LIFESTYLE Travel

Kenya – A Land Verdant and Wild

We often think of a safari as riding in a 4 by 4, a pair of binoculars in hand and eyes peeled, to spot wild animals in their natural habitat. This impression was not far from reality when I visited one of the national parks many years ago. When the “Big 5s” (buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhino) were spotted, tourists in their vehicles eagerly converged on these animals like vultures to a kill and jockeyed for a prime spot to video or photograph this once in a lifetime experience of being up close and personal with these animals. This robbed the experience of an authentic safari feel and I ended up frustrated and disappointed. Furthermore, not much was done in the manner of trying to preserve the eco-environment or avoid disturbing the animals.

So, when presented with the opportunity of going on a safari again, needless to say, I baulked at the idea of going through the same rigmarole of jostling with others for viewing rights. This time, the destination was Kenya –a tad more remote, a little more unknown.

More jabs, I lamented. What about sanitation? I checked with Gamewatchers, an authentic safari outfit based in Nairobi and they assured me that their camps would be safe and comfortable. So, I consoled myself: if Franklin Roosevelt could spend a year here in 1910 when hygiene and sanitation standards were at their most rudimentary and filmmakers chose this country to film such epic movies like “Out of Africa”, it must be special.

Life is short and this would be a once in a lifetime experience and since life without adventure is indeed like sailing on a placid lake, I packed my bags and got on the plane.

At Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, I got my first taste of African hospitality. People smiled toothlessly and amiably at us with nary a threat. I got into the van for a four-hour ride to Amboseli National Park.

On some stretches of gravel and mud tracks, the potholes were so big that they looked like craters. We were apoplectically swung from side to side but the toothy smile of our driver was very assuring. “Hakuna matata” or “No problem” was his refrain whenever we asked if we would make it safely. “Enjoy the African massage!” Soon, these roads would be paved, we were told. The temporary inconvenience was a sign of progress.

Amboseli Porini Camp was not what I had bargained for. It was more. We arrived to find a row of Maasai warriors each standing on one leg with the other propped against the straightened knee for support. Their ochre coloured warrior outfits and pierced ears – lobes spotting holes so big that a 50 cent coin could pass through, were quite a sight to behold. For me, this was exoticism to the hilt.

(clockwise from top): A macho display of brawn in a fierce battle for supremacy on the plains of Amboseli; Two impish Maasai boys; Kasaine Wilson on a termite mound; Bush breakfast at the Porini Lion camp located in the Olare Orok conservancy

The Amboseli Porini Camp lies within the Selenkay conservancy and close to where you can catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro. The view of the tallest peak in Africa is stunning for its symmetry, isolation and presence.
It also forms the backdrop for some of nature’s greatest wonders – the wildebeest migration. Countless photographs have been taken and odes sung but nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of this fabled mountain.

On arrival, Kasaine Wilson, my guide (and now my active Facebook buddy) introduced himself in impeccable English. “Jambo! Welcome to Kenya”. He promised us lots of wonderful sightings and memorable sundowners.
We were then shown to our accommodation for the duration of our stay, after which, Kasaine took us on a hike.

Having an erudite, garrulous and eagle-eyed guide means that you are given an in-depth understanding of the animals and their habits, the extraordinary plants and their healing properties and an appreciation of the delicate balance between man’s subsistence and animal survival. We even tried brushing our teeth with a Kenyan Greenheart, a little stem from an indigenous tree. We were also taken on a visit to a Maasai village where we were given a glimpse into their way of life, what they eat, games they play and how they live. To top it all, we even had a chance to partake in the traditional dance of life, the Adumu.

Every experience was a memorable eye-opener and our first evening at camp continued our weaning into the “wild life”. The camp consists of nine giant tents which are modern, comfortable and spotlessly clean.
Shower water (20 litres filled on demand) was supplied by two buckets rigged up and hoisted to the top of the tent by a pulley. This began my lesson in water and resource conservation. I learnt how to shower with just two buckets. You could step out and ask for more water but I’m certain this would be a task carefully re-considered when doused with soap suds.

Light bulbs are powered by solar energy and there are no modern amenities such as wi-fi connectivity, cable or television. This simply means that we all live closer to nature. If you are lucky, you may even get to hear the bellowing of elephants foraging near the camps, the occasional eerie laughter of a hyena or the menacing roar of a lion in the dead of the night. Even with knowledge of what prowled beyond camp grounds, we slept soundly, feeling protected by the constant presence of the Maasai warriors patrolling the grounds. With the constellation of stars hanging plentiful and bright, we knew that this was nature at its finest.

