Kenya: Part 6 (Masai Mara continued)
Oct. 28th, 2013 08:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
riontelPart 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.
Lioness was simply chilling, contentedly sprawling out or grooming herself.
Cubs were doing what all kids in the world do, in between playing with each other, they would come bother their mother.
If there is a popular or rare animal in the area or something particularly interesting going on, all the guides rush to the spot to make sure their group doesn't miss out. Anything new and exciting gets shared on the radio on the channel everybody tunes into. Benedict would want to surprise us so he wouldn't tell us what next site was going to have, but even though different Kenyan tribes have their own languages, to talk to each other they use Swahili, which occasionally allowed N. to spoil the surprise by sharing with us what he would overhear on the radio.
Being prepared though, doesn't spoil the excitement of seeing a cheetah lounging about or of a rhino wondering through the bushes, or any of the other creatures either.
Cheetah.
Hartlaub's Bustard.
Rhino.
Elands.
We returned to the camp and anticipating an early morning start of the next day I turned in early, soon after dinner.
To be continued...
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.
Lioness was simply chilling, contentedly sprawling out or grooming herself.
Cubs were doing what all kids in the world do, in between playing with each other, they would come bother their mother.
If there is a popular or rare animal in the area or something particularly interesting going on, all the guides rush to the spot to make sure their group doesn't miss out. Anything new and exciting gets shared on the radio on the channel everybody tunes into. Benedict would want to surprise us so he wouldn't tell us what next site was going to have, but even though different Kenyan tribes have their own languages, to talk to each other they use Swahili, which occasionally allowed N. to spoil the surprise by sharing with us what he would overhear on the radio.
Being prepared though, doesn't spoil the excitement of seeing a cheetah lounging about or of a rhino wondering through the bushes, or any of the other creatures either.
Cheetah.
Hartlaub's Bustard.
Rhino.
Elands.
We returned to the camp and anticipating an early morning start of the next day I turned in early, soon after dinner.
To be continued...
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Date: 2013-10-29 02:03 am (UTC)Not any time soon, though
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Date: 2013-10-29 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-29 02:16 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2013-10-29 06:26 pm (UTC)