Dining Jumbo-style in the Reeds at Ziwani Dam

It's  a drought season at Tsavo West National Park. Located on a 30,000-acre private farm on the western edge of Tsavo West National Park, Voyager Ziwani sits on the edge of a small, secluded dam on the Sante River. The camp affords guest close encounters with wildlife, as these pictures below show.

 

The jumbos came for a drink, and decided to nibble at the soft shoots at the edge of thedam.

This gave our guests a chance to take pictures uninhibited. 

Notice the hippos in the middle of the dam. The dam is home to a bloat of hippopotamus that comes out to feed at night. 

Stephen Lekatoo, Resident Naturalist, Voyager Ziwani Tsavo

The Greatest Game Show on Earth - Issue 8

The Wildebeest Migration


The rain in the four areas of the Mara has led to the distribution of the wildebeest and the zebra in them.

The group southeast of Keekorok is now heading west towards the Mara Bridge along Sand River.

Another herd in the Mara Triangle is starting to cross Paradise Crossing and Shamarta and in to the eastern side. A big section of the Mara Triangle has been burnt leaving only a small section with grass for the wildebeest. This has forced the wildebeest to look for greener pastures.

The wildebeest crossing to the eastern side are congregating on Topi hill.

There are wildebeest along the border of the Reserve and the Mara West Conservancy, northwest of Mara Intrepids Camp.

A herd of zebras and wildebeest has covered the Olkiombo Plains, and the Talek Olare-orok Rivers. It is moving towards Rhino Ridge and Paradise Plains. The grass is still tall here for the zebra.


PREDATORS

Lions

The Olkiombo Pride is camping on the southern side of Talek River, east of Mara Intrepids, with the three males still with the Maji ya Fisi pride.

Some of the Ridge Pride lions – the three females, three cubs of different ages and two males are between Intiakitiak and Olare Orok rivers.

The Olkeju-Ronkai Pride is very much along Olkeju-Ronkai River.

Notch’s four sons are at Shamarta near the crossing with two lionesses from the Ridge Pride.

Leopards

Olive with her two male cubs was seen looking for prey at the Smelly Crossing.

Cheetahs

Saba with her cub was at the crossing point at Shamarta not far from Notch’s sons.

John Parmasau, Safari Guide, Mara Intrepids Camp
(Pictures © John Parmasau)

You can read more on Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids athttp://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/

Book and pay for two nights at this properties and get the third free! Offer only applies for travel between 1st November and 15th December 2010. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

Greatest Gameshow: Wildebeest fights off Leopard!

Migration overview

It’s hot and dry in the Mara. The grass on the plains is like the color of mature red oat grass – gold - and still palatable for the herbivores.

 

The big herds of wildebeest and zebras have divided themselves into three groups. Each group has taken a different direction, dictated by the availability of fresh grass and water. The rains have been falling on the outskirts of the Mara and also where it has not previously rained.

A big herd from Lookout Hill has drifted to the Meta Plains towards Keekorok and some moving north towards the Posse Plains.

A herd that covered a big area from Milima Tatu in the Mara Triangle around Serena Mara and the Olpunyata Swamp, make numerous crossings from morning till late afternoon along the Mara River, in search of greener pastures on the eastern side of the Mara around Rhino Ridge and the Paradise Plain west of the Mara Intrepids Camp.

In the Mara River a lot of wildebeest were killed in the stampede as they tried to climb over the steep walls of the river. It is a feast for the vultures and the marabou storks while the crocodiles have no need to hunt – there are carcasses all around them.

Another big herd mixed with zebras is in the plains stretching from Bila Shaka, along the border of Mara National Game Reserve and the Mara West Conservancy and the OOC coming down south, towards Mara Intrepids Camp and the Olkiombo Plains.

The Big Cats Diary

                                                                    

Lions

The Ridge Pride has moved from Topi Plains following the wildebeest herds. The pride of nine is now 10 because of a new cub that’s one month old.

The Olkiombo Pride is still in three groups along the Talek River.

The Olkeju Ronkai Pride is still together with Junior and the two step-brothers called Cheza and Sala. They are the dominant males from the Olkiombo and Maji-ya Fisi prides.

The Paradise Pride has moved to Paradise Crossing where the wildebeest are crossing the river.

 Leopards

Olive and her two male cubs are along Talek River. She made two unsuccessful attempts to get to the carcass of a wildebeest calf, but was kept off by the female wildebeests four kilometers from the Mara Intrepids Camp.

