SAFARI LEWA

[Brian's Art for Animals]

 

(still trying to figure out how to simply paste the video here)

 

This is a quick 4 minute episode "Getting There".

Lewa is a great conservancy of over 62,000 aces that is home to many black and white rhinos and 20% of the Grevy Zebra population with some predators including what is thought to be the longest running cheetah group of three brothers who for the past 10 plus years have ruled Lewa.

 

The Safari Camp had a different feel due to the new managementof Cheli/Peacock. I always wish the great people of Lewa the best. I however, sensed a more reserved feel from the remainding staff, where in the past, we (the AAZK groups) loved to talk with the people and spend time with them as we are a blue collar animal caretaker group that likes it that way.

Anyways, in this trip we had EXCELLENT rhino (both black and white) sightings and I finally saw wild dogs (this is my 5th time to Kenya) near the watering hole at Il Ngwesi with James as our guide.

But that will all come in time..as this is only part 1 of what is sure to be 15 or so...

Cheers!

[Brian's Art for Animals]

 

(click the above link if the first one wont work, i still am trying to figure out how to simply paste the video in this section)

[Nyamera]

Great start! I don’t think that Cheli & Peacock have a blue-collar target market. Congratulations on seeing wild dogs!

 

Amazing quality video, as always!

 

It’s [ youtube ] UVo--qvIfyI [ /youtube ] without the spaces.

[Game Warden]

As if by magic... excellent, a video trip report. Look forward to seeing the next installments. So as Lewa goes high quality the hospitality drops, or it is the quality of the guiding etc? Perhaps this is a transition phase, but I understand prices will be going up.

[twaffle]

Welcome back Brian, your video is fantastic and has brought back wonderful memories of Lewa. I love that place but sad if the Safari Camp has a more reserved atmosphere … no place for that amongst the generous spirits of Kenya. We were there in '05 but in '08 we stayed at Wilderness Trails which although not a tented camp had a great atmosphere.

 

You saw wild dogs, I'm not jealous … much!! Why not me.

 

Looking forward to more.

[Leely]

Brian, this is the first time I've viewed one of your videos. Fantastic. I really appreciate how you highlight some of the conservation challenges Kenya faces. Well done! I look forward to more.

 

"A short eight hours" to AMS. Har har.

[Brian's Art for Animals]

Thanks so much for the comments!

I hope to have ep 2 done in a week (this one took a couple of hours of editing etc.., but work (my 9-5 job) is very busy right now.

The staff at Lewa are great as always. The quality is there but yes the pricing is going way up. I think almost 900usd or so a night, where in the past it was 300-400 or so. In my 4 trips there, I always went with the discounted AAZK groups..going from 125 to 225 approx. The staff almost looked at when our groups came in as a mini vacation as we were easy to handle and they could relax and the guides could also photo animals and it was nice. It still is very nice, but it all has a different feel. Some staff have moved on to other camps (one of their cooks went to il ngwesi and sadly the bartender was let go), and i guess some people like the reserved treatment for the big bucks to stay. But we had some older people in our group that even thought it was a little too much. None of us like the feeling we are being waited on and all that. We just like the camp feeling of staying amongst friends, and getting to know the local people who work there that you spend 10 nights/days with. And like to see the staff being treated nicely as well. (Its the worker ant in me that always looks for the worker/manager relationship)

But these reports are more about the animals anyway..and lewa is doing such great things with the rhinos. so stay tuned as they say, for plenty of rhino action

[twaffle]

Brian, do they still have their camping ground? It was there in 2008 and I thought it would be quite nice to stay but all the regulations have changed that it may no longer fit with their goals.

[Atravelynn]

Great clip. I was dancing in my chair to the drums at the start.

[Brian's Art for Animals]

 

Episode 2.

THe ending of my first night at Lewa...

[Ellie]

Great videos! I'm thinking we might take a video camera with us this time. Definitely gives a whole different perspective to the trip. Looking forward to the next installment - dang work just gets in the way, doesn't it?!

[Atravelynn]

Glad you needed no Superman powers to survive your first day. I like how you combine the video and stills.

[Brian's Art for Animals]

My first safari I was without video camera, and i found myself up a tree on a bush walk due to a rhino coming, and other fun events, that i wish i could have reported. They are in my mind..but i wish i had them taped. If you can bring a video camera, i would for sure invest in one. I bought a back up JVC video camera for my wife to use for around $200 usd.

 

Thanks again for watching my videos. I just might quit work until june, so i can do these weekly shows.

[Kavey]

Loving the videos, really nicely put together!

[Brian's Art for Animals]

 

episode 3 "Cheetah Brothers"

[rickmck]

Nicely done & very enjoyable. Thanks.

[Game Warden]

Fixed it for you Brian. Another well crafted video, thanks for posting!

[twaffle]

Brian, wonderful insight into the 'boys'. I also have some video of them, taken in '08, and it is great to see them looking so well.

 

Your way of making a trip report is the best, but not one I will be able to emulate and I'm really enjoying visiting Lewa again. I've been their twice and never seen more than one other safari vehicle in that whole time, so seeing two in your video was interesting.

 

I also have photos of the cranes roosting in the trees by the swamp, I have some with the sun setting, but no video. It's a great sight.

 

I am looking forward to your next video, hope you're working hard on it.

[Nyamera]

Simply brilliant!

[Brian's Art for Animals]

Game Warden thanks for fixing. Thanks for all the comments. The next video will be tricky as we didn't see much on the Day 2 evening drive, but I'l come up with something.

This trip there were only two times in the 10 days where I saw more than 2 vehicles roaming around. That is one of the best things I love about Lewa, is the feeling of being alone with the wildlife.

I was told that maybe Simon King would return to do a piece on these cheetah brothers. It is nice to see some wild cheetahs have such a long life, but it does have somewhat of a negative affect on other cheetahs success rates in the area.

Stay tuned..i have the footage for the next video uploaded on my slow hard drive and i am editing it all this week.

[Leely]

Great video! Loved all the birds and I'm no "bird nerd" either.

[Atravelynn]

A double rainbow! Nice job on the cheetah brothers, looking every bit as good as when they were five years younger.

[Brian's Art for Animals]

[Brian's Art for Animals]

Episode 5. "Rhino Dogs"

Come join us as we hide from the tracking hound at Lewa, and check out some black and white rhinos.

I just heard that the group discount we got might go away as of 2011 thanks to Cheli-Peacock..oh well.

[Atravelynn]

I agree with foregoing the horseback riding in lion country, though you do look right at home on that Mexican horse.