Although only 240km southeast of Nairobi, there is a 50km stretch that took almost three hours. Blame the tourist industry, for the overloaded trucks carry the luxurious comforts requested the wealthy tourists and road with deepening ridges.
We camped, down and dirty in the sand, under Mt. Kili’s air (heir). Unlike all other camping experiences, all trash (cans, wrappers, etc) is burned, so that the smell doesn’t attract wildlife. Nevertheless, a couple of hyenas paid visit during the night, they are harmless scavengers, but the roaring lion 2kms away is not.
The National Park hasn’t received rain in over two years, Ambroseli lake has dried up almost completely. The grazers and hippos hang out in the small patch of swamp, and carcasses lie in every direction; the area stinks of death.
Mt. Kili has little snow left. It seems to live in its own biosphere; even at a distance one can notice/admire Mt. Kili’s unique environment.
Giraffes, zebras, gazellies, wildebeests, weaverbirds, ele’s, warthogs, hippo’s, and even two lions mating on the early morning, birthday game-drive.
Africa’s beautiful landscape suffers from the lack of rain.
~Eline Bakker
