The Snows of Kilimanjaro (with apologies to Hemingway!)

Day 8

Locales: Amboseli National Park in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Quote: “The only thing predictable about Africa is its unpredictability.” ~ Brian Jackman

Tales from the Trail: When dreaming of this African adventure, the last thing I thought I’d be writing about was snow. But snow is where this post will begin. When we arrived in Amboseli, our weather apps told us to expect clear skies throughout our stay. But yesterday afternoon the wind began to blow and threatening clouds filled the sky obscuring our view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It never rained in Amboseli, but we could see the telltale streaks appear in clouds to the south, and it looked like our Tanzanian neighbors might be getting soaked. The winds had settled by this morning but the clouds remained, and Kilimanjaro was again obscured as we began our 6am game drive. Part way through our morning game drive though, we caught a glimpse of Manwenzi, which is the small peak that appears on Kilimanjaro’s southern slope. Manwenzi was beginning to jut out from the top of the clouds. As the clouds slowly peeled away from its rugged slopes, something looked different. Manwenzi was now dusted white. As we continued to watch, it was as if Mt. Kilimanjaro bore a hole through the heavy clouds just large enough to allow us see her now snow-covered graceful slopes. The difference in her appearance was dramatic, and I encourage you to compare her appearance today with my photographs from the previous two days. Before last night, just a fringe of white appeared on her flat-topped summit. But now, her graceful slopes glistened with fresh powdery snow. Then just as quickly as Mt. Kilimanjaro had opened a window permitting us to see her glimmering slopes, the clouds moved back in pulling the curtain securely closed. But we had seen her snow-covered glory for a minute, and it was enough.

The snows of Kilimanjaro were the highlight of the day for me. But of course we saw lots of new and returning animals as well, and I’ll post additional pictures of all our fury friends below. Indeed, game drives are not strictly necessary to experience the animals here. After breakfast today, Dave and I were able to photograph elephants in the field just next to our lodge, and then a big tusker sauntered right by as we were eating lunch today as well. But don’t worry about the close proximity of the animals. There is a double electric fence separating the park and its wild residents from the lodge and its human guests.

As Dave and I walked the perimeter of the lodge’s grounds yesterday afternoon along the double-layered electric fence, I began thinking about the movie Jurassic Park and the electrical failure that allowed dinosaurs and people to intermingle with dramatic results. Of course that made me wonder about potential power outages at the lodge. So Dave and I made inquiries with the staff, and we were told that lodge has experienced power outages in the past and used to not power the electric fence at all in the daytime. Priscilla, the guest relations manager, acknowledged that—in addition to the monkeys and baboons who deftly evade the fence—an occasional hyena does too! She reassured us though that the lodge has now switched to solar power so there is no longer any risk of an outage and the fence is powered 24 hours a day. I certainly hope that power outages are a thing of the past and not a bit of Jurassic-sized hubris.

In any event, Dave’s curiosity was piqued, so (in typical Dave fashion) he booked a private tour with the operations manager to get a behind-the-scenes look at the lodge’s solar panels and battery banks. I went along as photo journalist, but could not recount the details of the system to you. (A side note to our friend Jack: You will need to get the details about the lodge’s power systems from Dave directly when we are in Desolation Sound together this summer!)

Tomorrow morning we head to Masai Mara—a preserve that also borders Tanzania to the south but is further east and much larger than Amboseli. We are hoping to glimpse the early beginnings of the great migration there.

Until tomorrow, here are the photos from today:

Good morning Amboseli!

A family of baboons just waking up and coming down from the trees. Our guide said that they were now planning how to I evade the electric fence and gain access to the resort!

This is the undercarriage of a baboon near our room at the lodge in Amboseli. As soon as I retrieved my iPhone and raised it in preparation to take a photo, this baboon turned his back and bent over giving me a universal sign that my photography was unwelcome.

I persisted and finally got a shot but he still doesn’t look happy about it!

A grand gazelle. Just look at those horns!

The grand gazelle and his wives!

Thompson gazelles. Known as “Tommys.” They are smaller than the grand gazelles and have a black stripe.

Mawenzi breaks through the clouds and we see that she is now snow-capped.

Snow-capped Kilimanjaro breaks through the clouds too.

And then her newly acquired snow begins glistening in the sun.

There are always more elephants in Amboseli!

I took photos of these elephants from inside the grounds of our lodge.

The lodge’s three banks of solar panels.

The battery bank room.

Zebras do not run in herds. They run in dazzles. This is a dazzle of zebras!

She caught wind of dinner.

On the hunt.

The youngsters are watching and hoping to learn.

The zebras noticed her and ran off. She turns back. No dinner tonight kids.

I took this photo from the other side of the lodge’s security fence.

Same as above

Photo of the main lodge with the dinning room

The elephant who sauntered by while we were eating lunch.

Elephant crossing . . . .

Amboseli sunset.