Kenya and Tanzania
What we did
Happy New Year!! 2020 has started off with some amazing experiences for us. However it has been impossible to take our minds off the tragedy befalling our beautiful home in Australia. The reports we’ve been hearing from family, friends and on the news have been devastating. It is surreal to comprehend as we travel around the lush, green and sometimes flooded regions of East Africa. Our love and prayers are with all of you back home.
Last Sunday we made our way South through Kenya to the Maasai Mara and we were blown away from the moment we entered the region! On Monday we began our safari in the Maasai Mara National Park and we were unbelievably lucky to have some VERY close encounters with lions and elephants.
After our game drive, we began our two night homestay in one of the local Maasai villages. On Tuesday we went on a short hike, in the company of two Maasai warriors, up to the top of a nearby hill which overlooks the National Park. During our walk, our lovely guides, Yakob and Coriata (or Coriander, as Kirsten nicknamed him), demonstrated use of traditional weapons and tools to us. Early into our walk, one of them strung up a small bow and knocked an arrow – “for the lion” they reassured us. Throughout the walk, Yakob pointed out many different trees, bushes and roots; explaining in detail their medicinal or nutritional purposes. We even crossed paths with one village’s Medicine Man who was preparing some tree roots as ingredients for a large bottle of suspect green liquid – the Maasai’s equivalent of a multivitamin, Yakob informed us. It was a great insight into the Maasai’s use of and relationship with the land.
On Thursday, back in Nairobi, we got up close with some baby elephants at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. We also had the opportunity to hand feed Giraffes at the Giraffe Sanctuary.
On Friday, we arrived in Moshi, and caught our first glimpse of Mt Kilimanjaro, which was terrifying and no reassurance at all ahead of our climb next week.
On Saturday we began our safari in the Serengeti National Park and we will be back in Moshi in a few days to make final preparations for the climb up Kili. Will hopefully manage a post after our safari, but might be a while before we are posting again once we start the climb.
Favourite thing we did
The safari in Masai Mara was simply spectacular. We couldn’t even begin to name all the many species we came across, but some standouts included Cheetahs, Giraffes, Zebras, Buffaloes, Wildebeests, Thomson Gazelles, Hippopotamus, Warthogs and of course Hyenas. The highlight has to be when we came upon a lion, lazily napping in the bushes just metres away from the large Buffalo he had taken down that morning. When he stood up and came within touching distance of our truck to continue his feast, you could feel the quickening heartbeats of everyone onboard. We had lunch in the shade of an Acacia tree, in a large open field, Antelopes and Gazelles grazing nearby (the guide nursing a heavy wooden club on his lap – “for the lion”).
Least favourite thing we did
Walking around Nairobi. Popular known as “Nai-robbery”, we never felt especially comfortable exploring the city. Seemingly heckled (the most aggressive we’ve encountered in Africa) by every man and his dog wherever we went, we did not venture more than a few blocks from our hotel on foot.
Favourite thing we ate
For Kirsten it was the Chocolate cake we treated ourselves to at the Thorn Tree Cafe after returning from 4 days of eating ugali (corn meal) in the Maasai Mara. Came with a pot of tea (a pretty good deal at 400ksh).
Tim can’t go past the meat-fest that was the buffet at Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi. The extensive array of dishes are continually plopped on your plate by waiters for as long as you can go. When you do at last admit defeat, you must indicate so by laying down the little paper flag wedged into your table number. That’s when the desert menu is offered.
Favourite thing we drank
Maitais at Secret Garden Hotel in Moshi. 10,000 Tsh ($6.20 AUD). Refreshingly cold with a generous pour of Rum.
Biggest splurge of the week
Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi. 3400 ksh ($50 AUD) each for the buffet. It was all you can eat, sure, but we arrived a little late in the afternoon and maybe a little too full to take advantage of it.
Best deal of the week
The safari and homestay with the Maasai village, arranged through Namayiana Safaris, was a fantastic deal. Can’t recommend it enough. The homestay experience in particular was a real treat, with all meals, accommodation and activities included in the price. Our safari guide/driver was very experienced and informative and the vehicle provided was well up to the task.
Our ‘westernised’ Maasai hut was quite comfortable, but we are just a bit too tall for this life.
Dinky-Di Duo 