Nyumba ya Mungu: Part V and VI

There are many boats scattered throughout and they provide a great spot for a mid morning snack!

I've documented our many trips to Nyumba ya Mungu before (Trip I, II, III, IV) and we were lucky enough to go out there last weekend, and then also this weekend. I was contacted by someone that had found my entries online (people ARE apparently finding my blog!) and he had a friend coming to Moshi to do some birding. We told him that yes, Nyumba ya Mungu is a must for any birder, especially since it is low cost and a bit off the tourist trail. We met the guy for coffee during the week and he seemed nice enough so we agreed to escort them to the lake.

The birding trip was a success, though as usual, it was TOO hot by the time we reached there. However, the roads are dry so it's less of an arduous journey and the birdlife was spectacular. The next weekend we decided we wanted to go somewhere, but our car is in the garage for repair and due to the national elections we didn't want to stray to far. That left Nyumba ya Mungu, which we agreed would be interesting to visit two weeks in a row to see the variation of bird life.

We also decided to go for an "early" birding trip since we are always complaining about the heat. We left the house at 6AM and arrived a bit before 8AM. By the time it was about 11AM, the heat was on, but we weren't exhausted from standing exposed in the peak heat.

The area is quite beautiful this time of the year but the trip is still tiresome, especially on the motorcycle. We agreed that the early arrival was critical to our morale but we also agreed that we must take a boat out to the interior of the lake one of these days! Maybe a camping trip is in order?

Mt. Kilimanjaro was visible to the north.

Nyumba ya Mungu and the North Pare mountains.

Yet another boat to rest on.

We were heavily observed by a small troupe of Masai children.