Written by Grant on 29/07/10, filed under General, Kenya, Kenya Safari | No Comments
Open sided 4x4 vehicles
If you havent been to Kenya or indeed on safari before then let me tell you that when you do take the plunge and book your trip of a lifetime , you are sure to fall in love with one of the most breathtaking and memorable experiences you are ever going to have . If like me you are not an avid game watcher or you are not sure what to expect , then Kenya is definately a good place to start. You will not be disapointed . From the moment I arrived in Nairobi to the moment I left , each and every experience was unique whether it was on one of the many game reserves or conservancies that we visited. First stop was Samburu Game Reserve which is in the northern eastern area of Kenya but nestled amid sprawling andscapes and blessed by the presence of the Ewaso Nyiro River . This combination is a natural haven for wildlife such as elephants, giraffe, zebra as well as the elusive leopard and cheetah. We spent the nightt in Sopa Lodge which is located inside the park The lodge is very well maintained , and even though you are in the heart of the reserve , you can charge a mobile phone or plug in a hair straightner in your room which are beautifully scattered around , and walking distance from reception. Perfect way to ease yourself into the safari experience without it being to much of a culture shock ! Dinner was served al fresco as such and even though it was nightime the view and the sights and sounds were amazing! Dinner was excellent and the atmosphere in general was top notch .Back to our lodge for a quick electric shower before we hit the sack. Unfortunately we didnt get to see all of the elusive animals that make up the big five, but it was early in the trip and next stop was Porini Lion Camp and we were lead to believe this would not dissapoint in our game viewing expectations .
Porini Lion Camp is the perfect way to experience Africa and as it is a private conservancy , its the perfect way to experience first hand the intimate , private and romantic (if you like ) African wilderness. The camp consists of 10 tents which can accomadate up to 20 guests . All the Porini Camps are set in private wildlife conservancies and have exclusive Eco Friendly tents nesteled amongst acacia trees. Comfortably furnished , lit with solar power , water saving safari showers and flush toilets , there is only one word for them . Amazing !!!The best thing about these camps is that they are completely staffed from the Maasai community and all guests have the opportunity to interact and learn about them and their culture.There are no tourist minibuses or large crowds vying for the best views but only the comfort of travelling in your own personal 4×4. Having highly qualified safari guides really enhances the whole experience by educating the guests about every little detail of their much loved land. The Porini Camps were set up with the goal of working together with rural landowners and communities living alongside protected areas with the objective of running a viable business that enables the community to derive benefits in return for conserving wildlife and their habitat.This was the experience I was looking for. Even though we saw all of the big 5 in our day and our night drives and while we slept it wasn’t unusual to hear George the hippo outside roaming around , the Maasai people and their values were what mostly impressed me.From their unique dress to their very passionate and knowledgable guides and not forgetting the amazing showers , is what I will remember most. I will definately make a return trip.
CONSERVANCY OR RESERVE ? YOU DECIDE.
Written by Grant on 22/07/10, filed under General, Kenya, Kenya Safari | No Comments
From the time we hopped off the plane I knew we were in good hands.
Ben’s smiling face welcomed us at the airport and soon we were weaving
our way through Nairobi’s busy streets … soaking in the atmosphere
from our 4×4.
We couldn’t believe our luck as when we literally entered our first game park,
a pregnant cheetah was relaxing in the shade!
Another highlight of our safari was one particular “sundowner”.
The guides set up a little table with refreshments and we watched the sun go down.
It was quite dark when the guide pointed out a hippo ambling along at near distance!
When we finished our drinks and nibbles I asked the guide to see if we could find
the hippo.
We went around the corner and low and behold – we saw a young leopard of 5 years!
This was an amazing safari and the genuine hospitality and expertise of the Maasai were
second to none and made it even more special!
Look out Kenya, I’m coming back!
