Percy

Thank you again for the great (boring ) pictures.

Loved them all.

I also was amazed at the sandals they make out of old tires.
I could not do that.!

kimburu

Hi Joyce (joeyi). Thank you. I wonder what more recent forum members will make of your comment? I think we should assure them it had nothing to do with bothering jackals, maribou storks or hyenas! Moving on with the camera is relatively easy - the rest is much more challenging, but the start is taking up photography as a full-time hobby, rather than shooting as much in Africa as you do for the whole rest of the year.

@flygirl... Thank you. Up to 400mm on a camera with a crop sensor - it's enough but I am saving for more.

Thank you Percy.

joeyi

Your full time hobby of photography has paid off.
I didn't think about my use of American slang in my pervious post, hope I didn't offend anyone.

Joyce

kimburu

Joyce. I doubt anyone took offence. I should have added a smiley for "joke".

I added some more pictures and comment (more Maasai, the trip up the hill, some lions and some others that happen to be ready) but there are still big gaps - should be done this week.

kimburu

The illustrated trip report is now more or less complete. I've corrected a few things (got days mixed up at first) and added photos to fill in the gaps. It is now rather long. The last day is a bit shortened, but it is complete. I still have some baby animals, hippos and a few shots from Julius' house on the last day to add, and I will also revise the text further - still some typos and there are some things I will add for the less "safari-wise" than those on this forum. Maybe I'll take out some of the photos too - there are rather a lot. I'll bump the thread one last time when that is done, in case anyone is keen to see how Julius keeps chickens!

joeyi

looking fwd to seeing the rest of the photos.

joyce

joeyi

we want Chickens!!!

Happy New Year Paul,

Joyce, Rod, Mark & Patty

kimburu

Chickens are on the grill. Coming! Happy New Year to you all - and all the other "regulars" out there - most of whom have posted on this thread. Wishing you all a very successful 2010, with a nice Africa trip in there somewhere.

Percy

Thanks kimburu

Happy New Year to you too.

I am still reading this "boring " report .

Leely2

Finished the photos. They are beautiful with such marvelous color and light! If/when you have time, I have very specific Mara questions, never having been there but trying to squeeze in a few days after Rwanda (solo) and Tsavo (with the infamous Patty and Mark!) next June. Either here or leelyagain @ gmail . com .

Thanks again for sharing all this. And happy New Year to you and Madame K.

kimburu

Hi Leely.... I don't mind doing it by mail if you prefer, but here is good too. You can always get my email address from Patty if you think I am holding back because it is in public. ;-) Have never been in June though.

Thank you Percy... if Leely has questions it might spark up the heat to "slightly dull" for a day or too!

Julius' chickens will be up within the next hour by the way. For those who need more, there will be a password protected part for which the password is the name of Julius' wife (Patty knows but she won't give it away as they're personal pictures and of very little possible interest to anyone who doesn't know him anyway). I'll post a link to that later.

Leely2

Mainly if I only had three nights would it be "worth it" to fly to the Mara from Tsavo? These worth it questions are rather worthless, I know. And then, if worth it, what would be an ideal location given the extreme unlikelihood of Rekero being within reach of my pocketbook? I don't care re: Boys-style Camp vs. Girls-style Camp, but want good guiding, lots of cats a plus. Olare Orok?

Then your comments about Governor's and Intrepids further baffled me. Good locations, weird camps?

I'm afraid all my boring questions will just make your report even more boring!

kimburu

Hmmm...... Governor's and Intrepids are huge camps rather than overtly "weird". Could also use words like "well-organised" or "clean and orderly" or "beautifully landscaped" to describe them. Just lots of tents and huge fleets of vehicles, masses of staff, and bases for the rangers... and I guess also visiting film crews and VIPs. They are not weird if you are coming from Serena - when you are coming from Kicheche (or any of the other small camps) they totally are. Hope that is clearer... I did not mean to denigrate either and their guides will certainly know where the cats are. As an example, when you arrive at Kicheche, somebody (and probably the manager) might stroll out to the vehicle to see what's up, whereas at Governor,s you are met by a barrier and a uniformed guard who will salute you in military style.

Me, I would stay in Olare Orok, but if the rain has been/is heavy, you may not be able to cross the river at the usual points and may need to drive a long way around to get into the reserve. The camps around the Talek gate are cheaper because they are in what is usually an overcrowded area, but in June maybe it'd be really good value? In my opinion, go for a camp with a strong Maasai representation on the guiding staff... mention of sponsoring the Koiyaki guiding school is a big positive for me (may be irrational).

If you just want the cats and don't mind a bigger camp, Intrepids and Governors are where the documentary film crews often base themselves... also near to Intrepids (nearer to Rekero, accessible from Gov's and Olare Orok) a leopard is pregnant and will have a cub/cubs when you are there.

Leely2

Is there a healthy level of resident wildlife in Olare Orok itself?

(And yes, I'm leaning, $ permitting of course, towards Kicheche Bush or Porini Lion.)

Not asking Patty these questions because:
1. I believe she and Mark are enjoying some r-and-r right now
and
2. I don't think they're all that crazy about the Mara, relatively speaking.

Ask Mrs. K what she thinks but tell her I am not a shopper unless it's Helmut Lang.

kimburu

Yes, Olare Orok has a very good amount of resident wildlife, and may in fact be in the top 10 places on earth to spot big cats if it wasn't already considered part of the Mara (I just thought of that and I am not sure if it is true, but probably is - with an "arguably" added). The variety of herbivores and birds did not seem as great as the Mara, though (I say seem, because Porini is in a different part of the Conservancy).

Mrs K will resoundingly say Kicheche Bush Camp - she is trying to persuade me to include it on itineraries for next year to other countries - even ones in Southern Africa.

You should start a post on this - there are people around who

kimburu

.... may have other opinions or ideas - there is at least one more camp in Olare Orok too.

(posted mid-sentence!)

kimburu

Here is the link to the password potected shots
http://tinyurl.com/y9wc2hh

I cannot stress enough- if you do not know J, you are missing nothing!!

Patty

Thanks for the pics. I need to put in my egg order.