Photo Safaris in Kenya (page 4 of 18)

Photos of zebras or elephants with Kilimanjaro in the background are postcard-perfect 😇! And that gorgeous series of bird photos...

Right now, you’ve got those stunning postcard landscapes I’m totally jealous of 🤩, while I’m all about the animals 😄

Wow, a double travel journal in Kenya..... there’s definitely still a little spot for me in Felix’s 4x4. Seeing David again brings back our first adventures in Kenya self-catering. Such amazing memories......

Beautiful images to start with, and that black serval—what luck! I remember we searched for one in Amboseli without success.

Our next safari is in a few days—we arrive in Nairobi on January 9th....

Just a small note about elephant poaching in Amboseli—there’s practically none. But the elephants do move around, and once they cross the border into Tanzania, they become targets for hunters who are legally allowed to shoot them on that side of the border 😢😢😢

this is the park where you get the best view of Kilimanjaro.

Yeah, that’s why I’d happily swap Tanzania for Kenya. 😛

the iconic shot, elephants with the background

With zebras, it looks great too! 😉

Are there still countries where it's allowed to kill elephants, Regis?? I've heard about overpopulation in some areas, but I thought they just relocated them

Are there still countries where it's allowed to kill elephants, Regis?? I've heard about overpopulation in some areas, but I thought they just relocated them

Unfortunately, in many countries, that’s still the case.

https://www.leparisien.fr/animaux/apres-la-namibie-le-zimbabwe-va-abattre-des-elephants-pour-nourrir-sa-population-19-09-2024-6QQDZESKVNCDJOWAO6WPZAPFCE.php

Wow, a double travel journal in Kenya..... there’s definitely still a little spot for me in Felix’s 4x4.

Oh yes, Sylvie, there’ll always be a spot for you and Ben in the 4x4 you know so well 😉. Another big thank you for your advice on choosing new parks for our second trip 🙂.

Seeing David reminds us of our first adventures in Kenya on a self-catering trip. Such amazing memories......

I can just imagine—great meals too! 😉

Beautiful photos to start with, and the black serval—what luck! I remember we looked for one in Amboseli without success.

Ah bummer, we were luckier with Régis. A little while after, in autumn 2021, it was already gone from the area.

Our next safari is in a few days—we arrive in Nairobi on January 9th....

Wow! So jealous 🙂 What’s your itinerary? Though maybe you don’t want to share it just yet 😉 Big hugs to Félix 🙂

Just a little note about elephant poaching in Amboseli—there’s practically none. But the elephants do move around, and once they cross the border into Tanzania, they become targets for hunters who are legally allowed to shoot them on that side of the border 😢😢😢

Thanks so much, Régis, for the correction. I’d read that Tolstoy, a great Tusker, had been killed and assumed it was due to poachers without looking it up online. In fact, Tolstoy was killed in April 2022 by a Maasai arrow. Here’s the article link: https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news/updates/farewell-tolstoy?fbclid=IwAR3dp8a9rEOSYj35PFaMMIJpFA28eIJM9qDBl7oQEgrTKQxKOpi5VLd8rS8&trk=public_post_comment-text

I’ll correct it in my travel journal.

This is the park where you get the best view of Kilimanjaro.

Yeah, that’s why I’d happily swap Tanzania for Kenya.😛

Since I haven’t been to Tanzania, I can’t really advise you, but Amboseli Park is honestly stunning. Sure, it’s the second most popular with tourists after the Maasai Mara, so expect a few 4x4s 😉.

The iconic shot—elephants with the background

With zebras, it looks great too !😉

Yeah, I really like that photo too 🙂

In Zimbabwe, it's still to feed the population, so it's understandable, but we need to look for alternatives, and it mustn't be easy in those countries. But in Tanzania, it's for the trophy and the photo—that’s why they use the word "killer" 😞💀

Are there still countries where it’s legal to kill elephants, Regis?? I’ve heard about overpopulation in some areas, but I thought they just relocated them

Kenya has banned hunting since May 20, 1977. Along with India, it’s one of the few countries in the world where hunting is completely prohibited. In Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, etc., trophy hunting is organized and brings revenue to these different states. In 2019, Botswana also reopened elephant hunting. This info might be one of those things to consider when choosing a safari destination...

