|
FEATURES Ethiopia's
Omo Valley Perfectly,
Privately Pemba Journeys
in North
Africa East
Africa Hotnews Switzerland
of Africa To
Casablanca by Rail Zulu
Heritage Women
in Tourism Luxury
Vintage Rail
Tour DEPARTMENTS Book
Reviews Shopping
Around Air
Highways
Website |
|
T Kenya
Grand Tour: Part One Several
things I loved best about the lodge is the
panoramic view from the dining room, most
especially the broad patio that overlooks the
golf course, with Lake Naivasha on the horizon.
From here we enjoyed several day trips. One was
a cruise along the shores of Lake Naivasha,
where we encountered hippos and a variety of
waterfowl. We stayed at the Great Rift Valley
Lodge, followed by two additional nights at one
of the private golf course residences owned by
the Mwangis. It was an unforgettable experience,
and there's much more to come on this topic.
Speedbird Travel and Safaris is in Nairobi's
Westlands area. E-mail speedbird
safaris Kenya
Wildlife Service On Guard. Stop
and smell the roses. Amboseli
National Park At
one point during our evening game drive from
Serena's Amboseli Lodge, I was struck by the
fact that you could look in every direction -
360 degrees -- and see some form of wildlife. A
family of elephants on the horizon at 12 o'clock
-- several frisky giraffes to the right - a herd
of buffalo grazing on our left - and other
grassland creatures bringing up the rear.
George, our driver stopped for fifteen minutes
as we watched two large Crested Cranes in attack
mode. One was hopping about, spreading his wings
and hunching his back defiantly as he approached
a cobra, which lay by the side of the road
totally unperturbed by all the cavorting and
saber rattling. On
the Road Again: East
African Wild Life Society Amboseli
lies immediately North West of Mt. Kilimanjaro,
on the border with Tanzania. Amboseli was
established as a reserve in 1968 and gazetted as
a National Park in 1974. The Park covers 392
km2, and forms part of the much larger 3,000 Km2
Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of
wildlife occur here in the dry season, making
Amboseli a popular tourist destination. It is
surrounded by 6 communally owned group ranches.
The National Park embodies 5 main wildlife
habitats (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky
thorn bush country, swamps and marshland) and
covers part of a Pleistocene lake basin, now
dry. Within this basin is a temporary lake, Lake
Amboseli, that floods during years of heavy
rainfall. Amboseli is famous The
Lodge: In harmony with nature, the Amboseli
Serena Safari Lodge, being located in the center
of Maasai territory, reflect the tribe's
colorful culture in its architecture and
interior design. (more to come) The
Crested Crane of Africa resembles a peacock and
flies in wedge shaped formation during
migration. Its animated courtship dance involves
bowing and hopping about noisily while circling
its partner. The cranes we saw at Amboseli
performed a similar version to scare off, or at
least impress the cobra. Kenya
Grand Tour- Part Two In
our two recent trips to Kenya, 12 months apart,
we had the opportunity to enjoy the hospitality
of the Mara Serena Lodge (top of page) on two
separate occasions, and the second time we were
pleased to meet Marlene Melton, an ATA tour
operator form New York whose 19 guests were
enjoying themselves to the limit. We also stayed
at the Mara Sarova and Governor's Camp. Each
location presented a different perspective on
the Masai Mar as a perfect location of a safari.
Being elusive, the wildlife might appear in
greater numbers at one spot the first week, and
move on to another grazing area the next. So
when you go on a game driver, that's the chance
you take. In
the Swahili language, an African Safari means a
"journey," and this can involve each and every
possible means of conveyance. Since launching
Africa Travel Magazine a decade ago, Editor
Jerry Bird and I have enjoyed a variety of
safaris. For example, there was the highly
popular "balloon safari," where our craft lifted
off in the dusk at 5 am, skimming silently above
the migrating herds, We then capped off the
morning with a champagne brunch on the grassy
plains. On several recent occasions, while
touring East Africa, we joined an 'air safari,"
allowing us access to several distant locations
in a few days. From balmy island beach resorts
on the Indian Ocean islands, to different tented
camps in the vast interior highlands, travel
time was compressed into a few hours. Kenya
is often described as a cultural and
geographical microcosm and the cradle of
mankind, particularly where historians and
geographers talk about the Rift Valley, one of
the world's greatest wonders. That's why Kenya
is such a popular movie site and the subject of
so many classic and romantic novels. It's
terrain stretches from the snowcapped peaks of
Mount Kenya to the Indian Ocean islands, with
their azure waters, coral reefs, teeming marine
life and landscapes painted in a thousand shades
of blue and green. Kenya's 50 or more ethnic
groups add spice and another dimension to this
diversity. Kenyans' renowned hospitality has
been bringing visitors back for an encore since
the 1800s. The Masai Mara, with its huge
dramatic skies and panoramic views, is #1 of
Kenya's game parks. Geographically, it extends
from the Serengeti plains on the Tanzanian. In
summer, migrating wildebeest, zebra and their
entourage of followers, pour over the Tanzanian
border, to create another magical sight one
might call, " The greatest wildlife spectacle on
earth." On the Mara River, one can take a
waterborne safari to observe and photograph
hippos, crocodiles, birds galore and wildlife of
every description. Life
among the Maasai We
visited several authentic Maasai villages and
marketplaces while in Kenya, and the hardest
task was to resist spending a small fortune on
the colorful arts and crafts in such abundant
array. The Maasai are a major ethnic tribe of
Kenya, whose members cherish and maintain their
unique, nomadic culture and traditions, living
in a natural environment, with mud thatched huts
built from mud mixed with elephant or cow dung.
A typical family dwelling can consist of an
elder, with many wives and children, living
together harmoniously. North Americans can learn
much from these proud people, whose ancestors
are said to have originated in North Africa. For
more information on Kenya and the Maasai
culture, be sure to order ATA's 30th Jubilee
Yearbook, or visit www.africa-ata.org Read our
final comments on the following page. It's
hard to imagine how vast the annual migration is
in peak season - usually summer our time. We
spent two nights on the Masai Mara, the first
stop was at the charming and hospitable Mara
Sarova Tented Lodge, and our final overnight
lodging was at the Mara Serena Lodge, perched on
a forested hill overlooking the rolling, golden
plains of the Masai Mara National Reserve. The
day was spent on game drives through this
natural Eden, tracking the lions and elephants
and other denizens of the plains. By night, we
experienced a sun downers evening, with
campfires, Maasai dancing and bush dinners. Next
morning we were awakened by a strange hissing
sound, which caused some momentary concern.
Looking out the window in the semidarkness, I
discovered that it was the 'firing up' of a hot
air balloon, that was about the load its guests
for a predawn Safari. Where
Roses Bloom. Our
entire excursion, in and around Kenya, including
the exciting safaris on the Amboseli and Masai
Mara, was an experience that will last a
lifetime. Even such seemingly small things as
the scent of roses we encountered en route made
an impact. As we passed Nyeri, we also learned
that this beautiful agricultural and
horticultural area was the final resting place
of Lord Baden-Powell, who founded the Scout
movement, which has helped millions of boys and
girls get a good start in their teenage years,
one of life's most challenging periods. Knowing
this fact brought a flood of gratitude for the
great man and his legacy. Our next trip's agenda
will include a visit Baden-Powell's grave site,
gardens and Paxtu cottage, which now houses a
museum in his honor. Here's
what some current Kenya Tourist Board literature
has to say about the Maasai culture:
Linguistically, they are closest to the Bari of
Sudan, with whom they share many customs, such
as the shaving of women's heads. The Mara are
divided into 12 separate geographical sections.
Each section has its own territory. The Mara
region is shared by three of these clans - the
Siria, the Purko and the Loita - each having
their own territory, dialect and customs. The
Maasai are guided by a strong belief that they
are the sole custodians of all the cattle on
earth. This bond has led them into a largely
nomadic way of life. All of the Maasais's needs
are met by their cattle. Maasai
cultural
photos As
a warrior, boys learn all the cultural
practices, customary laws and responsibilities
that they will require as elders. girls is very
much of the hands of their parents who will
choose a warrior from a respectable family
outside their clan. Despite
their strong cultural beliefs and deep-rooted
customs, the influence of other cultures and
modern education have invariably let to a
gradual erosion so some aspects of Maasai life.
