An hour and half at Simba Safari Camp, after my arrival, was perfect rest; more so the heavy brunch I feasted on.
I settled in and decompressed perfectly well, on the comfy seats in the lounge area and was still posted when someone started calling out to the guests.
It was game drive time;
"It's time, sir." Said a deep voice. I stood up, slid on my green travel backpack and headed to the gathering of 3 outside.
The man had an army green uniform on;
"It's time for the evening game drive." Said the green clad game ranger.
"What's in store for us! I'm so pumped." Said one of the group members, now excited and organising herself.
"It's going to be a 2-3 hour drive through the Kasenyi plains, where we'll get a chance to see some of the wild life that we have."
"Sort of an orientation to Queen Elizabeth national park, so come on let's head out." Replied the officer.
"Are we all set, shall we!" The officer climbed abode the driver's seat of the 8-seater, four-wheel drive tour truck, and we all followed tout de suite.
Groups of 6 maximum are allowed, and there were at that time only 4 members. I made the fifth, but the number would go back to 4 the following day when one of us fell sick.
Kasenyi plains were a vast Savannah; perfect setting for a classic African Safari experience.
I descried some medium-sized black warthogs; with large heads adorned with a pair tusks each, a mane down the spine, sparse hairs covered their bodies and long tails that ended with tufts of hair, grazing on grasses and roots with their front feet bent backwards.
8 minutes, on constantly spinning wheels, a herd of Uganda kobs came in view. These were reddish brown in colour and sturdily built.
"Only the males have the lyre-shaped horns." Said the officer as he pointed out to the herd.
They had a white patch on their throats, white muzzles, eye rings and inner ears. The belly and inside of the legs also white, while the front legs were black. They calmed fed on grasses and reeds.
Yet so unbothered by their large numbers were a pair of Guinea fowls as they skittered through the grasslands; and so neatly packed were their grey spotted plumage.
These seed and sometimes insect eating had featherless heads and majestically foraged within the herds dung and the surrounding understory.
There were approximately 12 dark grey elephants in a herd that we came across after about 30 minute drive away from the kobs.
The small herd of these enormous elephants had 2 calves a few months old with them.
The elephants had gigantic ears and concave backs, long trunks, massive legs and huge tusks; wrinkled skin and slopping abdomen.
Most used their trunks to grasp grass from the ground and bring it to their mouths.
About 2 and half hours driving through the Kasenyi plains, Queen Elizabeth national park had made a memorable first impression.
More of her jewels were to lust for on this Afro foot trail...
When the drive time was up, we drove back to Simba Safari Camp and called it a day.
Image source: Pinterest
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