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There is something deeply sad in the Maasai Mara. As dust settles and darkness envelops the savannah, there is an irresistible sense of emptiness. The setting sun, the flock of elephants returning home, the flock of birds that retreat to their nest and the huge Acacias that morph into dark ghosts – together, they convey a deep sense of sadness [19659002] In the night, the depth of darkness is exhilarating; Anxiety is further accentuated by fear of wild animals. A night in the jungles of Kenya is fascinating. The creaky grasshopper camouflaged in the meadows, croaking croaking in the puddle of water and a gentle rustling of the leaves swept away by the gentle breeze complete the mystical Maasai Mara theater
. , with harsh sun rays, discordant noise and engulfing dust, represent the glory of African wildlife. Your hands freeze on the camera shutter when a pregnant hungry Cheetah chases an endless gazelle through the savannah. Or, when two lion cubs gorse on half of a wildebeest, left by their parents; or when the leader of a herd of elephants teaches a protocol or two to his new baby member. This is the overwhelming power of wild Maasai Mara.
July is a good time to visit Maasai Mara. We arrived in Nairobi in the afternoon and we rested at my friend's house, located in a typical Gujarati neighborhood. "The idea is to see the migration of wildebeest from Tanzania to Kenya," I explained to my friend, Roy. "I booked you a safari van at my door in Maasai Mara, the rest is your chance," he replied.
But before Maasai Mara, we went to Lake Naivasha the next morning. Half an hour outside Nairobi, you can experience the magnificence of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru are part of this Rift Valley, which extends from north to south Kenya. Lake Naivasha is home to a huge population of hippopotamuses and many species of fish, mainly carp. The lake is an average of 30 feet deep and people swim in its calm waters, catch fish and sell it to tourists boarding boats. My son decided to buy two carp and cook them in a traditional fire of dry leaves. We squeezed some lime, polished with chips and a generous serving of vodka. Some of the most beautiful variety of birds paraded for us, especially when we approached an old dilapidated ruin. While the hippos were getting dangerously close to our boat, our guide asked us to be quiet and quiet, as they tilted the boat from below; "More people have been killed by hippos than any other fauna," he warned.
The next morning, our safari van arrived at 8am to take us to Maasai Mara. We were only three in a fairly large van, which opened up to allow a 360 degree view. The distance from Nairobi to Maasai Mara is about 280 km via the city of Narok, to the west of the capital. We opted for a night stop at Lake Nakuru. It is home to some of the most exotic birds such as flamingos. Lake Nakuru is great for their food with plenty of seaweed. In "drive" mode on my camera, I captured a bewitching "Flight of a hundred flamingos," I suppose, commanded by their leader. The sea of Pink Flamingos has also been dotted with pelicans, who share the pickings. We also saw white rhinos from southern Kenya sunbathing on the sandy shores of the lake, resting under trees in packs of six or eight. These rhinos were brought to Nakuru National Park to add to the variety of black rhinos. That night, checking the images captured on my camera, I realized how dangerous we were close to the rhinos.
The next morning we crossed Lake Nakuru to reach the eastern gate of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Outside, the antelopes grazed peacefully, unconscious of the congregation of noisy baboons. Here, Maasai women try to sell their items and it is good to bargain because they are used to paying European prices to naive European tourists. Soon we were inside the Sopa Mara Lodge, transported in a 5-star luxury amidst the endless wilderness.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is part of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Spread over 1500 square miles, it's a treasure trove of wild animals. The big five; The lion, the elephant, the rhinoceros, the leopard and the buffalo abound, as well as hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, foxes, giraffes, zebras and antelopes; Thompson and Grant. And, of course, you see thousands and thousands of wildebeest, postmigration. The Mara River is the place of residence of the Crocodiles, the ones you see on Nat Geo, jumping on the wildebeest. Not to mention baboons, ostriches, vultures, etc. There are also some rare species of reptiles such as black mambas nestled inside marshy swamps and green turtle desert. Our first meeting in the morning was a giant African male elephant, trotting majestically along the way. We froze on the track. The elegant male approached the car, then walked away gently into the bush and gradually disappeared
A mile ahead, a cheetah at rest attracted attention of our driver / guide. We could not go very close to the big predator, as in any national reserve, you are not allowed to get off the track. Soon we were informed on the walkie talkie that a herd of elephants was located nearby. From the edge of a cliff, we could see fifty or so elephants walking on rocky terrain, heading to a nearby watering hole.
As we walked down the little hill, we found two lion cubs gorging themselves on a wildebeest. Their parents were resting in a bush nearby, always watching the children. We parked our safari van, turned off the engine and enjoyed the full view. Both parties were comfortable in the presence of each other. We licked the drama of the lions tearing the dead animal, pushing each other for a better piece of meat.
At lunch, we sat under an acacia tree to fill us. Our driver pulled out folding chairs and handed us the packed lunch that he had brought from the hotel. He said, not all Acacia trees are safe to sit under, as many of them have hives. Another group of European tourists informed us that they saw lions before settling for lunch. Our guide advised us, if we hurry with the food, then we could also see these lions.
Indeed, our guide could spot the majestic African lion following a lioness, imploring her to mate. She was relentless. As she moved away like a queen of insolence, the lion followed her, making sounds to catch his attention. I begged my driver to follow them, even if it meant giving up the track. Soon we were very close to King Lion and his partner. While the sound of my shutter was bothering the king of the jungle, he growled aggressively and for a moment our guide seemed troubled as well.
Our next stop was the Mara River. This is the river that I have often spotted on Nat Geo, filled with wildebeest in migration. But today, there was none. The crossover was complete for the season. We had to do with the crocodiles sunbathe on the shores. From a distance, we could see the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It's a breathtaking view – miles and miles of Savannah, swaying gently in the wind. We were all one with nature, fascinated and grateful to God.
We had reached the end of the Maasai Mara National Reserve and had to return to the lodge before sunset. Our guide decided to turn back, albeit at a slow pace, so that we could soak up as much as we could. The sun plunged into the horizon as we crossed a stream. A flock of twenty or so elephants were drinking water. We stopped to watch them. The youngest wanted to play in the water, even though the flock was ready to go. The leader of the platoon pushed them out, but without effect. Then came the reprimand and the little ones ran scared, quickly following the others.
The sun was a red ball now. We were heading east, so it was behind us. The occasional acacia in the backdrop allowed a perfect setting. We were all calm, realizing that the day was over. Suddenly, our van stopped abruptly. Perched on a rock, a cheetah stretched out his hand to look away. There were some gazelles grazing. She seemed pregnant and this was confirmed by our guide. In no time, she went down and began to run. We finally attended the hunt for a predator. Our driver skilfully followed the two at a reasonable distance, until they disappeared behind a large piece of rock.
Thousands of wildebeest grazed on both sides, dotted with packets of zebras, happily cohabiting together. I realized that I was a tourist, and this land belonged to them, not even humans, and I must return to my cacophonous reality. There is a particular persistent scent of Maasai Mara trees and wildlife. As we came out of the storeroom, this smell was rapidly diminishing. And, that's when I felt the pains of separation. It was heartbreaking to say goodbye to the great Maasai Mara desert of Kenya.
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