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Dear Reader,
Welcome to this issue of the Menengai Holidays Safari
e-bulletin
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Publisher: Menengai Holidays Ltd
Editor: Daniel Njaga
Feedback:
bulletin@menengaiholidays.com
Website:
http://www.menengaiholidays.com
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This newsletter is distributed monthly to past or prospective customers,
business associates or friends.
In this edition, our destination item focuses on Roberts Camp
in Lake Baringo. On Natural history, we focus on Flamingos,
the most famous water bird that inhabit East African saline
lakes. A million flamingos in Nakuru again, but where were
they?
Wishing you an enlightened travel always.
Verbatim from our customers
“Hi Daniel,
Thanks again for a great itinerary and super safari
experience. We hope to be back soon and want to book your
services again, maybe to the Mara.
We had a wonderful safari with Geoffrey and we can't thank him
enough for his hard work, friendly attitude and care with
everything he did for us. Long game drives were fantastic and
he was always on time. Please pass on our gratitude.
Best Wishes”
Mark, Julia & Rachael Atherton, UK; May 2007.
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In this edition:
(i)
News:
Kenya mourns tragic crash
(ii)
Destination:
Roberts Camp, Lake Baringo
(iii)
News and Announcements
(iv)
Natural History:
Flamingos coming home to roost
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NEWS - Kenya mourns a grisly plane crash
Kenya Airways, highly regarded as the best carrier on the
continent, has suffered a temporary setback upon a grisly crash
of Flight KQ 507 from Douala, Cameroon on 5th May
2007. The Boeing 737-800 plane aircraft was carrying 114 people
from more than 20 countries and went missing shortly after take
off from Douala for Nairobi in torrential rains. Circumstances
of the crash are still under investigation.
We send our sincere pole to Kenya Airways and
congratulate them for their professional management of the
disaster in keeping with their well deserved reputation as “the
pride of Africa”. Sympathies too to all those who were directly
affected through family relatives and friends
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DESTINATION - Roberts Camp, Lake Baringo
Ever heard of Roberts Camp? It is one hell of a lovely camp
along the shores of Lake Baringo in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley.
Lake
Baringo is a “fresh” water lake unlike its sister lakes in the
rift valley like Bogoria, Elementaita, Nakuru and Magadi all of
which are saline. It is home to many hippos and crocodiles as
well as abundant and diverse fish species and reptiles which are
ideally favoured by high temperatures that characterize the
area. And with more than 500 species of birds, the lake is a
bird lover’s prime destination.
Culture lovers have a field day too as Baringo spots
unique communities and cultures. There are the Tugens and the Il
Chamus (or Njemps) with the Pokot living slightly further north,
and visiting the area to graze cattle or trade. A few Turkana
have migrated to the area. There is very little cultivation
owing to the long hot dry season, followed by the habitually
violent rains in May, and most inhabitants survive on the
grazing of goats, sheep and cattle supplemented by fishing and
harvesting of wild fruits and berries.
Roberts Camp is just at the entrance to Lake
Baringo’s main township called Kampi Samaki (literary
meaning fishing – or fish village).
Attractions
Roberts Camp offers the opportunity for some of the
best nature walks under African skies. There are hundreds of
birds including Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Hammerkop, Stork,
Hornbill, and Fish Eagle just to mention some of the reputed 450
species that you are likely to encounter. Inside the camp you
may spend hours on end identifying or just marvelling at the
fascinating array of colourful Weavers, Starlings, and Sunbirds
that sing you back to life at dawn.
Hippos,
sometimes with young, graze on the lawns at night, while at the
lakeshore, crocodiles may be closely observed. Around the camp
live a variety of smaller animals, including Jennet Cat, Monitor
Lizards and Tortoise. The camp has a resident giant tortoise, 85
year old “Mzee Kobe.”
Facilities
Roberts Camp
is ideal for budget and medium luxury travelers. It has
expansive camp site with water and clean flush toilets and
bathrooms. You can carry your own tents or hire tents at the
camp.
We also have
bandas and cottages. The cottages are 2 and 3 bedrooms and are
tastefully furnished and self contained giving a lovely “family”
setting. Family, corporate and social groups on budget holidays
would find these very suitable accommodation facilities.
Thirsty Goat?
While
visitors to Roberts Camp have the chance to make their own food,
the camp has a superb restaurant, the Thirsty Goat Restaurant,
which specializes in leading safari and local cuisines including
vegetarian dishes and packed lunches. The pub is equally well
stocked with ice cold beers, wines and spirits; yes awaiting you
for that special cold drink that you would be missing by the
time of arrival in this part of the country.
