Ken and Nan with Julie and Clyde went on a Safari with pro-photographer Randy Hanna to Kenya in September 2021. Kenya is Randy’s second home and we had them going to elephant-rich Amboseli National Park and Masai Mara’s Mara North Conservancy.
After their Safari with Randy in Kenya, they wanted to add a some extra days so we added some time in Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya and then they hoped over to my Tanzania and explored World Heritage site Ngorongoro Crater, the wonderful chimp-filled Mahale Mountains in remote Western Tanzania, and finished on the beaches of Zanzibar Island.
It is safe to say that Ken and Nan had a fabulous time on their Kenya and Tanzania Safari.
- Mefi
From Ken and Nan:
““Recover” is defined as “the return to a normal state of health, mind or strength”. We are home and have recovered our normal life routine. But, our time in Africa left such an indelible impression on us both that we will never fully recover mentally. Every day I think about our trip. For this I am so thankful to you, Randy, Julie/Clyde and every person, place and event we experienced.
Where to start with safari stories? Each and every day was action packed with new experiences and adventure, especially for us first timers. Starting our trip with Randy (the Professor), Julie and Clyde…learning safari travel and chronicling it with a camera…was the perfect intro. We all got along fabulously, sharing many meals, chores, and laughs. Randy was the perfect host. All of our guides were personable, knowledgeable and professional. We enjoyed them all immensely and would not hesitate to recommend any of them.
Some of our favorite memories:
-Mid morning bush breakfasts after three hours of tracking and photographing animals.
-“Bush sundowners” (gin ‘n tonics) each evening at dusk after tracking and photographing animals.
-Our elephant encounter at Elephant Pepper camp. One night we woke to an elephant eating tree leaves 5 feet from our heads, We felt his movement thru the tent canvas.
-Getting close and personal with elephants as they marched across the Amboseli dirt flats toward water. [Tortillis Camp]
-Listening to Randy’s past experiences and recapping our own during the many wonderful meals.
-Learning about Masai life from our guides and the camp staff, and then experiencing it via visits to Masai compounds. [ Entamanu Ngorongoro]
-Take offs and landings on rural dirt airstrips in seven passenger bush planes.
-Viewing the changing African landscape from 10,000 feet.
-An afternoon swim in the warm, crystal clear water of Lake Tanganyika from the Dhow, one mile offshore.
-Listening to Bush Pigs outside our tent at night in Mahale [ Greystoke Mahale].
-Trekking thru the Mahale forest looking for chimps, drenching our clothes in sweat.
-Two hours of close interaction with chimps as they wandered thru our Mahale camp (a magical experience). Mahale was our favorite lodge by far. It was the boat ride , the lake shore location, the smaller size, the rustic remoteness, and Butati that elevated Mahale above the others. We felt more immersed in nature, with very little separating us from jungle life.
-Our connection with KaKae and Butati, with hopes of maintaining some sort of connection into the future.
I could go on but must end this for now. I hope my musings are helpful and adequately indicate how much we truly enjoyed our entire adventure.”
Asante sana Ken and Nan for trusting Randy and I on your Epic Safari through Kenya and Tanzania. Can’t wait to share more of Africa with you in the future.
Let’s chat about your Epic Safari to Kenya and Tanzania.