Day 91 – Mombasa, Kenya

Our second day in Mombasa did not have a good start. Tim and I got up very early for our excursion, but as I was getting ready, I saw Tim huddling under the covers and shivering. At first, I just thought he was cold, but I soon realized that he was sick. I took his temperature, which was more than 100 degrees, and knew then that he would not be going anywhere today.

This was devastating for both of us because this was the one excursion that Tim had selected and was most looking forward to. This nine-hour excursion included a flight to Amboseli National Park and a game drive to see wildlife. What had most appealed to Tim was the fact that the park sits in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, and he figured this might be our only opportunity to see the mountain.

Although it was too late to cancel and get a refund, I did not want this very expensive ticket to go to waste. I quickly checked with Guest Services to see if there was a wait list. Finding none, I spoke with Hotel General Manager Marcel to see if he would permit one of the crew members to take advantage of this opportunity. He was so appreciative and began calling around as I left to finish getting ready.

With a promise from Tim that he would visit the Medical Center, I disembarked and made my way to the platform where I saw Tinashe, a waiter in the World Café who is from Zimbabwe. I saw his big smile as I gave him a hug, and I began teasing him that he would be my husband for the day. We boarded the motorcoach to begin our adventure.

Tinashe and Sarah (Taken When We Returned)

This was the description of the excursion, “Amboseli National Park”:

Fly to one of Africa’s most incredible national parks and drive to prime sites for viewing wildlife. Travel to the airport, where you will board a chartered aircraft for a flight to southern Kenya. Upon landing, meet your expert guide on the runway, then drive by jeep to Amboseli National Park. Covering more than 146 square miles, the park sits in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, and is home to four of Africa’s “Big 5.” Get an up-close look at free-ranging herds of elephants and keep watch for lions, zebras, hyenas, giraffes and more during your safari. There are also more than 370 bird species that can be found here among the wetlands, woodlands, sulfur springs and savannah. Following lunch, head back out for another game drive before transferring to the airport for your return flight to Mombasa and your awaiting ship.

The motorcoach took our small group to the Mombasa International Airport, where two Cessnas were waiting for us. After Tinashe and I were assigned to separate planes, I made my way onto mine and sat in the seat behind the pilot. It was a smooth flight, and I was very excited when the pilot told us that we would soon have a good view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Indeed, it was a beautiful sight.

Our Plane

Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro

Amboseli National Park from the Air - We Could See Animal Paths and Elephant Footprints

Four jeeps were waiting for our group when we landed in Amboseli National Park, located at the center of a vast ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. This ecosystem is comprised of grass plains, acacia woodlands, swamps, and marshes that sustain a wide range of wildlife. The park is known for its large herds of elephants, its other big game, and its view of Mount Kilimanjaro. In recognition of its exceptional biodiversity and cultural significance, Amboseli National Park was declared a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve in 1991.

Arriving at Amboseli National Park

We soon took off on what we expected to be an amazing adventure. We first passed a swamp that is now a lake due to the recent heavy rains. Here, we saw large flocks of both greater and lesser flamingos. I was more familiar with the lesser flamingos, which are typically pink, although I learned that some are white, depending on the food they eat. As our guide said, “you are what you eat.” Greater flamingos are larger with more white plumage.

Lesser Flamingos (top and middle) and Greater Flamingos (bottom)

We saw many more birds, but not a single large animal. Our guide warned us that we might not see elephants today, due to the recent heavy rain. Apparently, elephants head to higher ground when it’s too wet below.

For a while, I thought we might be on a bird safari, and although I like to look at birds, I’m not a birder. I did try to take photos of the birds we saw, and I even tried to identify them, but I make no claims as to the accuracy of these IDs. I’ve grouped all the bird photos from the entire day here.

Some of the Birds We Saw

A Few More Birds

Suddenly, a passenger spotted something in the distance. We finally determined that it was a hippopotamus, with a little one in tow. They were too far away for anything better than a fuzzy photo, but I was getting hopeful about possible sightings.

Yes, That's a Hippo

A spotted hyena was the first animal that we saw up close. His head was down for the longest time, but he finally perked up. 

Spotted Hyena

As we drove down the road, checking out more of the interesting birds, our guide suddenly made a U-turn. He had been informed about a sighting, and we raced to see them. Lions!

We were in awe as we saw not just a lion or two, but an entire pride of lions, all female. Wow! We stopped and watched them for the longest time as they inched their way toward us. Our guide guessed that they would pass in front of us, and he was right. 

It was thrilling to see them up close, and a few did pass in front of the jeep ahead of us. Two of the lions stopped for a drink from a puddle in the road, and I even managed a photo of one of them leaping across the water.

