Any advice re Aberdare NP?
 

I am considering spending 2-3 days in Aberdare National Park as part of a safari in December (the more one learns about this park the more attractive it becomes). The only accommodation in the park is KWC huts/camps and as an alternative I was considering Aberdare Country Club, and driving from there into the park. It is a little way outside the park but I am leaning towards Aberdare Country Club because it also has its own nature reserve, the accomodation seems to be nice enough, and it would only take 20-30 minutes to get into the park from there. Has anyone stayed there or had a look on the way to the Ark with a view to staying there? Or does anyone have any other ideas? The main point is to visit Aberdare NP on the way north to Meru.

On another note - I hesitate to call it a lighter note, but if you grin at your computer screen no-one will know what a sicko you are ;) - does anyone know the conclusion to the story of the killer giraffe at the Aberdare Country Club?

In case you haven't heard about this, an American tourist was found dead in the Aberdare Country Club nature reserve with wounds to his head. The police, presumably witht the help of the Country Club staff, concluded that a giraffe was the likley killer and the suspect giraffe (don't ask me who identified it) was tranquilised so that that they could check its feet for bloodstains (eat your heart out Gil Grissom). Unfortunately the giraffe was not tranquilised enough, panicked and, drowsy, fell off a cliff to its death.

In another slant on the same story it was reported the man was a pastor and the giraffe "jumped" off the cliff - presumably out of guilt when captured.

Now what I want to know, is did anyone ever confirm the giraffe as the killer or are teh Nyeri police and the staff of the Aberdare Country Club BARKING MAD? ((&))

And, no this did nopt happen on April 1st.

Final note, in explaining the suspicion of the giraffe the duty manager said, I quote

"That giraffe was known to be violent - kind of" and
"A dik-dik can do extensive damage"

Those who don't know the story.... I kid you not.
@-)

I did grin at the last line.

for about 2/3 of a second I bought into it ;)

How rude not to believe what Kimburu says! ;)

I had a look because I was curious – NOT incredulous – and I found this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/africa/2068294.stm
I can't find anything about the conclusion though.

I’d never heard the story but I’ve heard that sometimes giraffes kill people. At least two safari drivers have told me that the scariest part of the job is that some people think they can just walk up to elephants and lions – “even giraffes have killed tourists”, they say. And I do my best not to look like that kind of tourist.

This looks like an interesting place near Aberdares:
http://www.laikipia.org/hotel_sanagare.htm

Waynehazle!
I would not lie to you! And if I did it would have to be less incredible than this ;)

Nayamera
Thanks; Yes, I saw that place and it looks really nice. However, trying to get in touch with anyone through that Web site seems to be difficult - perhaps the politics of the drought are distracting these farmers from the tourists as the Masaai tear down their fences to get access to grazing.

Have you ever been in touch with them?

Well shame on me. I didn't think you were lying, I thought you wwre teasing us. Nothing wrong with that.


I saw this part

" it was reported the man was a pastor and the giraffe "jumped" off the cliff - presumably out of guilt when captured."

I thought you were saying the giraffe felt guilty.

I read the article and it was quite interesting.

It was really written that way, in one article, Wayne - as if the giraffe had realised he'd killed a man of God and leapt to his death! Of course, it's just a good way to sell a newspaper. By the way, the giraffe was in musth - or whatever the term is for giraffes
:-?
I didn't mention that because I didn't want people to get the kind of horrible images in their head that I had :&

Kimburu,

I haven’t been in touch with Sangare Camp. I’ve just been searching for a place to stay when I’ll go looking for the abominable giant forest hog. In the Bradt guide it says, “book through Savannah Camp and Lodges”. I found this page from 2002 with over the top rates http://www.savannahcamps.com/scl/highmountains.html
but there is no contact information. On http://www.savannahcamps.com/ there just a safari company and Taita Discovery Centre. The email for Savannah Camps & Lodges in the Bradt Guide is [email protected]

Nyamera, Another giant forest hog fan!

I found this too - note the "hat" ;)
http://www.arthearts.com/Sangare.htm

They seemed to have a good time there.

Those pictures look very alluring, especially the hats.

Kimburu, I’m still searching for a hero for you – so that you’ll know how to dress on safari. It’s not easy in a world like this one …

:@) There is no giant forest hog smiley.

How bizarre! That's the first time I've heard this giraffe story.

Have you been able to get in touch with Sangare? Is it still operating? I noticed that Mitch has taken it off his list. Does Savannah Camps still exist? I think they also used to operate Mara River camp which is closed and another camp which is now Satao Rock camp.

Patty
No I haven't managed to get in touch and I was wondering the same - however, Let's Go include it on their 2006 price list and of course it is still on the Laikipia.org site. They are also listed on a number of safari itineraries, but I have real doubts as to whether a lot of safari companies ever update their Web sites. I suspect that Savannah Camps is no longer functional because prices on their Web site are all dated but for 2004. I will probably ask Serah to try to reach them for me.

By the way Patty, I'll email you about the price list, before you ask :)

Ah..hah! Bwana Mitch now has a link to "Livingstone Shangrila" opening in March, located on Sangare Ranch. There is no information about it yet except for "ehemalige Lage von Sangare Lakeside Cottages und Sangare Tented Camp" which I think means something like "the former location of Sangare Lakeside Cottages and Sangare Tented Camp" - please correct me if I am wrong, German speakers.

2+2 makes 4 at last!!

It is related to the David Livingstone safari Resort near the Mara and yes, I agree; the name of the new place is pure corn!

There seems to be something going on with some of these ranches. Fences being torn down; one being sold; now this... :-?

So Patty, how long would it take to drive from the Ark gate to the falls, taking it really easy?

I stopped at ACC on my way to a night at the Ark. The ACC was very pleaseant, with pretty bougenvilla and if I remember correctly adobe/california style buildings. I did not see the room.
The Ark was decidely drap, with small rooms like those on a ship. Unless you are really keen on getting up in the middle of the night to see the water hole when they buzz your room, I would stay at ACC.

sorry for the typo: drab not drap...but you get the idea

Thanks cruisinred. Another 5 degrees lean towards ACC (good idea, using abbreviations).

Interesting discovery about Sangare! My German is worse than my Kiswahili but I think you're right. It would be interesting to see what they do with the property :?

From what I understand, Segera has been on the market for a while now with all sorts of rumors what will happen to it. Who knows? Murray said one of his best hoped for outcome would be that it would be turned into a rhino sanctuary. Anyone have a few spare million? We could turn it into Fodorite Ranch ;)

It took us about 3 hours to drive from the Ark gate to Mutubio gate including stops at the viewpoint, Chania Falls, and wildlife viewing along the way. We didn't stop at Karuru Falls which I really wanted to see, but it would have required a slightly out of the way loop and we were trying to make it in time for an afternoon game drive in Nakuru and get to Mbweha before dark.

Karuru is the falls seen in the fly over scene from Out of Africa and is almost as far from the Ark gate as where we exited. However if you have all day, you should easily be able to visit both falls (or all 3 if you include Magura) with other stops along the way too. Figure a good 6 hour day adding another hour or two if you want to do some of the circuits in the Salient.

Thanks Patty. Great bit of extra detail there too (I KNEW I'd seen thiose falls somewhere before).