A trip to the Dark Continent after some amazing creatures
Leopard mother and cub in Samburu National Reserve
Once in while, the chance of a lifetime comes along and an opportunity to visit Kenya in East Africa to photograph wildlife became a reality.
A pride of lions in the Masai Mara National Reserve
When I was younger, I dreamed of going to Africa as a hunter with a gun. I collected many books and magazines on the subject and learned about this remarkable place with its spectacular array of wild animals. But it has always been just a dream until last year.
Elephant family group by the Eweso Nyiro River in Samburu
More than 25 years ago, I dropped the gun and decided it was time to record nature instead of destroying it. I made a promise to the ‘spirits of the wild’ to photograph as much wildlife as possible before it was too late. I’m glad I started when I did, as I surely would have missed a lot.
African cape buffalo and oxpeckers in the Masai Mara
It took almost a decade to buy my first camera and lens. It was a Nikon FE manual film model with a 50mm lens, and my first attempt to photograph wildlife was quite dismal.
White rhino in Lake Nakuru National Park
I was way to short in the lens to say the least. A quick up-grade to a 400mm Sigma and a Nikon N90s film camera was next, and things then began to fall into place.
Cheetha male on a termite mound in the Masai Mara
It took me awhile but I stuck with it like knowing what to do with the danged contraptions. I wasted loads of slide film when I did not read the exposure correctly.
Black-backed jackal in the Masai Mara
Camera and lens evolution has played a very important role in my photography work and I now use the latest Nikon D3s digital body and a long Nikon 400mm f 2.8 telephoto lens for most of my photographs.
Wildebeest on the run in the Masai Mara
I also use tele-converters in 1.4X, 1.7X and 2X to increase to subject size without moving when needed.
Leopard coming down from a tree in the Masai Mara
Smaller Nikon D700 and D7000 bodies with an 80-200mm or a 70-300 zoom lens is always by my side. Other lenses include 28mm and 50mm for landscape work, and a 90mm and 200mm for macro shots.
Southern ground hornbill in the Masai Mara
One of the toughest jobs is how to read light and exposure. Being at the right place, right time with the right equipment and right technique, and a good tripod or solid support like a bean-bag is the secret to good sharp photographs.
Flamingos at Lake Nakuru
Photographing wildlife is one of the toughest jobs in the world (but not the toughest – a combat or war photographer win hands down) where the element of danger in the forest is out there to get you.
Zebra abstract in the Masai Mara
Anyway, Africa was beckoning and I made the decision to go with Trans-World Safaris in Nairobi after recommendations from the Thai Embassy in Kenya.
Warthog in the Masai Mara
After three months of preparing for the trip with safari fees, visa to Kenya, air tickets, yellow fever shots, etc, the departure date finally came and I left Bangkok on Kenya Airways just after midnight on September 5, 2010.
Vultures playing 'king of the hill' in the Masai Mara
The eight-hour flight to Nairobi was straight and uneventful. I slept some of the way hoping to arrive fresh but that is always not the case after being cramped into an airplane seat for that long. Getting up and walking around once in awhile can help to get the blood flowing and relieve tension.
Secretary bird on the savanna in the Masai Mara
I arrived at 5.30am the next morning and it was a quick trip through immigration and customs. All my bags arrived and out the gate I went.
Hyena in a donga (dry streambed) in the Masai Mara
Sati Lota, the manager of Trans-World was waiting outside with two drivers, Patrick and George, and two safari vans specially modified for wildlife viewing and photographic work. I was with a group of like-minded photographers from Thailand.
A topi on a termite mound in the Masai Mara
We loaded-up the vehicles and were on the road in no time at all. Traffic in Nairobi is hectic but we made good time this early in the morning.
Zebras on the savanna in the Masai Mara
About five kilometers from the airport, we made a stop at a ‘supermarket’ to buy some food stuffs and green peas for the bean-bags that are very important for quick and solid support on the van when photographing wildlife.
Wildebeest coming up from the Mara River
The Masai Mara plains in the southwest section of the country adjoining the Great Serengeti in Tanzania, plus a few other protected areas in Kenya are the ultimate safari experience. The Kenyan people are very proud of their wildlife heritage.
Wildebeest on the savanna in the Masai Mara
The road then got tougher as we crossed the Great Rift Valley into the Masai Mara National Reserve. As we got closer, we began to see antelopes and zebras along the way.
Hippos on the Talek River in Masai Mara
We finally arrived at the Mara Simba Lodge just after noon and checked in. After depositing our bags in the room, it was straight to the buffet lunch set-up overlooking the Talek River.
