Maasia Mara

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Maasia Mara

We got of the over night bus and caught a taxi to the meeting point for the Maasia Mara, the train station.

7 am at Nairobi train station. No one was there. I hastily called the safari company. They came by and picked us up. We took care of the payment and after buying some essentials, off to the Mara we went. It was a 9 hour journey by road.

We stopped briefly so that the others could switch vehicles and then came the bumpiest road I have ever been on. For 6 hours we were tossed, jolted, churned and thrown around in the 4x4. It wasn’t so much that the road had pot holes on it, it was more like there were islands of tarmac in the dirt. Most of the time the guide chose to drive on the verge as did most of the other drivers using the road.

What made me really laugh was a sign telling every one that the road had been improved using fuel levys’!!!

Also as it had been raining and the driver was in a rush the jeep started to slide all over the place.

I was gratefull to get there in one piece.

On the way down I was expecting accomodation similar to what we got in Tsavo. We didn’t. Ah well all I could really do was enjoy it for now and worry about it later.

We didn’t make the first game drive as night was falling. So it was off to the campsite, dinner and off to bed for another early start.

The next morning we set off looking for exciting and dangerous game. We also had some amazing views of African land scape once again.

We didn’t see much that we hadn’t already seen but they were doing different things.

We also went tp a point on the Maasia river where hippo’s and crocodiles where in abundance as well as seeing the point of the river where the biannual migration takes place.

In the afternoon we went on a tour of a Maasia village and actually saw how they lived. We also learned about their culture, and I put on a hat made of lion maine. They did a warrior welcoming dance for us and show us around.

Through out my trip I have been blessed with knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides. Unfortunately this was the exception that proves the rule. The guide was unenthusiastic and tour was brief and after a quick look around the market off we went back to camp.

The next day we foud ourselves staring at a pride of lions eating a freshly killed hartebeast, within minutes of driving into the national park. We watched them for about 10 minutes snarling at each other as they ate, and their behaviour. If only I hadn’t forgotten my camera we may off actually seen them make the kill.

We spent the rest of the day looking for leopard (that’s the only one of the big 5 I haven’t seen yet) and cheetah.

We saw hyena and some more giraffe (always good) but unfortunately no leopard or cheetah.

Then it was time to head back to Nairobi and another 9 hour ride on that ‘road’.

We got back and waited for the bus back to Mombassa.

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Photos

Giraffe
She proceeded to eat the bush.

Ostrich
I thought these guys live in New Zealand...

Vultures in a Tree
We saw a lot ofm vultures

Vultures On A Carcass
The flies were every where too...

Male Lion After A Meal
There were loads of flies here too.

A Lizard
Don't know much about this guy. I thought his colouration was 'funky to say the least.

Water Buck
Or are they Kudu?

Pride Of Lions Eating
Who says the male always eats first

Come And Have A Go If Yoyu Think You're Hard Enough
One thing I learned at lion encounter is that you never go near a lion when they have food. If you're lucky they'll ignore you, other wise you'll get a growl followed by a serious swip. Feeding time is when their true aggression comes out.

Mmmmm Intestine
They sort of look like a string of sausages

Comments

[anonymous]

ah jealous! my camera cyah do dat!*pout*

[PJ]

Great Pics
Great Kill Shots!! I guess the saying is true! "Happiness is a warm gut pile"