The African Safari - part I - the Tortilis Camp in Amboseli - Day 1

Day 1 

As I am starting to write this article I notice the first snow flurries swirling in the bitterly cold wind. The forecast calls for a few inches of snow with night temperatures plummeting into the teens. It’s hard to imagine that just two short days ago I came back from one of the most amazing destinations on the Planet – the African Safari. The great many thanks go out to my sister and her husband for planning, organizing and making this trip possible for fifteen family members. The trip was planned almost two years in advance (most of the locations that we visited have a waiting list of over a year). 

The three locations that my daughter and I visited were the Tortilis Camp in Amboseli, the Saruni Lodge in Samburu and the Cottar’s private lodge in Masai Mara. All three lodges are located in Kenya. Each camp is located in different national parks or preserves, and all three have something very unique (fantastic is more of a proper word) to offer.

Just arrived via Boscovic Air Safari Charters at Amboseli. After a quick briefing we are off to the Tortilis camp. Ali (above), Laperes and Joseph are our expert guides.

High five Mrs. A and Mr. T - you made it all possible!!

Hard to get lost here, but so easy to loose the track of time

Almost there, just over that hill... The vastness of the African Safari is beyond words. You feel like a grain of sand in its vastness and humbled but it's pristine beauty

A herd of goats from a local Masai village (a ten-minute ride from Tortilis camp). Sometimes the herd and the Masai herdsmen spend several nights in the open bush while searching for better grazing fields. The drought of 2008 wiped out about 80% of Masai' life stock - their only lifeline and trade commodity 

Tortilis' main lodge (kitchen far left, open dining area center and bar / library / observation lounge right)

The view from the observation lounge - right from your lounge chair

A zoomed in shot of the watering hole. We spotted a wide variety of local wildlife: Baboons, Zebras, Thompson Gazelles, Fish Eagles, wart hogs and a pair of Ostriches.

 The first cottage (the giant canvas tent is under the thatch roof) below the main lodge (upper right)

After a quick lunch and a few refreshments we are offered to join our experienced Masai guides to our first Safari outing. Can we say no? Our guides are Ali, Leperes and Joseph

Right outside the camp. Notice the color of the clouds and softer hue of afternoon light on the ground.

Impala antelope leisurely but alertly walking past our Jeep. Notice the long late afternoon shadow

Baby Hyena next to several Hyena dens.

 

An older Hyena youngster from the same clan. Photo courtesy Nina Areyan.

Young Hyenas before the sunset; Leperes mentions that their mother is our hunting or scavenging. One of the juveniles walked up right to the tire of our jeep. Notice the harsh terrain, sun bleached sculls and the clouds touched by sunset.

Time to start heading back to the camp. Our guides encourage us to please say stop to take a photo (how can we refuse). With the engines off you dare not utter a sound to disturb this peacefulness.
Photo courtesy Nina Areyan.

Three Hippos in the marsh before the sunset (can you spot the third Hippo?)

 

An amazingly peaceful and very quite sunset (if we can keep our oohs and aahs contained in our Jeeps).

Tired, but super excited we return to Tortilis camp for a fantastic dinner (prepared by a Michelin star Chef) and all-inclusive refreshments. Service is impeccable, the food is outstanding. The orange flames of portable oil lamps (the only source of illumination) flicker and dance in cool breeze. The stories and laughter of the day that past fill our open dining room. 

Good company, great adventure, great people who want to make your stay as memorable as humanly possible and amazing everything - what else can one ask for?

On the way to our tents we are speechless at the splendor of the night sky - the sky is ablaze with stars, so many that it's difficult to identify the familiar to most of us constellations. The flashlight that you carry to illuminate your path back to you tent is the only sign of civilization as the voices of the main lodge become softer and softer and then almost inaudible. You are now truly part of the Safari - your backyard looks in the direction of the watering hole. 

It was hard to fall asleep the first night; closing my eyes all I could see were the changing vistas and the colors of the African Safari. 

As a dosed off I remembered our tent's attendant's advice to keep any food or snacks in sealed bags least you didn't mind a curious baboon visiting your tent. The creatures that we saw after sun down right around our tent are many Dik-Dik antelope (just over a foot in height), bats, lizards (practically your co-inhabitants but are very shy) and a glimpse of a baby baboon on top of our thatch roof.