23Aug 2020 by safarisense
Lost Notes: The Slave Trade at the East African Coast

Lost Notes: The Slave Trade at the East African Coast

City Tour, Excursion, History
Hot dry monsoon winds catch the boat’s sail as our captain’s gaze across the Indian Ocean turns glossy. The ocean simmers and ripples in bright orange as it reflects the late evening sun. He squints his eye in a thoughtful mood, searching deep into his memories. He’s narrating to us one of the most important, controversial, hotly contested and silently dealt with topics 
in African history, the East African slave trade. We’re on a traditional Arab dhow, having just left Shimoni caves on an excursion to Wasini Island for snorkeling and sight seeing. Close to the border of Tanzania, you can sail 
to it from Diani Beach or Shimoni , or like Omani Arabs, to the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. But who were the Omani? What’s the Portuguese connection to…
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01Aug 2020 by safarisense
Travel Tips: Any Time Game Drive at Nairobi National Park

Travel Tips: Any Time Game Drive at Nairobi National Park

Bird_watching, City Tour, Game drive, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
The Nairobi National Park has always been reserved a page or two in our travel diaries here at Safari Sense. Over the years, we’ve had varied experiences in this unforgettable slice of paradise within Kenya’s capital city.Some days are lucky. Especially when the traffic is low on an early weekday morning game drive. Chances of seeing a lion hunt are high. Animals and birds are most active when the air is still cool and crisp.Other times you can really have a rough time. Bad weather and no predator sightings can distract someone from the otherwise uncertain and beautiful nature of the park itself.The unique ecosystem continues to fascinate, and is often the first taste to a real Kenyan safari. There are very real prospects of seeing four of the big…
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13Jul 2020 by safarisense
Off The Beaten Path: Caving and Off-roading – Gatune Hills

Off The Beaten Path: Caving and Off-roading – Gatune Hills

City Tour, Excursion, Extreme, Nairobi Area
Its always the dream of any 4x4 car owner to test the limits of their machines in harsh and extreme terrains. Most 4x4 fans never get a chance to experience this thrill, and when such an opportunity cropped up, I couldn’t resist. Having limited activities due to the COVID-19 restrictions gave me time to slowly service the old Suzuki Vitara. I’d driven the four-wheel drive car for years, but I rarely take it through grit and dirt roads. Looking for spare parts online led me to join a unique group of Suzuki enthusiasts. Apart from mechanical and technical advise members help each other in sourcing spare parts and other gadgets necessary for the ultimate off-roading vehicle. I had never heard of Gatune Hills, or Nachu Caves before, but owing to…
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29Apr 2017 by safarisense
Birdnificent©: Ngong Forest

Birdnificent©: Ngong Forest

Bird_watching, City Tour, Excursion, Hiking, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
When? All year round Just 10 km from the Kenyan capital, adjacent to Nairobi Racecourse, Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary – the isolated remnant of a once vast upland forest elsewhere almost wholly supplanted by suburbia – still boasts a surprisingly rich avifauna. Activities Where to go...​ Look out for...​ Activities Discover birds in the wild while exploring the forest trailsTake a break with a picnic and immerse yourself in nature. Where to go...​ A network of tracks crisscrosses what is left of the indigenous Ngong Forest, between broad avenues used by local equestrians. There is an active African Crowned Eagle nest, to which a forest guide should be able to escort you. Pairs of Narina Trogon and Hartlaub’s Turaco can usually be found within patches of dense woodland, and after rain the…
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05Jan 2017 by safarisense
Discover Nairobi: Full Day City Tour

Discover Nairobi: Full Day City Tour

City Tour, Excursion, Game drive
The attraction of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, lies in its unpredictable pace and enchanting contrasts, which are often missed in favor of safari game trips. However, to overlook ‘the green city in the sun’ is to skip the thriving heartbeat of East Africa. The bustling city is an established hub where a variety of cultures co-exist, hustle, and more often than not, harmonize. So if you have some time with you, let’s go! 8:00 AM-11:00 AM - Nairobi National Park Only a “lion’s roar” from the city Centre, wildlife in the Nairobi National Park share the city with the human population.A few Black Rhino can be seen, while the main attraction is Cheetah, Lion and Buffalo as well as a great variety of plains game. There is also a large selection of bird life.…
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19Sep 2016 by safarisense
Birdnificent©: Manguo Pond, Limuru

Birdnificent©: Manguo Pond, Limuru

Bird_watching, City Tour, Excursion, Hiking, Wildlife Safari
When? September - June A shallow, seasonal basin close to a major intersection, Manguo Pond can be viewed from roads on two sides. The water level fluctuates, but there is usually water enough to attract freshwater and marshland birds – sometimes in astonishing numbers. Activities Birdnificent© Activities Enjoy birdwatching at one of the most diverse ecosystems right outside Nairobi city. While at it, explore the ponds on an educational guided nature walk and test your knowledge on while having fun. Birdnificent© Look out for… Maccoa Duck, White-backed Duck, Lesser Moorhen (in wet months), Madagascar Pond Heron, palearctic migrants Guaranteed sightings… Of the many and varied ducks that visit Manguo Pond, Maccoa Duck is the rarest – and most interesting. Breeding pairs of White-backed Duck are often seen amid the floating…
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05Aug 2016 by safarisense
Experience Mombasa: Exclusive City Excursion

Experience Mombasa: Exclusive City Excursion

City Tour, Excursion, Mombasa
The largest port on the East African coast, Mombasa, although a busy modern city, still retains its low-rise character, particularly between the massive Portuguese-built Fort Jesus and the old dhow harbour, which remains much the same as it was 150 years ago. The attractive buildings are decorated with ornate balconies. Mombasa is a kaleidoscope of different cultures and languages and is a town that thrives on tourism. Our full-day excursion provides a wide-ranging overview of this fascinating city. Let’s go! 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. - Fort Jesus/ Old Town We start with a visit to Fort Jesus, built in 1593. Fort Jesus an old Portuguese fort located at the mouth of old port of Mombasa. It was built on the orders of King Philip 1 of Portugal between 1593 and 1596…
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21Oct 2014 by safarisense
Birdnificent©: Nairobi National Park

Birdnificent©: Nairobi National Park

Bird_watching, City Tour, Excursion, Game drive, Nairobi Area, Wildlife Safari
When? October - April Unique in being located alongside a major city, the 120-km² Nairobi National Park encompasses a wealth of contrasting habitats, ranging from open grassland and lightly wooded plains with rocky valleys to seasonal swamps, dams, forest-lined rivers and streams, and – along its western boundary – a thin strip of upland forest. Gazetted in 1946, the Park is Kenya’s oldest conservation area, with a bird list running to 520 species, of which 200 can often be seen in a single day. What to do... Look out for... Where To Go.. What to do... A day tour at Nairobi National Park offers a gentle orientation into the world of safari giving you a taste of what to expect from the bigger parks spread around the country. Few things…
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