I asked about the philosophy and inspiration behind this camp (see info on Porini’s ecotourism www.porini.com/ecotourism/background.html) and discovered that everything is recycled and food is fresh from the ground. Even the charcoal is made from coffee husks and nothing is left to waste.

The camp manager, Tony, explained that the whole idea is to return everything to the earth and help the Maasais generate income from the land that they had sold (see www.porini.com/porinisafaricamps.com/responsible-tourism.html). The land is then ecologically preserved with no fixtures (of course we lawyers would be familiar with that) or permanent structures, to have minimum impact on the land. Guest numbers are kept small and
you are assured of having the entire conservancy to yourself.

(clockwise from top): Sunrise over the Porini Lion camp; Once in a lifetime sighting of two amorous lions mating in the wild; Kasaine with a dik dik fawn less than a week old

The safari at the crack of dawn was the highlight of my visit. We managed to spot a young dik dik (a type of small antelope) and cradled it with its umbilical cord intact, catch a fight between two male wildebeests locking horns to gain supremacy, vultures descending on a pachyderm and two lions hiding in the shade. We got so close that we could see the flies in their eyes. The cycle of death turned to the swing of life when we saw a maternal elephant with a calf in tow. And all this was seen in just one morning. Lunch soon followed under an acacia tree where we had pasta, fried chicken and pizza. Not to be outdone, the evening’s sundowner was spectacular with the sun’s slanted rays illuminating the landscape, turning it into a sea of gold. Sipping gin and tonic and watching the sun go down are ethereal experiences not to be missed.

(clockwise from top): Maasai tribeswomen in their re splendent best; Kasaine chewing on a Kenyan Greenheart bark to brush his teeth; Scrumptious bread, freshly baked; A typical safari lunch with pasta, barbecued chicken, homemade bread and an assortment of fruits; Homemade vegetable quiche prepared in Porini Lion camp; Indigenous ornaments and accessories made by Maasais; Pulley system used to hoist hot water for nightly showers

The second camp that we visited was the Porini Lion located within the Olare Orok conservancy accessible by a 45 minute flight. True to its name, there were lions aplenty. But what made the visit all the more special were Alfonse (the congenial camp manager), Samuel (a name I conferred on our driver which he gladly adopted) and Jackson (our all-action guide). They were eager to please and keen to show us the best that the conservancy had to offer.

(clockwise from top): Maasai warriors performing the Adumu, a ritualistic, traditional dance; A rare view of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa, unobscured by cloud cover; Herd of zebras in the Amboseli national park located near Tanzania; The holy grail of a safari – a prized sighting of a family of leopards

On our safari around Porini Lion, we lamented the fact that we had yet to spot a leopard, thus failing to complete our sightings of the “Big 5”. As if on cue, Jackson pointed at an object some two kilometres away.
Samuel throttled down and expertly drove up a craggy hill shrewn with rocks. It was an impossible climb but he took us as far as the vehicle could go and stopped. It was then that Jackson pointed out a leopard standing on its hind legs against a rock, with her cubs frolicking around her. We were thrilled to the core.

To round off a day of unbelievable sightings, we chanced upon a pair of amorous lions mating every 10 minutes, oblivious to our rude intrusions. We were told that it is not uncommon for these lions to mate at this frequency for three days. (How depressing for us humankind).

The next morning, Alfonse sprung a pleasant surprise on us. He had arranged for a bush breakfast complete with chef, an entourage of Maasais to serve us and a makeshift kitchen right at the top of a plateau overlooking the Rift Valley. Having eggs Benedict, sausages, bacon and freshly baked muffins served while luxuriating in the cool morning air was nothing short of surreal. For me, this was an “Out of Africa” experience.*

(clockwise from top): A typical tent used in Porini Lion camp and Amboseli; The interior of the tent; The shower and powder room of our tent; The hospitality tent amidst the trees and wildlife of Amboseli; The author with Samuel and Jackson enjoying a sundowner; A mother elephant with her calf; A blend of modernity and tradition

Simon Tan
Attorneys Inc. LLC
E-mail: simontan@attorneys.com.sg

*For those who wish to visit Kenya, see the offical website of the Kenyan Tourist Board at www.magicalkenya.com