There are a number of wildlife options within the city that are good Nairobi day trips. My hotel set up a driver so that I could easily visit them on my own.
One of the Rothschilds giraffes at Nairobi’s Giraffe Center checks out the other side of my African inspired quilt. Couldn’t tell if he liked it or not.
Quilt Inspiration – I found this original African fabric panel at a quilt show and knew I would need to use it in my African inspired quilt as a colorful reminder of my first trip to Africa. On that first trip, I only took the quilt top to photograph due to space and luggage weight limitations. On that Africa trip I also bought a batik panel at one of the road side vendors which I used on the back of the quilt. By the time I went back to Africa on my most recent trip, the quilt was finished and I took it back with me so I could photograph it complete on location. Continue reading “‘This Is Africa” – Original Quilt Design”
On the Frontline of Conservation, the practices in the Enonkishu Conservancy demonstrate that cattle, social needs and wildlife can coexist to benefit all.
It’s four in the morning and I am sitting in a blind at a waterhole in the midst of Kenya’s famous Maasai Mara ecosystem. The visible sky beyond the blind is covered in so many stars that I finally have a sense for how big a million-billion really is.
On the ground though, my visibility is limited to just a few feet in the absolute darkness beyond the confines of the branches and sticks that make up this makeshift enclosure that surrounds me. In the pitch blackness, I can’t detect the animals I am here to observe without the aid of night vision binoculars, but the cacophony of sounds leaves no doubt that I am completely surrounded by life. A loud orchestra of frogs, toads and insects serenades me so that I can easily stay awake during my shift. An occasional bark from a hyena or grunt from a hippo reminds me that larger four legged creatures also prowl the night. The local leopard though is nowhere to be seen or heard tonight.
This post was recognized by the North America Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) in the 2019 awards competition with a Bronze award in the Featured Photo, Illustration– Online category.
Sharing my photos and experiences as I spent a day on a Masai Mara safari in the Ol Choro Conservancy and Lemek Conservancy seeing nonstop African wildlife.
I love Kenya. I love the elephants and the giraffes and the zebra and the rhinos and all the myriad wildlife that is so unique to this part of the planet. For me, nothing beats the exhilaration of seeing a baby elephant trying to figure out how to use its trunk or watching the graceful slow motion ballet of a running giraffe. A recent day on a Masai Mara safari gave me the chance to experience all of this and much, much more.
While the adult men in the Maasai Village in Kenya were performing their traditional jumping dance for us, off to the side, these little boys were practicing and jumping along. When they saw my camera pointing at them, they put even more energy and exuberance into the act, and giving me the biggest smiles possible at the same time.
On my recent visit to Kenya, I had the chance to visit a Maasai Village again. After the dancing demonstration and the tour of a Maasai mud home, we had the chance to shop in the crafts hut and to make purchases. We browsed the many items made by the members of the village and made our purchases, negotiating with one of the younger men in the village who spoke very good English. Outside of the enclosed hut, the women looked on in anticipation, waiting to see if one of the items they made was going to be sold and so provide some extra income for her and her children.
I’ve always wondered – are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes? Zebras often stand together nose to tail like this so that they have a full 360 degree view for potential predators.
Please note that my visit to Kenya was hosted by Biosphere Expeditions. All content is my own.
Visit the Enonkishu Conservancy to see the classic east African wildlife and scenery.
Kenya’s biggest tourism draw is the diversity of its wonderful animal wildlife. On my recent volunteer citizen science trip with Biosphere Expeditions, I spent twelve days working at the Enonkishu Conservancy in the Mara area of Kenya, helping to collect data about the biodiversity in this new conservancy land (you can read my detailed post about my experience here). Looking at the abundance of green grass and the many species of ungulates that were taking advantage of it, it was hard to believe that only a few years ago this land was barren and overgrazed by cattle. I am sharing some of my favorite photos that I was privileged to take to inspire you to visit the Enonkishu Conservancy.
Sharing all my volunteer travel experiences as a citizen scientist with Biospheres Expeditions in Kenya.
I have heard it said that Africa gets under your skin. I certainly found that to be the case after my safari to Kenya and Tanzania last summer. So, I jumped at the chance for a press spot as a volunteer citizen scientist in the inaugural Biosphere Expeditions program in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. I am sharing my wildlife conservation volunteer travel experience to inspire your next adventure to Kenya.
