Babette Ladd ODwyer

Click the link below to see Babette's latest slideshow to Kenya.

Notes from Mama Safari’s trip to Kenya…

In Swahili, "Mama" is a respectful but warm term of endearment; the wife of Kenya's first President, Jomo Kenyatta, was affectionately known as "Mama Ngina" and a thoroughfare in Nairobi still bears her name. So it was that I was given the name "Mama Safari" in 1979 and was again thus greeted at the Nairobi airport and at the Norfolk hotel by my friends in April of this year.

We had a wonderful safari in Kenya and I have added a few pictures to a slide show above to give you a taste of what we saw. I will be adding more slide shows from other exotic places soon so stay tuned.

The lure and excitement of safari is still a lifetime experience for so many people; after some 30 safaris from North to South, I think Africa remains a marvelous continent to explore. This time we drove to the land of Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National Park, on the Tanzanian border and to Tsavo West with its great elephant herds. At the end we visited our friends at Loldia Ranch in the Rift Valley and had a day at Lake Nakuru - still thousands of flamingoes and several rhinos along with other game! The game, the people, the camps, the experience - all better than ever.

Amboseli - Tortilis Camp is wonderful. Views of Kilimanjaro from the spacious, comfortable tents, from the library and dining room – everywhere gorgeous scenery, with Kili sporting more of a snowy top than I remembered, due to heavy rains earlier this year. We experienced great game viewing in this off-season with very few vehicles and tourists. It is definitely the time to go on safari.

Tsavo West - Finch Hattons Camp is easily one of the best we have seen. True to its name, Finch Hattons faithfully recreates the era of "Out of Africa", with elegance and style in the bush, delicious food, exceptional service -- spacious tents set amid hippo pools and nestled at the foot of the Chyulu Hills. Finch Hattons is a genuine conservation friendly, luxury-tented lodge in an incredible setting offering spectacular panoramas and game.

We are already planning a "Return to Kenya - the ultimate safari" program for next year, in cooperation with our Kenya friends. In fact, we are able to add another dimension to our safaris, shaped by years of experience and access to a wonderful group of people: wildlife experts, conservationists, members of Kenya's prominent families, allowing us access to special places and events for the pleasure of our clients, for which we are very grateful.

While Kenya spends a fraction of its much needed capital on tourism promotion than its neighbor to the South, it is still the quintessential wildlife destination in the world that it has always been, along with Tanzania and Uganda, all provide the experience of a lifetime.

Next year we will be adding an extension to Rwanda and a brand new lodge in the Volcano Highlands. I have been privileged to meet prominent naturalists, researchers and people who are serious about the wildlife and its future and, whenever possible, try to incorporate meeting up with them somewhere on the journey.

Whether as a family group or part of my small-group safaris, call soon and "let us take you on a great Adventure"!

Mama Safari (a.k.a. Babette)

Babette Ladd O'Dwyer

Special Consultant: Africa, Asia

207.874.7400 // 800.874.1743

fax - 207.874.9007

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