AMBOSELI: THE MOUNTAIN, THE DUST PAN AND THE LAKE

 

            26 SEPT 2023

photo: ALK

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

Its long been my dream to travel to Amboseli National Park. 

I've always wondered what is the attraction to this corner of Kenya which does not boast any migration nor beautiful and scenic landscapes nor any particular endemic flora or fauna nor any unique characteristic.

So when Charles suggested we go and look at some lodges in Amboseli, I jumped at the opportunity.

Masai Giraffe

Kenya is endowed with beautiful well stocked National Parks and Game Reserves. And Amboseli remains one of the favorite National Parks for every local and international tourist. It is famed the world over; and I wanted to see what this attraction is .....

But before we go too far, here is a short writeup about Amboseli ...

Amboseli National Park in Kenya is renowned for its stunning wildlife and natural beauty.

Some of its main attractions include:

Iconic Mount Kilimanjaro: Amboseli offers breathtaking views of the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, which is often shrouded in clouds.

Wildlife Viewing: The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and many species of birds.

Large Elephant Herds: Amboseli is famous for its large herds of elephants, making it one of the best places in Africa to observe these magnificent creatures up close.

Birdwatching: With over 400 bird species, the park is a paradise for birdwatchers. You can spot numerous species in the wetlands and swamps.

Observation Hills: This viewpoint provides a panoramic view of the park's landscape and is an excellent spot for photography.

Maasai Culture: The Maasai people inhabit the area, and you can visit Maasai villages to learn about their culture and traditions.

Swamps and Lakes: Amboseli has seasonal swamps and a large lake, attracting various wildlife, particularly during the dry season.

Game Drives: Game drives are a popular activity, allowing you to explore the park and witness its diverse wildlife.

Amboseli National Park is not particularly known for its flora but rather its wildlife and iconic landscapes. However, it does have a variety of vegetation types, including:

Acacia Woodlands: These woodlands are scattered throughout the park and are home to a range of wildlife.

Swamps and Wetlands: Amboseli has seasonal swamps and wetlands, which support vegetation like papyrus and other aquatic plants. These areas are important for water-dependent species.

Grasslands: Most of the park consists of open grassy plains, which provide a natural habitat for herbivores like zebras, wildebeests, and gazelles.

Fever Trees: You can find fever trees, with their distinctive yellow bark, growing in certain areas of the park. 

Euphorbia Cacti: Some areas of Amboseli feature Euphorbia cacti, which are adapted to arid environments.

Thornbush: Thorny shrubs and bushes are common in the drier regions of the park.

While the plant life in Amboseli may not be as diverse or abundant as in other ecosystems, it plays a vital role in supporting the park's wildlife and contributing to its unique landscapes.

So our drive begins from South C.  It as an early departure, it is one of my usual whistle-stop journeys which double up as work and pleasure, rolled into one! This is the one fringe benefit of my job that I enjoy most; travelling!

Nairobi has of late 'acquired' two major game-changers that have reformed the City into a much friendlier place in terms of traversing from one point to the other within the city and also as the Capital City with much better access to all parts of Kenya ... and these two are the SGR and the Expressway.

With the Expressway; one can cross the city from the South to the West in no more than 20 minutes whilst the SGR (despite its monumental cost!) has brought the two largest cities in Kenya (and the hinterland in between) to a maximum of 5 hours comfortable and cheap travel.

So we hit the Expressway south-bound and in less than 15 minutes we have cleared 18km and in no time we are onto the Mombasa Highway headed towards Emali - the junction town where we shall turn South towards Amboseli.

After an uneventful drive along Mombasa Highway; we arrive at the bustling highway town of Emali. Hawkers line up the middle yellow line of the highway at the speed humps,,,, with various wares for sale. Tomatoes, Onions, charging cables, catapults (yes, catapults!) and name it .... We are not interested today so we drive on.

Bethel Restaurant

Its been around an hour and a half and my tummy is grumbling and so I suggest to Charles that we should fill up. Thankfully, He has similar ideas. Now Charles is in the tourism business and Emali is a regular stopover for him. He also knows my preference for local delicacies rather than Western junk food. So we both opt for local kienyeji chicken soup with chapati. And he knows just the right place for this.... BETHEL GLOBAL ART GALLERY .... Big name! 

But a humble place, with a simple structure and adobe type walling with exposed timber trusses and rafters minus a ceiling (this place must be an oven at noon time!) 

The place is actually more of a curios shop aimed at the tourists who stop-over to buy trinkets and curios. And while the tourists are indulging in this buying and haggling for the curios; there is on the side, a local restaurant that caters for the drivers and tour guides -- whose preferences are usually local dishes -- thus the fresh chicken soup! And why not!!!

The faint smoke that adorns the room gives it a very traditional and homely feel (and probably keeps the tourists away from this room too). I like it! I am in familiar territory. The smell of burning firewood hits the nose the moment one enters the simple restaurant. The smell of chapati on a pan mixes with the firewood smoke and the distant aroma of something traditional and tasty boiling on the firewood hearth.

