Live Your Best Lives
Hakuna Matata I believe everyone is familiar with this phrase. It comes from Pumbaa and Timon's catchphrase to the little lion Simba in "The Lion King", telling him to forget his worries and move forward. This phrase actually comes from the ancient Swahili language, which means something similar to "don't worry" in English.
In Kenya, this phrase is a catch-all. "Don't worry," "It's all right." I heard it repeated countless times while on safari in Kenya... When we were late, he said, "Hakuna Matata." When we took the wrong road, he said, "Hakuna Matata." When we couldn't find the animals, he said, "Hakuna Matata." Well, since this African totem symbolizes dreams coming true, let's all say "Hakuna Matata" together!
Many people probably think of Africa as being "hot." Don't ever wear just shorts or short-sleeved shirts; you'll get a runny nose! It's incredibly cold. The weather forecast predicts temperatures will hover around 20°C for the next few days. Having endured 35°C in Hangzhou on my departure, I've come to a country on the equator to escape the heat. Hakulamata!
A must-have for traveling to East Africa. Customs entering Kenya now needs to check each person's "International Certificate of Vaccination" (also known as the "Yellow Book") to see if there is proof of yellow fever vaccination. It is strongly recommended that all travelers go to the local health and epidemic prevention station to get vaccinated before going abroad (14 days in advance). Don't take chances and reduce entry troubles.
Where to get the yellow fever vaccine?
After placing the order, you can immediately make an appointment for the yellow fever vaccine.
Note: Vaccination is required at least 14 days before travel, and the yellow certificate is valid for 10 years; if vaccination is not suitable, you can ask the hospital to issue a certificate, and then go to the International Travel Health Care Center to get the corresponding certificate.
Find a local health and epidemic prevention station for injection. The specific materials required vary from place to place. It is recommended to ask the local international health care center
Address reference (please call before going to learn the specific information needed for yellow fever vaccination):
Hangzhou Address: China Inspection and Quarantine (Zhejiang International Travel Health Care Center), No. 2 Wensan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou; 0573-87852410/87852407
Beijing Address: 23rd and 25th Floors, Jinao International Building, No. 17 Madian East Road, Haidian District, 010-64274240
Shanghai Address: No. 15, Jinbang Road, Shanghai, 021-62686171
Guangdong Address: No. 207, Longkou West Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 020-87537322, 87548300
Sichuan Address: No. 1, Tongzilin North Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 028-85197251
Cholera and malaria vaccinations are optional, depending on your physical condition and needs. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory. The vaccine doctor also sells military-grade mosquito repellent cream for 35 yuan per tube. It's incredibly effective, especially if you're prone to mosquitoes. A must-buy!
Kenya uses electronic visas, which can be handled by travel agencies, which is very convenient and usually issued within a week. 4. [Kenya Entry Form] To enter Kenya, you need 4 items: original passport, yellow book, visa, and entry form. You can fill them out on the plane.
Besides the mosquito repellent I bought at the vaccination center, I also brought Yunnan Baiyao spray, Band-Aids, motion sickness medication, Dragon Tiger cooling oil, laxatives, and anti-diarrhea medication. Depending on your physical condition, you'll need to bring specific medications (stomach remedies, etc.). I've found cooling oil to be very helpful, especially if you're prone to motion sickness and have been sitting in cars for a long time.
Kenya is located in the equatorial region, but at a high altitude, the temperature is relatively comfortable year-round. The temperature difference between morning and evening is large, so in addition to summer clothes, long-sleeved jackets and long pants are also essential. If you are going to places with higher altitudes, you should also bring a thick jacket. Also, when safaris are windy and dusty, you must bring a headscarf or something. Our China-TravelNote headscarf is a must-have and is also great for shielding your camera lens.
Kenya time is 5 hours behind Beijing time. For example, if it is 12:00 in Beijing, it is 7:00 in Kenya. It is recommended to adjust the camera time setting at the same time when adjusting the time.