Cheetahs

Saba the female cheetah with her male cub is at Olare-Orok, east of Rhino Ridge.

The three brothers are at Ntiaki-tiak River which is north of Mara Intrepids Camp.      

Paul Kirui, Chief Safari Guide, and  John Parmasau Heritage Hotels Ltd
(Pictures © John Parmasau)

You can read more on Mara Explorer, Mara Intrepids  and Siana Springs at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/

Book and pay for two nights at this property and get the third free! Offer only applies for travel between 1st November and 15th December 2010. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

The Greatest Game Show on Earth - Issue 7

Migration Overview

Following two days of rain in some parts of the Mara, the wildebeest and the zebra are scattering in all directions.

The rains fell in Olkiombo, the Topi Plains, Musiara, Mara Intrepids Camp and in the south around Keekorok.

A herd of zebras is now on the eastern side of Rhino Ridge moving towards Olkiombo Plains. The wildebeest have not yet reached here.

A herd of wildebeest is moving towards Rhino Ridge along the Mara River joining Paradise Plain. This is a vantage point for the crocodiles and the lions because many wildebeest and zebra die here due to the stampede trying to climb up the riverbank and out on to the plains.
  


Large herds of wildebeest and zebra are on Lookout Hill and Olmisigiyio. Some herds are heading towards Posse Plains and others towards Meta Plains. A few are at Burrungat Plains heading towards Rhino Ridge through a crossing between Rekero and Naibor Camp, west of Mara Intrepids Camp.

There are also large herds in the Mara Triangle and Milima Tatu.

                                                                     
Big Cats

Lions

The Ridge Pride males at Topi Plains have tried to take over the Olkiombo Pride but all in vain. Notch and his sons are together after spending time with the Ridge Pride females that are by Rekero Camp. They were outdone by the Olkiombo Pride.

The Paradise Pride has gone to the crossing point where the wildebeest are crossing.

Leopards

Olive and her two male cubs are residing behind Mara Explorer, a kilometer from tent number 4 along Talek River.

Cheetahs


Two female cheetahs are east of Mara Intrepids Camp while the three brothers and Saba the female and her cub are at Rhino Ridge facing Bila Shaka.   

Paul Kirui, Chief Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels Ltd
(Pictures © Paul Kirui)

You can read more on Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/

Book and pay for two nights at this property and get the third free! Offer only applies for travel between 1st November and 15th December 2010. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

The Greatest Game Show on Earth - Issue 6

Wildebeest Migration


One herd of wildebeest is re-entering the Mara from the southern part of Lookout Hill via Sand River after visiting the western corridor through Engiro. The wildebeest are around Talek Gate, Lookout Hill, Central Plains, Meta Plains and Olmisigiyio feasting on the succulent grass.


The herds that are grazing in Central and Meta Plains are moving towards Lookout Hill, crossing every morning towards Mara Triangle. There’s not much drama in the river between the crocodiles and the wildebeest. However the wildebeest raise a lot of dust by the banks of the Mara River.


All the herds that are in Posse Plains are crossing Talek River, west of Fig Tree Camp to Olkiombo Plains where they have never been before. The grass here is fresh and palatable. Herds of zebras are streaming in from Topi Plains because of the one-day rain that refreshed the plains. The Olkiombo Plains are becoming a meeting point for the zebras and the wildebeest.

The other herds of wildebeest, which have branched off from the herds crossing between Fig Tree and Intrepids are crossing between Rekero Camp and Naibor. There’s not much left to graze on this route because the earlier herds have grazed away most of the grass.


Walking in single files, the wildebeest walk slowly at first but increase their momentum as they reach Paradise Crossing. It is a traditional crossing used during the migration with lots of action taking place. On 17 July, a lioness in the Mara Triangle made six kills in 45 minutes. The crocodiles are also making successful kills.


The plains from Olkiombo to Topi and from Musiara to Mara-Rianda are full of wildebeest.


At this point, all the grazers are crossing into Mara Conservancy expecting fresh pasture because of the rains.

                                                                    Predators’ sighting

Lions

The Olkiombo Pride of three males has taken over the neighboring pride at Maji ya Fisi because there are no dominant males in the pride. Many females in the pride are in estrus.

The Paradise Pride is also divided after Notch and his son went to the Ridge Pride females. The Ridge Pride has had no dominant male for two years.

All the lioness hunt almost daily to provide for their cubs.
    
