News from Gamewatchers Safaris

"Low season? I think not…"

One of our guests from the United States, Amy Battis, had this to say about her recent stay at Porini Lion Camp: " After a safari in Tanzania last year and several days in other parts of Kenya before arriving at Porini Lion camp, I spent three heavenly days here, and am already dreaming about going back. In fact, as I left, I said to my wonderful guide and spotter (Jackson and Stanley) that I’d see them next year. My days at Porini Lion Camp blew me away. As a big cat lover, I was inundated with cats. The Marsh Pride, the Double Crossing Pride, the Enkuyanai Pride…lions everywhere! And our guide knew them all, could recognize them from miles out, and it was a joy to see them from one day to the next as they live, as they move, as they hunt around their territories. Then the leopards, the gorgeous Fig and Acacia, up close and more personal than I ever expected. And the cheetahs Amani and her cubs. Just incredible. Sure, you’ll get a whole lot more like giraffe, hippo, crocs, hartebeest, topi…but this is Big Cat Country and they’re right there waiting for you! I was in heaven. " Two of Amy’s photographs of a very young baby elephant are featured below!

5 team members of the Gamewatchers family were down at Porini Mara Camp and Porini Lion Camp last weekend on a familiarization trip to the Maasai Mara, and can attest to the abundance of wildlife in the conservancies.

See a cat sneak preview below:

With best wishes,

Aleema

Aleema Noormohamed
Marketing Executive

Gamewatchers Safaris

The WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS are back!

The 21st World Travel Awards are back this year and we are pleased to inform our readers that Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Safari Camps have once again been nominated! We are proud to say that we have been nominated for Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award.

World Travel Awards was founded in 1993 to recognize, acknowledge and reward excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry worldwide. The World Travel Awards™ is now recognized globally as the hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Last year, Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps was awarded with "Kenya’s Leading Safari Camp Brand" and "Africa’s Leading Tented Safari Camp" – two very prestigious awards that really marked what we are about. This year, our nomination for Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award is already an honorable recommendation and we are looking to all our supporters to cast their vote.

Voting is now open online at http://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote, and the deadline to vote is 17th May 2014.

The industry says it is low season. I beg to differ…

Hippos in Maasai Mara

Topis and Zebras in Olare Motorogi Conservancy

This is only a preview of what there is out there. With the official "low season" beginning soon, it is the best time to book a safari in any part of Kenya – fewer vehicles, abundance of wildlife, personalized service and best of all, LOW rates!

We have recently designed some Great Value Road Safaris in customised 4×4 safari vehicles from 4 nights to 11 nights to Kenya’s famous parks and reserves with set departures from Nairobi every week for small groups of 2 to 6 persons. These are at the most competitive prices available for safaris in a 4×4 with a qualified KPSGA Silver Guide and staying in well known lodges. Click on the links below to see the full itinerary details and prices:

For those who prefer the smaller more exclusive Porini Camps and with transfers to the parks by air to avoid the long road journeys, starting from June this year, we have 2 safaris combining the Nairobi Tented Camp with Porini Mara and Porini Ambosei or Porini Rhino

info

Feeling Adventurous? Get an insider’s report on a trekking experience to the top of the continent – Mount Kilimanjaro.

It had been a while since I’d been on an expedition – out with nothing but a rucksack and a sleeping bag. I hadn’t walked that road in a long time. I’d been thinking about it for a year but just never found the right time, or people to explore with – and then one day, my friend said "I want to do something insanely adventurous!" and this is how my journey to the top of Africa began. We were going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro! Read more.

We go on safari and enjoy the environment and wildlife. But do we ever ponder on the history of how some of the elephants that we see have one tusk instead of two, or why the hyena has a limp or the fact that the lion we are looking at, has only one eye?

Here’s a short story of the one eyed lion – Jicho and who he is…

The story of the prideless females – Five years ago, in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, two lionesses (Mama Kali and Nguro) for some unknown reason left their pride and became a duo living on the boundaries between the territory of the other resident prides.

For three years, each time they gave birth, they fought tooth and claw for their cubs, but each time they were beaten very badly, sometimes close to death, and their cubs were killed. Two years ago, they managed to get their four cubs to four-months old. Then again disaster struck! One night, they were hunting a herd of wildebeest in the territory of the Enkoyeni pride. The pride and the prideless females met on the plain. Mama Kali, without a second pause, threw herself at the pride of 17 lions giving Nguro time to get away with the cubs. Mama Kali was fatally wounded that night and she died a week later. Later on, the cubs were found wandering alone, one having lost an eye and no sign of Nguro. Two days later, Nguro found the four little ones together, and adopted Mama Kali’s two cubs. She took them with her own two far out of the area and was gone for six months. No one saw her or the cubs.

… And then, she returned, with only one young male with one eye. ‘Jicho’, Mama Kali’s legacy.

Amy Battis recently stayed with us at Porini Lion Camp and got up close and personal with these gorgeous mammals!

Ben Tongoyo is from Narok County. Ben is a great guide with the ability to spot wildlife and different bird species. He enjoys conducting nature walks , loves being with people, and has vast knowledge of the flora and fauna of his surroundings. Ben’s work experience includes being a teacher at Lenkanka High school, and a guide in the Shompole conservancy prior to coming to Porini Safari Camps. His love for wildlife made him join clubs such as Wildlife Club of Kenya as well as Friends of Conservation. He studied at the Koyiaki Guiding School and is now a silver rated guide. He has been with Porini for 7 years and is now based at Porini Mara Camp in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy.