Wednesday, April 10, 2013

1 DAY SHIMBA HILLS SAFARIS

                   
  ONE DAY SHIMBA HILLS SAFARIS

Shimba hills national park is the second largest coastal forest in east africa , first one being arabuka sokoke 110km from mombasa  
It was opened in 1968 and branded by kws as paradise of the sable antelope in 2011,it covers an area 0f 300sq km with an altitude of 120-450m
Drive for 33km from Mombasa  along the coastal settlements blended coconut plantations and  small farmlands of cassavas and cashewnuts and maize to the main gate of shimba hills national park (other 3 gates are kivumoni, kidongo  and shimba gates)



Shimba hills national park is the only park in east africa that provides sanctuary to the endangered sable antelopes which had become prey to excessive hunting and almost got extinct 
The sable antelopes are  termed as the most beautiful of the large antelopes and are gregarious

                                          sable antelopes

A relatively serene park with very little traffic animals seem to be shy though during your gamedrives you get to see buffalos elephants bushbucks ,hyenas masai girraffes waterbucks monkeys baboons among others

                                                    an elephant at shimba hills

For more information about shimba hills safaris please log onto www.lorikaadventures.com







Friday, January 25, 2013

3 DAYS TSAVO EAST AND WEST SAFARI

Tsavo national park is the largest park in Kenya and is divided into 2 by the nairobi mombasa highway with tsavo east measuring 13747sqkm and tsavo west measuring 7065 sqkm
Tsavo east and west national parks were established in1948 ,hit by long drought periods in the 1960s and suffered massive poaching in the 1970s and 1980s


                            customed 6 seater safari van with a pop up roof

While the drivers were doing check in procedures at the park's entrance mama safari sought a nice position to try her hand in photography


                               voi gate the main gate to tsavo east national park

And successfully got a group photo of her friends at voi gate ,one of the entrance points to tsavo east national park

                          tsavo east national park - nature on the wildside of life

The bright morning sunshine ,the blue sky,the road stretching as far as the eye can see and the savanna grassland set the perfect mood for a safari
Both tsavo east and west national park have a lot of offer  in terms  of animals, birdlife, its rich natural attractions and magnificent scenery


                                                                  lesser kudu
                                                    
Without a doubt one of the most beautiful antelopes found only in tsavo east and samburu ,the lesser kudu


                               a family of elephants at voi wildlife lodge
         
While having lunch at voi wildlife lodge we got company of elephants quenching their thirst from the waterhole infront of the lodges restaurant and bar

                                 mzima springs home to hippos,fish and crocodiles
                                            
Mzima in our national language swahili means 'alive',mzima springs is one of the main attractions in tsavo west where water gushes out creating an oasis of sparkling crystal clear springs which are home to hippos, crocodiles fish and can be observed from an underwater glass observatory

                                rhino sanctuary  -do you see what i see
  
Giraffes facing ngulia hills at the rhino sanctuary which was opened 1987 , it is opened daily from 1600hours to 1800hours

                          what a beautiful morning sunshine-a family of baboons

A few meters from Ngulia lodge as we were driving out of tsavo west national park we received a guard of honour from this family of baboons who were enjoying the beautiful morning weather