The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (Giraffe Centre) in Nairobi

On August 31, 2021August 31, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya1 Comment

During our city tour of Nairobi, we visited the Giraffe Centre, whose official name is the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. Obviously the proceeds from people visiting the center go to the preservation of endangered animals in Africa such as the cheetahs, rhinos, and other animals. Having spent the previous eleven days on safari where we saw giraffes in the wild every day, we weren’t sure at first about visiting the Giraffe Centre. It is currently going under some renovations in order to improve the experience of the visitors and to make the center even more green. The highlight of visiting the Giraffe Centre is getting up close to the giraffes and feeding them.

Getting Close to the Giraffes, But Watch Out for Headbutts

If you have young children, going the Giraffe Centre provides a wonderful opportunity for them to get close to these gentle giants and allow them a unique interaction. It is always important to remember that they are still wild animals, although very tame, but they can be unpredictable or playful at times. The famous Giraffe Manor shares the same grounds as the Giraffe Centre and we assume, but aren’t positive, that the same giraffes can be found at both places. It was an interesting experience and we are always happy to support a good cause, but we didn’t stay long at the center as we’ve fed giraffes previously and enjoyed our experiences seeing them in the wild.

Probably Disappointed that We Didn’t Feed Them

The Karen Blixen Museum and Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya

On August 30, 2021August 30, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya2 Comments

It is hard to explain the impact that Karen Blixen had on the city of Nairobi and Kenya in general. The Baroness is best known around the world for her autobiographical story of her time in Africa titled Out of Africa as well as the movie with the same name. To the people of Kenya, she is known for providing healthcare to the people and providing inspiration to the women of Kenya. Although the book and movie romanticize her time in East Africa, the story and her life were rather tragic. The museum, which is the house she lived in and the gardens that surround it, is the location of their failed coffee plantation and features some of the farm equipment as well as photographs of the people in Karen’s life. There is also some memorabilia from the movie as it was filmed on location in Africa.

Photographs are not allowed to be taken from within the museum, but even if you haven’t seen the movie, it is quite interesting. The suburb where the museum resides is actually named Karen and it is home to the most wealthy houses in Nairobi. Although Karen Blixen only lived in Kenya from 1914 to 1931, her legacy has lasted through until today. Because her husband was frequently gone on hunting safaris, Karen ran the farm and the coffee plantation almost single handedly. Her determination and passion for the people of Kenya is what endeared her to the people that worked and lived on her farm.

The grounds of the farm are quite beautiful and walking around is quite tranquil. The ticket to tour the museum includes a guide who will tell you all about the farm, the house, and the life of Karen Blixen. The house itself was built in 1912 by a Swedish engineer and then bought by Karen and her husband, Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke, in 1917. The house was converted to a museum in 1985 after serving as one of the main locations for the filming of the movie. It took us less than an hour to take the tour and walk the grounds, but for those who are fascinated by the book or the movie, it could take longer.

Equipment that is About One Hundred Years Old

The Importance of Selecting the Right Guides for an African Safari

On August 25, 2021August 25, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya, TanzaniaLeave a comment

The guide company that you select for an African safari will most likely determine your overall experience. They can’t guarantee what animals you will see or what the weather will be like, but they make all of the arrangements for the places where you stay, ensure safe travel between the various parks and reserves, as well as take you on game drives and provide expert information on the animals that you see. For our trip, we started by researching individual guide companies that were recommended to us or we found on TripAdvisor. We were finding the process overwhelming, so we went to Safari Bookings where you can provide details on the type of safari you’d like to take and they will have guide companies reach out to you and provide quotes. This worked out much better as they only work with verified experts and ensure that the companies are reliable.

Picture of David with Us at the Maasai Village

We received several different quotes and even created a spreadsheet to compare the different tours, the parks that were included, the places where we would stay, and the overall cost of the safari. After narrowing it down to a few choices, we reached out with questions and considered how responsive each company was and how willing they were to work with us to potentially make changes to the itinerary. We also went out and looked at each of the camps and lodges that were included in the safari package to help us determine if it was right for us. We decided on what is considered a mid-tier safari, which made the price more reasonable, but it also meant that we would spend more time driving through the country versus flying from location to location. Actually seeing the country in addition to the parks was something that was important to us.

Shabani Set Up a Twilight Toast for Us on Our Last Night in Tanzania

We ended up choosing Africa Marvel Tours for our safari and we couldn’t have been happier with our decision. Before our trip even started, we chatted via WhatsApp as well as email and added a couple of nights to the original package, a decision that would provide us the opportunity to get close to white and black rhinos at Lake Nakuru as well as a tour of Nairobi. They also provided guidance on getting the COVID tests that we would need and checked with the different places that we would stay as to specific amenities that they offered. Then, when our flights got delayed, they made arrangements to pick us up at the airport instead of the hotel as originally planned. From the moment they met us at the airport and gave us Maasai blankets as a gift to our arrival back in the United States they stayed in touch with us to ensure that we had a safe trip home, everyone at Africa Marvel Tours were amazing.

We had two specific guides during our safari, David for our time in Kenya and Shabani for our time in Tanzania. Each of them were extremely knowledgeable about the parks and knew where we were likely to find some of the most fascinating animals. Not only did we see the big five, elephants, lions, water buffaloes, rhinos, and leopards, but we had many other incredible experiences, including getting close enough to pet a lion (which we definitely did not) with Shabani and having a cheetah jump on the hood of our Land Cruiser with David in Maasai Mara. They both took excellent care of us and we appreciated all of their help and guidance.

Clearly we had an absolutely amazing experience during our safari adventure and that was in large part due to the selection of Africa Marvel Tours. There are a lot of other factors that will make the experience better including patience to wait and watch for the wildlife, just having a relaxed attitude and not getting stressed, and not putting too many expectations in advance as to what you will see. It is also important to remember that the guides are their to ensure your safety and use their expertise to guide you, but it is your safari and you can request changes as well. It was certainly an experience of a lifetime and we will remember all of the various wildlife encounters for the rest of our lives.