Kenyan Safari - Day 5

DAY 5, Monday, April 02 - ABERDARES-MOUNT KENYA-SAMBURU

""Cross the equator on the way to the northern foothills of Mount Kenya, a l7,058-foot dormant volcano with a glistening cap of ice and snow. Lunch is reserved at the renowned Mount Kenya Safari Club, co-founded by the late actor William Holden. In the afternoon proceed to the grassland area which forms the bridge between Kenya's lush south and parched north. Watch out for herds of impalas, Grant's gazelles, and African buffalo as you enter SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE. (FB,L,D)""

This was one morning that Janine did NOT have to yell at me 20 times to get me moving!  We were up and rolling, since we knew there would be animals to greet us, making this morning so special.  The Ark is a special place, since it's the only opportunity to just stop and watch the animals in their world, for as long as they stayed near the water hole.  But to help keep this place a natural as possible, we must leave early in the morning, with luggage out and breakfast by 7am, then departing at 7:50am.  We walked up the catwalk to the bus stop, and boarded with sadness.  This was a place to return to, spend a couple of nights, to just watch and wonder!

This day was full of excitement and animals.  Enjoying the 

-27: Mt. Kenya, peeking above the clouds.

-30:  The Whole Group, at the Equator, after our presentation by Professor 'Peter, demonstrating the principle

Frank (one of the drivers), Dusty, Janine, Dad (Bill to most others!), Terri, Jackson (our fearless leader and tour director), Henry, John, Kombo (our driver and tour guide), DL, Leonard, then in the front, Linda, Ursula, and Eleanor.  Our group spanned the following geographies: Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington, and of course, KENYA !!!

Picture Index for the day - Roll #7

-3: horseback riding at the Mount Kenya Safari Club, just incredible: saw wild

Every rider must take this trail ride!

-5: Social weavers in an acacia tree

-8: Mt Kenya, and one flat tire on each safari van. Enroute to Samburu Nat'l Reserve, roads, though paved, were treacherous, potholes worse than NY, and places where we drove perpendicular to the road.

On the drive into Samburu Nat'l Reserve, we saw african cape buffalo, long-necked gerenuk antelope, beisa oryx, red hornbill, elegant Grevy's zebra- 2 settling a territorial dispute WOW!

Mature impala,liver-red reticulated giraffe

Upon arrival to the lodge, saw them feed the crocodiles, and hung meat for the leopard, which immediately arrived- perched on the tree stand and consumed it!!!

Picture Index for the day - Roll #8

-13: Oryx, gazelle, vervet monkeys

We stayed at the SAMBURU SERENA SAFARI LODGE [Tel: 254 165 30800 Fax: 254 165 30759], one of the nicest lodges for the entire safari.  This lodge, and the surrounding natural refuge warranted a return here, to spend days just taking game drives and enjoying the hospitality!

On to Day 6...