For my 100th post this one was meant to be special and indeed it is – read on and enjoy!
CONSERVANCY NEWS FROM PORINI
The record breaking year in Kenya’s tourism sector has equally benefitted the camps in the conservancies owned by Porini / Gamewatcher Safaris with higher occupancies, and welcome news have been received about sightings of rare species of birds, the regular presence and sightings now of rhinos, cheetahs and leopards as well as information about the ‘upgrade’ of facilities.
The chefs deployed in the Porini camps in Amboseli, on Ol Pejeta and in the two Mara conservancies all underwent additional advanced training at Nairobi’s ‘Top Chef’ and from reports written by guests on their TripAdvisor commentaries this has made an immediate impact and ‘splash’ with visitors who now enjoy even better meals that this correspondent remembers from his last stay – if that is at all possible.
Gamewatchers also added a further 3 brand new 4×4 Toyota Landcruisers, which are now deployed in Amboseli and the Mara camps, while the Amboseli camp also got new, even larger and better furnished tents recently as well as a new dining / lounge tent – a clear sign that the busy year for Kenya translated into immediate further investments into their product upgrades by leading tourism companies.
Regular cheetah sightings are reported from the Selenkay Conservancy, which is adjoining the Amboseli National Park, where a group of adults and adolescents undoubtedly add to the game viewing experience of guests. But the biggest news from there was the repeated sighting by none other than top birding expert Wilson Kasaine of a very rare visitor from Europe, the ‘black eared wheatear’. It appears this is only the third or fourth time this bird is being seen in Kenya, as it normally resides during the European spring and summer season in Spain and then migrates to South Sudan for the winter season. Those who did see the bird can count themselves blessed indeed and all credit goes to Wilson of course for his spotting and interpretation skills.
An Eastern Black Rhino has been ‘migrating’ between the Ol Kinyei and the Olare Orok conservancies just outside the Masai Mara Game Reserve, and guests staying at Porini Lion Camp [Olare Orok] and the Porini Mara Camp [Ol Kineyi] had lots of opportunities to track and photograph the rare animal. Near the camp on Ol Kinyei was a leopard spotted with two apparently healthy cubs but in general leopards are regularly seem courtesy of the excellent trackers and guided Porini employs, something this correspondent can amply vouch for. And also at Ol Kinyei did guests of the camp see a pack of wild dogs chasing an adult cheetah of her ‘kill’ before she could even start feeding – wild dogs, aka hunting dogs or painted dogs are now also regular visitors in the conservancy and since the expansion and ‘joining up’ of the conservancy land with Olare Orok, more and more game has in fact migrated into the conservancies and made their ‘range’ there. What a treat for visitors being able to enjoy such a plentiful bounty of sightings.
For more information about Porini and Gamewatchers visit them on Facebook, read about them on TripAdvisor or on www.porini.com
