Kenya: the jewel of the equator

 Part 3: The Wildlife, Continued

In my last post, I reviewed three of Kenya's most outstanding wildlife reserves; the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Samburu National Reserve. Now, I will cover an addition four areas, a bit more briefly.

Ol Pejeta

Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a lush savannah reserve in the central region of Kenya. All things considered, it's a great place to go on a safari - you're likely to see lions, zebras, giraffes, and some huge herds of Cape buffaloes. If you like rhinos, you'll be in paradise - when I was there last year, I spotted rhinoceroses every day, even once seeing a group of seven together (this is almost unprecedented elsewhere).

Speaking of rhinos, in Ol Pejeta you can meet a gentle black rhino called Baraka, who is kept in an enclosure as she went blind in both eyes. You can even rub and hand-feed her! Another thing it's got going for it is the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Conservancy, a sanctuary for chimpanzees. The apes are not native to this part of Kenya, but here you can see them up close in their fenced area. It's a great experience to see these intelligent creatures in Africa, rather than some zoo. 

Tsavo West

You can visit Tsavo West National Park in the southeastern region of the country. One of Kenya's largest protected areas, it's unmistakeable due to its bright red, almost Martian sands. This iconic dust coats the park, and even ends up on the elephants too - for this, they're known as the Red Elephants of Tsavo. 

There are some interesting spots to visit, such as Mzima Springs, a peaceful creek which has hippos and crocodiles, and Shetani Lava Flow, a barren expanse of black basalt rock where you can see unique antelope called klipspringers, which are specially adapted to bounce between the boulders. The main downside to this park is that wildlife isn't as abundant as in others, and is often obscured by the gnarled thicket of bushes.

Amboseli

Amboseli National Park is located near the Tanzanian border, and is definitely one to remember. Its flat, featureless landscape is unforgettable, as it lies in the shadow of the breathtaking Mount Kilimanjaro and is ravaged by mini tornadoes called twisters. Despite its rather bleak atmosphere, the park is bursting with wildlife, and is one of the best places to see African elephants worldwide.

It's also got plenty of birdlife, especially in the swampy, marshy areas of the flatlands. Some of the feathered friends you can spot are super unique, like the jacana, a wading bird with enormous feet that allow it to stride atop water lilies. Other birds are impressive, such as the huge martial eagles (Africa's largest bird of prey) and the lappet-faced vulture, an imposing scavenger.

Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is like a smaller cousin to Lake Nakuru, and a recommended stop if you're heading there from the Maasai Mara. Here, you can take a canoe ride around the lake's waters, and get up close to the great white pelicans and cormorants. You'll also see plenty of huge hippos, although be warned; fishermen, and occasionally tourists, are killed by Naivasha's hippos at a worrying rate. 

I only spent a few hours at the Lake in 2017, so I don't have much to say on it other than this.

Thanks for reading, everyone!