Author

Conservation, Kenya, News, Wildlife,

Sudan – Last Male Northern White Rhino

Hello from the Green Ranger Safaris team??. Today is truly one of the saddest days for the animal lovers and conservationists. Few animals that have managed to garner as much media attention through the years like the Northern White Rhinoceros. Specifically Sudan, the last male of his subspecies. Throughout the years, he has stolen the hearts of numerous people, including his caretakers, with his dignity and strength. He was euthanized (put to death humanely) yesterday, on 19th March 2018 at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is located in Laikipia, Kenya. This was due to age-related complications due to his advanced age of 45 years of age.

Travel,

The Awesome Thompsons Falls

While Kenya is not known for its majestic waterfalls, there do exist a few beautiful waterfalls if you know where to find them. Located in Nyahururu which is a 3-hour drive from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi, is one such waterfall… the awesome Thompsons Falls. When you arrive at the main gate, there’s nothing that prepares you for what you will see when you finally set your eyes on these beautiful falls. There are plenty of local curio shops with locals calling you from each of them to go sample their goods. While you’re there you don’t see any sign of a waterfall. If you have sharp ears though, as you approach the entrance to the park you will begin to hear the force of the water as it plummets down 74 meters to the ground.

The History of Thompsons Falls

The falls were given their name in 1883 by a Scottish geologist, Joseph Thomson who was the first European to reach Thomson’s Falls and named them after his father. The falls are on the Ewaso Ng’iro river, which drains from the Aberdare Mountain Range.

Thompsons Falls Traditional Woman

Kikuyu Lady – Waiting to be photographed 🙂

While you’re at the park, be careful not to take photos of the Kikuyu ladies and gents temptingly dressed in their traditional regalia, waiting for you to take photos of them. Well unless of course, you are willing to pay them, because they charge a small fee for photos. You will not miss them, trust me – their traditional attire is quite spectacular, to say the least.

Getting to the Falls

There is a path you can take that will lead you to the bottom of the cliff where you can view the falls in their full glory. It’s quite a beautiful experience. There will probably be many people, so the path is safe. But it’s always advisable when in a foreign place to travel in groups and put safety first.

While going down the path, you will see so much vegetation as the path takes you through a forest. There are beautiful views of the valley where the river flows after the falls. That you can see through small openings in the vegetation. Once you get to the falls you may need to shield your camera from the splash droplets of the fall, but make sure you get a photo – it is beautiful there. Wear shoes with good grip as the rocks next to the falls are quite slippery. When done viewing the falls, you can ascend back to the top of the path, and if you are as unfit as I am, it will be some good exercise.

The Cheeky Resident Camel
The cheeky resident camel

The area has several Rock Hyraxes. Actually,  the only animals I saw there, apart from the friendly but very cheeky local camel. There to entertain guests who may want a camel ride. Be careful though, this camel likes shiny stuff and will try to grab your potato crisps if you’re not careful. And yes, I am talking from experience.

Once you’re done with the ascent, you can relax in the park’s fields as you catch your breath. There is a restaurant within the park which serves some food. But it would be better if you carried your own food. So you can have a small picnic under the shade of the trees on the green grass.

In Conclusion…

All in all, it is a nice place to visit for a day trip, I would highly recommend it. So next time you’re in Nairobi and looking for something to do on a weekend, give us a call. And we will arrange your visit to Nyahururu’s beautiful Thompson’s Falls… and look out for that camel – seriously 🙂 … (just kidding).

Until next time – stay safe.

Wildlife,

The Small Five

Hello everyone? We hope your days are coming along well so far. Today we had a discussion with a couple of tourists and happened to mention the small five animals. “The Small Five? Who are those?”, they asked…

Travel,

Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria

Our end of year Green Ranger Safaris trip took us to Northern Kenya, where we got to admire and explore Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria. We left Nairobi at about 10 am and arrived at about 3 pm.

Tamarind Garden Lodge Baringo County
Tamarind Garden

SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS: Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, geysers, hot springs, a hot spa swimming pool, flamingoes, plenty of other birdlife, beautiful hills and rock formations and so much more… You will love it…

Day One – Lake Baringo

We stayed at the Tamarind Garden, which is a nice little hotel with 12 rooms that opened in 2009. Once we had settled, we went to visit the neighboring snake park which is just next to Tamarind Garden. This is a little treat for snake lovers or those who do not mind seeing, being around or holding snakes. All the snakes in the park were captured in the region and most of them were injured. Some of the species they have include boas, pythons, sand-snakes and a few others. They also have 4 or 5 Leopard Tortoises… for those who don’t know, that is one of the small five.

Later that evening…

At around 6 pm, we went to see Lake Baringo. Lake Baringo is a freshwater lake at the threshold of Northern Kenya. It is home to Hippos, Crocodiles and a great variety of bird species. The 129 sq km lake is well stocked with fish and attracts many Pelicans, Cormorants and Fish Eagles as well. Lake Baringo has an average depth of only 8 meters (25 ft), and its three islands (Ol Kokwa, Teddy Bear, and Gibraltar) are breeding grounds for the statuesque, Goliath heron, the largest of the heron species. The lake is fed by several rivers, Molo, Perkerra and Ol Arabel, and has no obvious outlet; the waters are assumed to seep through lake sediments into the faulted volcanic bedrock.

Lake Baringo is a birder's paradise. It is home to almost 470 species of birds including African Fish Eagles, White-faced Scops Owls, Paradise Flycatchers and many more. #MagicalKenya tell a friend

If you have some time, try to visit the three islands. We didn’t manage to visit them ourselves. But entertainment was aplenty from the local young boys. They even had names for frequently visiting crocodiles – but keep in mind that at the end of their stories they’ll ask for some money 🙂 yikes!

We went back to Tamarind Garden for a lovely dinner, and at about 10 pm, left for the neighboring Soi Safari Lodge. Drinks at this lodge are more expensive than expected, but it has a great pool table area and good food. They have a small area where they have birds like Fish Eagles, Ostriches among others for viewing. We were treated to a wonderful display of fireworks later on that evening as we ushered in the new year 2013.

Day Two – A Visit to Lake Bogoria and Lake Bogoria Spa Resort

The following morning after a delicious breakfast, we left for the 32 sq km Lake Bogoria. Lake Bogoria lies in the shadow of the dramatic walls of the Siracho Range. It is the deepest alkaline lake in Kenya and has numerous alkaline hot springs, and geysers as the area still have volcanic activity. The lake is an attraction to massive flocks of Flamingo and is within the Lake Bogoria Reserve, which is home to the endangered Greater Kudu. There are also many Fish Eagles. Lake Bogoria also contains the highest concentration of true geysers in Africa (at least 18 are known).

We boiled our eggs as we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and bird life. After this, we went to the Lake Bogoria Spa Resort to enjoy a dip in their natural Spa swimming pool. The area around this resort is home to many Superb and Glossy Starlings as well as Red-billed Horn Bills – a real treat for bird enthusiasts. We left at about 4 pm and arrived back in Nairobi at about 9 pm.

Here are some of the sights and scenes of the safari…

In conclusion

Lastly, it was a great trip and we would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a get-away to a place that has few crowds. Also, the place is very hot so carry hot weather outfits, sunglasses, hats and sunscreen for those prone to sunburn. Carry plenty of water as well – and don’t forget your camera since you will find yourself using it a lot – there’s plenty to photograph. It’s a really beautiful place.

We hope those of you who joined us for the Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria Safari had a blast as we did… Happy traveling good people 🙂