English is the official language in Kenya, so communicating with drivers and hotel staff in English is straightforward. Swahili is the local language of daily communication, and greetings and thanks to locals in Swahili will delight them and increase their friendliness. Jiangbo (Jiangbo) means "hello."
Kenya's official currency is the Kenyan Shilling, with the exchange rate to the US dollar roughly 1 USD = 85 Kenyan Shillings. RMB is not accepted, so please exchange an appropriate amount of US dollars in Kenya. US dollars issued before 2000 are not accepted in Kenya, so please bring US dollars issued after 2000.
While signal strength is good in cities like Nairobi, it's weak in other areas, especially during safaris (just enjoy the natural surroundings). Hotels offer Wi-Fi, but charges may apply. If you really need to buy a SIM card, you can use Telcon, Safaricom, or Artile after you get off the plane—all three are acceptable; you don't have to choose Safaricom. My roommate also bought a roaming card in China, so we had consistent signal throughout the trip and it worked perfectly.
The power socket in Kenya is 220/240V, 50HZ. It is a three-hole British standard power socket, which is different from that in China. It is recommended to buy a British conversion socket in a large domestic supermarket or electrical appliance market (very important, necessary!!), and bring a charging power strip for daily charging.
TIPS:
1. Tips
After participating in activities such as safari in a national park, you can give a certain tip based on the guide's service. This is a respect and affirmation for the work of the locals, and the driver may work harder to find animals!
2. About African countries
I often see social unrest and violence in African countries on TV. While there are certainly risks, they're extremely rare. As long as you enjoy your trip and take care to protect yourself and your property, especially your personal safety, you'll likely be fine. Don't be complacent if you encounter unusual situations. Save the Chinese Embassy and local police numbers on your phone beforehand, just in case. Our driver was very caring, so don't be discriminatory or think Black people are inferior. Also, don't be afraid; the vast majority of Black people are warm, welcoming, and easy to get along with.
3. Plastic ban
A Kenyan court ruled that the Kenyan government's "plastic ban" will be enforced effective August 28, 2017, prohibiting the use, manufacture, and import of all commercial and domestic plastic bags and flat-bottomed bags. Visitors are advised to comply with the ban and refrain from bringing banned plastic bags into Kenya. They are also advised not to use banned plastic bags when shopping, traveling, or disposing of household waste in Kenya. This policy was introduced last year. While edible plastic bags are not a concern, garbage bags and linen are prohibited.
Photography equipment recommendations: I brought a Nikon D850, lenses: Nikon telephoto 200-400 2.8 24-70 2.8 12-24 2.8 three lenses.
But I found that the telephoto lens with constant aperture is too heavy. In fact, you can consider Tamron's big bird artifact, 150-600, which is very practical.
Body recommendations
The best options are a SLR body or a mirrorless camera, such as Nikon D800, D810, D850 and above, Canon 7D2, 5D3, 5D4 and above, Sony a7R, a7R2, etc.
lens
Lenses are categorized into wide-angle (e.g., 16-35), medium-focus (e.g., 24-70), and telephoto (e.g., 70-200, 100-400). We'll be using telephoto and wide-angle lenses the most on this trip.
1) Telephoto lenses are commonly used for photographing animals, and the requirements vary depending on the species. For example, when photographing giraffes, a lens with a focal length of no more than 400mm is best; a 70-200mm focal length is sufficient. For photographing lions and leopards, a lens with a focal length of no more than 400mm is essential; without a super-telephoto lens of 500mm or higher, satisfactory shots are unlikely.
2) A wide-angle or medium-focus lens for daytime photography of tribal culture, etc. ※ Bean bag: It is recommended to bring a photography bean bag for use in the car when photographing safari in the Masai Mara.
※ Tripod: Professional tripod is the best.
※ Large-capacity memory cards or external hard drives: This trip will undoubtedly fill up your memory cards, so you can bring 200GB or more of memory cards. However, we recommend using 16GB-32GB cards.
It is strongly recommended to bring a mobile hard drive or a laptop for double backup storage.
