The Masai Mara National Reserve.
THE MASAI MARA
Very many people have written about Masai Mara National Reserve – Kenya’s flagship park and undeniably one of the top game safari destinations in the world. I’d like to point out that even as a Kenyan, I didn’t get to visit the park, until after my 21st birthday. It’s not uncommon to encounter many Kenyans who never get to witness this amazing natural wonder right in our backyard.
I visited the Masai Mara in November, 2015 and I am especially grateful to bountiful safaris for making this particular visit memorable and magical.
Day one was an evening game-drive with every bit presenting a photo opportunity waiting to happen.
Motorcades are not uncommon, particularly when the rarer of the Big Five is spotted. On this particular day, two cheetah siblings were spotted lazing around after a heavy meal of gazelle, word quickly spread around to the various tour guides by way of radio and each drove to the spot with their eager tourists.
Zebras are probably the easiest animals to encounter at the Mara. They were everywhere, in large herds and oblivious to the van loads of tourists driving past.
Day 2 was the highlight of our trip.. We saw lions everywhere literally (the Masai Mara happens to have one of the highest lion densities in the world), lions walking past our van, drinking water, lionesses lazing away in the grass, lion cubs and even a lion on a tree. We also sighted Hyenas, Jackals, Buffaloes, Wildebeest, Zebras and Antelopes in very large numbers. We also spotted Cheetahs, Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos, Crocodiles and many a variety of birds including snake eagles, the secretary bird and others.
Witness this pride of eleven-odd lionesses and cubs that we encountered on the morning of the second day.
To crown it all, was the magnificent sunset typical of the African Savannah. It is often said that the sunrise and sunsets in Africa are unlike anywhere else in the world. The Masai Mara definitely creates a compelling case as to why African sunsets are the most vibrant and colorful in the planet.
Despite the large numbers of tourists which often elicits criticism from wildlife enthusiasts, my experience in the Masai Mara was everything I’d ever imagined – expansive, raw, wild, thrilling, majestic, surreal and beautiful!
To find such a huge variety of wildlife in one area is indeed something special. This is a must visit destination for anyone anywhere in the world.
important information:
Distance from Nairobi By road:About 270 km
Best Time to visit:During wildebeest migration:July-October
Recommended number of days: 3 to 4 days.
Parkfees non residents usd 80
Residents:1200
Citizen:1000
# 3 days 2 nights masai mara group joining offer:ksh 13,900Â http://www.bountifulsafaris.com/migration-safaris