Hippos in the river by the Mara Simba Lodge
As we got there, a pod of hippos showed up for a sunbathing session on a sandbar. Egyptian geese and a lazy crocodile were also by the river.
Eygptian goose taking off from the river
As I had my medium camera and 80-400 zoom lens with me, I made quick work of the situation. I was asked by the group why I had my camera and I said, “You never know when you might see something”.
Nile crocodile and wildebeest carcass in the Mara River
I made quick work of the situation while the rest ran back to their rooms after their cameras. The hippo’s size filled the frame and I also got some flying shots of the geese.
African banded mongoose by the Talek River
After a quick bite, I took a stroll near an electric fence surrounding the lodge and bumped into a pack of banded mongoose. Four species in less than an hour of arriving; things were certainly looking up.
Griffon vulture in the Masai Mara
At 3.30pm, we had some tea and readied ourselves for our first afternoon ‘game drive’ as they are called. As I left the lodge, we began to see wildlife right away.
Impala and a baboon on the first game drive on the Masai Mara
After a short while, we bumped into a pride of mature female lions with their cubs enjoying the late afternoon sun, and setting out on a hunt. It was exciting to say the least.
'Magic eyes' - leopard on the first day in the Masai Mara
About 5.30pm, we saw a large group of safari vehicles surrounding a tree out in the savannah and George our driver said it was probably a leopard.
My first leopard encounter in the Masai Mara
We quickly motored to the spot and found the mystical cat sleeping up in the tree. George was very skilled at getting us into a good position.
Sleepy male lion on the Masai Mara
I managed to get some very close facial shots of the carnivore with my new Nikon D3s and my old 400mm. Funny enough, the catch-lights in the eyes of my leopard were provided by a Canon flash used by a companion next to me. Strange how things work out sometimes but I was elated to say the least.
The classic 'MGM' lion yawn on the Masai Mara
If you get the leopard, it is said you will get the ‘Big Five’ and that is exactly what I was able to accomplish over the next five days.
Male lion portrait on my second day
We also managed to get some very good African lion, buffalo and elephant shots the first and second day.
Buffalo and oxpeckers on the second day
After four days, we finally left the Masai Mara and headed to another reserve named Lake Nakuru National Park where rhinos and flamingo live around the lake.
Mother lion and cub playing near the Mara River
On my first day, I managed to get rhino and flamingo plus cape buffalo and the very rare Rothschild giraffe. It was great and after two days, we were on the road again.
Wildebeest crossing the Mara River
We arrived at Sweetwaters Private Reserve not far from the eternally snow-capped Mount Kenya. It was very cool at night down to 10 degrees Centigrade.
Sunrise over Mount Kenya at Sweetwaters Reserve
The hotel was a tented camp and the staff provided a hot-water bottle placed in the bed at dusk. It was the best sleep I had while on Safari.
An African fish eagle taking a fish from the river
The next morning we were out in the sanctuary at daybreak and bumped into a lion mother with her two small cubs. She had a radio collar around her neck so the staff could monitor her movements.
A herd of Elephant in Samburu
At mid-day, we left Sweetwater for the last leg of our journey and arrived at Samburu National Park in central Kenya. It was hot and dry like all deserts.
White rhino in Lake Nakuru
But the wildlife was great. As soon as we got in the gate, we bumped into giraffes and a large herd of elephants.
Thompson Falls at 2,360 meters above sea level
On the next to the last day, we found a leopard mother and her cub eating a little tik-tik antelope, Africa smallest antelope. Over the course of three days, we saw leopard everyday.
Baboon eating a guineafowl in Lake Nakuru
The bridge over the river had been washed out and so we did not see lion or buffalo that lived on the other side. But we saw many new animals including male and female dik-dik, Grevy’s zebra, waterbuck, reticulated giraffe, gemsbok (oryx), gerunuk and elephant.
The rare Rothschild giraffe in Lake Nakuru
The safari finally came to a close and we headed back to Nairobi. The flight out was delayed 24 hours but we got free lodging for the night in Nairobi.
Impala buck in Lake Nakuru
As I flew back to Thailand the next day, I looked back on the last 14 days and the tremendous opportunity I had photographing Africa’s wildlife, and made a promise to return.I guess I have caught the 'African bug'!
Cape buffalo in Lake Nakuru
I have just come back from yet another exciting safari to Kenya’s Masai Mara and this time, the Nairobi National Park near the city. I will post a new thread on this trip as soon as possible. I hope you have enjoyed the show. Cheers.