Kenya

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Kenya
2007
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• In June, 2007 we joined 10 other hardy souls
  for a Kenyan adventure arranged by the University
  of Wyoming. The trip included 6 game parks plus
  historical and cultural talks and tours. Wed
  recommend the trip highly! Roy had looked for an
  African safari for several years, and believes
  this one was the very best value for money. If
  youre interested in such a trip, go to
  http//www.uwyo.edu/ and type Kenya trip in the
  Search function.
• Our thanks to the group leaders, ourdrivers,
  and everyone who contributed to the group
  collection of photos fromthe trip that were all
  able to use for our presentations. Some of the
  photos youll see are ours, some are theirs,
  and we hope youll enjoy them all!
• Roy and Sarah

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Our trip covered an area about the size of
Pennsylvania. The area in red is shown on the
next screen.
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John Kambutu and Michael Day from the University
of Wyoming led our group of 12.
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Our intrepid drivers, Sammy and George.
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Our van with Sammy, our good friends Cody and
Michael Hamilton, and Dick Gormley, our trips
elder statesman.
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Karatina Market, located outside Nairobi, is the
largest market in eastern Africa.
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Mount Kenya
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Our rooms at the Mt. Kenya Lodge overlooked a
water hole. Note the blind on the left where the
animals were sometimes an arms length away.
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Cape buffalo stay by the water hole during the
day. In the evening the elephants come. The
fresh water well is for the elephants who dont
like the muddy water.
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Waterbuck really do like the water. In the
picture of the water hole you can see them on
the island.
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The male waterbuck.
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The big male came alone to the water hole before
the females and babies.
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The Sykes monkeys broke into some of the rooms,
and stole potato chips and vitamins. Always
happy to improve the health of our neighbors
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Vincent, the knowledgeable ranger at Mt. Kenya,
gave us lectures on Kenyan history as well as on
the wild life of the area.
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A large sign told us not to go walking without an
armed guard. Good advice as the following
pictures show
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A strangling fig that grows from the top down,
establishes roots, and strangles its host in the
process.
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Tea Country
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The workers and their children at the tea
cooperative we visited.
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Aberdares Country Club
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At Aberdares, we walked among the animals. It
was the opening scene from the Lion King, with
giraffes, warthogs, zebra, baboons antelope
sharing the plains.
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There are 3 kinds of giraffes in Kenya. These
are reticulated giraffes.
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These are Masai giraffes. Notice the difference
in their markings.
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We saw the Big 5 so named because they were the
most dangerous animals to hunt - in Lake Nakuru
(our favorite game park).
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Lions top the list
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Joined by leopards,
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Elephants,
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Cape Buffalo,
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and Rhinos.
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Lake Nakuru is known for its flamingos. As you
approach the lake it looks like a pink beach
from a distance. Beautiful!
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A lone hyena was sure he was going to snag a
flamingo for breakfast!
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Marabou storks, great white pelicans, and
flamingos.
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We visited an elementary school near Nakuru.
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Richard Kabugi is the schools head master.
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The second grade teacher.
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The parents built the school, adding rooms as
needed with dirt floors and handmade desks. A
recent law makes school free and mandatory for
all Kenyan children through the 8th grade. The
result is that schools have become very
crowded. This school had 40-50 children in every
classroom, and one class had to meet outside
until another room can be added.
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On the Road
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Crossing to Lake Baringo was a challenge because
the bridge was out.
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For a small fee, a gaggle of young men gave cars
instructions for safe passage across the river.
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Hippos and zebras came to graze on the lawn at
night, and the hippos lounged just off the dock
during the day.
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Lake Baringo is a bird watchers paradise.
Heres a hornbill.
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A Superb Starling really superb!
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Weaver birds.
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Weaver bird nests are built by the males.
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After the male builds about 20 nests, the female
picks the one she likes. The rest are used as
decoys for predators.
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Predators would also have to cope with thorns.
African foliage has evolved great protection.
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Some plants even have thorns on their leaves!
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One of the resident scorpions.
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A termite mound. Over 15 feet high!
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The balsa wood boats of Lake Baringo.They keep
fishermen afloat, but not dry.
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Fortunately the boats we went out in were
waterproof!
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The men in these boats had fish for the local
fish eagles. When they whistled, the birds
swooped down with lightning speed to catch the
fish in mid-air.
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The hippos of Lake Baringo.
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Nearby Lake Bogorio has natural geysers.
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St Patricks High School in Iten where Roy taught
during his stint in the Peace Corps in the
1980s. Here he is with the head master.
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We visited on a Sunday, when some of the boys
were watching a movie, while others did their
laundry.
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The biology lab where Roy held classes.
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Heres the truck that carried Roy and the boys
all over Kenya.Its retired now.
