Paul Mbugua |
But what’s the alternative? Safaris are expensive. They’re
complicated. They don’t always go to plan.
Well I thought I knew the alternative. We were travelling with friends and that would spread the costs. I would plan our
safari myself. It would be way cheaper. I knew Kenya. I knew where I wanted to
go. So I googled safari lodges, and I read online reviews, and I worked out an
itinerary that would suit us. We’d do Nairobi National Park and the elephant
orphanage. We’d visit Lake Naivasha, and Crescent Island, and Hell’s Gate. We’d
stay at Lake Nakuru for the flamingos. We’d go on to the Masai Mara and we’d
spend time in the conservancies as well as the Mara Triangle. It would be
awesome.
And so I booked it. Six hotels/lodges. Twelve days. I flirted briefly with the idea of self-drive but
quickly abandoned it. I contacted Rhino Safaris because I trust them. I wrote
to Lacty, the owner, at info.nbo@rhinosafaris.net
. And I told him I needed a good safari land-cruiser and a first class guide
for ten days.
Readers – that is what we got. And it reminded me how
essential a great guide is for a good safari. Paul Mbugua was more than a first
class guide and an excellent driver – he was a splendid travelling companion
too. His knowledge of Kenyan wildlife and geology is astonishing. And
considering he was ferrying two smart-ass zoologists, and a geologist, including
one who felt he knew it all already (that would be me) he still had a whole lot
to teach us. Crucially he had enthusiasm. In spades. He would urge us to set
off early and return home late and it always paid off. Once we did two
back-to-back nine hour days and he never tried to rush us, or to set off before
we had seen what we wanted to see. He persuaded us several times to change our
agenda. Once was to break with the plan and visit Lake Elementeita. What a good
decision that was. Another time we swapped days around because he’d picked up
rumours of a leopard. Another good decision. His knowledge of every park was
amazing. And the only time we flummoxed him was when we told him we wanted to
visit Mount Suswa for the caves on the way back to Nairobi. Well, he’d never done
that trip before. So he hired a guide too. This time a Masai guide called Kiano
(kianosempui2018@gmail.com ) And
what a trip that was.
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