagle (I think it’s immature) enjoying a lizard.





Another red-bellied parrot.



Gerenuk and white-throated bee-eater.

The very latest photos.

A squirrel on its termite mound



A fish eagle we don’t often see in Samburu.



A roller taking flight.



To finish, this little elephant who I hope will live a peaceful life in this still-wild corner of nature.....



There we go, that’s it for this time. It wasn’t our most fruitful safari in terms of animal encounters (the last rainy season was very heavy, making sightings really tough), but given the health crisis that followed, this trip will hold a special place in our memories for a long time....

I hope these few images helped you escape your daily routine with us and dream about future travel plans!