AFRICA 2022, Nairobi and Masai Mara Day 1

 We left Amsterdam late morning on a nonstop flight and arrived about 8 1/2 hours later in Nairobi.  After waiting forever for luggage, Lin's showed up, but mine did not.  OK, it was 11pm and I had to stand in a line for about an hour to fill out paperwork for the lost luggage which apparently was still in Amsterdam and never made it to the plane.  Our greeter from the travel agency was terrific and helped us navigate the process, but we were really tired and frustrated.  The luggage was tracked and they said it would arrive the next evening at the Nairobi airport, but couldn't guarantee delivery to the hotel before we were planning on leaving.  So, instead, they arranged to have the luggage sent to the small airport that we would be leaving from to go up to the Masai Mara conservancy.

View from our room

We got to our hotel about 1 am and our first impression of the hotel was a little scary, given all the security.  A massive fence surrounded the property and all people and vehicles had to wait for a gate to be opened.  Then we had to pass through metal detectors....the hotel was gorgeous and welcoming, even at that late hour.  We quickly got to our room overlooking the inner courtyard and got to bed.  The next day was a free day, but the security measures scared us off from exporing outside the hotel, so we decided to just lounge around and try to catch up on sleep.  We walked the lovely grounds landscaped with tropical plants and the meals were outstanding.  A little frustrating as I had to wear the same clothes I had traveled in as my luggage wouldn't be delivered until the following day.

Our second day in Nairobi was an early morning call to meet our fellow 7 passengers (6 women and 1 man) and Timothy, our Kenya guide.  Plans for the first day were busy - a stop at a Giraffe conservancy where they are breeding the rare Rothschild giraffe for reintroduction into the wild, followed by a visit to an elephant orphanage where orphaned baby elephants are raised until 3-5 years old and then released into the wild.  

They gave us pellets to feed the Giraffes

Look at that tongue!!!

A wart hog was scrounging for dropped feed

Lunch at the Karen Blixen restaurant (used to be on the grounds of her coffee plantation and was used in filming Out Of Africa) followed by our bush plane ride to the Masai Mara private conservancy, west of Nairobi.  We first made a stop at a building where our guide ran in and came out with my luggage - boy, was I relieved to see it!  

The conservancy is not fenced in any way and abuts the National Park, but visitors are limited compared to the National Park, making it a more authentic wildlife viewing experience.  The Masai Mara airport was just a single dirt landing strip without any buildings at all!

We were greeted by traditional Masai warriors doing their welcoming chant and dance before being driven the roundabout way to view wildlife enroute to our tented Lodge.  

The women were aggressive in selling their beaded handicrafts.

View of farm country surrounding Nairobi

On the left is the second largest slum in the world - so sad.

We were astounded by the number of animals we saw within a couple of hour's ride in the 8 passenger jeep:  hyenas, giraffes, water birds, gazelles, zebras and a cheetah family.  Driving on the dirt roads was optional so we were off road a LOT and the toilet paper provided in the jeep had us a little concerned.....

All the giraffes we saw were Masai Giraffes

The zebras often would lay their heads on the back of another

Graceful Thompson Gazelle

Our very first game drive and we were lucky to see a Mama Cheetah and her youngsters.

Can you see me??

Hyena stalking the baby cheetahs.  A ranger drove him off as the cheetahs are endangered

Baboon and Hippos keeping cool

 and were flabbergasted by the incredible lodgings.

Permanent flooring and plumbing with tent exterior.  We had to be careful to put something in front of the tent entrance flap because the monkeys knew how to unzip the flap!

Wow and wow and wow!  What a first day in the bush.  We saw so many animals in such a short time.  At dinner, we commented about how we had pretty much seen everything and could go home now, happy that we accomplished almost everything we had wished for!  How wrong we were.......