July 25. Mkomazi National Park

An early breakfast then descended into the sleepy town of Kisawani, got water and travelled the rough dusty road to Mkomazi NP. Entrance gate was deserted. Mkomazi NP runs along the border of Kenya and has only recently been named a NP. It is flat scrubby savannah with an abundance of birdlife but little big game. We did see some ostriches, dik dik and zebras. It was a different experience from the other NP I have been in but certainly had its own charm. At chai stop I managed to attract a tick which I didn’t find until lunch time! ….fortunately it hadn’t dug too deeply into my armpit by then!

 

 Early morning breakfast enjoying a spectacular sunrise and planning our day.

 Chai stop....I think the tick must have got me as I took this pic

There had been confusion about our lunch and we ended up only having a meager lunch packed for 1, shared between 5 of us! However, we sat in a luxury dining tent at the camping site in the center of the NP. It costs $99 per person per night to stay there. Views across the savanna were to die for at the cushy, 5 star camping ground! Bird watchers….you would love it! We were happy to pretend and didn’t notice the meager lunch rations!

 Surveying the savannah across Mkomazi NP

 3 Aussie Girls...(well nearly...Sue is NZ! Pole!)

 Limited rations. L-R: Phyl, Sue, John

 Birds galore out there!

5 star camping!

Dinner by candle light, knitting, wrapped in our Maasai shukas, reading and chatting by candelabra in our cottage..

Hamna umeme tena!!

Phyl in here Maasia shuka and Susan in her homemade sleeping bag

On returning, we took sodas at Kisawani and watched the locals slowly going about their daily lives.
Back to Tona Lodge = Hamna Umeme…no electricity. Our accommodation was full of character! Intermittent electricity supply was to become our way of life during our stay but being used to this occurrence we were well armed with headlights, torches and candles. Dinner by candle light, knitting, reading and chatting by candelabra in our cottage.. What more could we want? We were very happy.