No one can completely escape the march of modern
civilization. Many Maasai have moved away from
the nomadic life to responsible positions in
commerce and government (a Maasai heads the
Kenyan Air Force, another manages a hotel) --
and despite the sophisticated lifestyle they may
lead, many will happily head homewards dressed
in designer clothes, only to emerge wearing
shuka(a colorful piece of cloth), cow hide
sandals and carrying a wooden club (orinka) - at
ease with themselves and the world. The Kenya's
Maasai are probably the most self-sufficient of
all Kenyans. Today the Narok Maasai are
custodians and managers of Africa's finest game
reserve - the Masai Mara. They attract criticism
- but only in Maasai land that we found wildlife
in abundance and diversity of species. We should
thank them for that. Read
about Kenya's famous Olympic Athletes of the
Century from our meeting with Dr. Kipchoge
Keino, head of the National Olympic Committee of
Kenya. Other interviews included Tourism
Ministry and KTB officials, of Kenya Airways CEO
, African Airlines Assn, Kenya Chamber of
Commerce, Kenya Tour Operators Assn, Utalii
College, East Africa Wildlife Society, Kenya
Travel Agents Assn, Great East Africa Auto
Rally, Mombasa and Coast Tourist Asson, plus
many hoteliers, travel agents, embassies and
tour operators. Details |
|||||||
.
.
As
editors and publishers of Africa Travel
Magazine, our recent 40-day stay in Magical
Kenya was the grand finale of a two-year effort
that will result in 3 new issues designed to
shatter the media myths and set the record
straight on Kenya's return to world prominence
as a tourism superstar. Our photographic
profiles of people, places and events are linked
from the selections on the navigation bar at the
top of each page. Like National Geographic,
Africa Travel Magazine issues are "keepers,
still in demand up to five years after
publication date. This demand has been proven at
our series of travel expos in the USA and
Canada, some attracting up to 22,000
enthusiastic visitors. Africa Travel Magazine's
exhibits anchor the Africa Section at shows
across the USA and Canada starting the first
week of January every year. Features from our
new Showtime Edition, the Africa Yearbook, Air
Highways to Africa, and Sports Tourism Edition
are previewed on the ATA web site and following
publication, complete issues will be available
in downloadable 
Lake
Naivasha, Hell's Gate and the Great Rift
Valley
Lake
Nakuru - Birds and Buffalo:
Minutes
after our Kenya Airways jet touched down at
Nairobi International Airport, following a
cross-continent flight from Cameroon - - we were
Amboseli bound. Spectacular sights on the route
south included a panoramic 'passing parade,'
with a backdrop of grassy fields and rolling
hills covered with a blanket of lily white
blossoms as far as the eye could see. In the
foreground, every few miles stood Maasai
herdsmen, alone or in pairs. From nine year olds
to great grandfathers, they were guarding their
mixed herds of cattle, sheep and goats. Clusters
of wildlife mingled with the herd as we drew
nearer to the park gates. One of the most
enduring, endearing and colorfully garbed of
African tribes, the Maasai culture has
flourished since earliest times. Directly south
of Nairobi in the shadow of the legendary,
snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National
Park was first on our list of Kenya's must-see
attractions. The most compelling reason is its
large concentrations and wide variety of
wildlife. Little time was wasted in getting us
out 'on Safari, " as no sooner than we checked
in at the Amboseli 
The
first Safari stop was at a nearby Maasai
village, where we met and mingled with the chief
and villagers; visiting their lodges, watching a
fire-making demonstration, capturing some unique
photos and bargaining for a seemingly endless
selection of craft items. We ventured inside one
of the dwellings, made entirely of indigenous
materials, including dried elephant dung. This
mixture keeps the homes cool in summer and
protected from rain and biting winds in winter,
as it has for generations. (
No
Hollywood movie could ever match the real thing.
In the theater of my mind, the most vivid image
I have of the legendary Masai Mara, was standing
like a sentinel, gazing out over the endless
grasslands, while our 4wd ambled slowly along
the trail. Spotting many varieties of wildlife
and birds was quite a challenge. One could
easily notice the larger and taller creatures
milling about - giraffes, buffalo and elephants.
But from our vantage point to the far horizon, I
could just imagine how many thousand other
creatures were hidden from human view. These
denizens of the Masai Mara could leap and bound
out of the tall grass at any moment -- wild
boars, hyenas, graceful gazelles, a flock of
guinea hens - you name it. Lions and cheetahs
are prevalent, plus zebra, wildebeest,
water-bucks, eland and topi. Above photo: View
of Masai Mara from pool side at the Mara Serena
Lodge.
Annual
Migration
More
about the Maasai
Kenya
Stars Shine in our next 4 issues!