A bit about the safaris we go on

 In general, the way the safari lodges work is this. There are 3 buffet style meals a day and the food is quite good. We always book all-inclusive packages that include your room and meals. Soda, bottled water and alcohol are extra, but you can bring your own water to meals. Some lodges only have power or Wi-Fi or hot water certain hours due to being on generators in remote locations.  We drove from Nairobi to Masai Mara this time and got to see the countryside, small villages, larger towns and the Great Rift Valley. The bigger game parks have air strips, and you can reach most of them in an hour or two from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. Your drivers from the city can meet you when you land or there are local guides and vehicles for hire. Flying works well if time is limited.  

The rules at the Fig Tree lodge

You might ask “Why do you finish each mission trip with a safari?” There are several answers to this question. The reason I hike and do nature photography nearly every morning is to stay in touch with God’s creation and sharing my photos is meant to glorify Him by showcasing what He has made. From our mission trip standpoint, when we have been praying over our patients in the slums all week, hearing some pretty tough circumstances, we need to decompress in nature, remembering Him whom we came to serve by serving others. I find it is a healthy pause before we go back to our families and friends.  

Besides safaris, the lodges all have swimming pools, spas, gift shops and other amenities. They also often have little field trips to explore local tribal culture, so any of our team members that don’t want to exclusively go on safaris have other options.  

As for safaris, there are morning and afternoon ones, with a break for lunch and some rest.  In the larger parks, an all-day safari can be better. If you notify the lodge the night before, they will pack an amazing box lunch for around $30 per person.  The guides all communicate via radio and if a target species like Lions is a long distance down dirt roads, it’s better to explore and stay out most of the day. You sleep well that night! You’re dog tired. 

There are three Swahili words I’ve learned to use with our guides and drivers. Simama means to stop right away, something has been spotted. Zima means turn the engine off because nothing ruins a picture quite like engine vibration. The final word is trende, which means get going again. Many times we spot animals and birds before our driver or guide does because we are standing up in the popup roof and are about 4 feet above them. Finally, even without radio contact,  if we see a group of vehicles in one place, the odds are good something unusual is happening.  

I hope this has shed some light on what staying in or near a Kenyan game park is like and on the ins and outs of game drives. I have been blessed to have gone on probably 40 or more safaris of a half day or more since 2009. It never gets old because a new adventure is waiting around the next corner! Thank you, Jesus!