While I dread and loathe when the rains catch up with me on the troublesome streets of Nairobi, it is an unexplainably different feeling while in nature.
I had this unexplainable feeling while on a three-day visit to the Amboseli National Park - one of the smallest game parks, yet richly endowed with abundant wildlife.
The dramatic scenes especially in the evening and dawn as the dream-like sunrays, kiss the ground, painting it with an illuminating golden appearance as the sunbeams struggle to peek through the rains. A visit during a rainy season is an out-of-this-world capture, so serene and scenic!
Another value addition to an Amboseli wildlife sanctuary visit during the rainy season is that the wet habitat brings wildlife closer to the park roads, making for exciting sightings.
At the time of my visit, the entire Amboseli ecosystem was vibrant and buzzing with life.
Every corner of this precious wildlife sanctuary was vibrant teaming with buzzing life, with the rainy season transforming every corner of the eco-system into a lush paradise as if announcing a new beginning (it was a new beginning after prolonged draught) - one of renewal and vitality.
My driver and guide was Simon Kasaine, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in his three-some role as a driver, guide, and naturalist.
As we drove into the sanctuary late in the evening amidst the backdrop of songs from unidentified residents, he explained that each dawn and dusk at Amboseli is characterised by birdsongs that fill the air.
I was curious to understand why game drives are done at dawn or late afternoon (with occasional night drives in some appointed parks and reserves).
The guide points out that animals either begin their search for breakfast or head to higher ground late in the afternoon in preparation for nightfall, hence good times to see them.
During my three-day visit, the most spectacular was watching the gentle and intelligent giants roaming freely across the Amboseli sanctuary with their immense tusks.
In the past, the work done by stakeholders to protect the elephants (and other wildlife too), has significantly been rewarded. Amboseli has become a heaven for Super Tuskers, who now spend longer periods within the park.
Searching for super tuskers
We drove towards Tortilis forest in search of some more elephants - this time I wanted to capture the famous tuskers of Amboseli and identify them by name.
The super tuskers are called so because of their immense tusks that almost touch the ground, a reminder of conservation efforts in protecting such rare and iconic animals.
Before our destination, Kasaine suddenly engages the Landcruiser's breaks and points to his right side. A distance away, I could see an elephant with massive tusks. "That is Chemosit, one of the largest elephants in Amboseli," Kasaine says as we drive closer.
We soon drive off in search of another super tusker search as Chemosit disappears deep into the forest.
Our search did not yield any luck in encountering any other super tusker.
I settled for this, though I was looking forward to a second encounter with Craig, the most famous tusker living in Amboseli. The 51-year-old super tusker is Kenya's largest tusker (I met him in May). Craig's tusks are reminiscent of a bygone era, a remarkable specimen and a poster child of effective conservation.
As we drive around Kasaine points out to an open ground where a little strikingly beautiful bird is seemingly "posing" in readiness for our clicking camera.
"That is the scarlet dragonfly, whose beauty of bold colouration isn't only dazzling but an essential phenomenon in attracting mates," said the guide as little Miss Amboseli disappeared into the yonder.
As we headed back to Amboseli Serena, my home-away-from-home, I had one more great encounter - a distant striking call, which Kasaine told me, was from the striped kingfisher.
Five minutes later, he pointed to a spot and urged me to use the binoculars. "If you thought only lions and cheetahs go for a kill, then you are in for a surprise - the crows of Amboseli among other birds of prey do kill too," he said.
Using the binoculars, I spotted a bird landing nearby and confirmed it was a crow. I watched as it pecked the ground and emerged with a mouse.
Within seconds, the crow swiftly flew off with its prize, leaving me thrilled by my first sighting of a hunt and kill in this wildlife territory.
Unknowingly, however, that was not the only kill. A few minutes later, I was in for another surprise - I saw a black-headed heron grab a grass snake in its beak, a few metres from us. I watched spellbound as the guide explained the intricacies as the heron began to swallow the snake alive!