A Few of the Lions in the Pride

Such Regal Animals

I Couldn't Believe How Close the Lions Got to Us

Luck seemed to be with us, and we soon saw a large herd of elephants. Once again, our guide decided to wait and see if they would cross the road. We moved a few times, but the elephants had a mind of their own and didn’t seem to want to get too near us. Our guide was therefore surprised when two of them and a baby broke away from the herd and dared to cross the road. The baby was distracted by a puddle but finally caught up with its mother on the other side.

A Magnificent Herd of Elephants

Crossing the Road, With a Slight Detour by the Baby

Safely on the Other Side of the Road

On the way to a lodge for lunch, we happened to see an African buffalo, who decided to stare at us for a while, and then a confusion of wildebeest. Yes, a group of wildebeest in Africa is called a confusion, and our guide explained that they often earn that moniker.

An African Buffalo

A Confusion of Wildebeest and Their Babies

By the time we reached the lodge, our entire group could not stop gushing about how amazing the morning had been. The consensus was that the sightings had more than exceeded our very high expectations. We had already seen three of the Big Five – lions, elephants, and a buffalo, plus other magnificent animals and birds. The weather was perfect and not too hot. Although the clouds had obscured Mount Kilimanjaro from view, that was the only minor disappointment since we had seen the mountain from the air. I think our guide was more upset about our not seeing the mountain than we were.

Our lunch venue was Ol Tukai Lodge, a beautiful facility located in the heart of the national park. As we entered the main building, I was immediately reminded of the United States National Park Service rustic style, colloquially referred to as “'Parkitecture.” The buffet lunch was excellent, and I had time afterwards to wander through the property.

Ol Tukai Lodge

As I walked to the lodge entrance to photograph the main gate, the security guards wanted to know what I was doing. Once I explained, they were so friendly, offered to take my picture, and told me about themselves. One guard was so proud to let me know that he was Maasai, one of the most renowned ethnic groups in East Africa and historically a nomadic people.

Ol Tukai Lodge and My New Friends

While we were at the lodge, it started pouring rain. Our departure from the lodge was delayed, and it was decided that we would head directly to the airport since the roads were so muddy and animal sightings would be unlikely. Everyone was fine with this plan since the morning had been so extraordinary. It seems that no one told the animals about this assumption, however.

As we headed out, we once again passed the confusion of wildebeest, and shortly made another U-turn. Lions had been sighted! By the time we arrived at the specified location, however, they were long gone. That was okay since we soon saw several elephants nearby. The roads were indeed in terrible condition, and I was impressed with how our guides navigated their way through.

A Confusion of Wildebeest

We Loved Seeing the Elephants

No Wonder 4x4 Vehicles Are Necessary

As we retraced our route back to the airport, the wildebeest that we had seen twice before were much closer to the road, so we were able to get a better look at them. We were also entertained by vervet monkeys, one of whom had the cutest tiny baby with her.

A Closer Look at the Wildebeest

Aww...How Cute!

After passing two African buffalos, we finally reached the airport, where we said our farewells to the wonderful guides who had made our day so special. We then boarded our plane for the hour-long flight back to Mombasa.

Another African Buffalo

Examples of the Diverse Landscape in the Park

My Safari Guide and Our Pilots - How Nice to See a Female Pilot in Kenya

I love looking out the window when I’m flying, especially in a small plane, and I suddenly spotted what I assumed were Maasai villages, which was so cool. Once I returned to the ship, I wanted to confirm my guess, and I went down another rabbit hole about the Maasai and their architecture.

Are These Maasai Villages?

I learned that the Maasai have lived in the Amboseli region for centuries, using the land for livestock grazing and maintaining an ecological balance through their traditional practices. Maasai villages are a form of vernacular architecture that perfectly represents the uses and ways in which the Maasai culture functions. Each village is enclosed by a circular fence, designed to protect the cattle at night from wild animals. Houses are either circular or loaf shaped. Even though some of the houses I saw appeared to be more modern in design, the layout of the village maintained its traditional form.

After doing a little more research, I discovered that the examples of Swahili architecture shown by Steve Burrows in his lecture a few days ago are actually examples of Maasai architecture, and I’ve included some of these same screenshots from an excellent article entitled Maasai Villages, an Architecture Designed by the Traditional Pastoral Way of Life.

Examples of Maasai Village Architecture

The views of the landscape from the plane were also lovely, and I even saw a rainbow. A rainbow had greeted us when we arrived in Mombasa, and another one today welcomed us back. As we reached the city, our pilot treated us by flying by Viking Sky. Even he was taking pictures and noted what a beautiful ship she is.

Beautiful Views of Kenya from the Air, Including a Rainbow

Viking Sky

The excursion today was an experience of a lifetime for me, and I will always cherish this memory. I’m just so sad that Tim couldn’t join me, but I was relieved that he was feeling better this evening. He was diagnosed with the flu, so he’ll be in isolation for a few days.