Baboons provide an endless source of entertainment and intrigue, no matter how often we observe them. The local troop of about 60 individuals is no exception. We find them in their usual spot, along the narrow ford across the dry river bed not far from the Samburu Serena lodge, relaxing and grooming each other before…

Within the vast grasslands of the Maasai Mara lies the picturesque Keekorok Lodge, an oasis for travelers of every kind. Here, we enjoyed a lovely walk around the gardens on our last morning in the Mara. The ornamental flowering shrubs and thorny acacias attracted many winged visitors to delight us. There was no shortage of…

We pull out of Ndololoo Camp before 7:00 am, eager for our morning game drive in Tsavo East National Park. Peter has already been listening to the banter over the radio provided by other drivers that left before breakfast. Within several hundred meters the pace of our vehicle picks up, and we realize there must…

Tented camp facilities provide a unique and precious experience on safari. There’s nothing quite like hearing the sounds of the bush in the middle of the night – lions roaring, zebras barking or owls hooting – with only canvas walls between yourself and the darkness. A small watering hole next to our camp still attracted…

Here in Samburu Game Reserve, the earth is parched with drought and dust covers everything. During our morning game drive, a short distance from the Sopa lodge, we came across a herd of nine elephants. As they amble closer to us, their ears flap constantly, helping to cool them off under the hot sun. They…

Among the interesting people, places and circumstances that have influenced the history of avian nomenclature, one individual plays a most prominent role in the birds of East Africa. We were reminded of this man upon sighting the gorgeous emerald-and-white Klaas’s Cuckoo (below) while walking the grounds of the Lake Naivasha Country Club. French explorer and…

It was just a few hours after daybreak, under heavy cloud cover, when we came upon the most numerous of the big cats in Africa, and also the most elusive, a Leopard. In a lush open area surrounded by Yellow-bark Fever trees, it lay sleek and beautiful, sprawled on a fallen tree trunk, asleep with…

Driving through the short-grass plains of the Maasai Mara reserve, our hearts suddenly raced at the sight of seven lions – two males and five females. The majestic cats were spread out over an area about 200 meters in length. Though we had been lucky with numerous cat sightings this safari, lions never failed to…

On the edge of a Yellow-bark Acacia forest, in picturesque Nakuru National Park, we witnessed one of nature’s most amazing miracles, the first moments of a newborn Impala. We might’ve missed the whole thing, if not for Lori’s sharp eyes spotting a brown object on the ground between two alert-looking Impalas. “What’s that dark thing?”…

At the Samburu Serena a nightly ritual is to put out a handful of meaty bones for the Nile Crocodiles (above) that bask in the waters of the Ewaso Nyiro River. We see their green eyes glowing in the evening spotlight on the river. An African Civet is also attracted to the leftovers. The crocs…

So many delights in Samburu, we didn’t know where to look first. Lindsay and Lori were tasked with scouring the terrain in search of big cats, while Todd and I focused on the avian spectacle. We all caught sight of an Impala and a Kirk’s Dik-dik running away ahead of us, and wondered aloud if…

A thin swampy strip in Buffalo Springs National Reserve leads to the Esawo Nyeri River, attracting myriad waders, plovers and mud-loving reptiles. Bright green wet vegetation contrasts colorfully with the drier acacia surroundings. Nile Crocodiles negotiate the narrow channels as Black Crakes, Squacco Herons, Three-banded Plovers and Moorhens stalk through the tall grasses. In this…