8/14/2008 Amboseli game drives, Amboseli Sopa

We are up at 5:00 am as we have a sunrise game drive.  Buffet breakfast at our lodge.  We meet up at 6:30 am.  Ed isn't feeling well so they do not come with us.

Off we go in search of more game!  Amboseli is known for its vast herds of elephants.  I'm lucky that I catch a picture of a giraffe at sunrise.  Herds of elephants.  Cape buffalo, Grant's gazelle, Thompson's gazelle, zebras, wildebeest, mating male and female lions-unfortunately it was a young male and didn't seem to be interested, spotted hyena, crowned lapwing bird, weaver bird nests in a tree, warthog.  We come upon a fresh kill of a wildebeest.  A lioness is off to the side licking herself clean.  Another lioness is in the process of eating.  There's blood around her face and we see her pulling out what appears to be the guts of the poor wildebeest.  They had stashed the wildebeest near bushes to avoid other predators.  We return to the lodge for some relaxation time.

Sunrise

Young male and female lions

Crowned lapwing

Thompson's gazelles

Weaver bird's nests in this tree

Dead wildebeest

Warthog

Spotted hyena

Returning we find our bathroom is flooding.  Richard went to reception to report the problem.  While maintenance is in our room we explore the lodge-lobby, pool, gardens.  There's a small Maasai run market on the lodge grounds.  I bought 4 beaded bracelets for gifts.  Bargained from 1500 ksh to 1200 ksh or around $20 USD.  I also bought a Makonde wood carving of a man, woman, and child for my daughter for $22 USD.  Lunch.  We get a picture of us with a Maasai man.  Cool.  Then it's pool time!

Each unit holds 2 rooms

Our room #57

Here you can see the water on the floor

Lobby

Bonfire area

Pool

At 3:30 pm we all meet for an afternoon game drive.  Here in Amboseli we cross the vast lakebed-dry but swampy in areas.  View of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro.  We saw elephants and other animals standing knee deep in the water to keep themselves cool.  We spot elephants, sacred ibis birds, cape buffalo, yellow billed stork, great heron, yellow billed egrets, wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, impalas.

Yellow billed stork

Grey heron

Returning to the lodge we have dinner buffet style.  Over at the Hemingways Viglia I saw mongoose, honey badger, and maybe a serval cat.  At the lodge's gift shop I bought a picture frame, a T shirt for Richard, a hat for my dad.  Then we return to our room to pack as we leave tomorrow.

Dessert!

Closed

Pretty views from here

Mount Kilimanjaro top right