Kenya: Tassia Lodge (June 26-July 1, 2007)

Wilson Domestic airport, Nairobi, boarding our charter flight to Tassia

Nairobi National Park just after takeoff

A large urban slum in Nairobi visible in the background

urban scene

small farms scattered along the road

refueling in Laikipia

savanna scrubland as we head north of Mt. Kenya

small farm

forest on the plateau before we drop down into the valley

dry riverbed near Tassia

we saw some giraffe and elephants on the descent

approaching the 'runway', a dirt strip carved out of the scrub forest

our taxi picking us up to take us to the lodge

welcome to the Tassia Lodge: "an exclusive-use community-run eco-lodge on a 60,000 acre Maasai owned group ranch" http://www.tassiakenya.com/

with breath-taking views and even a swimming pool!

Alex and Florence enjoying the view.
A herd of elephants often visited the spring in the valley just below....


looking back up at the meeting/dining room




Rooms were all open-air and made of local materials....

here's the view from the toilet!

open-air shower!

crossing the dry riverbed on a game drive

we spotted a herd of shy but aggressive elephants

Delphine, Edith, and Phil looking for more wildlife

our host Simon enjoys the view

on a morning walk, our guide explains the medicinal uses of many of the plants

nests of weaver birds

Simon talks to us about the history of the community and the lodge

a bat hanging from the rafters in our room

rock hyrax. the closest relatives of the elephant--believe it or not...

the viewing room

a hornbill

sunrise yoga

a 'desert rose'

Dr. Penporn ready for the hunt!!

Richard through some acacia thorns

morning walk in the bush

Simon striking the classic Maasai pose

nearing the riverbed

lion cub print in the sand

cactus flowers close-up

some of the lodges on the ridge. ours was the front one

a snake came out to warm himself

Glenn enjoying lunch next to elephant leg bones

Richard and Delphine

elephant down in the valley

evening visit to a nearby Maasai village. bringing in the goats for the night.

we were greeted by singing and dancing...

entrance gate to the village. really more of a herding outpost, with only 3 families.

cute kids

container for goat milk

young goats are kept in a seperate enclosure

they loved seeing pictures of themselves

milking a goat

Simon the proud father

grandpa

young Maasai boys recently circumcised

grandma

the young teens also enjoyed seeing themselves in the camera

camel herder

one last look before our long journey back to Nairobi

honey bees

It was a 3 hour drive to the nearest town

through a very nice private game reserve

where there is water, the countryside is lush and green

graslands up on the plateau

male impala

a rhino

roadside shops on the way back to Nairobi

Dr. Penporn and I had a chance for a quick visit with Ajaan Saengduan, my very first Thai language teacher, and her husband Greg, now living in Nairobi