atravelynn

Or discourage a visit.

If it happened, Meru would be first, then Samburu, then Maasai Mara in August.

I am mainly interested in wildlife as opposed to accommodations or food. Elsa's grave would not be a big deal for me.

Thanks.

sandi

Certainly no crowds/vehicles other than from where you stay if you even run into them. Rhino sanctuary; often up-close-and-personal, unlike at a distance most other parks. While you won't find herds of game, there's plenty out there with patience. Diverse environments.

sundowner

I was there in Jan07 on the trip with divewop (Sandy) and I wouldn't return. I loved the camp, Offbeat Meru, but not the sparsity of game. It could have been the time of year. Or not.

I also would not go there because of the rhino sanctuary. It was a disappointment to me also. You should be able to see rhino in the Mara. I saw my first (first ever sighting) black rhino with calf driving to the camp from the landing strip at Little Governers.

safaridude

Meru is seasonal. It' not surprising that Sundowner didn't have a great game experience in January. I would say August/September are the best months.

The animals you will see are similar to those at Samburu, but they will not be in great concentrations. You are virtually guaranteed sightings of lesser kudu. The scenery is hard to beat.

Patty

I went during a very rain Dec and compared to Samburu (same trip, a few days earlier), game was not as dense. From what I understand, game viewing is better in the dry season when you'd be going (although for me it was fine). Game also tends to be more skittish and not as habituated as in Samburu and the Mara which for me is not a negative. I'd go back but can't say if you'd enjoy it. Of the 3 parks you listed, it's probably your best chance of seeing kudu if that's a plus.

aby

<i> &quot; I am mainly interested in wildlife as opposed to accommodations or food&quot;</i>
- i'm with you on that

it means: go for Samburu &amp; Shaba (to be a bit off the beaten track)
you can go to Shaba fot the day (have lunch &amp; rest at the Shaba Sarova or stay a night there)

aby

Patty

I found game density in Shaba to be about on par with Meru on the same trip. I was also told that Shaba is very seasonal.

atravelynn

Patty, I remember your report and the time of year you went.

Safaridude, I saw a comment about lesser kudu being as abundant as rats, but hard to photograph.

The scenic beauty that Shaba is known for has me intrigued. With enough time at Samburu, I could visit Shaba for a day.

Here's one thing I was wondering about Shaba. If you went for the day and came back, you would not be there at sun up or sundown. Would missing those times in Shaba be a big mistake?

Here's another thing. I am assuming you can see wildlife on the trip between Samburu and Shaba.

Thanks for all the comments.

safaridude

Lynn, Samburu and Shaba are practically adjacent, so there is a very tiny stretch without game. So, depending on where you stay in Samburu, a day trip to Shaba is not a problem and you can still get there in the early morning, etc. (Larsen's closer to Shaba then, say, Intrepids, for example)

I have had a few lesser kudu sightings even away from Meru also -- and I can unequivocally tell you that they become very relaxed and tame at the very end of the day (say, about a half an hour before sundown). I don't know why. A professional hunter I know in Tanzania agrees with me on this, and he doesn't know why either.

atravelynn

A fascinating lesser kudu tidbit. I cannot imagine the reason. Hopefully, I'll be able to test out the theory.

I'm glad nobody berated me about being indifferent to Elsa's grave. I was captivated by Born Free, but the grave is not of significance to me.

mkhonzo

adding to the Shaba selection... I was there recently, spent the day in the Shaba reserve, spent the second driving through Buffalo Springs (swam in the spring with an iced beer in hand) continued on with a pre-arranged lunch stop at Larsons, drove out via Archers post for some colourful samburu experiences.

The diversity of the two days was superb and the game viewing throughout pretty extraordinary! Shaba was inexpensive, the food good and the accommodation just fine for the price.

I have been to the Meru and while I enjoyed the scenery and feel of the park, would not include it with anitinerary where the Shaba/Samburu option is offered. Repetitious game and not as fulfilling from a viewing perspective, plus accommodation options are limited and expensive by comparison, not to mention getting there.

divine54

lynn,
meru is a wonderful landscape destination.
but don't expect too much wildlife - visible. one has to track a lot.
they have been trying to introduce a lot but because of the huge elephant grass it's mostly hard to discover.
for a different landscape - it's gorgeous.

div

atravelynn

Thanks for all the help.

In Samburu and Shaba do you ever see Lesser Kudu?

safaridude

Lynn,

Lesser kudus are vagrants in Samburu and Shaba. They are hardly ever seen though. Greater kudus occur in both places. They are typically found coming down from the hills on the northern side of the river in Samburu.

Other than Meru, the best spots for lesser kudu are Tsavo West and East in Kenya and West Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

kimburu

I would do it. I would expect Samburu and the Mara to be busy in August and it'd be different in that respect. I didn't find Meru to be that much like Samburu. I would go Samburu-Meru-Mara so that I had my &quot;quiet time&quot; in the middle. I am very patient and I like the unpredictability of somewhere like Meru. There are some spots that are just so beautiful. The history is interesting - and not just Elsa's grave.

That's the best I can do.

sandi

&gt;&gt;I would go Samburu-Meru-Mara&lt;&lt;

If flying, however, it would have to be Meru-Samburu-Mara, as there's no &quot;scheduled&quot; flight from Samburu to Meru and from Meru to the Mara it's not direct.

atravelynn

For flight reasons, I think I have to go in the order Sandi stated.

Is Meru the best place for lesser kudu, of the ones you mentioned, Safaridude?

safaridude

Yes, definitely for lesser kudu. There are parts of Tsavo that are very productive too. But I think because there are 13 small rivers criss-crossing Meru, and the banks have green leaves throughout the dry season, the kudus are concentrated. I have not been to Ndarakwai in West Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, but it's supposed to be a lesser kudu hotspot.

In September '06, in two days at Meru, I had about a dozen sightings; in August '07, in two days I had about eight sightings. Five individuals (4 males and 1 female) stood still and posed at close quarters. The rest of them vaporized into the bush.

atravelynn

You are the lesser kudu connection, Safaridude.

aby

Lynn my dear

have never seen lesser Kudu in either Samburu or Shaba (starting in the early 80s, for more than 10 years even Greater Kudus were seldom seen in Samburu, though i saw them out of the park )
i agree with Safaridude about Tsavo West: i've seen Tandala ndogo (L.K.) regularly on the road from Amboseli to Tsavo west
also Ruaha is considered a L. Kudu haven (though personally haven't been there yet)
The Amboseli-Tsavo road is also a good place to see the Fringe-eared Oryx as opposed to the Beisa Oryx in Samburu, Both species are (almost) as exciting as the Lesser Kudu.

as for the sunset/sunrise though it is the same river (Uaso Nyiru) you may like the different scenary at Shaba - why not have a night there?
The most fantastic sight i've seen in the evening un Shaba was the Baboon mountaineers, seeking a refuge for the night, on the vertical cliffs in Shaba, doing some decent rock-climbing....

have fun

aby

P.S. i challenge you to get me a photo of the Gerenuk <font color="red">bikini</font>
when those graceful antelopes are standing upright, you need to get to them from the front;then and only then is the time you get to see the &quot;bikini&quot; on their ventral side. Get me a picture