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Hi @Towlersonsafari, I also thought I was a responsible parent until I did the devils pool trip. I did go first just to show the family that their Dad is brave  and stupid.

I like your description "to seal in your heart and mind's eye" regarding the ceremonies of the butterfly people.   It appears you took a dip in the pool fully clothed, is that so?   Dusk at Sarara Camp  looks to be a magical time.

As for myself, the next stop was the most anticipated -- I've followed Sarara Camp in Northern Kenya's Samburuland for quite a while on their social media channels and it just "looked like Africa" at its best to me ---the Mathews Range of mountains, the acacia dotted valley, the dry river beds--- obviously Africa is so diverse that many parts "look" like Africa because they are Africa!    But hopefully you get what I mean.  I'll cut to the chase and say it was as beautiful in real life as in the pictures and videos I'd seen.    But as I mentioned earlier, some of the most moving experiences at Sarara are ones that you just have to seal in your heart and mind's eye.  We had no sooner landed on the airstrip in this spectacular landscape and begun our drive to camp when we pulled off into a dry river bed.  John was our guide and also a Samburu warrior, Sonia was our other guide.  It was still early in the weather season for the "Singing Wells" to be in full effect----the "Singing Wells" are an ancient practice in which the shepherds that tend the goats, cattle and camels dig deep, sometimes meters into the dry river bed to reach the water table and pass it up to a wooden trough to their livestock.  They sing a unique song that their herd or flock recognizes and thereby know it's their turn for water.   A Samburu family was watering its herd (the water table was higher than usual due to the unseasonal rains that fell in Jan/Feb) so it was much easier to reach water.  The camels' wooden bells made a plonking sound and those of the goats and cattle transporting us into another world:  an ancient one, where for centuries before the Samburu had sustained themselves and their livestock with the life giving waters in times of plenty and in drought.  One in our group mentioned that somewhere in an office tower in America, perhaps some boardroom, a team was discussing getting the color palette correct for the new company logo  drawing a stark contrast to the simple but life sustaining ritual we were privileged to see.  There's a different "clock" in this part of Africa and it is so very beautiful to witness and experience.   But there was more to come! When we got to camp, the staff (made up largely of Samburu) reported that there had been a wedding  in a nearby village earlier in the day and we were in luck!  We could respectfully observe the celebration, but again, no pictures.  Being as addicted to my cell phone camera as so many of us are, and having my other camera along, it was all I could do to resist and comply.  But when we got to the village in the golden hour of day, surrounded by the Mathews Range of mountains, the camels towering over us mere humans, the bells of the cows and goats and their gentle tinking sounds around us as they wandered back into the manyattas from a day of grazing, well,  it was a scene I will never forget!    The thrum thrum tribal singing almost like a hive of bees,  hypnotic, beads lunging forward as they lurched their necks in concert, and young warriors perhaps in hopes of impressing a bride of their own leaping and yelping wriggling like a dolphin at the height of their jumps, two ever tightening circles of dancers headed off in different directions disappearing from view into the bush until like an amoeba, a living organism, they circled back together and continued the celebration.  Samburu can have multiple wives like the Masai do who they referred to as their cousins, their uglier and less colorful cousins  The butterfly people as they are sometimes known really are beautiful, their bright colors standing out against the dry, arid bush of the north.   So already we had gotten a very special gift and a glimpse into the Samburu culture.  Authentic and unplanned...the best kind of glimpse...Culturally we touched all the bases and we learned so much from Telas (a Samburu elder and host at the camp) and all the Samburu staff.  Telas one evening with a very powerful light gave us a tutorial of the African sky and it was inky black made cloudy white with millions of stars.  It was the best place on our trip to satisfy our desire to look up into the heavens into an unspoilt sky devoid of light pollution!  Another magic moment among so many!   Four of us shared the Sarara House--- It has it's own pool and we had unexpected guests: John was a Samburu Warrior (all young males of a certain age are considered warriors) his village was on the other side of the mountains behind camp.  It's an eight hour walk which he often undertakes instead of waiting on the less reliable bus: The only pic I snapped on the way to the Singing Wells... We were told the Samburu people believe a photo takes a part of them away and that he (John) was fine to take photos of but the locals object...   The butterfly people, the Samburu.  We were also told the men dress colorfully to attract the females like the male birds often do with their striking coloration...   Sonia was also our guide---it's rare to have a female guide in Africa and she was quite knowledgeable --- the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary also had female elephant keepers/surrogates so for whatever reason, this part of Kenya is allowing opportunities for women that are not common across the continent.  Brava for them! Telas, a Samburu elder, was a fount of information about Samburu culture---here he's giving us a briefing: Sweet hellos and goodbyes---Kerry was also a host at Sarar and a native Kenyan The waterhole below the main gathering area was frequented by herds of elephants and journeys of reticulated giraffes...     In black and white... Four of us stayed in the Sarara House and it had its own private pool.  The tents are the same but joined by a large thatched seating area with an upstairs dining area.  It'd be great for a family but we loved it too! Of course we called him Zazu and he was the busiest hornbill and quite a character.  He was in perpetual motion and constantly searching for insects and lizards... This little family of tree hyraxes were so dang cute and had the perfect set up eating the leaves in a over hanging tree and sprawling out on the rafters and napping in the afternoons at Sarara House... pool with a view   Some video of our time at Sarara:   Two of the most common animals you'll see at Sarara---it's definitely giraffe and elephant country.  We missed the resident leopards.  We had hoped to see the Grevy's zebra (they do have a couple orphaned ones that hang out at the stables) and gerenuks but we missed them.  I would say the rains thickened the bush and made wildlife spotting a bit of a challenge.  The dry river beds and waterholes are the best places to stake out. The most beautiful of giraffes, the reticulated with their chestnut/reddish brown color and geometric patterns are very plentiful in the valley.  We were told there's a pride of lions that comes over the mountains to hunt on occasion.  While we were at camp, a pack of wild dogs apparently took out more than a dozen goats and so Telas went to track them but they had moved off quickly.  Smart of them as they are not well liked, only tolerated to an extent...     A couple photos of the camp     We saw a couple large leopard tortoises near Sarara, a sign of good luck or the coming of rain I believe I remember... Open bar in the river bed---we had a lovely dinner under the stars...   A couple of tussling bulls on the wat to dinner       Next episode  the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and a Helicopter Safari to the Jade Sea...     Dusk at Sarara Camp:  

Thanks again @Tdgraves, my doubt was if it could be a juvenile Spotted, adult I knew it wasn´t.

Dusky 

One final bird, not from Kruger but from Graskop, I think it´s an African dusky flycatcher but might also be a Spotted flycatcher:  

That's a really good perspective! I'm leaning towards going just by myself simply because I'm so dog focused that I know my interest wouldn't make for a pleasant group trip. Will definitely check out Zambezi Expeditions and of course the Robin Pope Camp. Hopefully the dogs will be in the right spot whichever I end up choosing!

After finishing this second TR of yours, I completely agree with Ilian's statement about the quality of your photos! And the report itself, filled with useful informations and plenty of funny stories, is a pleasure to read ... and re-read. 

@offshorebirderThank you, I appreciate your comment.    It is a very special place for sure and I do hope you combine it with Kusini. The open grass plains are truly a remarkable place to drive around. It really feels wild and remote. Real Africa.     

@Whyone?That stop looks very interesting indeed!   I think I have opened a debate here on costs and what is defined as expensive, maybe I should have referred to things as 'value for money".!  My overall appraisal of Costa Rica was maybe not offering value for money in some areas, particularly the cost of food and eating out because the quality didn't match the price. We stayed in a B&B for two nights Lancashire over Easter and for a similar price to a cabin in Costa Rica we had a very comfortable and well appointed room and a superb and filling breakfast offering. They even left a help yourself decanter of sherry to set you up before going out for dinner or as a nightcap when you got in. I was happy with that!

Hard to say. He is quite busy but will usually oblige you. Why not ask him for suggestions? You have not been far in Uganda. Murchison and Kideopo perhaps would make a nice trip.   This is how it should be if you are uncomfortable (as opposed to bloody stupid as were those Tourons.)  I would never take any of  my companions out of their comfort zone or mock them. Ellies can be quite frightening, it is their best defence, but give them every respect and it can be very rewarding. Here is an old photo showing the missus being introduced to the other Galana, or is it the other way around?   Pleased you all enjoyed the Report.

That sounds very interesting! I look forward to reading about it   

looking forward to this @Hads as we are thinking of a mobile trip to Botswana- but i don't know why i had the idea you were a sensible person!!!!!

For our recent trip, we travelled as a group of 4 (2 couples) which perhaps helped with costs and logistics?   I am happy to self-drive as I prefer the freedom this affords, and most of our accommodation where private home rentals.    Perhaps the most interesting of these - it was certainly a dive into the unknown for us - was a property close to the mouth of the Sierpe estuary which was accessed only by boat.    We planned our trip so we had a 4x4 rental vehicle for the first 12 days, and then handed this back (slightly alarmingly just passing the keys of a brand new Toyota Fortuner to a chap who claimed to be from Alamo in a bar in Sierpe!!!) and relied on boats / car transfers and 'planes for the remaining 10 days.  The house in the Sierpe estuary came with a boat and a boat man / guide - included in the price and was ours to use as and when we wished.  Obviously we needed to source and carry all our supplies to the house as there would be no 'popping to the shops for a pint of milk'!  We minimised what we needed to take with us (largely breakfast stuff. fruit, beer and wine!!!) because there was an option to have a local lady come in each afternoon and cook us a (full 3 course) dinner for ~$12 per person.  She was spectacularly good - great company and a wonderful chef (professionally trained).   'Our' chef   Access to our own boat / guide 24/7 and a dinner cooked every evening for what I consider an extremely reasonable cost I believe shows that there are still interesting and affordable options in Costa Rica.     I'll post more information / pictures in my trip report over the coming days.

If Michael was late to this awesome trip report, how about me?! By preparing for the upcoming visits to Namibia and Botswana, both self-driving events, I am scouring through Safaritalk to put myself "into the groove". And boy, your trip report did the job! And photography?! Just awesome!