Our first morning at Mbweha Camp was the perfect way to start a day. We awoke early, well-rested and eager for a full day of viewing wildlife. Walking through the chilly dawn air, we found a simple breakfast of fresh bread and delicious Kenyan coffee awaiting us. Eating in the open air lounge, we savored the excellent breakfast and basked in the peaceful, quiet setting.
After a short drive, we entered Lake Nakuru Conservancy, an expansive park teeming with wildlife. The entrance was swarming with baboons chasing each other over buildings, up trees, and hanging out by the side of the road. Less than 100 yards from the entrance, we encountered flocks of flamingo and pelicans. Nearby, zebras grazed in an arid field. It was overwhelming. Everywhere we looked was a scene that would put the best zoo to shame. Accustomed to visitors, the animals were unaffected by our presence. Charles would navigate the Land Rover within a few feet of the wildlife, who neither approached nor moved away, but showed a general indifference. Armed with a checklist of wildlife native to Kenya, we saw nearly every variety of every species – giraffes, elephants, monkeys, buffalo, eland, oryx, gazelles, jackals, ostrich, and many others. For about 30 minutes, we slowly followed a rhino that was walking down the one-land dirt road, blocking our way. Naturally, we have a ton of pictures of the lone black rhino, although most are not from a flattering angle. The highlight of the day was seeing a pair of lioness’ sleeping following a kill. They were both bloated from eating and we pulled so close that we could hear their labored breathing. One slept in a precariously small tree while the other rested under a tree nearby. We approached within about 10 feet and pulled up directly under the tree, observing the sleeping lion for about 30 minutes. For lunch, we had a nice picnic in the shade near a waterfall, excitedly recounting the variety of animals we had observed.
Following more meandering through the park, admiring the stunning scenery and incredible wildlife, we returned to Mbweha Camp for a fine dinner in the large thatched roof lounge. We quickly fell asleep warmed by our hot water bladders under the covers.
(Click here for Part IV – Arms Dealers, Blowhards, and Giraffes)