As we were exiting Nairobi, we realised we were part of the great, pre-Christmas migration north. Buses crammed with people, families waiting hopefully on the side of the road, motorcyclists with sheep in the back basket – we were all leaving Nairobi in one big exodus. A city of around 4 million was about to become a ghost-town.
It was a quick transition leaving the city – one minute we were surrounded by buildings, and then a short while later we were in the lush greenery covering the Nairobi Highlands. There was a gradual climb, and then all of a sudden we were looking into ‘The Great Rift Valley’[i]. There was a blanket of cloud hovering over the valley, and a strong contrast between the greenness of the upper hills and the brown valley floor.
Lake Nakuru National Park was where we spent our first night. It is perhaps one of the lesser known National Parks in Africa, but this is part of its beauty, as there were few campers, not many vehicles, and of course, a comfortable and convenient looking lodge. As the name suggests – Lake Nakuru National Park is concentrated around the lake. It is a stunning backdrop for game drives, but more importantly, it means bird and animal-life flock to its banks and shores.
When we arrived at our campsite, just inside the park gate, there were zebras grazing amongst the trees…….where we would be erecting our tents. Once we started unloading the truck, they soon moved on – probably in search of quieter pastures. We set up camp quickly, because the late afternoon was all about safari-time and exploring the park.
Our first major encounter was a cheeky family of baboons – strewn everywhere and lined up on logs. We had previously been told not to leave anything in our tents, as baboons at the park are renowned for opening zips and stealing whatever is available. They are not the ‘prettiest’ of creatures, but extremely entertaining, demonstrably affectionate and protective of each other, and they certainly don’t seem to have many ‘inhibitions’.
The next highlight we were not expecting so soon. A few minutes into the game drive, we spotted a lion, lying on a fallen tree, as brave as day, panting away in the warmth. He seemed totally un-phased by us and continued looking around. We think he might have been the same lion causing a stir earlier when we arrived, as there had been a sighting near our camp, and the ranger had been lingering, gun on-hand. It was hard to pull ourselves away from the sleepy lion, but we had only traveled a short distance from our camp, and there was much more to see.
As soon as we hit a clearing there were impala and zebra, grazing casually. The impala are lovely creatures, with delicate markings and facial features, crowned by incredible antlers. There were small clusters of zebra spread over the plains, some with foals by their sides. The foals’ dark stripes are not yet black in colour, but have a redish tinge. They have all the legginess of a horse foal, with pert little ears, and an astute alertness.
Lake Nakuru is perhaps most recognised for its flocks of flamingos, which at ‘peak times’ can cover the lake in pink. Recently however, the alkaline levels have meant diminished algae supply, causing flamingos to find food elsewhere. With this in mind we were unsure whether we would see the lake’s signature bird and had braced ourselves for disappointment. So we were ecstatic when we found a patch of the lake lined with hundreds of flamingos, mixing with their pelican friends. With their fine tall legs, slender necks and pale pink colouring, flamingos really are beautiful birds. The pelicans in contrast seem top-heavy with their ginormous beaks, but also have a tinge of pink. The two types of birds, although quite different in size and shape, seemed content in each other’s company as they fed, flew and flocked together.
The lake has several swampy patches, making it perfect conditions for rhino. We had previously learnt about the differences between white and black rhinos, so we knew straight away that the group of four by the lake were white rhinos, as they were grazing in a group. The dried mud looks like cement on their armoured skin. They were focused on the patch of grass in front of them, and not much else. Docile, with their heads down, it was hard not to compare them with a herd of grass-chewing cows.
But a closer relative of the humble cow was also residing in the lake, and on its banks – the water buffalo. Also one of the ‘big five’ the buffalo has been prized for its large, strong and curved horns. In this setting they seemed placid in nature, but buffalo have been known to do a great deal of damage and have no hesitation in charging. Here however we posed no threat – from the security of our truck – and they wallowed and chewed, as if for show.
We drove up to ‘Baboon Cliff’, where we instantly saw why it had been given this name. Baboons were swarming the car park, fence, viewing gazebo – anything they could get their mitts and tails onto……including cars. As a gang, and as individuals, they owned this place.
Once we ensured we had no valuables, food, or loose items vulnerable to the baboon gang, we enjoyed the marvelous view of the lake. I spent considerable time scouring the bushlands below for leopards with binoculars, but it was all in vain. The lake looked larger from this height than on the flat, and it was amazing to see so many animals making the most of this over-sized watering hole.
Our first night in the wild was a slightly sleepless one. Some of the group brought hungry ants back into their tents following late night toilet trips, and some strange rustling and muffley noises turned out to be a buffalo meandering around the camp. I think we were all pleased for the night to be over thanks to an early rise for a morning game drive.
We drove in the opposite direction around the lake in pursuit of finding giraffes having their breakfast. There was a soft light on the lake from the slow-rising sun and everything had a bluey-mauve-wash. It was a long drive around the lake, but there were so many animals and birds to spot, and even those that we had already seen the day before, still intrigued us and required much picture-taking and discussion.
There were cries of excitement when the first giraffes were finally spied, some way in the distance. Despite their height and long necks, we strained to see this group, and carried on hoping to get a giraffe close up. Our patience paid off. About two-thirds of the way through our clock-wise drive around the lake we found several groupings of giraffe still enjoying their breakfast, picking off the tastiest tips of the shrubby trees, which also provided privacy. They were fascinating to watch as they bended their necks down to eat, and then straighten upright to gaze into the distance. Despite their height, their patch-markings helped them blend in with the dappled light between the trees’ leaves. They were perhaps more shy than some of the other animals in the park, so we left them in peace, and finished our circumference of the lake.
We left the park knowing that we had surely been given one of the best introductions to Kenya’s wildlife. In the 24 hours from when we left Nairobi to when we had breakfast with the giraffes, we had seen stunning scenery, spotted some of the biggest and most dangerous animals on earth, and had been entertained – and challenged – by our friends the baboons. As our guide kept saying – in the park, the animals have all the rights, but we were just grateful to eat and sleep in their surroundings, and see them going about their daily routine.
[i] The geological term is The Gregory Rift, which is the eastern branch of the East African Rift fracture system [Wikipedia]
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