Written by Grant on 19/07/10, filed under Customer Feedback, General, Kenya, Kenya Safari | No Comments
On the 15th of June myself and 5 of my colleagues flew to the Masai Mara as part of our trip around Kenya. We flew from Wilson airport in Nairobi to the Mara in just 1 hour where we were met by 2 masai Warriors in a safari vehicle ready to transport us to mara porini camp. The transfer took about an hour. On arrival we were greeted by David the Manager and more Masai warriors who offered us a refreshing juice and wet face cloth to freshen up. The camp was small and intimate with beautiful comfortable furnishings. We were shown to our tents which all had their own deck with seating. Inside the camp was simply decorated but very clean and welcoming.There was a double bed, single bed, lockers, wardrobe, the bathroom had a normal functioning sink and toilet and a safari Shower. This means that each individual staying at the camp can get 20 litres of water to shower and the Masai fill the water when you want it from outside the tent. You then pull a lever to start the water flow and shower as normal. I was surprised at how they got the water temperature just right. Also in the tent there is a flash light and a whistle to call for assistance if at any time you are frightened by the noises of the animals outside. The camp is completely open so animals can wander in from time to time. I found this experience really brought home the fact we were out in the middle of the wilderness. We were lucky enough to have 3 monkeys playing on a tree straight outside our tent and I enjoyed watching them for about 20 minutes messing about, it was beautiful.
We were taken on a sun downer that evening with a driver and spotter who were two mara warriors. They set up an area for us to watch the sun go down where we had some nibbles and a drink of our choice. It was so beautiful and peaceful and they were very knowledgeable and forthcoming with information on their heritage and customs. They were very willing to answer any questions we had. On returning to the camp we had a simple but tasty meal accompanied by drinks of our choosing. The atmosphere was very relaxed and after dinner the mara warriors did one of their traditional dances for us along with all the staff in the camp. It really was amazing. After dinner, David the manager joined us around the camp fire where we talked about the conservancy and the animals we saw that day. He is without doubt the best host I have ever met. He had a warm kind air about him and was a very interesting person to talk to. They kept the fire burning as long as we wanted to stay and I have never felt so close to mother nature. On going to bed we were delighted but surprised to find a hot water bottle waiting for us in bed which was a lovely treat and very comforting.
The following day we again had a lovely breakfast with homemade bread, eggs, bacon and fresh fruit. It was really lovely. We said our goodbyes to the fabulous staff who all came out to wave us off and made our way for Porini Lion Camp which took about 3 hours in our Safari Vehicle. The drive was relaxing and rather beautiful. We were there in June so the big migration had begun and we go to see hundreds of wilderbeast walk in an orderly fashion on their migration along with loads of other game along the way. On arrival again we were greeted by the Manager who was a very pleasant individual. The Lion camp is a lot bigger then the Mara camp and thus means the relaxation area and dinning area are also bigger. Again it is completely open and not fenced so you really feel like you are part of the wilderness.In fact on our game drive that evening we got some wonderful pictures of a lion with our camp in the background, he was that close. We had a lovely lunch, again just the right amount of portions but all very tasty food. The staff were just as friendly and helpful as the staff at the mara porini camp. The rooms were a bit bigger and brighter but the bathrooms were more or less the same.There were a lot more tents so we were further away from the dinning area and had to be escorted by a warrior to and from our tent in case of animals. Again we were taken on a night drive which involved a complementary sun downer experience. That evening we had a fabulous dinner with some of the best lamb I have ever tasted. The mara warriors joined us again for their traditional dance. The dining area had more families and couples eating also as they can facilitate for a lot more people than mara porini. So it did not feel quiet as intimate as the evening before and obviously the manager had to spread his time out much more to mingle with all the guests.
After dinner we again sat around the camp fire where we chatted with other people staying at the camp and talked about the wonderful experience and game drive we had earlier when we encountered a pride of lions and a leopard on our evening/night drive.
I feel very fortunate to have experienced the Masai Mara and the Masai warriors and will most certainly return. The friendly, warmth of the people was so refreshing. To see their simple way of life was very humbling. I think the outstanding thing about the Mara Porini was the intimate nature of the camp due to the fact it is small and David the Manager is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. The Lion camp is bigger and brighter, not as intimate but the game viewing was amazing.
All in all I can certainly recommend the Porini camps for their exceptional staff, a real close to earth experience, lovely food, very clean and warm facilities and of course, the game viewing. Also the complementary sun downer experience is a fantastic bonus to staying at these camps.
