SUN., OCT. 15, 2017 - DAY #6 OF SAFARI - SWEETWATERS CAMP TO LAKE NAKURU & LAKE NAIVASHA, NAIVASHA SOPA LODGE - As usual we made an early start for our day of travel between Sweetwater Camp and Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha.  My first recorded stop of the day was at the monument marking the equator in the city of Nyahururu, altitude 7,743 ft.

                   The Equator, Kenya, Africa
     Sylvia & Jim,10/15/2017

                                             

Our Group of 7:

L to R:  Jan, Jo, Shelly, Hedy, Amos, Sylvia, & Jim

After a break at this monument, we continued to climb in the mountains.

 Here we saw antelope

 baboons

 grey crowned crane

 On this common zebra, note the patterns of the stripes

 pay close attention to the stripe pattern on the head of the middle animal

In the mountains, we stopped for lunch in a picnic area.  Amos had arranged for the kitchen at the Sweetwaters Camp to pack box lunches for us.  There were 7 boxes, each with 13 items in them including multiple sandwiches of assorted flavors, fried chicken, an orange, an apple, etc.

Across the road from the picnic table was a set of bathrooms.  The women indicated they would use them while the men suggested they would "locate a tree" or "check a tire" as Amos called it.  One woman was in one toilet; Jo went into the second & came out immediately yelling there was a bat inside.  So, I then went to investigate stepping inside but not locating a bat, I came back out banging on the door as if to scare anything inside away.  Jo went back inside and was immediately met by a wasp or bee that stung her on the eyelid. The bite was very painful & her eye swelled shut within a short period of time.  There were 2 different types of medicine for bites offered.  She chose the Afterbite which did seem to help some with the pain but not the swelling.  

Our next stop was Lake Nakuru.  Prior to arriving there, Amos told us (and Jo joined in to say she remembered 16 years ago when she visited Kenya) that the lake was completely solid with the pink flamingos on it.  Amos said that the flamingos were drawn to the lake because of the algae that grew in the lake.  With changes of the weather patterns, the lake began to receive an unusually large amount of fresh water in it which resulted in fewer algae and thus fewer flamingos.

The final two animals we spotted were this giraffe... 

 ...and this cape buffalo.

Shortly before 5 p.m., we arrived at Naivasha Sopa Lodge, Lake Naivasha.

Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge is situated by the shores of Lake Naivasha, a sweet water lake approximately 68+ sq. miles in size and home to many varieties of flora and fauna. 

The resort is on 120 acres of prime land.  The construction of the lodge features 3 fireplaces each with a huge inverted copper funnel-shaped chimneys, a high roof with glass panels which open out to a small terrace with beautifully manicured grass and colorful flowers, wrought iron chandeliers, and walls decorated with intricately carved wooden panels.

Naivasha is a Masai name given to the area where the resort is located.  It denotes the characteristics of the lake including the size and its tendency to be rough when windy. 

The history of the area has always been important as it formed the main route of the slave trade from Uganda and the highlands of Kenya.  This includes the Scottish explorer Joseph Thompson's epic journey through Masai land, where he writes in his journals of his time in Naivasha in 1884.

The Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge has 21 cottages built in a crescent shape comprising 84 rooms total.  The pathways from reception to the rooms are lined with various kinds of plants and colorful flowers.  Little rock gardens are also found along these paths creating a beautiful contrast with the greenery of the well-manicured lawns.  Several species including (black & white) Colobus monkeys are often spotted playfully rolling on the lawns.

You will also hear many different species of birds chirping in the acacia trees scattered about the property.  All 84 rooms are tastefully furnished with mahogany colored furniture.  The walls have paintings and locally woven sisal pieces placed in embedded concrete frames which form part of the wall.  The rooms are spacious, airy and light. They are also equipped with sunken bathtubs and bidets, minibars, TV's, telephones and safes.

The main restaurant is located at one side of the lobby.  In the center, hanging from a high wood paneled ceiling is a huge intricately done wrought iron chandelier.  The colors are a rich dark green, which is carried throughout in the upholstery & carpet. There is a bar which sits on one side and a buffet station on the other.  A tree grows right by the buffet area and adds to the character of the dining room.  This room opens out to an area where guests can sit and enjoy the garden in front of them, and have their pre or after dinner drinks and coffee.  There is also a snack bar at the pool which serves a light a la carte menu, and a pizzeria next to it.  This is a very pleasant and relaxing area with the swimming pool next to it and the beautiful gardens right in front.  The main bar is in the lounge area, with the second one in the dining room.

The drive into Sopa Lodge 

Some of the cottages.

 Our 2nd-floor room balcony in the above-shown cottage.

The night in a "hotel" was somewhat of a change from tented rooms, even though we still had the rain shower (no tub) and other situations to deal with.  One of those situations was because this hotel was situated on the shores of a lake, it was a natural watering hole for many animals, and after dark hippopotamuses.  Because these animals roamed the entire area of the cottages after dark we were cautioned to call the reception desk for an escort before venturing out of our rooms and never to return from the reception building to the cottages without an escort.  We obeyed this warning, and on the return to our room after dinner, the escort took us to see a hippopotamus. However, without a camera (and in a mostly dark area) we were unable to get a photograph.  So we departed early the following morning without any pictures of the notorious (deadly to humans) inhabitants of this lodge area.