The 2021 Africa Journals, Chapter 31: In Which We Explore Naboisho

 

 

Chapter 31:

In Which We Explore Naboisho

 

 "The lions taught me photography. They taught me patience and the sense of beauty,

a beauty that penetrates you.” — Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

 

 

Three things happened this afternoon before our first game drive in the Naboisho Conservancy.

While Laura and I relaxed in our shared tent with  the circulating fan on high, Marg continued to confer with camp manager Minnie, aided and abetted by Jason Fernandes, owner/operator of Wilderness Uncut, who had made all our arrangements at four of our locations.   His input was by text.

 Jason had previously  told Minnie that we were a group of old women and needed special considerations and tents close to the main area.  Or, words to that effect.

The long, hot switchback trek up the side of the ravine to where the safari vehicles was canceled   Instead, they would pick us up in front of the common area tent and about thirty feet from my tent.

 Minnie kicked another couple out of the camp and that made room for Laura and I to have private tents.

All of that I wrote with tongue in cheek.   Jason did tell Minnie we were old but I think he was more diplomatic in his description.   Or maybe not.   He knows Marg well and I doubt he described her as an old woman.  

A stream full of hippos that we crossed every day.

 

The hot trek four times a day went byebye, perhaps because of the above.   We never had to climb it.

 The couple noted above knew there was a problem with a scarcity of tents and had another camp they could go to.   So, of the six tents in Kicheche Valley Camp, we occupied five of them.

It was like having the camp to ourselves. Because of COVID protocols still in effect, we did not interact with them.  The other couple was a husband/wife team of photographers/videographers who made presentations for YouTube.   They had some impressive gear. 

 

By four in the afternoon, we were loaded up and ready to see what the 50,000-acre private conservancy in Kenya's Great Rift Valley had to offer. It boarders the world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve to the southwest, the Olare Orok Conservancy to the west, and the Ol Kinyei Conservancy to the east.

Off to a good start with a lioness and a rainbow.

These privately-owned conservancies give indigenous animals more habitat while at the same allowing native herders areas to graze their cattle herds.   Arrangements are made for compensation to the herders for losses by predators.

 

I think wildebeest are one of the most photogenic animals in Africa.   They certainly aren't the prettiest, but their coloring comes across pretty awesome in photos.

Naboisho, which means “coming together” in the Maasai’s Maa language, was created in 2010 when landowners signed a fifteen-year lease.  It is the second largest of the fifteen conservancies that border the Maasai Mara.

 We found two lionesses with their playful cubs resting in tall grass.   Cloud cover took away the late afternoon light, but lions are always fin to watch.

Grooming.

The male was nearby in a copse of trees.

 

 

Like many private conservancies, Naboisho limits the number of beds per acre as well as the number of tourists who can enter per day.   That eliminates the crowds of vehicles that gather at sightings like in the Maasai Mara.   Often, we were the only vehicle around.

The always remarkable gray-crowned crane.

 

Afternoon game drives are short, usually a couple hours.  But in the conservancies, national park rules don't apply and vehicles can stay out a while longer.    We usually stayed through the sunset and drove back to camp in the dark.   That added less than an hour this time of year.

 But, we had our first experience with the sunsets of Naboisho.

 

 

 Besides. we had some celebrating to do back at camp.    Laura Jane gifted each of us a Hallowe'en bag of candy.

 

A terrific water bottle from Kicheche Valley camp with a built-in straw.

Follow the red line that crosses the light blue at the right and follow it up to the right.   That's the location of our camp.

Location of the Naboisho Conservancy, shown in pink, to the Maasai Mara.