A few plain wooden tables randomly adorn the large open room. Plastic chairs surround the tables scattered in the large room. An open kitchen hatch reveals the simple setup. 

Our entry is announced in the local kikamba language. Presently, a waitress rushes and greets us pleasantly. The rotund lady serves us the moment we enter .... 'Yes, yes!', she announces with vigour,  'The soup is ready and so are the chapatis - what will you guys have?' she asks in Kiswahili.

THE LOCAL RESTURANT AT BETHEL GLOBAL ART

From her demeanor and tone of talk; she obviously knows her job well and her customers even better (too well for comfort I would say!). She is abit too free for my comfort and so I concentrate on my steaming soup and hot chapati .... as other customers tease her suggestively and she heartily partakes in their advances.

Having downed the yummy breakfast, we hit the road again. We turn right at the Oloitokitok Highway junction. 

I was last on this highway in 2014 when I travelled with Border Agencies to case-study border posts at Oloitokitok and later at Taveta. 

And there is major transformation since then -- in terms of the structures along the road and the increased traffic. The highest increase, like the rest of Kenya; is in the number of boda bodas. Small towns have sprung up along the road complete with a massive Cement Factory about halfway between Emali and Kimana. This massive structure can be noticed from miles away with its signature smoke spewing out what seem like pollutants in huge quantities into the pristine blue skies .... I wonder whether there is any audit ever carried out of such activities, is this safe, has any testing been done to protect human, animal and plant life?? ..... where are the environmental agencies and where is the government?? Too many unanswered questions!! 

We pass several other small budding towns dotted along the highway with the ever-present speed humps and boda boda shed structures. 

87 kilometres later we arrive at the lush green town of Kimana. Before Kimana, the semi-arid land was largely scrubland of thorn trees, acacia trees -- but Kimana is like an oasis. 

The story goes that Kimana is blessed with and sits upon large underground reservoirs of water and swamps and thus the greenery. 

Almighty God works in mysterious ways ... whilst large swathes of the surrounding lands are dry scrublands, Kimana is a green oasis where everything grows including maize and all types of horticulture - a true oasis indeed!

At this place we now turn right towards Amboseli.

The Right Turn at Kimana has a beautiful Acacia Tree as a Sentinel 

There are several tourist lodges along the way, two of which we visit to sample their ambiance and architecture. This was the main purpose of the road trip. In Amboseli, all lodges are oriented towards the iconic Kilimanjaro ... so in spite of the fact that the mountain lies in Tanzania; the best sights and views of Kilimanjaro are in Kenya. 

And further to this, despite the Kenyan side of Kilimanjaro being in the rain shadow of the mountain - the best wildlife areas are in Kenya due to the swamps and underground reservoirs. Yes indeed, Almighty God shares the blessings of this world in the most equitable ways!!

Red-Eyed Dove perched above the Reception at Mada Hotel

So after brief stops at the AA Lodge and at Mada Lodge - we arrive at the Kimana Gate .... 

Kimana Gate - Amboseli

Here technology is playing tricks on tourists, tour guides & drivers, locals and the KWS staff alike. There is in place a new payment system for any and all entries into the National Park. It is linked to Ecitizen, the National Database System that handles a variety of government services including passport applications, visas, driving license applications and renewals etc. So by now you already know where I am headed! The system is just too slow. The network here in the wilderness is poor and many people are just not too familiar with how it works. So Charles and I try out with the help of one of the KWS staff. After a frustrating half hour, thankfully we get our tickets and are allowed through the gate.

Here the dustpan starts!

This reminds me so much of Serengeti in Tz which I visited more than 10 years ago. Similar terrain. 

The Road interrupting the Savanah

Large open swathes of flat land with hardly any physical features. Interrupted here and there with clumps of Acacia trees and short whistling-thorn shrubs. 

Occasionally, a bored Thompson's Gazelle looks in our direction; almost saying '"Oh no - not another tourist vehicle''' He continues grazing as we meander around potholes the size of a small car. His twitching ears and ever swinging short tail and the disdain of his surroundings is an obvious sign that there aren't any predators nearby; and if there are then they are mightily well camouflaged.

Zebra and Wildebeest enjoying the all-too-common sight of tourists.

We pass a few Common Zebras who watch us with equal contempt .... I feel they are watching us with the same interest and boredom of one who would look at a herd of cattle grazing along Narok Highway.

Our destination is the Serena Lodge ... one of the high-end lodges within the National Park. 

Gerenuk feeding on Acacia Bush

You must be wondering by now 'What happened to Kilimanjaro?' -- well today is an overcast day ... and hazy too. So the Mountain is shrouded in the distant ... unlucky us! Every so often I have been looking South East ... where Kili is .... but today is not my day!! No worries ... Amboseli is certainly still in my bucket list for a revisit -- with my better half!!

Then  .... suddenly the dustpan reveals itself on the flat land. Two whirlwinds appear!

Amboseli Whirlwind

The dustpan has showed itself up .... a series of small tornadoes appear and disappear like mirages on the horizon. Charles informs me that this is the trademark feature of Amboseli.

As we drive Westward more twisters appear ... and crisscross the parched murram road. 

