Christmas Honeymoon Safari, Lewa Downs, Laikipia

The Grevy zebra is a rare and endangered species which is endemic to just Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia.  Lewa Downs Conservancy is the home to the biggest single population in the world. The Grevy is distinguished from the Burchell’s or common zebra by its larger size and different stripe pattern. Large round ears like satellite dishes top their heads and it is amusing watching them rotate independently to pick up sounds around them. On one of our drives we found this large herd with the beautiful backdrop of hills in the background. 

One of the activities offered at Wilderness is horse back riding.  We took an early morning ride and managed to approach within ten feet of several giraffe who were completely unconcerned.  If we had attempted the same on foot we would have not got any closer than a hundred feet if we were lucky.  Over the years the giraffe and other game have become so habituated to the people on horses visiting them that they have  obviously decided that we are no threat on horseback.  We also saw a black rhino with a calf on our ride but wisely decided to give them a wide berth since a mother rhino can be a short tempered and intolerant animal.  

There is a family of Black Faced Vervet Monkeys who live in the valley around the lodge and they can keep one amused for hours watching them play, feed and socialise together.  This morning they spotted a leopard walking down the valley and started giving distinctive warning calls.  We took our binoculars and spotted the cat as he walked down the other side of the valley.  He had been calling most of the night and well into the morning so it was great to get a look at him as well.