Kenya,
August 1997
The trip that started it all: we met each other on this adventure to East Africa, and also met our good friends Chris and Jacky. We kicked off in Nairobi, of course, then travelled to Mount Kenya for some upland birding, before dropping down to Samburu, where we encountered our first Leopard, as well as Grevy's Zebras, Gerenuk and Ratel. Simon also ticked off his 1000th species of bird: Grey-headed Kingfisher! We moved to the Great Rift Valley, enjoying spectacular numbers of flamingoes and other waterbirds, plus White Rhino and lots more. From Siana Springs, we made multiple safaris into the famous Maasai Mara, seeing the full suite of large mammals, plus birds too numerous and exciting to mention. Having looped back to Nairobi, we headed for Amboseli NP, where we had amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border, and hundreds of Savanna Elephants, among other things. We took in both halves of Tsavo (West and East), then headed to the coast for a great few days based at Hemingway's Resort at Turtle Bay, near Sokoke Forest, where we successfully looked for Sokoke Scops Owl and Kilifi Weaver, both highly endemic to that little patch of forest. We did some snorkelling at Watamu, and had a fun boat trip at Mida Creek, before heading back to Nairobi, after a TRULY life-changing three weeks. We were married within a year!
Need we list further highlights? Lions, Cheetahs, Giraffes at point-blank range, thieving Olive Baboons, Secretarybirds and Martial Eagles, extraordinary Afrotropical passerines and near-passerines aplenty, screaming hyraxes, terrifying Nile Crocodiles.....it was such a wonderful trip.
