stakerk

WOW! We are at Nairobi airport about to return to LAX via Zurich. Here is a brief preview:

Kenya is a place of wonderful people, animals, and sights to see. Some highlights:
Samburu - A leopard walking past the back of our vehicle, scaring four giraffe across the river on our gamewalk, 15 giraffe feeding together off of three adjacent trees, happening upon lions mating as we were leaving. Great place, food and service at Larsens.

Mara: Little Governors, the marsh is great. Elephants scattering us at lunch. The following conversation: 'I see a lion behind the mound' 'There it goes!' A mother cheetah with four cubs posing on a termite mound for our cameras. A leopard mother with one cub in the tree and mom looking for the other cub.

Lamu: Kizingo is a a great place with great owners.
Got to go,

Kevin from California

Patty

Thanks for the quick report. Glad you're flying home via ZRH instead of LHR. Have a safe journey home.

OnlyMeOirish

Hope you get back safely and glad you had a great time. I know you're not back yet but I have two questions:
Where did you see the Cheetah mum with 4 cubs? Was it somewhere near Kitchwa Tembo air strip / Oolololio Gate? That was where we saw a Cheetah Mum with FIVE cubs in late July - I really hope it wasn't the same famils as if it was then it means she lost one of the cubs ?
What area did you see the leopards?

Thanks,

Imelda

Kavey

Thanks for the update and can't wait to read the full report! Safe journey home!

cynstalker

<b><font color="red">K</font><font color="orange">E</font><font color="yellow">V</font><font color="green">I</font><font color="blue">N</font><font color="indigo">:</font>
I <b>can't</b> believe you are on your way back already!!! Hope your trip was <font color="blue">amazing</font>!!!!

<font color="green">Cyn</font></b>

Leely

Great to hear from you. Sounds like the trip was excellent. Have a safe journey home and thanks for checking in!

stakerk

Dear Friends:

Back in L.A. Despite Ambien awake at 1 a.m. this morning. Much to do (member of lay clergy of LDS (Mormon) Church and believe it or not I have to give a sermon in a congregation this morning at 9 a.m. so have to get my thoughts onto computer, will be talking about marriage and will use analogy to dikdiks paired for life in my talk.)

Briefly, trip was great. Daughter Marisa and wife Mari and son Sean took some great photos. I took a lot of video but will take much editing. Will post as soon as we can.

Imelda: Unfortunately you are correct Kichwe Tembo mom has lost one of five. Saw her go after a bunch of grant's gazelle but miss. Wow!

Saw leopard mom with one cub? kitten on other side of river on drive south from Little Governors down to Paradise Crossing in a tree right next to the dirt track. Mom appeared to be looking for second cub. Other at first in the tree calling to her. Pretty amazing. Came back a couple of hours later and she and cub were in the grass nearby still looking. Guide Joshua thought cub might have hidden the night from a hyena.

Saw other leopard in Samburu on north side of Guaso Ngiro river.

Good day all, will begin real trip report later,

Thanks again,

Kevin from California

Nyamera

Kevin,
Karibu nyumbani!
I’m glad you had a great trip. My plan is to catch up with a couple of East African trip reports today, so it would be nice to have your full report tomorrow.
Good luck with the sermon. It would be easier to find animals NOT to use as analogies, but dikdiks sound like a good choice.

OnlyMeOirish

Thanks for taking the time to post Kevin. I was afraid that was the Cheetah Mom &amp; cubs - does anyone know what happened to the little one or when? It makes me sad that now there are only four even though I know that if one or maybe two survive she will be doing well ... but still.
I am envious of your Leopard sighting - very rare in the Mara apparently. We kept our eyes peeled for one in July but no luck ( and we were in Little Governors area).. oh well... maybe next time.

I hope you catch up on some sleep and yor sermon goes as planned.

Imelda

simbakubwa

Stakerk

How did you like Larsens' camp?

Was it one of your favourites?

stakerk

it was great. great park, tents, staff, food. highly recommend