As the title implies yes, we were attacked by Baboons – not just one, I believe there were three. Unfortunately no videos or photos were taken during the attack (my hands FROZE!) you just have to take my word for it. HAHA! I did have my good friend Hazel Faith, our Russian friend Mike and our guide Zack who can testify on my behalf. LOL
Cape Buffalo
Prior to this trip I’d just like to share my experience getting my shots for this trip, my friend Faith and I had to get 5 shots FIVE SHOTS haha it would’ve been easier if it was presented in a shot glass but NO. Well that’s what you get when you venture to a different country, it’s better to be safe than sorry though, so make sure you get your anti-whatever vaccinations whenever you’re visiting tropical countries, countries with a lot of mosquitoes and in some cases Malaria. We got pills for Malaria that we had to take at specific days before, during and after our trip.
As I mentioned above with me in this trip is my friend Hazel Faith, a colleague of mine in Qatar Airways. She's been to over 20 countries and still counting! No one can stop her from traveling the world! follow her on instagram (@hazelkulotskii)
Now back to the amazing wilderness!
Great Rift Valley
Our first stop in Kenya was the view of the Great Rift Valley, a vast land that stretches approximately 6,000 all the way from Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley to Mozambique in South-eastern Africa. We took a few snaps and checked out the local souvenir shops. You can buy a lot of things in Kenya, they got necklaces, bracelets, drums, masks and more but the prices vary, some items are made from Ivory which is very expensive and can cost you a lot of money. I suggest exploring more and checking your options on what to buy, this won’t be your only stop for souvenirs there are more souvenir shops along the way. On the way to Lake Nakuru offers a view of Mt. Longonot (a stratovolcano located at the southeast of Lake Naivasha) and Lake Naivasha. As soon as we arrived at the hotel we dropped our bags and proceeded to Lake Nakuru, for our afternoon game drive.
Zebras - each zebra has a unique set of patterns similar to humans and their fingerprints
White Rhino
Our first wildlife encounter was at Lake Nakuru, one of Rift Valley’s soda lakes; it’s abundance of algae attracts a large quantity of flamingos; the flamingos feed of the algae which give them their pink colour. Giraffes, Zebras, Impalas, Warthogs, Buffaloes, and White Rhinos are some of the animals we’ve encountered on our first day. We came across a group of Rothschild's Giraffe, characterized by their "White Socks" these giraffes appear larger than their cousin the Masai Giraffes.
Rothschild's Giraffe
One of the highlights of day one was watching a Rare Black Rhino and it’s calf cross the road, we’ve seen a group of white rhinos earlier that day and our guide told us that this breed of Black Rhino is close to extinction, due to a great deal of poachers hunting them for their horns. We we’re the first ones to spot them before they fled into higher ground. It was sight I would never forget!
Next stop was the Baboon Cliff – you guessed it! This is where we got attacked. This peak lies in the heart of Lake Nakuru giving you a great view of the lake and its luscious green fields. This cliff is not only home to baboons we also saw a Rock Hyrax, a rodent like creature usually spotted in cliffs; they’re a close relative of the elephants, how? Something about their paws, they’re really cute!
Faith and the view of Lake Nakuru from Baboon Cliff
Rock Hyrax - Elephant's Cousin
And now back to the attack, after taking a lot of photos and taking in the view we got into our van so we can visit the flamingos by the lake. As soon as we closed the door our guide Zack was warding off a baboon close by; these baboons come here to take food from tourists who sometimes come here for a picnic. We didn’t have food as we just checked our bags in the hotel. Then, the unimaginable happened, one of the baboons in front of the van came charging towards the van and entered through the pop up roof (there was a warning that said close the windows and pop up roof HAHA). The baboon came in rummaging through the van my friend Faith who was sitting in front of me managed to make her way on the seat behind me! There were only three of us in the van Mike our Russian friend, Faith and I, our guide opened the front doors so the baboons escape.
Cheeky little Baboon
Then another baboon jumped into the van got on my arm rest and his pink ass was 12 inches away from my face. That is another site I will never ever forget! After realizing that there was no food in our vehicle they immediately left. Faith was telling me to take a video but my hands froze and I couldn’t even move them at that time, good thing I didn’t though, Zack told us that the baboons grab just about anything and throw them off the cliff.
After cheating death (not really but damn that was scary!) we headed off to the side of the lake that hosts the famous Pink Flamingos, they were far from where we parked but you can spot them easily. There was a water buffalo staring at us while we took photos of the Flamingos, the Cape Buffalo is one of the Big Five – the African Big Five is referred to the five game animals (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhinoceros and Cape Buffalo) that are very difficult to hunt on foot.
We’ve spotted two out of the five animals in Lake Nakuru and our search continues in the wide savannas of Masai Mara...
(to be continued)