The African Safari - part I - the Tortilis Camp in Amboseli - Day 3

Day 3

I woke up at around 4:00AM. A fantastic lighting storm was developing in the direction of Mount Kili, in the thick of black-gray clouds surrounding its peaks. Lighting veins of incredible colors reaching into each and every direction (some were bright enough to illuminate the smaller Kili peak). Right then, for the first time in my life I saw a radial lighting - a burst of lighting resembling that of a bursting firework. About five minutes later a wave of cool, moist breeze moved through our tent.

Another beautiful morning in Amboseli. Looking towards the Tanzanian border.

Leperes points out that this was the same elephant we saw yesterday afternoon (almost twenty miles away). Leperes thinks it is heading towards the herd that we spotted at the horizon. He asks us if we would like to go see them; and off we go...

About ten minutes later we are welcomed by a small family of elephants (and a few-months-old baby elephant).

Our kids in close proximity to the same Elephant family. Our guides are expert interpreters of Elephant body language and assured us it was totally safe (as long as you are not a threat to them).

A lucky photo.

Same Elephant family in aptly named elephant grass (the dried grass is used as thatch and even as bedding)

Always on the move

One of the most aggressive animals of the Safari

An interesting amalgamation of Safari wildlife.

A lone cape buffalo and his faithful bird companion

Always walking single file

Constant reminders of life and death of Safari

Past the entry into Baboon conservancy (near Amboseli) we are greeted by this...

Baboon habitat in the same conservancy

Outside the conservancy our guide spots a trio of relatively fast moving Elephants.

Young cape buffalo. When in heat, buffalo will charge just about anything. The only defense (as Leperes describes) is to either climb a tree (not an exciting proposotion if you remeber those thorns) or lay as flat on the ground as you can. The Buffalo will try and leak your exposed body parts (think Masai attire for a second) so to make you either roll or lift yourself up - it is then that it will use its sharp horns.

A particularly curious (of us) Zebra. Notice long, afternoon shadows. We learned that Zebra communicate with each other (aside from very interesting calls) by their ears - almost like Maritime flag semaphore.

Approaching another small family of elephants in late afteroon