The Shai Hills harbours a delightful natural reserve were baboons and antelopes can easily be sighted.  

Clearly, the group of baboons staying in the wood next to the entrance of the park are used to be being fed fresh coconut by visitors, and of course, we are happy to oblige.  This is a good opportunity for Elias to get really close up with the monkeys, for the ones we will see deeper in the reserve later on are rather shy.

 

 

We decide to undertake the small climb to the top a the highest hill to catch the view.  An hour walk that will cost us at least a pint a body fluid each... jeeez it’s hot !

 

The hills are made of huge granite boulders, where large gracious baobab trees have somehow managed to plant their roots.  In the areas where the ‘controlled burnings’ having carried out (a habit across the whole of West Africa), the place is barren and desolated.  Fortunately, Jerome’s Pajero is the ideal vehicle to go around the place and we can reach father into the park where the grass is still there. This is a picture-perfect savanna landscape, where dozens of antelopes roam happily.  The only thing they have to fear here are poachers, and for the young ones, baboons who occasionally gang together to kill a calf.

 

A great day out !