One of the rather larger twisters

The dustpan is almost endless. More twisters appear and disappear like ghosts of the Savanah. Their paths and loci are uncertain and zigzag just like life on the Amboseli dustpan. 

Presently, We arrive at a crossroad which is well labelled. The Southern fork will take us to our destination where lunch awaits. Its almost 1pm. The fine dust has now covered most parts of the interior of our car. I can feel the dusty smell and taste in my nostrils and a dry clayish after-taste in my mouth. But this discomfort is extinguished by the thought of impending lunch ... a Serena lunch!! I have had these lunches before; in disparate locations and my taste buds are already active in anticipation - something akin to breaking of the Ramadhan fast, the iftar!

We arrive in good time. And are welcomed with the usual fresh juice. A nice panacea for the parched throats which had been invaded by the fine Amboseli dust. The lodge has a welcoming and homely entrance into the reception lobby. A deliberate effort has been made to incorporate natural locally available building materials as the theme for the architecture. The buildings are mixture of African traditional buildings with the residential rooms having distinct Maasai manyatta type of outlook. I like it .... though it seems tacky to a critical and discerning eye, but the overall effect is a pleasant natural setting with the buildings merging into the environment -- which is rather man-made ... but only an expert eye would notice such finer detail. The lodge is not meant for the finer eye! It is meant for the tourists who have not much clue of distinct African architectural styles (tourists dont come to Africa to see Architecture!). Enough of architectural critique!!

The Serena Reception Lobby

The smell of lunch is in the air. There is a distinct clutter of plates and cutlery. I think the restaurant staff do this deliberately and by training; and not just here but the world over!!!. So that lunch is not just the timing of a meal nor just the smells nor a bell announcing ... but includes the clatter of utensils and cutlery and the chatter of the welcoming waiters and waitresses! This is all part of the general hullaballoo and character of a restaurant ... I dare say lunch would not be lunch without this!

So the din and aroma and the general melee attracts us subconsciously towards the arena - the dining hall! Gratefully, it is not too far .... and Charles and I dive in -- literally.

Dining Hall. Amboseli Serena

Yes, and true to Serena tradition the lunch did not disappoint. I had the self-cook pasta (more like participatory cooking pasta) ... it was yummy and filling! And it was fully vegetarian (by choice)! 

The self-cook section

After lunch we embarked upon our tour of the lodge (in case I had forgotten - this was the purpose of my adventure!)

A typical Manyatta-Style Suite

We have the opportunity to view not only the tourist sections but also the support sections such as staff housing, the solar farm, the maintenance workshop as well as service areas such as the laundry section.

Time to head back to Nairobi .... its a long drive back so we start the trek back. This time we opt to use a different route. We head out Westwards towards the Namanga Gate. The advantage being that we shall now see the main feature of Amboseli ... one of the features Amboseli is famous for and that is Lake Amboseli.

So the large dustpan that dominates the Eastern section of Amboseli now becomes a shallow lake in the centre and West of Amboseli ... this is Lake Amboseli!

And it is famous for its large herds of Elephants and a variety of other ungulates (such as Wildebeests, Zebra, Waterbuck, Reedbuck etc), birds and predators too...

Lake Amboseli first appears as a mirage in the distance

As we get closer, Lake Amboseli manifests as a large pan of water bursting with bird and animal life. The endemic animals appear at all distances. We make out a herd of elephants feeding in the North and Zebra and wildebeest along the shores doing their best to ignore the intruding tourists (yours truly and Charles!). 

Reedbuck

The road is slightly raised above the water surface. Actually the road is almost at the same level as the water level ... I wonder what will happen when rains descend upon the region in the near future + El Nino!!! There is a travel advisory in place not to travel to Amboseli in the next month or so due to the predicted El Nino rains.

Herd of Zebra on the shores of Lake Amboseli

The dustpan is now a large shallow waterpan teeming with life of all kinds and colour. 

Lone Zebra at the receding end of Lake Amboseli

The greater flamingo and pelicans share the lake as they feed. 

Greater Flamingo

Pelican

Not too far off a Goliath Heron (a rare bird) is almost fully engulfed by the water. This 4ft tall bird normally feeds in shallower waters and is extremely shy of humans .... so lucky us to catch this rarity!

The Rare Goliath Heron

As we drive Westwards, the Lake recedes. We catch glimpses of a brooding Spoonbill and a cluster of Ducks whiling away on the shore .... 

A brooding Spoonbill

Cluster of Basking Ducks

Greater Flamingo with Snipets and Ibis in the background 

The Dustpan is now a Lake

As we drive further West away from the Lake, we are back into the arid scrubland. Hardly any animals here!

Its dry and desolate. We make good time towards the border town of Namanga from whence we still have a 2-hour road to Nairobi .... 

Tired legs and a tired back force me to snatch gasps of naps ... a bump here and another one there ensures that I don't drift off to dreamland ... how I wish!!

Blessed day its been. And an eye-opening journey.

I will be back after El Nino ... till then chao!!

Wildebeest and Heron grazing along shores of Lake Amboseli