haller Park, as it now know, is named after Rene Haller, the agronomist who turned the barren area into an ecological paradise. is one of the worlds most famous areas of land rehabilitation, The previously bare quarries are now lush tropical ecosystems. So you can walk of cycle through the winding paths planned with both beauty and safety in mind. Cook a barbeque picnic while with the kids enjoy the play ground facilities or go on a walking trail. The area  is rich in wildlife and plants and there is a butterfly pavilion as well as a bar on a platform extending out over one of the lakes. If you don't want to self-cater, there is a restaurant with a pool alongside where you can see the crocs leap out of the water for their daily ration of meat. The latest is the most unusual attraction is Owen, a baby hippo rescued after the tsunami separated him from his family and left him mired in coastal sand. brought to Haller Park he immediately attached himself to an old male giant tortoise, mzee who is about 130 years old. now inseparable, they do everything together.

Labels: Africa Attractions : Hotel Reservations : Discount Vacations : Kenya Safaris

Late last month i had the chance of a life time to visit the baby elephant orphange in Nairobi . I had about this place that takes i n baby elephants that have been abandoned in the wild takes care of the them and eventually releases them back when they are able to fend for themselves. Apparently i learnt a lot on this trip. We arrived there at 11 since the elephants are fed at that time for an hour and then they go back into the wild. So it was important that we arrive in time. I was accompanied by my son and daughter and another family. The elephants were given milk in large bottles about 3 of them which the finished in minutes. The older elephants were able to hold the bottle with there trunks while the younger ones were feed by their mothers. The mothers interestingly are men who take care of the elephants through out their stay at the orphanage. They even sleep with the elephants at night. On cold days since they do not have the warmth of a real elephant they are covered with blankets to keep them warm. I also learnt the baby elephant is very like much like a human baby. Usually when brought to the orphange they may get a flu if depressed due to loss of mother and change of environment this usually kills them. They also obey authority and were very obedient to their "foster mothers"

The milk they are feed on is a special formular milk that is imported as they are allergic to cow milk and easily die from taking it. In fact when ever people who live close to elephant zones find a baby elephant they always offer to help by giving it cow milk which more often than not kills it.

After the feeding session was over the elephants were allowed to play "football" and "water polo". or rather should i say trunkball and wading in the mud. Elephant s like to roll in the mud as the mud coat on their skin works like sunscreen hence protecting them from the harsh sun rays of Africa. It was very intersting. After the hour was over the elephants were led by their foster mothers back to the wild.

Labels: African Hotels Hotels in Kenya African Travel