Val’s Kenyan Experience: Day 3 – Lake Jipe
November 2015
I set the alarm for 6.30 and am just in time to see a few dozen Guinea fowl at the watering hole joined by some zebra. I decide to have a jog and spot a dik-dik on its own. I hope the mate has not died; dik-diks mate for life and basically commit suicide rather than live alone.
Breakfast is our last meal at the watering hole at Kilaguni, and we are not disappointed by the show with 2 warthogs appearing from the bush – and yes they really do look like Pumba in the Lion King. We’re treated to a great variety of wildlife this morning – a jackal, some baboons, a giraffe and a pair of ostriches with at least 20 babies. Finally we see some zebra who wait for everyone else to get out of the way, and finally get a drink themselves
We say our goodbyes to the lovely staff and feel even sadder when we hear that they only have 7 guests tonight with a capacity of 120 in the lodge. Kenya’s tourism has suffered a lot as a result of the al-Shabaab attacks, but I have to say we feel very safe throughout the whole trip.
Kenya’s tourism has suffered a lot as a result of the al-Shabaab attacks, but I have to say we feel very safe throughout the whole trip.
Our safari today will take us from the north east tip of Tsavo West National Park to its south east corner, very close to Tanzania. The landscape is varied- sometimes hilly and at other times very flat. We spot zebra, oryx with their straight antlers and impala with their curvy ones. I’m in one of the land-rovers with Nicco, our driver and decide that it’s about time I did some driving. It’s not too difficult to work out the gears, but you do need to concentrate on the road at all times.
We arrive at Lake Jipe by 3.00 pm and, with Kilimanjaro overlooking the Kenyan and Tanzanian lakesides, it really is beautiful. There are 3 ‘bandas’ or basic pavilion-like rooms facing the lake, with which are the sleeping quarters for 6 of us. We have a late picnic lunch by the lake and head to Lake Jipe Safari Camp, where Jane and I are sleeping. This is a new set-up, opened only a month before. The decor has a giraffe or ‘twiga’ theme and although not as luxurious as Kilaguni, it has a different charm. There’s even a swimming pool where we relax for a couple of hours, and take in the charm of our surroundings while listening to the theme from ‘Out of Africa’.
Our dinner is tilapia caught from the lake – very enjoyable, and it’s soon time for the six staying in the bandas to return as they have to be back before 9.00. On the way back they catch glimpses of elephant by the lake, and hear all manner of unidentifiable sounds.
In the morning we will discover what they are.
This story is listed in: Fund-raiser stories, Security & Safety, Volunteer Stories