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and the largest city in East Africa. This vibrant and interesting international city is very crowded, so be sure to pay attention to your round-trip flight times and leave enough time to avoid traffic jams!
The Giraffe Center, a giraffe park established by the African Wildlife Foundation to protect wildlife and the environment, offers free access to feed the giraffes. Their tongues are dark blue and at least 20cm long. Giraffes are completely fearless, and you can even go up to the rooftop for a close encounter with them!
In addition to giraffes, there are also a bunch of super cool warthogs here, which are Pumbaa from the Lion King. They are very lazy and are probably domesticated and are just waiting for you to feed them.
In the early morning, led by a local driver, take a jeep and go deep into the Masai Mara grasslands. Find an acacia tree as the foreground. Of course, it would be even more perfect if there are a bunch of animals next to it. Then all you have to do is wait quietly for the moment when the sun rises.
The dry season in the Masai Mara is from June to September. If you are willing to get up early, you can see sunrise and sunset almost every day.
Note: Since the Maasai Mara National Park has a strict closing time and you must leave at 18:00 every day, the sunset depends on the situation. If you are lucky, you may be able to take a stroll around the hotel.
Impala
In many parks, you can see groups of blackbucks at any time. If you want to remember them, just remember that their butts are the McDonald's logo.
Wildebeest
Topi (Nyamera) can be seen everywhere in the park. They are much larger than blackbucks and have bright eyes.
wildebeest
The protagonists of the African animal migration: wildebeest. They are ugly, with disproportionate bodies, large horns, heavy heads, dark faces, and long hair on their necks but not on their bodies.
Among the 2.5 million herbivores on the East African savannah, wildebeests have become the most noteworthy animals with their absolute numerical advantage of 1.5 million.
Cheetah
Simba family. It should be noted that the name of lion in Swahili is "Simba". As one of the "Big Five" in Africa, lions are easy to see in most parks.
Cheetah
The cheetah is a big name in the animal world. It holds a world record for being the fastest animal in the world and can be found in the Masai Mara.
There are actually big differences between cheetahs and leopards, not to mention the difference in their claws (which are hard to notice). Visually, it is smaller than the leopard. The most important thing is that it has two black vertical stripes along the nose from its eyes to its mouth, but the leopard does not have them. These two vertical stripes are said to absorb light when running fast.
African buffalo
Adult African buffaloes can reach up to two meters tall and three meters long. Although they are herbivores, they are among the most formidable beasts. They fight in large formations, led by an adult male. They charge in large formations, often numbering hundreds or even thousands, at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. Such a force can crush any animal to a pulp.
African vultures
African vultures are rather ugly, and the males have a pink fleshy pouch on their chins, which they say they fling out to show off when looking for a mate.
lappet-faced vulture
The lappet-shaped vulture is the largest of the vultures, reaching up to one meter in height and reportedly stretching nearly three meters with its wingspan. Its head is pink, and it has a large pink wattle on its chin, hence its name.
It is said that when they are particularly excited, their heads and large wattles turn red, which looks very funny. Vultures like to eat corpses, and the wattled vultures rely on their large size to drive away other smaller vultures and eat the carcasses themselves.
hyena
Hyenas are not easy to spot, so seeing one today was a stroke of luck. These beasts typically come out at night and are ferocious predators of large and medium-sized herbivores, such as zebras, wildebeests, and antelopes. They have a strong appetite and digestion, capable of swallowing up to 15 kilograms of prey, skin and bones included, in a single sitting. Their hunting prowess rivals that of lions.
ostrich
The world's largest bird, it stands out particularly tall in Africa, measuring 2 to 2.5 meters tall. Its neck is pink, white, or gray, and its feathers are black or gray.
hippo
We then drove straight to the Mara River. The first thing we saw was a hippopotamus, or simply hippo. Hippos spend their days in the water, coming up to the shore at night to graze. They're said to be able to walk over ten kilometers. In fact, hippos are the animal responsible for the most injuries to people each year, so it's important to keep a safe distance from them!
