Impala Male at Masai Mara National Reserve © D. M. DeKraker
Masai Mara Safari
Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is 583 square miles. Masai Mara, adjoins the Mara region of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The annual migration of wildebeests and zebras from Tanzania ends here usually in the July to September time frame. The photos you have seen of crocodiles catching wildebeests as they cross the river were probably taken here, where the herds cross the Mara River. I went on a Masai Mara Safari in January. At this time of the year, I saw a lot of lion cubs. While there were herds of large animals, I found this area is one of the best places that I have been to for viewing lions and other big cats.
To get to Masai Mara, Nairobi, Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the closest major airport with direct flights from Europe. Wilson Airport, also in Nairobi has flights of small planes, which fly to airstrips near game parks. It is also possible to drive from Nairobi.
My Trip Travel information
On my trip to Masai Mara, I flew from Nairobi, Kenya on a small plane to Ol Kiombo airstrip. From there, I rode in a safari vehicle to a small seasonal camp, Rekero Camp, along the Talik River, near where it joins the Mara River.
The food was delicious and the staff was excellent. It was not busy when I was there. This trip was an extension offered by Wilderness Travel. I was alone on this extension, so did not have to share the safari vehicle. The safari driver/guide was the best I have ever had! He has driven a lot of photographers and made sure I got the best shots. We went on game drives daily, taking a break for lunch and early afternoon rest, when it is hottest. I was amazed at the number of lions we saw. We saw many other animal as well. I always take a camera with a long zoom because I like close up photos.
Viewing Lion Cubs in Masai Mara
We saw many lion cubs playing, teething on decaying logs, and following lionesses. It is amazing how cute and playful lion cubs can be! Lions and other big cats of Masai Mara were chronicled in the BBC series “Big Cat Diaries”. These are offspring of those lions. These lion cubs are being raised by lionesses as a group. This improves their survival rate
Elephants and other large animals on Plains of the Mara
Although large numbers of wildebeests and zebras will arrive later in the year, there are still plenty of large animals around all year in Masai Mara. This family group of females and young elephants is one of many we saw. We also saw large male elephants that usually are alone. We saw a lot of other animals as well, including herds of topi, which are large antelope, giraffes, cape buffalo, hippopotamus and crocodiles. However, on this safari I concentrated on taking photos of the big cats. Seeing so many big cats is unusual on safaris that I have been on.
Cheetahs in Masai Mara National Reserve
These cheetah cubs were with their mother when we saw them. Cubs stay with their mother until they are about six months old. Cheetahs have the distinctive tear like black streak that runs from the corner of the eye to the mouth. The cheetah is the fastest land animal and can run 70 miles per hour in short bursts. It is built for speed and has a smaller frame than a lion. It is a carnivore that usually eats small antelope. Cheetah females stay by themselves. They raise their cubs alone. Mothers have to be vigilant because the cheetah cubs face a higher mortality rate than other large cats. Lions will kill the cubs if given the opportunity.
One of my most memorable experiences on safari occurred when I watched these cubs being saved from a lioness by their mother. I watched and took photos as this mother outwitted a lioness to save her cubs. It was amazing!
Leopards in Kenya’s Masai Mara
We came upon this leopard while it was in a tree. Leopards are shorter than cheetahs, and have a sturdier build. They do not have the dark stripe under their eyes, and their spots are rosettes instead of round spots. They are strong enough to carry their prey up into a tree. Leopards are elusive and usually hard to spot. The guide mentioned that this leopard lives near the camp and is called Lucky Girl. She and her brother were chased by a lion when she was little, and climbed up a tree. Her brother was caught by the lion, but she escaped and made it to adulthood.
Sunset in the Mara
We enjoyed sunsetters every evening, parking the safari vehicle to watch the sun set. This extension was only four days and three nights. I flew back to Nairobi around noon the last day. After this I went gorilla trekking in Rwanda and then I visited Ngorogoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park
References
Wikipedia
National Geographic
Related Sites
BBC series about the cats of Masai Mara: Big Cat Diary
Tour operator I took for this trip: http://www.wildernesstravel.com/
trip extension: kenya masai-mara
Rekero Camp website: https://www.asiliaafrica.com/
