Fun things to do in Kenya

At the south side of Nairobi National Park you can visit the elephant orphanage around midday. There were also a lot of schoolchildren around. Just at the moment we arrived the little baby elephants came out of the bushes for their feeding and mudbathing. There was also a baby rhino around.

The baby elephant orphans were rescued in different parks all over the country. When they are old enough they go back to the wild in the Tsavo Park.

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Another one of Africa's 'big 5' game animals, the Cape Buffalo is a very impressive animal in its own right. They move around in good-sized herds, with one bull in charge of everything and a few younger ones hanging around as well, along with the Cows and their offspring. Standing 5-ft tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 1800-lb, a bull Cape Buffalo is a force to be reckoned with! This particular specimen gave us an even better appreciation of his bulk when he turned side-on in the 2nd photo. Unlike the males, with their very thick horn 'bosses' that meet on top of their heads, the females have horns which are a bit more delicate in nature (3rd photo). That particular one also has the usual Oxpecker or two on her side helping to keep the insect bother down to a minimum. The final photo shows the rest of the herd following along in the footsteps of the the big bull who is calling the shots for this bunch. Although Cape Buffalo have a short temper and are very strong and dangerous, they are one of the most common animals preyed upon by prides of lions.

Tsavo (East and West) comprise some 21,000 sq. km. and is located in south-east Kenya. The area boasts volcanic hills, four rivers, more than 60 major mammal species and 1000 plant species. The park is home to giraffe, buffalo, antelopes, monkeys, many exotic birds and Kenya's largest herds of elephant. The elephant often look red, covered in the dust and mud of the region’s ruddy soil.

Other wildlife in the Lake Nakuru National Park include: The famous Black and White rhinos. The Black rhinos have been slowly multiplying over the years, and are well protected. Thanks partially to the government of South Africa. Lake Nakuru National Park also boasts an increase in White rhinos. There are plenty of waterbucks, impalas, dik-diks, grants gazelles, lions and leopards. In 1977, the Rothschild giraffe was introduced to the Park. The park also has large sized python snakes that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees.

The lake catchment is bounded by Menengai crater to the north, the Bahati hills to the north east, the lion hill ranges to the east, Eburu crater to the south and the Mau escarpment to the west. Three major rivers, the Njoro, Makalia and Enderit drain into the lake, together with treated water from the town's sewage works and the outflow from several springs along the shore. Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968. A northern extension was added to the park in 1974 and the lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990.

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It is always great to admire Africa's tallest mountain, the 5290-m (19,000-ft) Mount Kilimanjaro as it rises 15,500 feet above the surrounding plains. Even though it is a few miles over the border in Tanzania, you can still get some great views from Amboseli Game Park, whether by telephoto or normal viewing (2nd photo). I had actually spent some time at the foot of the mountain in 1973, when I stayed in Moshe, Tanzania with 'volunteer' friends during my roundtrip 2000-mile hitchhiking/bus adventure from Zambia into Tanzania and Kenya. However, I had seen enough snow growing up in Canada, so was not in the mood to climb to the top for a closer look. Still, I have to admit that it is a majestic sight looming up behind the savannah of Amboseli!

Recent images from the Earth Observer cicling high above show a dramatic decline of the extent of the ice cap between 1993 and 2000. The trend is continuing today, with the ice and snow cover at the top of Kilimanjaro down by 82% over the course of the last 100 years.

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Here you can see the pictures, taken one after another, with camera aimed directly to the sun and the landscapes under the reflective light of the sun while going down. The colours are spectacular because, all the sudden, the sky becaming coloured in broiling yellow-gold colour. On the other side, the forrest becoming mixture of enriched natural colours and everything looks breath-taking.

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The truth is, these safari parks occupied huge area which barely can be considerate the zoo's. The animals are free to go wherever they want and, as I could see it, they move from one to other place inside the park. Besides, Africa is their natural enviroment.
Since I am an animal lover, I was trully impressed and fascinated by watching all these animals in their every day activities. The most fascinating moment I've seen happened very early in the morning when group of antelopes start to run across the savannah. It was amazing scene because, from time to time and all the sudden, they jumped high in the air in order to change direction. I tried to snaped them, but the light was poor and they were so quick. When I checked the pictures it was nothing to see.