On Friday morning, we delighted in a slow morning at Sasaab, savoring one last breakfast on the deck overlooking the river. We were in the car by midmorning and enjoyed a final game drive through the desert before returning to the airstrip. This time, a tiny 6 passenger plane was ready to take us to our next destination: Borana. Borana Lodge is located on the Borana Wildlife Conservancy in the highlands near Mount Kenya. We immediately noticed a change of climate due to the elevation; Borana was a bit cooler than Samburu and was considerably more windy. On our drive from the airstrip to the lodge, we spotted antelopes, zebras, giraffes, and an assortment of birds, including the Lilac Breasted Roller - the national bird of Kenya. The lodge, which was situated on a hillside, was absolutely stunning. We were shown around the property before being taken to our rooms. This time, we were housed together in separate rooms with a common breezeway. This shared space had a patio that overlooked a watering hole down the base of the hillside. Our room and bathroom had floor to ceiling windows that spread the length of the wall and offered breathtaking views. In contrast to our tent at Sasaab, Borana felt very enclosed and cozy. After organizing our belongings, we journeyed up to the lunch patio for a delicious meal. The food at Borana was delectable! We tried to brave the pool following lunch, but it was a bit too chilly for much play. In the late afternoon, we went out on a game drive with our kind-hearted driver, Peter. We tumbled across the neighboring hills, hoping to spot lion or cheetah. Instead, we found Egyptian geese, baboons, common zebra, a variety of antelope, a herd of about 100 African Cape buffalo, feasting jackals, and a lone white rhino. We topped off our game drive with a sundowner while watching a family of Reticulated giraffes roam about. As soon as the sun was down and the light had waned, we hopped back in the car for an after-dark drive. We spotted hares, the reflective eyes of bush babies, a white tailed mongoose, and even a shy genet cat. When we returned to the lodge, dinner was being prepared and brought down to our rooms. We enjoyed a meal of rice and lamb together before parting for the evening. Inside our room, a faint fire was burning in our fireplace, keeping our room nice and warm.
DAY SEVEN
The following morning dawned bright and early, with a game drive at 6am. Peter wished to help us find cheetahs, so again we patrolled the grassy hills looking for the elusive cats. No luck. But we found quite a few elephants, white rhinos, and a solitary black rhino. After a few hours on the hunt, we changed tactics and decided to visit and hike Frog Rock. Frog Rock, also named Pride Rock, served as inspiration for the animated version of Disney's The Lion King in the 1990's. A Disney team was also sent to Borana in 2017 to do research for the recent live-action adaptation of the movie. And here we were, standing atop it. We ate a delicious breakfast picnic on Pride Rock, enjoying the gorgeous views below. Back in the car, we continued the search for large cats but stumbled upon a herd of 100 or more elephants, instead. Several of the elephants were enjoying themselves in a watering hole! We returned to the lodge for a delicious pizza lunch and a bit of down time. We were back on a game drive following afternoon tea, this time with an intern joining Peter. Sonja was kind and bubbly, constantly smiling or laughing throughout our game drive. We drove to the far reaches of the conservancy, climbing hills in our Land Cruiser in search of lions or cheetahs, but found none. We did interrupt an antelope giving birth, but she bounded off before the baby could be seen. When animals were scarce to be seen, Sonja and Peter taught us about the local vegetation and the many uses for common plants. After a few hours on the drive, reports came in through the radio that a lioness had been seen hunting. We never found her. Then reports of a cheetah on the prowl. Again, nothing. By this time, light was low and we switched to a spotlight search. Just as we were about to give up the search and return for dinner, Sonja spotted a lion! And then two more! And cubs! They had tried to take down a giraffe, but had had no luck and were returning to their resting place. We parked ourselves right in their path before killing the engine and switching the spot to a red light. It was the most unreal experience to have lions walk a few feet from the vehicle, completely unbothered by our presence. As they walked along, we'd reposition ourselves to maximize on the experience. It was too dark for photos, so I never captured any images of the "night lions". But it is a memory I will not soon forget. Sonja and I continued to giggle over the incredible find; it turns out that viewing lions - even if common place in your culture - is always exciting. We finally bid the lions farewell and were taken to a surprise sundowner dinner, where chefs and an attendant had arranged for a lovely candle-lit feast out in the bush under the stars. It was a unforgettable evening.
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