Tiny baby ele rescue

This tiny baby elephant was abandoned by his herd, likely separated due to the heavy rains which have hit northern Kenya, and recharged the seasonal rivers.

Believed to be just a month old, and in great health, he was spotted roaming alone by the rangers of Loisaba Conservancy, who together with support from the 51 Degrees rapid response team headed by Batian Craig, and Northern Rangelands Trust, took great effort to relocated his family, but sadly in vein.  The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (R.E.S.C.U.E) in Samburu was alerted to expect his arrival, and Tropic Air mobilised its Cessna Caravan to airlift him 100km to his new home where he has now joined several other baby elephants and will eventually be released back into wild herds.

We’d like to thank all the people in northern Kenya who remain committed to wildlife conservation and never falter to step in and help when needed. Thank you as always to the rapid response team, and to Reteti for giving these babies a second chance. Thanks mostly to Loisaba whose 56,000 acres is a natural safe haven for a multitude of wildlife.

Chasing a dream!

Working in the hangarTwo innovators, two engineers at heart! Laikipia farmer George Gitie and driver Martin Waigwa for as long as they can remember have been creating mechanical machinery.   What started as a hobby is now becoming a reality, as their dream to engineer their own flying machine comes to life!

With thanks to Hon. Ndiritu Muriithi – the Governor of Laikipia County who recognised the talent and potential of the two men, they are now gaining a first hand insight into the engineering behind the Airbus helicopters in the Tropic Air hangar.

Chasing a dream, these two Laikipians are a great inspiration – resourceful, innovative and committed, and we look forward to helping them as much as we can.

Homemade helicopter models

‘Ik’ people of Uganda

A privilege to visit the ‘Ik’ people in the far north eastern corner of Uganda.

A remote tribe of only a few thousand people, the Ik were originally hunter-gatherers before being displaced from the Kidepo Valley.  They now live in the spectacular surrounding hills and are subsistence farmers living a materially impoverished life.

Uganda by helicopter:  Kidepo National Park, Murchison Falls, Rwenzori Mountains, Kibale Forest, Kazinga Channel & the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

© Jamie Roberts, March 2018

Colours of Africa

About 40 million years ago the Great Rift Valley was formed – in the hollows some of the oldest, largest and deepest lakes in the world now lie.

Lake Bogoria is an alkali lake that is normally fringed in pink with thousands of flamingo that flock here to feed on the blue-green algae.  With the recent out-of-season-rains that has been thundering down, the lake’s features have been drastically changed.

This is how Lake Bogoria looks at the moment!  Still beautiful although not a flamingo in sight!

Lake Bogoria with Flood waters

 

 

 

Deserts & Lakes of Northern Kenya

Want to see some of the most remote and extra ordinary landscapes that this country has to offer?

By helicopter, we offer scenic flights through the Suguta Valley from Lake Baringo to Lake Turkana – the largest desert lake in the world!  With the freedom to touch down along the way, we fly over crocodile pools, salt pans, lava flows, through the ‘painted valley’ to the sand dunes, and onto the flamingo shares of Lake Logipi.  Part of the Gregory Rift – with massively contrasting and constantly changing landscapes – the Suguta Valley and all that comes with it, is a truly amazing corner of Kenya.  Photos: February 2018

Crocodile Pools, Suguta

Chalbi Desert, lone sand dune

Lave flows on the edge of Lake Logipi

 

Suguta, Sand dunes