kenya 15 trip report

Trip Report 18 March 2015

Kenya - March 2015 David & Marilyn Thompson

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Our Experiences Kicheche Mara North & Bush Camps

Our fourth time to the Mara and this was one of our best safaris ever. The weather was good, the camps delightful, and the wildlife this time around was just something else.

We have been to both Kicheche Mara and Bush camps before and so had an idea of what to expect. Friends have asked us why we go back to somewhere we have already travelled to before when there are so many other places to see; a good point, and one we often ask of ourselves. But anyone who has had the great privilege to visit these places knows it is not an easy thing to answer. Apart from the wonderful experience of being in the conservancies, staying in very comfortable tented camps, there is something inexplicable that gets under your skin, something that grows inside and keeps calling you back. It is like a thirst that grows, which every now and again, needs to be quenched. That thirst is of course the need to be at one with nature.

And being with nature was certainly what we experienced. When I tell people we were within Gifteen feet from a full grown lion, that had it chosen to could easily have jumped into the vehicle to join us; or, that a full grown leopard walked casually towards us and then continued right underneath our vehicle; or being so close to an elephant that we could have almost touched it, they look on in disbelief.

As keen photographers we were in our element, and paying the extra levy for sole vehicle occupancy, which at Girst seemed somewhat extravagant, was absolutely the right thing for us to have done. We were free to come and go as we wished and both our guide/drivers not only understood our needs, which are perhaps different from your average tourist (forget viewing through binoculars we need to be close enough to capture the animal on camera without enormous lenses) they looked after us. They were skilled, knowledgeable and best of all good-humoured. James, our guide at Bush Camp was also a bit of a photographer himself so fully understood what we were after. He even got us to places and

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positions that facilitated getting images that we hadnt envisioned. And thats something that is perhaps unique to the experience of being at Kicheche - they really do understand a photographers needs. A testament to this was that nearly all the guests at both camps were photographers, either enthusiasts or professional.

Being set up to deal with photographers really does make a difference to us and Kicheche really is good at this. Firstly, the open-sided vehicles many with Gitted platforms to use with beanbags, allow you to get low in the vehicle and photograph almost at eye-to-eye level with the animal. Secondly, there are plenty of charging strips available and power is not limited to just a few hours a day. I cant tell you how important this is. When you are using high-powered cameras with motor drives and the action happens, the demand on battery power takes it strain. There is nothing more anxiety inducing than worrying if you are going to run out of batteries when you need them most. Its critical to have batteries and spares fully charged for that once in a lifetime moment. When the power is limited for charging, (as in some camps like OfGbeat where it is limited to just four hours per day) and everyone needs to get plugged in, it makes a big difference.

The Kicheche guide/drivers proved to be very much in tune with the photographers needs. When you can concentrate on photography without having to advise the driver where you want to be for the most advantageous position, its a real bonus. Our experience shows that Kicheche guides really do know how to anticipate both the animal behaviour and the photographers mind set, they work hard to get you into the right position for maximum photography potential.

Although we have seen lots of wildlife on previous trips, this time we felt there was so much more game about. The wildebeest were quite proliGic and many were actually in the camps. Fencing in the north of the country had resulted in the animals being unable to follow their normal route and so many had returned south and were staying around the conservancies. The wildebeest even provided us with a mini migration experience as one day at Mara North we saw a small herd cross the little river not far from camp. Obviously we didnt get the huge mass of animals of the main migration season, but we did see quite a few jumping across the river with only our vehicle present to record the action; no jostling for position against lots of other vehicles, or stress of missing the event, just

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great fun concentrating on photography. We also saw lots of wildebeest calves around; a totally new experience for us

Also at Mara North we had zebras actually walking to within feet of the lounge tent. Its an incredible privilege to be amongst wild animals that are so trusting. Of course, one cant become complacent and its important to observe the safety rules of the camp, such as being escorted by an Askari watchman during the hours of darkness when walking to and from your tent. The importance of this was highlighted one evening when whilst walking to dinner, the Askari shone his torch onto two large hippos that were lurking in the bushes not more than twenty meters from our tented accommodation.

