Kenya - Masai Mara
A journey that started in the Seychelles and continued into the Maasai Mara.
We flew from SEZ to Kenya through Nairobi (NBO). Nairobi was a bustling metropolis of people going about their day. The traffic heading into the city center where we stayed was expected, it was a weekday after all. Hondas, VWs, and Porsches surrounded by motorcyclists weaving through gaps. We arrived at the JW in Nairobi where rigorous security measures were completed prior to being dropped off within the gated hotel site but that’s a story for another post. We flew out of Nairobi-Wilson airport (WIL) to Keekorok, the oldest airstrip in the Maasai.
After landing on the unpaved airstrip and enjoying a welcome glass of South African wine, we were taken on a 60-minute drive to our lodge in the savannah. The following pictures are the results of multiple game drives that occur in the early morning and late afternoon every single day. It really did feel like being a full-time National Geographic photographer. Every minute in the Mara was another chance to see an animal most people only see on a screen.
The Mara was quiet. An occasional breeze would rustle the grass which would waft a subtle scent of geosmin with hints of petrol. It is a destination of course and, while I did my best to focus my lens on the animals in their natural habitat, multiple trucks carrying tourist were just out of frame. The animals don’t seem to mind the crowds; they do get close enough that your fight or flight system revs-up. Danger is present and we felt it most when the bull elephants would get near. They truly are massive and, because of their pheromones during mating season, smelled of cured meat. I actually had an aversion to peperoni pizza for some time because of how pungent that odor was.
Capturing the “Big five” on camera is always the goal but the leopards are definitely elusive. We did come across a pride of lions who took down a buffalo and spent three days enjoying their kill. Watching nature take place can be rough, but this means survival in the Mara and Serengeti. The older lions did the work, the children enjoyed the feast, and the men wait on their turn from a distance. Baboons run across dry riverbeds and vultures watch from the canopies above. There were baby hippos in every lake and their protective mothers nearby.
Watching the hot air balloons take off over the Mara in the early morning glow felt like a dream. Over the years of traveling, I have come to realize that a considerable amount of planning must take place prior to a trip like this. It is not uncommon for things to change as airlines drop routes and new award availabilities present themselves; and for that I am thankful to my wife. She is the mastermind behind the logistics of getting there and back. While I would like to say that I have a hand in planning, I know it is a fraction of what she does.
Overall, Kenya deserves a spot on your vacation wish list.