We slept in past 6 am for the first time at Mara Plains Camp and slowly packed up and readied to leave for Nairobi. Around 5 am something bumped the wooden base of our tent and made the entire thing shake. Staff thought it wa probably a hippo going back to the water after a night of grazing.

Our last meal looking onto the plains:

We drove the 11 kms slowly and checked out the wildlife. Some birds we had not seen before including this Cori Bustard:

Another 40 minute flight to arrive in Wilson airport  

We sat right behind the pilot and co-pilot.

A driver from Giraffe Manor met us and took us to the suburban area where Giraffe Manor is located. The manor was built in 1932 by a member of the family that owned Mackintosh toffee.

In 1974, it was bought by the Leslie-Melvilles who started the giraffe conservatory. The. Project came about when a rancher asked them to take one baby Rothschild giraffe because there were only 130 left. And they were being poached. They started with one baby, got another to keep the first company and eventually started raising money so they could save the species. The Rothschild are the largest of the giraffes and have no pattern on their feet and ears. The males also have 4 horns. They are named after the man who discovered they are a separate species.  So far we have only seen them from a distance.

There are also warthogs on the grounds..

  

We are most likely to see giraffes up close in the morning.