On my last day in Nairobi in November, I had lunch at Ngong House, in Karen, a quiet suburb of Nairobi.

Lunch is served in the garden, facing the Ngong Hill, under a canopy of Acacia trees. Food is refined, prepared with local ingredients….. a feast for the senses, and drinks are complementary.

Located on land originally part of Karen Blixen’s vast coffee estate, Ngong House offers accommodation in a rustic – chic style. It is a great place to stay and recover from the long flight and the jet lag before going on safari.

The 6 very spacious wooden tree house raised on stilts with peerless views of the misty Ngong Hills provide an intimate and romantic atmosphere. Imagine sleeping in a tree house surrounded by nature and birdlife, your safari really begins in Nairobi.

Originality is the key word in Ngong House’s design.

A private cottage, a suite and a log cabin are also available.

I had coffee with the owner of the place Paul Verleysen who built an designed the tree houses. Paul is a really nice and interresting person, we both lived in Kenya, Rwanda and Ivory Coast and had a lot of stories to share about Africa. Penny Winter, Paul’s wife is a great designer, her boutique next to Ngong House is a treasure chest.

Pictures by Thierry Cellier

I shot this video at dusk on the way back to Mara Porini Camp – November 2011

Undoubtedly primate tracking is the highlight of a safari in Uganda.

Chimpanzees -  Kibale Forest – November 2011

A great place to stay in Kibale region: KYANINGA LODGE, the lodge is gorgeous, the location is stunning and the food is amazing !

Kyaninga Lodge

Kibale Forest

Magezi - Alpha male - Kibale Forest

Gorilla Bwindi forest – November 2011

This was my third gorilla tracking , the first one was 25 years ago,  and walking in the forest close to these gentle gianst is still one of  the most magical, exciting and emotional wildlife encounter. Park regulations allowed only 8 people per gorilla family. Our group was allocated to Habinyanja Group. After a short drive from the headquarter to the start of the trek, we meet our guides,trackers and porters. We were very lucky, the walk in the forest took us only 1 hour before we encounter the first members of the group, and among them a silverback.

I spent the night before the gorilla trekking at MAHOGANY SPRINGS LODGE a new lodge in the Buhoma, Northern side of Bwindi. I had a good surprise on arrival, the manager Jotham Awiti is an old acquaintance from my Kenya days, he was lodge manager in Tsavo and Samburu … small world!

Mahogany Lodge

Governors Camp – Game Report December 2011

On my recent visit to East Africa, I made a 10 day trip in Uganda, the ” Pearl of Africa”. Uganda is a beautiful, hilly and green country and Ugandans are very friendly and hospitable people.

Defassa Waterbuck - Murchison Falls Park

Boat rides offer great opportunity to get close to animals.

Here some pictures on the Nile while heading to the Murchison Falls and on the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elisabeth Park

Hippo on the Nile

Nile Crocodile - Kazinga Channel QENP

Young elephant playing with grass in Kazinga Channel

Hippo, buffalo, Crocodile, lion, baboon, elephant, black and white colobus, jacana, pluver, Goliath heron, fish eagle, bee eater, gray kingfisher, are some of the species seen on the boat ride.

Murchison Falls

Approaching the Falls

Photos copyright Thierry Cellier