Serena Mountain Lodge (Mt. Kenya) July 15

Back into our van for the ride north to Mt. Kenya. Iris was loaded with snacks for the road trip, including some small packets of trail mix. We asked Njoka if he would like one and he asked what was in it - viagra? Then he said, "If I eat that, I will explode!" (I think it is safe to say at this point that he was very comfortable around us).

Our tree hotel, built on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, is a hoot! Every room has a small balcony overlooking the watering hole where many animals gather both day and night.


Our keys are even adorable - little drums that are too bulky to fit in your pocket.

Upon arrival we unloaded our luggage in our rooms then enjoyed another amazing meal. Almost every lunch and dinner has started with a delicious vegetable soup - cream of zucchini, cream of broccoli, cream of tomato, minestrone, French onion, cream of cauliflower...The only one I didn't care for was a broth flavored with mutton (a little gamey).






The buffet had a cute giraffe salad dressing holder everyone wanted to take home.

After lunch our crew camped out in the public viewing area of the floodlit watering hole and salt licks. Two bottles of discount wine were provided to us because we complained about the exorbitant cost of a 2-glass carafe at lunch. Chips and cashews were provided while we watched and photographed a parade of animals - vervet monkeys, red-billed oxbird pecker, buffalo (3rd animal from the big 5), serval and elephants.


The African buffalo, often referred to as the Cape Buffalo, is considered by many to be the most dangerous of the big five because of its unpredictability and speed. They can weigh up to 1800 pounds, and their lifespan is about 30 years, though they rarely make it to half of that.
Servals are for the most part nocturnal, hunting by sight and sound more than scent. They have an excellent sense of hearing and can locate prey that is moving underground. Once it hears its prey, it will quietly approach, then leap and pounce on it. Often, they will play with their meal before consuming it. This cat has a number of different vocalizations which include snarling, growling, spitting, purring and a high pitched cry used to call other servals.



Close up of the red-billed oxbird peckers clustered on the haunches of one of the buffalo.



The sign says it all. But that doesn't seem to stop the vervet monkeys from getting into tourists' rooms and eating their snacks. (Someone is going to be very unhappy to find out that all their fig newtons are long gone!)



Roger and Keiko had their binoculars stolen from the balcony seat cushions and left on the railing by a curious monkey.







During dinner the staff came around to see if we wanted them to knock on our door when certain nocturnal animals came to the water hole. We were laughing because we figured we'd get no sleep with the constant knocking, and we had a wake-up call for 6 AM the next morning. I told the crew it would be like being a hospital patient awakened every 2 hours, being poked and prodded.

A very pleasant surprise awaited us once we arrived in our rooms after the turndown service - we had hot water bottles under the covers - absolutely awesome and toasty! It felt like heaven tucked under my knees. (Much better than finding someone else's underwear under the pillow like last summer!)


I feel sorry for the staff who must stay awake whenever nocturnal game is spotted nearing the water hole. They have to run from room to room to wake up the tourists who indicated they wanted to see a particular animal. Hopefully they get to sleep during the day to make up for it.

And so I settle in with my toasty hot water bottle and journal, with my balcony drapes open and my camera near the balcony door just in case I can manage a great photo...Alas, the one and only knock on the door occurs at 10:45 PM, when about 8 elephants, including several babies, lumber down to the water hole in single file. I did not ask to be awakened, but I hear them knock on Iris' door next door. It is worth getting up to see, but I am not able to get a decent picture - so you'll just have to take my word for that one.