We also took a guided game drive through the East side. It took a while to spot any wild animals but we did meet up with a baby elephant, just a few days old, who was fast asleep. Nudged, gently kicked and pretty much strung up by its ears, the older sister was not happy with us being there, although we were not too close. She tried and eventually succeeded to get the baby to move. Groggy from a deep sleep, the little one woke up stumbling around wondering what was going, when he found Mum, and after a little feed this small family wandered off to blended seamlessly into the wild. Watching the whole family dynamics was heart rendering with big sis being instrumental in the baby’s welfare and it was clear she embraced her duties.
Tsavo East terrain is different, more of an open savanna which normally offers great sightings of vast herds of, often to big and mighty majestic elephant.
Taking pot luck as you do on any game drive, sadly this one didn’t yield much but we did get to see, as in true Disney style ‘Pride Rock’ - Ok, thats what I called it!. A big flat topped rock with crevices, the sight was as if out of a Disney movie! We were told there was lion living in, on and near the rock - sadly we didn’t see anything.
However upon leaving Tsavo East the next day, we swung by that rock again, and behold a lovely sight of the cubs darting about when hearing the land rover engine roar. To be honest the land rover is not a vehicle of stealth, so they probably heard it as we left the camp miles away! A lioness was atop the rock basking in the sunshine, raising a lazy eye brow as the land rover neared, but not really scared or sensing any danger knowing the cubs were safe as they darted for the shady cover.
Tsavo West terrain on the other hand is altogether more dramatic with its volcanic denser landscape and arguably more appealing to the eye. Tsavo West is the smaller of the two Tsavo’s but that doesn’t mean you get fewer wild animals. In fact, we had some great sightings of Leopard and walking down by the stunning Mzima Springs, a series of natural pools and home to many hippo and crocodile was both exciting and scary in equal measures!
Staying at the lovely Severin Safari Park we rested in good quality safari tents. Various tents were dotted around a central no-go area with what looking like lava rock paths leading you around the outside of the tents. The large veranda at the back of each tent is a great space to sit and while the time away as the sun sets.
Food was served in a separate building a short walk away. Overlooking a waterhole. There was also a telescope set up to view Mount Kilimanjaro, which bring us full circle to Tanzania and our time there!
When the maintenance man tended to a faulty light bulb, the scene soon turned to chaos as he ran as fast as his two legs would carry him back to the safety of the main reception area. A shot time afterwards, we could see why the rapid movement - a large bull elephant decided he wanted that space - to scratch himself on the tree the faulty light was in. Bull elephant 1, little man on two legs 0 - entertainment value 10
Having breakfast and dinner in the main open sided restaurant bought many antics of wildlife - antics to us, acting naturally to them. The cheeky hornbills, whilst giving you the side-eye would, without remorse, take food off your plate and toss it to the back of their throats, whilst keeping the other eye firmly fixed on its next chancy meal; which could be from your plate, or someone else’s.
It was towards the end of the wet season, so the industrious dung beetle were out in force.
Proudly pushing their ball of poo, on the look out for a mate. The male dung beetle navigates and displays his ball of poo saying “I’ve built you a nice house from elephant poo, how about it!” The female has the upper hand, if she is not so keen on that rolling house of elephant poo, she rejects it. The poo ball is for laying eggs, so she needs to like it!
Not the only beneficial animal or insect from the elephant poo and its ineffective digestive system, monkeys and baboons are seen munching this, in their eyes, delicacy. Although at first glance they seem to be eating the elephant poo, they are not, they are actually sifting through it for the nutritious seeds, insects and grubs. The natural eco system in the wilds of Africa.
An eco system that works just fine - without mans intervention!
A raised swimming pool area at Severin Safari Lodge is met with far reaching views as you relax and enjoy Tsavo West from the comfort of you sun loungers. Barely used, it was a great place to do a spot of yoga; in the open, listening to the lapping of the pool waters and the stillness of the wild beyond. There is even a massage room with a sheer drawn curtain next to the pool again with views towards the game park. A massage in the wild is a new experience and one I’d recommend.
The food was a good healthy feed, not via a buffet - maybe the people at Severin Safari Camp know of the hornbills patrolling! Table service with a choice from a set menu for the day, which was efficient and tasty.
Its important to listen when in the bush, sitting quietly was the best thing to do as you hear wild dog in the distance - we hope far distance!. That night I was awoken by something at 3am, a quick glance outside the tent mesh window yield nothing through my sleepy eyes, so I went back to sleep, wondering if I’d missed something really exciting, something my human eyes hadn’t focussed on in the dim light.
It’s actually amazing how well you sleep when you’re in the bush, even though its only a bit of rip-stop fabric separating you and the wild animals, the comfort, bush noises a full and satisfied belly and of course a dose of tiredness made it easy to relax.
It really is a wonderful relaxing sleep in the semi-open at Severin Safari Camp.
Watch the video below to see more.
Next stop - we take on our final challenge of the Mombassa Road towards the pull of the azure Indian Ocean, so stay tuned
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