Kenya: Part 5 (Masai Mara)

Part 1: Amboseli
Part 2: Lake Nakuru
Part 3: The Ark
Part 4: Sweetwaters

Nobody warned me beforehand but the flight from Sweetwaters to Masai Mara makes multiple stops, like a bus, and ours, of course, was to be the final stop. Thirteen years of shuttling around prepared me well for air travel, hardly anything disturbs me anymore, but three landings within minutes of each other were a bit much, my sensitive vestibular system was most distressed by the time we disembarked to be greeted by our new driver - Benedict. Landing strip we settled on was just that: a landing strip in an empty field. There isn't even a rudimentary airport but the driver set up a small snack table to greet us, with the most delicious oatmeal cookies I've ever tasted. I still regret not asking for the recipe. Thus having fortified us, Benedict drove us to Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, our home for the next three days. Masai Mara is not fenced in and animals freely move around the area so on our way to the camp we already got to see some of the local wild life.

The ever-vigilant and ubiquitous Topi antelope whose dominant males have a habit of climbing a handy termite mound to better monitor the area for possible challengers and predators. I think other herbivores use Topis as a warning system, Tommies and impalas tend to stick close by.



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To be continued...

Kenya: Part 6 (Masai Mara continued)

Part 1: Amboseli
Part 2: Lake Nakuru
Part 3: The Ark
Part 4: Sweetwaters
Part 5: Masai Mara

After settling in and familiarizing ourselves with all Kichwa Tembo had to offer, we went on the first game drive in Masai Mara. Benedict, mindful of his potential eventual tip, inquired what we wanted to see the most. The only member of the Big Five we haven't seen yet - leopard, was our ready answer. That's a daunting task to set somebody, for you won't catch a leopard lounging around in the manner of lions or cheetahs, leopard, one of the most elusive denizens of the savanna, prefers to stay out of sight, hides in the trees and bushes and thoroughly blends in with the surroundings. While our guide was ponder on this quest, and subtly trying to figure out what we've seen already and if we would settle for something less than a leopard, we set out to enjoy what he had planned already.

Lion prides have their territories which are well known to the regular guides and park rangers. Benedict took us to see one of these prides, composed of two lionesses with seven cubs between them, as well as the alpha lion and his number two. They don't always all hang out together so we got to see a lioness babysitting seven cubs, while the other lioness was roaming elsewhere.



( Warning! Cuteness overload! )

To be continued...

Kenya: Part 7 (Masai Mara continued)

Part 1: Amboseli
Part 2: Lake Nakuru
Part 3: The Ark
Part 4: Sweetwaters
Part 5: Masai Mara
Part 6: Masai Mara (cont.)

In the morning we woke up extra early, bundled up and headed out to the Skyship Company for our very first balloon ride. We saw these balloons gliding over the Mara on our previous visit but didn't get enough time to organize a flight, so I made sure to have everything arranged beforehand, including leaving ourselves enough time to reschedule in case of bad weather. The weather on that morning was perfect and after watching the balloon get readied for the flight and listening to the very brief introductions and instructions from the pilot we got loaded into the basket and took off.



( Bird's eye view of the Mara. )

To be continued...