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At the Equator
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At the equator, satellite dishes point straight
up!
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In the Kakamega rain forest there is a beautiful
oasis called the Rondo Retreat, with English
cottages and beautiful grounds.
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The resident naturalist was Wilberforce, who
adopted the name of a noted British abolitionist
after reading about him at age 12. Meeting
Wilberforce was a highlight of our trip. He was
the most singularly peaceful man Ive ever
met. Wilberforce is trying to educate the people
living in the forest to preserve the environment
and has developed natural remedies from the
forest that the people can sell to earn a living.
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Wilberforce showed us a tree that stores water so
that animals can drink even in drought
conditions. The tree also is a
microenvironment where insects live that
existnowhere else.
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We didnt go too far into this cave since it was
the home of very large fruit bats.
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A Sykes monkey and her baby.
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A black white Colobus monkey.
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March of the caterpillers.
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Women harvesting wood from the forest. Each
bundle of logs had to weigh over 100 pounds!
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Chabumba is typical of many of the villages we
passed. We stopped here to visit a soapstone
quarry.
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The Chabumba tailor shop.
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At Lake Victoria, we saw many vendors along the
road selling black suits and coffins. The area
has one of the highest mortality rates in Africa
because of AIDS and malaria. Pictured here is
the local car wash.
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On the way to Masai Mara, we visited a Maasai
village (the Mara is spelled with 2 As and the
tribe is spelled with 3).
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The Maasai warriors are known for their jumping
ability, used to see above the tall grass and
cattle to see if there are predators nearby.
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The bachelor warriors wear elaborate hair braids
colored with ochre.
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Maasai bomas are surrounded with thorn fences to
protect the herds from lions. The cattle come
inside the bomas at night.
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The Mara River at Masai Mara. During the
wildebeest migration, this area is rife with
crocodiles in the river and lions on the
riverbanks.
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This croc arrived a little early
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Hippo tracks.
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The Masai Mara is a vast grassland. Its amazing!
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Acacia trees on a misty morning.
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You cant visit the Mara without getting stuck at
least once!
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A passel of young lions, fat and happy from their
morning meal.
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This pair was courting with playful ear nibbles
and mini-roars. Lions mate about 70 times a day
for 3 days straight. Whew!...
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A Southern Ground Hornbill.
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Griffin Vulture
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This lioness saw vultures on her 3 day old kill
and had to come to defend it even though she had
no more interest in eating it.
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Dont let this cute little hyena fool you. They
dont even get along with each other!
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A Grey Crowned Crane. Gorgeous bird!
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Six African cranes.
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Black-backed jackel.
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Cheetahs are truly beautiful!
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A Verreauxs Eagle Owl very large!
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African Crowned Eagle with a former Thompsons
Gazelle.
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Ostriches lay their eggs on the ground, and then
have to defend them vigorously.
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A Marabou Stork. We even saw these birds in the
trees in Nairobi.
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Thompsons Gazelles (seen in the center of the
picture behind the Topi) hang out with the Topi
because Topi use ant hills as lookout stands and
their large size provides protection.
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An amazing 4 foot high Secretary Bird with the
gazelles and Topi
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An Impala with his harem.
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A group of bachelor Impala.
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African elephants have larger ears than their
Asian cousins, and cant be domesticated.
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We visited just before the Wildebeest migration,
but saw scouting parties that come before the
major herds to find the best grazing lands.
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Troops of baboons patrolled just outside the
hotel grounds at the Masai Mara.
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Our sunrise balloon ride was a highlight of our
stay at the Mara.
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Our last stop was at Lake Naivasha, where we saw
this gorgeous Violet Breasted Roller
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The Agama Lizard is iridescent beautiful!
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A Leopard Tortoise moseying down the road.
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Roy and Dick celebrated birthdays in Lake
Naivasha. The staff staged an elaborate
presentation complete with African drums to
present their birthday cake.
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Roy and I stayed a couple of days in Nairobi
after the safari and visited the Sheldrick Wild
Life Trust Elephant Orphanage. Each baby has a
keeper around the clock since they are so
sensitive that they will die without
companionship.
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The smallest babies use the keepers fingers as a
pacifier, and wear blankets to protect them from
sunburn. In the wild, theyd stand in their
mothers shadow.
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Volleyball is a favorite game between the babies
and their handlers.
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The Wild Life Trust also has a sanctuary for
threatened Rothschild giraffes, distinguished by
the black markings within their brown spots.
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These gentle giants will be released into a game
park. Their keepers stay with them for 3 months
in the wild to ensure that they can cope on their
own.
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All along the way, we met wonderful people. Here
are some of their portraits
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Instead of a sunset to end our safari, were
chosen a sunrise picture, because were looking
forward to another day in Kenya very soon.
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