Leopards

Olive the leopard is still with Pacha and Kayoni, her two sons aged 13 months. They are around Take River, east of Mara Explorer, recently seen with a young wildebeest kill.

       
Cheetah

The three cheetah brothers are at Topi Plains hunting the young of the zebra and the wildebeest.
Paul Kirui, Chief Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels
(Pictures © Paul Kirui)

You can read more on Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/

Book and pay for two nights at this property and get the third free! http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

Fan facts: Grevy's Zebra

Also known as the Imperial Zebra, it is the largest species of zebra, and is only found in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia.

They are classified as endangered, with roughly about 16,000 still living in the wild. They have poached for their more beautiful and expensive hides, suffering encroachment by man and domestic animals on their habitats as well as harsh climates.

Found only in harsh semi-arid plains of the Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets, a big number died during the recent drought in most of northern Kenya.

The species gets its name from a former French president, Jules Grevy, who was gifted by the Ethiopian government (Abyssinia) in 1880.

They are known to coexist with the common plains' zebra, but do not inter-breed. They breed all year with the gestation period being between 380 - 400 days, and giving birth to single foals. Newborns follow anything that moves and thus new mothers are highly aggressive towards other mares a few hours after they give birth. This prevents the foal from imprinting another female as its mother. To adapt to an arid lifestyle, Grévy's Zebra foals take longer intervals between suckling bouts and do not drink water until they are 3 months old.

So how do you tell a Grevy from a common zebra?
✓ They have thinner stripes, which do not go round their bellies unlike with common zebras. This is the main distinction. They are broader on the neck, extending to the hooves, and on the rump, are as unique to each animal as our human thumb-prints!.

✓ They are bigger in size, and weigh up to 450 kilos.
✓ They have very large, conical bat-like ears.
✓ Their heads are big, long and narrow, very horse or mule-like.
✓ The manes are tall and erect, making them majestic and very 'royal-like'. They were used by ancient Romans in gladiator fights.

They are one of the special six animals of Samburu - the others being the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, the gerenuk antelope, the Beisa oryx and a late addition, the vulturine guineafowl.

Heritage Hotels operates a luxury tented Camp is the Samburu National Reserve - Samburu Intrepids Camp. You can read more on Samburu Intrepids at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/samburu-intrepids

*This property remains closed till December for renovations following the floods in March. Lookout for the re-opening announcement.

Admin, Lo'mon LeHeritage 

('Lo'mon' is Samburu for news; Le Heritage means 'from Heritage') 

Ghana wins six-a-side world trophy!

With the biggest global event just coming to a close in South Africa, Voyager Beach Resort held a six-a-side mini world cup recently which involved guests as well as the animation team. We had a total of three teams (aptly christened Ghana, Bafana Bafana and Kenya)  that took on each other on a league basis with the two top teams engaging in a final.

[The games were so captivating that the fans could not stick to their seats.]

[Part of the action during the finals]

[Bafana Bafana fans urge their team on with you guessed it - vuvuzelas!]

The results were as follows:
Game 1. Ghana 2 - Bafana 1
Game 2. Ghana 1 - Kenya 3
Game 3. Kenya 1 - Bafana 2

The pulsating final was between Ghana and Kenya. Ghana drew first blood after just two minutes, with Kenya replying after the restart to bring the game level. Ghana were again the first to score in the second half, with Kenya squeezing in an equaliser in the last minute of the game to send the game into extra time.

[The Mexican waves as the fans urged their teams on]

[Attendance: many thousands. Fans turned out in large numbers for this once-in-a-lifetime 'tournament'!]

[Tense moments at the Ghanaian technical area during the finals]

After some serious exchanges between the two teams, the game ended in a stalemate. The game was decided on penalties with Ghana carrying the day after burying two of their three penalties as opposed to Kenya who missed all of their three penalties.

[Yes we are the champions! Ghanaian fans celebrate their epic win.]

[And the moment all Africans have been waiting for: Ghana’s captain lifts the trophy high]

[While runners-up Kenya get the wooden spoon. Next time boys.]

The guest of honor was the Cruise Commander, Yusuf who congratulated the winning team while presenting them with the world cup trophy as well as animation t/shirts.

[A group picture of the participating teams after the tournament]

[No major world event is worth it's salt if the closing ceremony is not awesome! The diski dance, no less!]

Now who says life on board a cruiser is not all fun!


At last, an African team gets to lift the winning trophy in a major event - on home soil!