Naboisho Camp

After two nights at Rekero we moved to the new camp called Naboisho. This is the new sister camp to Rekero, built and designed by Gerard, Jackson, Dudu & Jono (who used to Manage Rekero). It's about an hour and a half from Rekero and quite different, with all the acacia trees and acacia whistling thorn bushes.

As a new camp it is stunning has 8 tents and so much undiscovered wildlife. The guides are just getting to know who is who and where they all are. They have a large pride of 22 lions, leopard, cheetah (Shingo I believe has passed through there) and an amazing array of birds. Our guide Dickson was so passionate (recently trained from Koiyaki guiding school) and when we left he was going to Rekero for a few days as they were busy, so was one of the chefs!

We enjoyed Naboisho so much we didn't go back to Rekero for our last night but stayed here for 3. Dudu is a charming and fun hostess, sadly Jono is back in the UK at the moment, and Gerard was also there for our first couple of days.

A few photos to follow .........

One of the lionesses from the pride of 22


A young male


Topi - I just love their markings


Striped Kingfisher - not a bird i've seen before, but then ....... we saw them all the time at Naboisho.


A couple of young giraffe - great manes on them both


Little Bee Eater


Most exciting was seeing a Wild Cat - I spotted it whilst Dickson was out of the vehicle picking up some rubbish. We followed it, not harassing it, and finally it vanished under a large tree. Sadly no photos, but it was fantastic to see and even Dickson was thrilled. One for the memory bank

More in a little while ......

Lai Pai

Thanks again Doogs. Camp photos to follow later, along with a few more wildlife photos. Yes, we were discussing it this morning, we would certainly stay there again. We are thinking of doing 3 camps again, 3 nights, 4 nights and 3 nights. Probably start in Sarara, then on to somewhere in Laikipia and then Naboisho. Plenty of food for thought as it will probably be next October !!!

No cubs that we found, but a few pregnant females - one to watch in the future with such a large pride, and the ones we saw looked very healthy.

For some reason on this safari we saw all the cats - it was amazing

Lai Pai

No he'd never been before. He's now been twice, first one with J & A (great but quite intense for a non photographer) and so our own was far more chilled. He is more than happy as long as we can walk, look at everything not just the big cats and generally take it all in.

Lai Pai

A few more from Naboisho

The wildies - they say God made these animals from all the left over parts from other animals. Harsh but they are strange looking



Awful photo but this was the first time this female leopard had been seen in daylight. Scarily enough it was very close to camp, we could see the breakfast/lunch table outside, from our vehicle. We were so excited we went back to camp to get Dudu and Joe (great gap year student who is there helping for a few months, he was so excited).



Driving to the Olkiombo airstrip to fly back to Nairobi I said to Dickson, the only thing I really want to get a photograph of is a Lilac Breasted Roller. No sooner said than ......


So it was a rubbish day, overcast, not raining but dull. But who cares?


It really is the most beautiful bird


Just one more ..........


A very mangy looking lioness from the Olkiombo pride




Trying to look nonchalent - the buff boys had chased each lioness out from the bushes, first they ran, hell for leather and then strolled past us, trying to look cool


The buff boys


We were so lucky with the weather, it only ever rained at Naboisho and very considerately only at 6.00pm overnight. Messed up one night's sundowners, but we had them in the vehicle

Lai Pai

It sounds and looks fantastic Lai Pai, wonderful wildlife, especially all the birds, loving all three of them Poor wildlies, they are gorgeous in their own way Nice to see the Buff boys as well and like Doogs say's, cant wait to see the camp photo's. Sounds as if this is going to be a popular camp to stay at in the future.

littlewid-x-

Great photos Lai. Love the Topi one, and the Lilac Crested Roller. Seems a fabulous place to stay, and it must have been if you stayed an extra night. Who really cares about the weather when your in a place like that. Thanks for sharing your photos
WS

Thanks Littlewid and WS.

Just a few to finish off with off the camp itself.

Great place to catch up with fellow guests


Dining room




Breakfast (and lunch always outside)


We could see the camp easily when we were watching the leopard up the tree - and what a camp


Looking out from the main area. The solitary tent is the 'ladies/gents'


Just outside the camp we saw something else I've never seen before, dwarf mongoose. Gorgeous little things, a lovely reddy brown colour and tiny. A large family were out foraging, next time I'm going to see if we can sit and watch them for a while, it was just like Meerkat manor

Lai Pai

We also spent a morning at Koiyaki Guiding School which is nearby to Naboisho Camp. Founded by Ron Beaton with Jackson as Patron it is a wonderful school. We spent some time with the teachers and also went into the classroom to hear what the students were learning that morning. They are funded by Tusk and the EU and a requirement is that girls are now taken. An interesting one when they have to be able to change tyres on the 4 x 4's and in the space of 10 mins we had two in Sarara and it was a two man job to change them! Anyway, let's hope these girls are strong.

http://www.koiyaki.com/

We also met Sarah who runs the Outreach programme - she is one amazing woman, with her assistant Grace they are trying to help Maasai women

The school facility is now being used as a base for the Koiyaki Outreach program jointly funded through the OOCT and Base Camp Foundation who have signed a MOU dated form the 1st Jan 2010 to cover this 4-year program.

Sarah Lariam and Grace Nasenyia based at KGS run the Outreach program which deals mainly with women’s education and business sustainability, computer capacity building in primary schools, HIV hygiene and general health education.

http://www.basecampexplorer.com/basecamp_foundation/what_we_do/naboisho_conservancy/en

Sarah gave us a really good presentation and was so passionate about her work. The school has no running water, so all rain has to be harvested, hopefully one day they will be able to raise funding for a bore hole.

It was another great experience and we were so pleased to have visited and heard about life in the Mara.

Lai Pai

That camp looks lovely Lai Pai. Not sure about the Toilet though . Its great that they are helping to train young Guides, it can only benifit the Wildlife when younger generations can also see then economic affect of preserving the Wildlife in their area. I hope they can raise enough money for a bore hole soon, and we complain when there's a hose pipe ban
WS

The camp looks so inviting and comfortable Lai Pai, the chairs and sofa's look so comfy. it's all kind of how you imagine it to be but more if you know what I mean. Loving the eating outside and being able to watch the wildlife. Mmmmm not too sure about the ladies room either, I would want an armed guard I think in the dead of night.......and a toorch to check for
Amazing you got to see the Mongoose, I am just a tad there, not Meerkats I know but close enough, how lucky you were.

Fingers crossed they get their Bore Hole, we wouldn't know how to cope if it was us would we, we are so spoiled.
The whole experience their sounds magial and I imagine they loved you being in class.

Thanks so much for the pics and info Lai Pai.

littlewid-x-