TPC South Pools III

In the fields of sugar cane.

With the arrival of rainy season our weekend trips have become limited. Thus, the closest place we can go for a nice walk is the nearby sugar plantation, TPC. With a mix of farmed and fallow land the property has some great opportunities for hiking and birding and we typically mix the day with a river walk and a visit to the south pools (TPC I, TPC II). It's only about a half hour drive from our house, it's free, and there are no other people that are ever out there (aside from locals with their animals).

It helps that we enjoy birding as the size of the areas we like to frequent are not all that large but they are full of birds. They are also full of Masaai with their goats and cattle which can be a distraction when birding but nice to have a chat every once in a while. It's a very representative example of human/wildlife conflic which exists even on a vast private sugar plantation! We also see people gathering firewood and of course, workers going to and from their homes.

Overall it's a great way to spend a morning or afternoon and the views from the pools can be very beautiful. Especially during this time of the year when the grasses come up, there is a wonderful mix of browns and greens and when the sun is shining the reflections off the pools is like a mirror. 

On the river walk.

Pools!

Walking across the landscape.

Looking over the pools.

Dung beetle.

River walk gets disturbed by some goats.

An awesome grasshopper with a horn.

View of the mountains with some goats. Lots of goats.