“Keep still,” my guide, Graham, whispers as the enormous tusker saunters into view.
We have been tracking elephants for the past hour, initially in a safari vehicle, scouring for footprints in the dusty tracks leading away from the watering hole at ol Donyo Lodge. Then on foot, following the sounds of this solitary male moving through the bush.
Settled in the shadows of a tree, we wait for him to fully reveal himself. Using an old sock filled with ash, which he shakes vigorously before ascertaining which direction the minuscule particles fly in, Graham has ensured that we are downwind from the five-tonne pachyderm. When he does emerge, the bull is barely 25 metres away – and he is magnificent.
He pauses, swinging his colossal head in our direction before continuing on his leisurely stroll. We stalk him through the undergrowth, moving among the shadows, relying on the fact that elephants have notoriously bad eyesight to maintain our cover.
There are many ways to experience the wilderness at ol Donyo Lodge. You can take in the sites of Kenya’s Chyulu Hills via gentle hikes, more intense tracking experiences and bike rides, or you can stick with your standard morning and evening game drives. Mine are elevated ad infinitum by the presence of my other guide Jackson, who is a well of invaluable insights, engaging anecdotes and philosophical musings.
He becomes a constant and reassuring presence, whether we are sitting quietly in the heart of the Savannah watching the sun set, or hurtling along dusty tracks in pursuit of elephants.
Animal-spotting opportunities arise even as I linger in the free-standing bathtub in my luxury suite, which looks out over a terrace, plunge pool and the wilds beyond. A trio of warthogs mistake the pool for a private, deluxe watering hole, offering a comic parallel to my own bathing.
But, by far, the most novel way to experience the surrounds of ol Donyo is on horseback. The property has its own stables, a sophisticated set-up that is home to 20 horses, including thoroughbreds, Friesian and Shire crosses, as well as Arabian mixes.
I’m put through my paces in an outdoor arena, and only once the in-house guides are convinced that I am a confident and capable enough rider do I get the go-ahead to embark on an ol Donyo horseback safari.
My trusty steed, named Duma, is a handsome, perfectly proportioned 15.2-hand Boerperd from South Africa. Duma is the Swahili word for cheetah, but the dark bay gelding displays none of the flightiness of his namesake, proving to be the most solid and gentle of companions.
We spend the following five hours traversing the Savannah – snaking through grassland, cantering along barely-there tracks and stopping to watch giraffe and zebra, which, seemingly at ease with fellow four-legged creatures, are utterly unbothered by our presence. We spot elephants in the distance, but give the enormous animals that this area is famed for a wide berth.
The highlight of our ride is a climb to the top of a low-lying, boulder-strewn mountain that affords breathtaking views of ol Donyo’s surrounds. Set on more than 111,000 hectares of private land in the heart of the Chyulu Hills, between the Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks, the landscape is honed from ancient lava rock that spewed out of Kilimanjaro about 360,000 years ago. On a clear day, you can see Africa’s tallest mountain in the distance.
The area is owned by a group of almost 4,000 Masai, and we pass lone tribesmen tending to their cattle, as well as groups of women going about their day in the heart of the wilderness.
This part of the country is lesser known and, by default, less visited compared to Kenya’s popular safari spots, serving as a reminder that there is more to this country than the Masai Mara. Operated by Great Plains, the lodge sits within the Greater Amboseli National Park, a diverse, wildlife-rich ecosystem that includes swampland, arid Savannah and lush forested hills.
We tackle ol Donyo Wuas, the mountain that gives the lodge its name, the following day. Translating as “spotted mountain”, this is a reference to the circular trees that dot its surface. It is a steep ride up to the top, with Duma picking his way around thorny bushes, spindly acacias and fallen trunks.
The fact that it is almost impossible to reach the pinnacle via any other means than horseback makes it all the more rewarding once we do get there, stopping for a drink and a snack while looking down over the valley, the clouds hanging low and the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro emerging from the mist to our right.
Africa has a habit of serving up magical moments, but they come in hard and heavy at ol Donyo. On-foot encounters with elephants are supplemented by prime animal viewing at the lodge’s bountiful watering hole. Meditative stints by the communal bonfire are followed by hearty three-course meals served with a side of Savannah views.
You can immerse yourself in the comfort and privacy of your artfully designed suite, or have genuine moments of connection with members of staff. Or you can head out on horseback and explore at will. This is luxury in its rawest, most unadulterated form.
A quote by famous American author Ernest Hemingway has been painted on to one of the walls in the restaurant at ol Donyo, and it perfectly captures my own feelings: “All I wanted to do was to get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
%3Cp%3E1984%20-%20Apple%20unveiled%20the%20Macintosh%20on%20January%2024%3Cbr%3E1985%20-%20Steve%20Jobs%20departed%20from%20Apple%20and%20established%20NeXT%3Cbr%3E1986%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20Macintosh%20Plus%2C%20featuring%20enhanced%20memory%3Cbr%3E1987%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20Macintosh%20II%2C%20equipped%20with%20colour%20capabilities%3Cbr%3E1989%20-%20The%20widely%20acclaimed%20Macintosh%20SE%2F30%20made%20its%20debut%3Cbr%3E1994%20-%20Apple%20presented%20the%20Power%20Macintosh%3Cbr%3E1996%20-%20The%20Macintosh%20System%20Software%20OS%20underwent%20a%20rebranding%20as%20Mac%20OS%3Cbr%3E2001%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20Mac%20OS%20X%2C%20marrying%20Unix%20stability%20with%20a%20user-friendly%20interface%3Cbr%3E2006%20-%20Apple%20adopted%20Intel%20processors%20in%20MacBook%20Pro%20laptops%3Cbr%3E2008%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20MacBook%20Air%2C%20a%20lightweight%20laptop%3Cbr%3E2012%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20MacBook%20Pro%20with%20a%20retina%20display%3Cbr%3E2016%20-%20The%20Mac%20operating%20system%20underwent%20rebranding%20as%20macOS%3Cbr%3E2020%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20M1%20chip%20for%20Macs%2C%20combining%20high%20performance%20and%20energy%20efficiency%3Cbr%3E2022%20-%20The%20M2%20chip%20was%20announced%3Cbr%3E2023%20-The%20M3%20line-up%20of%20chip%20was%20announced%20to%20improve%20performance%20and%20add%20new%20capabilities%20for%20Mac.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
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Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
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- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
