After my unforgettable hot air balloon experience, I returned to the park’s reception to gather all the information I needed. While at the reception, I studied the map and fine-tuned details of my game drive. There are two major south-north routes. In a bid to observe and absorb more, I chose to cover a short stretch of the western mountainous trail before curving down to pursue the popular lake shore road.
It is advisable to buy a map prior to embarking on an unguided tour. However, my stingy self took a photo of the map hanging on the wall instead of buying one. The photograph of the map gave me clear directions. Getting lost in the bush wasn’t a concern whatsoever.
Despite the clarity of the said photograph, a guide would have been more useful. Hiring one is highly recommended. There are things an image of a piece of paper can’t explain. Guides will be at your disposal, at a reasonable fee, whenever you show up.
As part of my final preparations, I located viewpoints, picnic sites and campsites. Although camping wasn’t part of the itinerary, I relied on these facilities for bathroom breaks. I also had lunch at Mihindi Campsite & Café.
Before hitting the road, I skimmed through the park’s etiquette and made sure I understood its code of conduct. Then I pinpointed the locations of different lakes, marshlands, peninsulas and plains. On top of that, I estimated distances between milestones and figured out how to pace myself along the way.
