Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cats!!!

[lovetravellingoz]

Nairobi to Cape Town and Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD)…..and yes wildlife too!!!
PART TWO: The Post-trip Report

Well we have now just returned to Australia after completing our 6 week trip from Nairobi, Kenya to Victoria Falls by 4WD with a sojourn through Botswana and South Africa afterwards to round out the six weeks..

It was an amazing trip and my wife rates it our best yet. From the 4500km 4WD drive, to sampling one of Africa's best restaurants in The Test Kitchen, to the stunning views and wines of the Cape Town Region, to our final 1100km drive in the Kruger Region it was a lifetime full of memories.

The wildlife was amazing and included experiences such as:
* Being on foot within 10m of two rhinos
* Being only 5m away from two mating lions
* Being only 10m away from 3 male lions with a fresh kill of an antelope with 3 jackals circling them

If you are considering a similar self-drive trip 4WD, then my advice is to go for it!

For all the pre-trip planning and heaps of detail, please see Part Onelanning The Trip http://www.australianfrequentflyer....os/nairobi-cape-town-planes-trains-62930.html This includes links to some aspects of the trip such as African Expedition Support that we arranged the first part through, SANPARKs for Kruger etc.

This part will focus on the trip, and will be pic-centric.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Ok, after all of that meticulous planning we arrived in Nairobi. I say we, as for the first time ever our checked in bags did not!!!! Etihad had been doing so well before that, from the limousine ride to the flights. But there we were at the luggae are san-bags. And that big pile of bags along one wall that was being added to that I had thought was for a large tour group. No that was the luggage for a big portion of yesterday's Etihad flight!

After a number of phone calls, the verdict wa that we would get our bags, but maybe tomorrow, or maybe in a few days!!!! They eventually turned up about 30 hours later.

Then once at our accommodation and I was sitting down enjoying a beer, I suddenly thought wheres my camera bag!!!! Then it dawned on me. That Etihad Limousine Service turned up 15 minutes early and somehow the camera bag which was on the two large bags we were taking was left at home!!! So so much for that nice new zoom lens I had bought for this trip.

So there we were at the start of our 6 weeks adventure. No baggage and no decent camera apart from our limited camera phones.


So off to the very limited shopping available in Nairbo where I bought a Nikon D3100 with a twin lens kit, but only with a 200mm zoom.

So the challenge for the trip now was going to be to get good wildlife shots with only a 200mm zoom.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

First stop was the Masai Mara National Reseve. And what a magnificent place it is too, with its open plains being the imagies from my childood movie watching. Within minutes of entering the park various game was on display.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

And then only about twenty minutes into the reserve our first lion, a female standing right next to the track. Who then crossed between our vehicles before joing tow other lions in the bushes about 30m away.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

The endless plains and the Wildebbest have recently arrived as they migreate to this are from further south.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Setting up camp. For our first 26 days in Africa we would camp more often than not, aprt from out side trip to Zanzibar.

Our mobile camp kitchen..

And Masai security guard. Most of the camps north of Malwi were patrolled by Masai Tribesman at night. Againts animals in the wildlife areas, and againts thieves when in built up areas.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Off the next morning in search of more game.

From the small

To the larger

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

To more Cats. These male and female lions were stalking the Zebras before finding this white baseball cap more interesting! We learnt by this that if you see animals all intently looking in the one direction that invariably it meant that there were predators about. And cats are generallya lot harder to find than the herbivores.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Cheetahs. At first just sitting. Often cats are very inactive during the day. But just when we were about to move on they got up and walked and also started playing together.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Another Cheetah. But can you spot it in the long grass? It comes closer and we get a better view. You soon realise how easy it is to miss spotting the predators unless you are alert.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Stopping at the local airstrip fora spot of lunch. No there is no cafe, but no lions either!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Back to Nairobi after two fantastic days in the Masai Mara.

The southern plains beckon.

The Masai and their hers of cattle a common sight.

As were many a dusty km of road

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

To arrive at Amboseli National Park.

At this time of year the park is very hot and dry and on entry we drove across the now dry lake bed. Dead flat and very smooth to drive on. A real joy after the recent corrogations on the drive to the park. a joy that is as long as you avoided the dust plume of the vehicle in front ofyou.

An old male giraffe walking across the dry lake bed through the heat haze amd mirage -No that is not water!

Wildebeest watch on as Willie Willie form in the dust and heat.

At stages you could see dozens of them at once.

One spontaneously forms just near our Land Rover, as many other can be seen beyond.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

The Superb Starling

The Secretaybird having caught some prey.

And the ever present Impla once some grass appreared again.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Fantastic - I just love Cheetahs - love all the predators, but Cheetahs are the favourite!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Male Waterbuck showing the characteristic white circle on its hind.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

And then the clouds broke to reveal the mighty Mt Kilimanjaro, which had previously been masked by them.

And then vanishing again as the sun set. Though as I looked towards the setting sun elephants paraded beneath it.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

But there was enough water around to keep the elephants and hippos content.

And the odd herd of Buffalo.

We also sighted anoter Cheetah. At first in a tree! (and no it was nota leopard unfortunately). Plus pride of lions in the distance unsuccesfully stalking some game.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

And after crossing into Tanzania and driving through the lush foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro.....

it was onto Lake Chara volcanic crater lake....and yes ack in the dust again!

There was nota lot of game and Lake Char was more of ascenic campsite as we drove south.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

South we drove camping along the way, to reach Dar es Salaam so that we could catch the ferry to Zanzibar to havea break from the corrugations, speed humps and dust!

Paying attention along the roads and tracks

And the constant speed humps!!!!! Speedhumps are endless on the main raods of Kenya and Tanzania.

To reach Mikadi Beach to catch the ferry the next day. Not the best location due to a local African club next door with LOUD music . .. Did I mention it was LOUD!!!! Still the view was nice and beer was cold.