Kicheche Spot of the Week

Rain, grown-up rain, clear skies then 1500+ metres of altitude going to work on the saturated short-grass of Naboisho Conservancy produces mist .... a photographer's dream. However, lions playing over their meal .... killers in the mist .... do not earn the garlands this week.

Those five cheetah boys need scant introduction having patrolled the plains and Conservancies of the Mara with impunity for almost four years. To see them perform takes time, hard time, proper time as they have taken sloth to a fatiguing level of frustration.

Acres of caustic prose have been written about 2020, Spot of the Week has no intention of adding to this pile of cynicism. Right now a savage storm is ripping across the Mara Conservancies leavening already fertile grasslands. In Laikipia lions are dragging down a buffalo, before parading across the highlands in front of both Mt Kenya and some indifferent white rhino.

In terms of wilderness, a year is a short period. In terms of just about everything else in 2020 it seems like an eternity. Throughout these troubled times Kicheche has been overwhelmed by not only the people who have jumped through the many hoops to visit, but also the many heartfelt messages of support to say nothing of the thousands of dollars raised for the Conservancies.

The Five Musketeers are now four. Yesterday four of them turned on the remaining one and gave it a hell of a shoeing. Sadly it appears that the unfortunate recipient may have lost an eye; what it certainly has lost is three years of companionship.

Any Olympic gold medal winner will tell you that winning is hard but retaining is almost impossible. Kicheche Bush Camp has just retained its ECO-Gold award for the fourth year in succession, the Sir Stephen Redgrave of safari pennants. This has been attained despite incredibly difficult trading circumstances.

You have met Conservancy Guardians Rachel and Barry Chapman before, they beat the lockdown by a day, changing their flights by a week as they needed their fix. Was it complicated or a hassle?

Take advantage of our very special offer this Christmas: 6 nights for 5* at any Kicheche camp or combination of two Valid 20 Dec to 03 Jan 21 Individually you will be protecting 18 acres of wilderness, funding ranger salaries, contributing to our Community Trust projects and bringing good cheer to team Kicheche.

My 13th trip to Kicheche was unplanned, spur of the moment. When Paul Goldstein said that Bush camp would be open, I didn’t hesitate to see if I could make it happen, these were unusual times – with other trips postponed to next year, and I felt the pull of Kenya more strongly, with even more uncertain times ahead for all of us, more so now a lockdown is in force again. Part 2 Our flexible booking conditions still apply as they do on many airlines.   Part 3  Free photographic tuition with Kicheche co-owner Paul Goldstein, currently ongoing till 13 November (space available), will recommence mid December for the whole holiday period.

Part 1  Kicheche is open throughout December on low season rates Part 2 Our flexible booking conditions still apply as they do on many airlines.   Part 3  Free photographic tuition with Kicheche co-owner Paul Goldstein, currently ongoing till 13 November (space available), will recommence mid December for the whole holiday period.

I could talk today about cubs of all different creeds and colours. Alternatively I could wax about otherworldly downpours bruising, then leavening the plains. Conversely the discussion could dwell on six hours of five cheetahs hunting zebra.  However, meet Dan Heap, on his third Kicheche safari, I'll leave it to him:

'Nature red in tooth and claw' ...... 'circle of life' ..... 'this is nature' ..... these are some of the many tired and frequently patronising remarks peddled during any hunting sequence,  which always ignore the harrowing nature of the incident.

Kicheche's Mara camps sit superbly and sensitively in three prolific conservancies, with access to the reserve when required. These jealously guarded wildernesses are among the best, or even the best wildlife habitats in Africa. However, have any of you ever had that nagging feeling that despite enjoying your best ever safari you might have chosen the wrong one?

In case you needed any assurances on why now is the perfect time to travel, try these:

Last week I received the following email: 'The five of us are really looking forward to our safari at Bush Camp later in September, this year. Can we have James as our guide again please? We have our virus test booked, we have travel insurance and work from home so see no reason not to travel because of this silly unenforced quarantine. We are so excited.'

We have pondered long and hard about whether to 'Spot' today. We have had bounteous correspondence from those tired of postings from the plains over the last four months whilst their crucial dollars remain neutered by Public Health and Foreign Office policies. We have also had a bulging postbag from those incredibly supportive Kichechians who have not been slow to put their hands in their pockets - the Kicheche Conservancy Guardian initiative raised $129,000.

Firstly, a heartfelt thank you for the hundreds of messages from well-wishers, they mean so much to all at Kicheche and even in these troubling times, it is both touching and reassuring that you have found time to write to us.

Lucky Tucker’s ….. not a bit of it. Keith, Laura, daughter Bryony and son-in-law Alex,  take a bow, or indeed a curtesy (not remotely sorry if that is not woke enough for some or un PC). Next time I go on safari I want to be with this family and of course the legendary Laikipian guide Peter Kariuki and Naboisho’s magnificent maestro Mika Kaleku.  

Just pause and gorge yourself on these images. Barry and Rachel Chapman are no strangers to Bush and Mara camp but recently they outdid themselves.

Ever since four familiar spotted cats disembarked the Ark (alleg.) safari virgins have been confused by these seemingly similar felines. More seasoned Kichechians like nothing more than contemptuously pointing out the many differences between these ‘wholly different’ cats*.