Our itinerary isn't completely finalized yet—we haven't made all the reservations—but at this time of year, tourism should be pretty quiet. We start with 3 nights in Tsavo East, then 2 nights in Tsavo West, followed by a transition day in Embu (a more interesting stop than going back through Nairobi). After that, Samburu (probably 3 nights at Riverside and 2 nights at Dik-Dik Lodge with our friend Martine Beauchemin in Archers Post), 4 nights at Ikweta Camp to visit Meru NP, then likely 2 nights in Aberdare (Treetops), and a final night at the foot of Mount Kenya... We’re hoping to find Félix in great shape for these new adventures!

Awesome plan Sylvie! 👍 Félix recommended we go to Tsavo—East or West, I can’t remember which—when we come back 😄 Enjoy these amazing moments with the animals! 😊

Great plan Sylvie! 👍 Félix recommended we go to Tsavo, East or West—I can’t remember which—when we come back 😄

When are we going back? 😍😍😍

Great plan Sylvie 👍 Félix recommended we go to Tsavo, East or West I can’t remember which, when we come back 😊

When are you coming back? 😂😂😂

Unfortunately Régis, it’s not in the plans yet 😅 and since we’re still far from retirement (unlike some 😊), there still aren’t many options 😞

Thanks Isabelle for sharing these stunning photos. I was grinning from ear to ear this morning at so much beauty. Catherine

Great itinerary Sylvie 👍 Félix recommended we go to Tsavo, East or West I can’t remember, when we come back 😊 Enjoy these amazing moments with the animals 😊

Knowing Félix’s tastes 😉 I think he probably recommended Tsavo East because the big cats are easier to spot in that park. It’s become harder to find animals in Tsavo West, but the landscapes are stunning, often with a beautiful view of Kilimanjaro. Plus, on our last four visits, we were lucky enough to come across wild dogs there. It’s definitely the best place in Kenya to see them (except maybe in the private reserves of Laikipia where they’re monitored).

Thanks Isabelle for sharing these stunning photos. I was grinning from ear to ear this morning at so much beauty. Catherine

Thanks Catherine for stopping by this travel journal 😊

Yes, nature is so magnificent—I’m glad my photos brought a ray of sunshine to your rainy day

And then, during our last four visits, we had the great joy of encountering wild dogs there. It's certainly the best place in Kenya to see them (except maybe in private reserves in Laikipia where they're monitored).

We saw wild dogs back in 2017 during our very first trip to Kruger Park. At the time, we didn’t realize how lucky we were to have had that encounter. Plus, they were right in front of us on the road 🤩

Amboseli / Aberdare

After one last tour of Amboseli National Park, we head to Aberdare National Park, not forgetting David 😉. We take the same route as on the way there and go around Nairobi to head further north. It’s 350 km to our next accommodation—a breeze, you might say. But that’s without counting Kenya’s rough roads and the winding routes to get to Aberdare. It takes us 8 hours to reach the western entrance of the park.

The entry formalities take a while—there’s no signal, so the card payment doesn’t go through. Félix and the ranger head a bit further to get reception. Phew! We can finally enter. There are still 15 km to our accommodation, and we have to gather wood for the fire . Indeed, there’s no heating in the lodge. It’s summer, so it *should* be fine... not really, since we’re at 3,200m altitude and it’s cold.



It’s already dark when we arrive at Fishing Lodge, which is run by KWS like in Amboseli and is also self-catering—that’s why David is still with us.

The lodge has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room with a large open fireplace. While David prepares dinner, we (well, mostly Quynh) get to work lighting the fire in the fireplace for some warmth because, honestly, it’s pretty chilly here .

The cottage nestled in greenery—there are two side by side.

Aberdare National Park is one of Kenya’s highest and most forested parks, peaking at 4,000 meters. Its landscapes are lush, made up of forests and moorlands with numerous waterfalls and rich vegetation. The Aberdares are indeed one of the wettest regions in Kenya. The thickness of the rainforests makes it difficult to spot animals.

What was Régis thinking, wanting to come here? Actually, this park is home to the melanistic serval... like many of us, we dream of spotting one .

The rest of Aberdare Park is here