1.
Kenya- Still at the Heart of the African Safari Experience
The popular image of safari, especially in
the west, is inseparable from Kenya. Earlier in the last century,
gifted writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Karen Blixen brought
to life the vivid images and uplifting life experience that
constitutes a Kenyan safari. It is at this time that leading
celebrities of the day such as Teddy Roosevelt and Prince
Edward traveled to Kenya on safari. And so the safari gained
a certain snob appeal. The famous went because it was expected
of them. And those on the make because the safari was part
of the certification they needed on the way up. If you want
to take a peek into the mood and character of the players
at that time, read Hemingway's intriguing short story "The
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber".
In our day however, the Kenya safari is accessible
to many more people. Despite competition from other destinations,
Kenya remains the heart of the African safari experience.
The magnificence and diversity of the wildlife and landscape
is unsurpassed. You are guaranteed to tick off the full roster
of the big five -lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino and elephant.
Other less well-known but essential and chartered members
of the savannah ecosystem are also abundant.
The landscape kaleidoscope rolls out the magnificent
rift valley, the central highlands, the savannah grasslands,
snow capped Mount Kenya and the desolate moonscape of the
north. This is perhaps why the experts advise all those faithful
lovers of wildlife and nature that at least once in their
lifetime they must partake of a Kenyan safari.
Kenya has over 50 national parks and game
reserves where wildlife is protected. But as you already suspect,
on the average safari you cannot hope to cover all of them.
It is therefore a good thing that you get very good value
by visiting only a few of them. This is unless of course you
have a lot of time and can afford to take off the beaten track.
The most popular and from which those with limited time and
budget need to pick from are- Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake
Nakuru, Aberdares, Samburu and Tsavo. Top in the off-the-beaten
track category for either wildlife or back to nature activities
are- Kakamega Forest, Marsabit, Meru, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon
and Shimba Hills.
Maasai Mara is the big one. This is where
you must go even when all the time you can spare is two nights.
This is mostly where all those wildlife videos on Kenya are
filmed. The Mara, as the Maasai Mara Game Reserve is commonly
known, is part of the ecosystem that includes the equally
famous Serengeti of Tanzania. Covering 320 square kilometers,
it is nested in the southwestern corner of the country. The
Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance that it
is difficult to believe. In a recent two-night visit, I saw
lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras,
buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard,
nine kinds of antelopes and elephant. The birds are also in
plenty -secretary birds, cranes, stork, vultures and ostriches.
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