We were a merry and lively bunch, with a belly full of champagne and riding the adrenaline from the balloon ride. Full bladders on a game drive though, mean a lot of busy bushey’s! There’s no privacy when you go for a wee in the bush, with the bumpy road there’s no holding it either! A herd of elephants were our first sighting, we have seen so many on this trip and all of them have had 2-3 babies in their group. There have been efforts to protect certain species over the last five years, with access to areas restricted to tourism to allow the animals time to increase their numbers, the elephants included. Covid too, whilst economically very difficult, was a god send for species including lions and cheetahs as they were free from human interference. The cheetahs we saw yesterday were two brothers, originally a group of 5, three of them were killed by lions as they are direct competition for resources. There is an abundance of impala, buffalo and other mammals in the park though it’s surprising this challenge occurred but the Masai is also only 1,510 sq km so perhaps there is still that competition for land and food.
It was the lions there were to provide the best wildlife experience of the day. We spotted a couple of jeeps off-road, normally an indication of something worth seeing. We picked up on the site of two ears, a lioness, stocking through the grass. We pulled up alongside two other jeeps, as we did two other lionesses appeared, they had surrounded two buffalo, as one leapt forward the buffalo bolted and a chase between predator and prey commenced. The jeeps pulled out as the lions accelerated to catch their pray, two lions on either side and one coming up the middle. One caught up and launched itself onto the rear hide of the wildebeest, an ear piercing screech erupting from the poor beast but for the lioness alas it wasn’t enough, too light it didn’t have the force to break the beasts back and too young to realise it’s the neck, not the rump that they need for a kill of a creature that large. The buffalo escaped and ran off. The lions, exhausted, slunk along the road towards the trucks, no doubt welcoming the shade they afforded. Stopping to sip at a river, it was evident there was frustration from the loss of a kill. Panting they pulled up and stopped at the first jeep, one of ours, two collapsing in front of the vehicle and one behind the front tyre. An incredible view for our group, and equally so for those behind who sat and watched as they recovered from their failed hunt. An exceptional moment, like something from a David Attenborough documentary. Not something easily forgotten and we were incredibly lucky to have seen.
The rest of the day wasn't quite as exciting but still full of equally stunning sights, down at the river we found hippos out of the water sunbathing, a sight we hadn’t experienced to date, giving us a full view of their size and scale. Not to mention the incredible way they poo, it’s like a machine gun, the tail swirls around as poop covers a good 3 foot wide radius, you wouldn’t want to be in the way of that explosion! Then crocodiles, chilling with the hippos. Ten of them including a monster sized one on the river bank in the mid-afternoon heat. Up on some of the higher planes there were herds of impala, ostriches, Pumbas, and hyenas milling about. As we exited the park, giraffes were on the roadside again for another perfect selfie. We left just as the rains started, unusual for the time year given but climate change touches all corners of the earth and the Masai Mara is no different. The Great Migration was more of a trickle in October, as the change in climate has impacted their migratory instincts, rather than one large migration, herds trickled in small packs every couple of days. The president in Kenya does recognise the need to ensure Kenya plays its part in reducing climate change and is a proponent of different activities that are seeking to protect the countries two greatest assets, tourism and farming!
A spectacular day and one that will not be forgotten in a hurry. These two weeks were spectacular and I’m emotional thinking of how quickly they passed. I’ve seen and done so much in this time and there’s still so much to come. As we say goodbye to some of the group, we will be joined by another ten to head into Tanzania for a trip that will be not just about the wildlife and understanding more of East Africa, but also an immersion into family history as I visit places my mum and grandparents lived.
Additional Information:
We travelled in dry season and so typically it would be very hot at this time of year so sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat and at least 1.5ltrs of water are a necessity. You get a good breeze in the trucks, ours weren’t the open sided ones so I suspect those are even breezier. People get very caught up in what they wear on safari, it’s true that bright colours aren’t advisable but honestly just dress to be cool and comfortable, you don’t need safari style clothes but lightweight is best. Closed toe shoes are preferable if you are walking around in bush but when you’re in the trucks something you can slip on and off is good so you can then stand on the seats for an even better view. The cost of a two day safari varies depending on where you stay i.e. inside or outside the park, how many are in your group, the duration and mode of transport. The park entrance fee is $80 for an adult staying outside of the camp which is what we did. The benefit of local campsites is they are often run by local communities which means you are giving back to local people.
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