Nile crocodile
There are many Nile crocodiles lying in the Mara River. They are very large, and the largest ones are estimated to be about 4 meters long. When the wildebeest migrate, they lie in the water waiting for a feast, which is a bit scary when you look at them up close.
Maasai giraffe
On the way back, we saw giraffes courting each other. The Masai giraffe is one of the three giraffe species found in Kenya. The other two are offshoots of the Masai giraffe. Masai giraffes are most common on the Masai Mara. Their markings are a floral pattern on all four legs, with one extending to the foot.
The most heartwarming scene was witnessed in a place where the strong prey on the weak.
Ground Hornbill
This is a ground hornbill. It's easy to spot, with a red face, a patch of red flesh on its chin, and the characteristically large, blade-like beak of a hornbill. Just because it's called a ground hornbill doesn't mean it can't fly. James says they can fly, but few people have seen them. This bird can be seen near Lake Nakuru and in the Masai Mara.
Black-backed jackal
This guy likes to steal cheetahs' food, no wonder they don't welcome him. This jackal is easy to spot, with black markings on its back that clearly separate it from its body. I saw them playing and fighting.
The next day we got up early and split into two groups, one to ride a hot air balloon and the other to take pictures of the sunrise. The hot air balloon and the wildebeest go very well together.
Zebras are walking in a row, and their buttocks are the sexiest in all of Africa.
The Maasai still live in tribes, each with a chief. Their houses are simple, dimly lit, and built by women. For the Maasai, all value is expressed in cattle and sheep.
A Maasai man can marry a wife if he owns 10 cows. Polygamy is allowed here. The more cows and sheep a man owns, the more wives he can have. Because there is no water, the Maasai people basically do not take baths and drink raw cow blood. Their lives are very bad.
Lake Naivasha is the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley and the only freshwater lake in Kenya. Boating on Lake Naivasha attracts numerous birds, making it a birdwatching paradise.
We recommend arriving at sunset to enjoy the stunning sunset from the boat. Island landing is possible here, a rare opportunity. The highlight of the trip is the osprey fishing. The boatman prepares two fish in advance to lure the osprey down and simulate a prey.
Here you can also observe zebras, antelopes and occasionally wildebeests up close.
Flamingo, called Flamingo in English, is like the dance Flamenco. Although flamingo-shaped rubber boats have become a standard feature of internet celebrities, there are no flamingos in China except in zoos.
Flamingos thrive in hot climates, and equatorial Kenya is their ideal habitat. At Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli National Park, you can witness flocks of flamingos performing their "never-ending flamingo dance."
There are two types of flamingos here, both of which can be seen in this photo. The one in the front is the Greater Flamingo, which is completely pink and taller, nearly 1.5 meters tall. The one in the second row is the Lesser Flamingo, which has a pinkish-white body and rose-colored wings and is smaller, about 1 meter tall.
Amboseli National Park, located on the border between Kenya and Tanzania, is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. The highlight of the trip is the stunning sunset, accompanied by wildebeests, and finally, the starry night sky, a truly perfect ending.
The hotel we temporarily changed to was fantastic. Inside the park, in the restaurant, and even when we opened our room, we could see elephants and zebras. Baboons were everywhere right outside our room, making it a perfect place to stay with the animals. Compared to the Masai Mara, the scenery here was even more vibrant with the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. The park also closes around 6 p.m., but if you stay at the Aotukai Hotel within the park, you can stay longer.
Zebra + flamingo, this kind of photo is rare.
Bloody sunset!
Finally, let me tell you about my stay at the Aotukai Hotel in Amboseli. It was infested with baboons, roaming around eager to eat your food. We were robbed several times, but we were happy to see them. They weren't aggressive at all. And right across the street was a herd of elephants, so we could sit on a chair and take photos with them. It was definitely my favorite hotel of the entire trip. It was a perfect stay with the animals! Looking forward to the 2019 Kenyan Great Migration. See you there!
