2. VACCINES, BE OR NOT BE
The only vaccine Anton and I have done over the years of travel is from yellow fever. Made, by the way, especially for Africa and Bolivia. How to solve the dilemma - to do it or not (well, if the fact that the mortality rate is 70-80 percent, if this infection has caught you, is not convincing)?
If you are flying from European countries to Kenya or Tanzania, then most likely you will not be asked for a certificate. But they will definitely be asked when landing or upon arrival in Tanzania from the same Kenya or other African countries (I don’t know if all or not).
And I’m very likely to ask him when you return from Africa to some decent country.
For example, after Tanzania, we flew to Bangkok, and we were deployed at the passport control, forcing to stand up for two hours at the Health control, where they asked to show certificates and put a stamp :) It is clear that they ask not always and not everywhere, but we must keep in mind.
3. NATIONAL PARKS OF KENYA
If I had only two days on the safari, I would definitely choose a safari in Masai Mara. That's true, this is the best I've seen in Kenya. And they say that this is the best safari in Africa. The densest concentration of animals per square kilometer, the largest population of lions, the Mara River, hundreds of elephants ...
Cheetahs that hunt right before your eyes, lions lazily lounging in the bushes, not far from their prey. And after a couple of kilometers - a leopard on a tree.
In the African savannah you constantly experience childish delight. As if all the tales and cartoons suddenly came to life abruptly and for several days became your new reality.
Just imagine, you will have lunch on the banks of the majestic Mara River. The very one that wildebeests cross during the migration from the Serengeti to Masai Mara, from Tanzania to Kenya. This usually happens in August-October. Thousands of antelopes are trying to cross this river. In search of a better life and food. Although the river does not seem wide and in general “what to swim there,” not all antelopes swim to the other side. Why? Water is teeming with crocodiles. With my own eyes I saw about five pieces over 100 meters. And those creatures that look like stones are hippos. There are an unrealistic number of them. They come every day, take sun and water treatments.
Are there lions here? "We make our way through the bushes on the banks of the Mary with a ranger and a rifle. We ask because just a couple of kilometers from here we watched a picture of the hunt of four cheetahs." Yes, of course there are, but don’t worry, they are resting under the bushes in such heat and they usually come here only at sunset. "It doesn’t get any easier, but we step further under the peppy grunt of hippos in the river. And we come across such a handsome man as in the photo. He recently ate, so we are not interested in him.
By the way, hippos are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Despite the fact that they are herbivores, they can crush their weight (which by the way 3 tons !!) or just trample.
In general, as you know, life in Africa is difficult and dangerous. Here, in the Mara River, which separates Tanzania and Kenya, and, accordingly, two national parks - Serengeti and Masai Mara, hippos and crocodiles live peacefully side by side. Those black stones are one big family of hippos. They wallow all day in the river, and go out at night in search of food.
My second African love is undoubtedly Lake Naivasha.
It is famous for its huge number of hippos, thousands of birds living here, and such surreal landscapes from dead trees. And morning boat trips along the shores of the lake with a look at a family of hippos, giraffes on the shore or eagles cause unforgettable emotions. And here I want to move on to the next, very important point, which can either ruin your African trip or become a very memorable moment in the program.