Mara Wonders - Travel in Masai Mara

We have just returned from a Masai Mara trip. 

We reached Nairobi from Mumbai in the early hours of the morning. From there we went straight to the Wilson airport to catch a Safarilink flight to the depths of the Mara. Safarilink operates many flights to and from Nairobi to various airstrips in the Masai Mara Reserve Forest region. We were taken to the Mushiara airstrip from where the vehicle from our resort and our guide for the next few days were waiting for us. 

The little plane gave us our first glimpse of the vast Masai Mara reserve. There was an incredible vastness with rivers looking like little channels interspersing the landscape, the mountain ranges bordering the huge stretches of savanna, herds of buffaloes, cows, elephants, zebras looking like toys, only the movement revealing them as wild creatures of the area. 

The vehicle waiting for us was the hardy Land Cruiser which we came to realise was exactly suitable for the wild terrain. The open sided vehicle provided the right viewing experience as it went through ruts, muddy banks, grass with ease. Apparently, it had a handy competitor in the Defender from land Rover but we got to see mostly the Toyota vehicle in our forays into the Reserve Forest during "Game Drives" as they were called. Our guide and driver introduced himself proudly as being from the Masai tribe. Not surprisingly, he had a deep knowledge of the landscape and its inhabitants. He shared insights about animal behaviours, tracked movement with other drivers and rangers, and guided us to the best spots for wildlife viewing. At times he reminded us of the "trackers" in the vampire Twilight series! Masai Mara gets its name from the Mara River and the Masai tribe, the custodian of this part of the wilderness. 

On the way back to the resort itself we got to see the our first "game". I guess the term "game" comes from the creatures being games for hunters. Thankfully hunting is banned now. And what a rich cornucopia of untamed wilderness we encountered just on this first journey of the safari! As we crossed the gate of the reserve, we found Zebras drinking water from the spring crossing the road. By the third day of the safari, we were as accustomed as we could be to greet Zebras wherever we looked, in herds, playing, running, grazing. As per our guide about 3 million zebras and wildebeests cross over during migration. 

We came across Pumbas (warthogs, called so, thanks to Disney). They were by far the shyest and smartest creatures we saw, forever wary and looking about for dangers.

We were lucky enough to see giraffes and a herd of elephants really close up on the drive back to the resort. The land cruiser lived up to its expectations as the guide drove us through the shrubs right next to the giraffes and elephants. One must feel the experience to understand it. Right in the forest reserve of East Africa, wild elephants, and giraffes almost within touching distance, grazing, moving around, slightly wary, but not really bothered, from an open all terrain safari vehicle. 

The day's wonders were not yet over. Our camp was right next to the Mara River. We settled down and had tea on the lawns watching Hippos and even a sun-bathing crocodile on the other bank of the river!

In Meryl Streep's word in "Out of Africa". It is a real gift, the forest, a glimpse of the world through God's eyes, as intended...

The day's sightings included the zebras, hippos, elephants, wild buffaloes, giraffes, wildebeests, many of the antelope family like elands, Topis, Thomson's gazelles, Grant's gazelles, impalas, warthogs, dik-diks, and even a lone crocodile amongst others. It took us a couple of days to distinguish the various animals and there were many other small ones pointed out by the guide.