And Many More…
Other leading destinations around Lake Baringo include Island
Camp Tented Camp “inside” the lake.
It is one of the most unique camps in Kenya and has been voted
by New York Travel Holiday magazine as one of the 50
worldwide "best kept travel secrets". It has also been
voted 3 years running by Travel News magazine as the
best weekend getaway in Kenya.
Other hotels include Lake Baringo Country Club, Soy Safari Lodge
and Lake Bogoria Lodge. Geographical attractions include the
stunning Kerio Valley and the hot geysers at Lake Bogoria, which
also a national reserve with many a variety of wildlife.
Contact us for your great holiday plans to Roberts Camp, Lake
Baringo and other Rift Valley destinations;
info@menengaiholidays.com
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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Maasai Mara Safari
Maasai Mara is obviously Kenya’s tourism jewel having been voted
by the influential ABC Television as the 7th Wonder
of the world due to the annual migration, the greatest wildlife
spectacle on earth.
Bookings to the Mara are on going and most camps and hotels are
increasingly posting “full mark”. Inquiries and bookings
welcome.
info@menengaiholidays.com
Rhino Charge
The annual Rhino Charge sport takes place between 1-3 June 2007
in Baringo District near Kabarnet. Enthusiasts keen in
participating in this adventure are welcome to book
accommodation and transport. Contact us for more details
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NATURAL HISTORY
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A Million Flamingos again – but where are the pelicans?
Lake Nakuru National Park is alive again after flamingos
recently rediscovered their old home which they had deserted for
over two years. The lake is now teeming with a million flamingos
again and the pink shoreline which has traditionally been the
park’s trademark is now restored, hopefully for good.
The flamingo is an elegant pink bird that inhabits saline waters
of East Africa. And it is highly gregarious often forming large
flocks that are a fascinating spectacle to watch especially when
flying and courtship displays. The East African lakes are
estimated to host 95% of the world flamingo population which are
confined in four lakes: Lakes Manyara and Natron in Tanzania and
Lakes Nakuru and Bogoria in Kenya.
Lake Nakuru is often tipped by researchers as flamingos’
favourite feeding site and has recorded a population of nearly 2
million birds in the past earning the respectable name as the
“home of million flamingos” besides its international reputation
as the “biggest ornithological site on earth” on account of the
incredibly high biomass of water birds that stuns every visitor.
Speculation
For the last two years, however, flamingos had virtually
deserted Lake Nakuru, inviting all manner of speculation from
researchers and managers. It was blamed on receding water
volume, pollution of the lake and even loss of salinity in the
water, none of which sounded convincing especially now that
flamingos have come back in the thick of those very
circumstances! Intermittent deaths last year also caused some
scare in the travel industry as it coincided with anxiety
surrounding possible spread of bird flu into East Africa.
Mystery of Flamingos
Flamingos’ come back, while most welcome, has however raised
more questions than answers: First, why did they flee Lake
Nakuru for two years? Perhaps it is just in keeping with their
tag of mystery. In 1958, Leslie Brown published The Mystery
of Flamingos which documents many things that were unknown
then. And it seems flamingos are determined to remain a
mysterious species to the foreseeable future. Secondly, where
are the pelicans, the stoutly elegant birds that had invaded the
park around Njoro River mouth and Baharini Springs? The mystery
depends.
All the same, a million flamingos cannot be wrong. Book your
safari to Lake Nakuru with us and have a chance to witness the
pink spectacle. The park also gives you the chance to see other
unique species of animals like white rhinos and Rothschild
giraffe besides many fascinating geographical features.
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Eco bits
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v
There are two species of flamingos: The lesser flamingo;
Phoeniconaias minor, and greater flamingo;
Phoenicopterus rubber;
v
The lesser flamingo is the most common and abundant and
feeds on algae floating in water while greater flamingo is
less abundant and feeds on aquatic invertebrates;
v
Flamingos breed only in Lake Natron in Tanzania |
Interested in a “bird safari” or any other bird activity and/or
information? The annual bird census by National Museums of Kenya
takes place in July 2007 covering Rift Valley lakes of Naivasha,
Elementaita, Nakuru, Bogoria and Baringo.
Drop us a note, we hook you up with the birds:
info@menengaiholidays.com
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Refer to a friend
We encourage you to share our e-bulletin with a friend who may
find this information useful. Always choose Kenya as your
first choice travel destination and let us show you the rest.
Note:
Comments on this bulletin most welcome. Send them to:
bulletin@menengaiholidays.com
Copyright 2007 Menengai Holidays
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