Naturally, there were lots of predators around too. One morning at Mara North we saw something in the region of Give lionesses, twenty cubs and a large male (all Acacia Pride) feeding on the remains of a wildebeest, all this in the most wonderful lighting at dawn.

It wasnt a good week for wildebeest and during our time there we saw the remains of a number of kills. In turn, this presented opportunities to photograph the many animals and raptors drawn to the event. Having opportunity to photograph Tawny Eagles, Martial Eagles, and the many types of vultures in Glight was wonderful.

The lions in both conservancies were busy in the process of making more lions. It was incredible to see these creatures doing their thing. The spats and grimaces during the courting rituals made for excellent photo opportunities. One late afternoon, at Mara North, we saw a mother involved in the mating process while her baby cub looked on somewhat perplexed. Afterwards, she then casually lifted the cub up in her mouth and walked off with the male in tow. Our guide Joseph said she was probably an inexperienced mother because if as a result of this coupling she had another cub, then the male would kill the one we were looking at as it had been sired by a different male.

Another morning a pair of courting lions sat on a mound silhouetted against the early pre dawn light. We sat in awe as the sun rose providing a wonderful rim light on our subjects; a photographers dream.

Spring must have been in the air because we also came across an old friend, a leopard called Fig who was also courting with a large male.

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Unfortunately we didn't see the act as they were hidden in the bushes, but we did hear the roars, then Gleetingly got to see them later that day walking along the river valley before they were hidden by undergrowth. And not to be outdone in the courting rituals a young hyena in a crche of juveniles was also trying his luck.

This time, unusual sightings seemed to be a feature of our trip. One evening we witnessed (albeit momentarily) three porcupines run from a bush to disappear into a burrow. Joseph, our guide, said it had been ten years since he had seen a wild porcupine. We also saw a large Monitor Lizard stealthily walk from some reeds before disappearing into a patch of water.

Then there was the morning when the two mating lions had a stand off with a large Cape Buffalo, which Ginished with the buffalo chasing the lions away. Then on another occasion we saw a juvenile Tawny Eagle having a dust up with some jackals over the remains of a kill they were competing for; it was thrilling.

Seeing nature in the raw is very special and sometimes it is sad too. On a drive from Bush Camp we saw that a large baboon had come out of the tree line by the river and was heading towards a baby Thompson Gazelle way out on the open plane. James had spotted the potential and quickly headed towards the action. Sure enough, the baboon picked up the baby gazelle and started running off with it in its jaws. But the mother was not going to let this happen without a Gight and started to give chase, even using its small antlers to try and charge the baboon. She was a brave mother. The baboon dropped the baby and then lashed out at the mother. There was a stand off with the young tommy trying to stand before the baboon picked it up again and the process was repeated. This went on for the next Give or ten minutes until the youngsters short life was ended.

Another Girst for us was seeing a journey of giraffes crossing a river, there were around twenty of these graceful creatures gathered around all wondering who was going to be the Girst brave sole to step into the water. Then, later that day, as we sipped our gin and tonic out on the open expanse of grassland, we watched around half a dozen of them glide across the horizon against a deep orange sky as the sun slowly sank and disappeared.

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And so it went on, rarely a game drive went by without there being a highlight of some sort or another, whether it was a great photo opportunity, a new bird or animal, or being presented with a wonderful sunrise or sunset.

As the weather was kinder to us this time around we frequently sat around the boma each evening before dinner swapping experiences and sightings with other guests over an evening drink. One evening was extraordinarily special, as in celebration of a guests milestone birthday the camp staff put on a display of Masai dancing. The deep rhythmic chant of their singing as they danced and performed their characteristic jumps is something that will live with us forever.

We returned home somewhat dusty but wearing large smiles and our thirst for wildlife encounters quenched. Well, at least for now.

David Thompson

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