note: Click on the pictures to see the full picture.
At last our tour started albeit delayed by a day.
The first day was a tour of the city of Nairobi (which we missed) and the so called second day we were to move to Masai Mara National Game Reserve immediately after break fast.
This became our Day 1 now and by the time we started it was already 9.30 a.m or so and we had a 6 plus hours journey by road.
Our Guide Mr. John was waiting for us in the Airport. There was a family of three, from Delhi with us, Mrs and Mr. Agarwal and their daughter Shreya who had come in the same flight from Mumbai who had the same tour program as ours.
We took a short eating break in between ( we were taken directly from the Airport by the Safari Vehicle which was to be our vehicle for few days in Kenya) as we had not had any breakfast at all. We bought some muffins and coffee. Our Lunch was waiting at the lodge in the Masai Mara.
John who was driving the vehicle did a wonderful job . The roads were good partially and we had to go through mud roads for most part of our travel. We passed through a lovely valley called the Great Rift Valley. The ride was real rough at times reminding us of the Dubai Desert Safari.
The Great Rift Valley
We reached the Keekorok Lodge at around 3.30 p.m. and were rushed to the dining room as the buffet lunch time was extended only for us. We just had little time to freshen up and start for the Game Drive. Another group which had missed us in Nairobi was waiting for us. Their tour had started in South Africa and we were to be together for 3 to 5 days depending on their tour itinerary.
The rooms in the lodge was very nice and aesthetically done and the food served was North Indian .
The wild which we entered now was so unlike any Forest(s) I have seen. We went in our Vehicle driven by Mr. John. The vehicle roofs were opened and we could stand up and watch and if need be when the vehicle stopped we stood up on the seats (of course without shoes).
I could not believe myself I am in a place which I had seen in movies like "Beautiful People", "Born Free", etc. I decided to be in the 'present' ( thanks to the Isha Meditation which I do) and savour every moment of the ride in the Wild.
Group of Zebras and Wildebeest hanging together.
Group of Zebras their stripes merging with one another and the back ground.
Group of Wildebeests.
The Shiny Cute Zebra.
The Wildebeest. The guide was saying this was the creature God created last as its body parts looks as if borrowed from lots of animals.
There are no trees and just bushes and dry grass. We saw herds of Wildebeest and Zebra going together. It is amazing to see so many of them in one place.
When we are on the road the Zebras are crossing the roads in front of us . I just wanted to touch the smooth back of the Zebra which looks so polished and healthy. I know if it just gives one kick from its hind legs I am finished. But since it is seen so much in plenty you feel, as if it is as common as our domestic cows.
The Cows of Masai Tribe Vying for the Grazing land.
There are herds of cows owned by the local Masai Tribes which are also brought here for pasture. We see the Rangers of the forest fining those people and driving them away from the game sanctuary.
Even the female elephants have the ivory unlike Asian Elephants. Unfortunately that makes it a target of poaching. sad.
African Elephants skin is more rough and hang out like an old person's skin. I felt Indian Elephants have comparatively smoother rounded figure.
We see a Mother Elephant and its baby crossing in front of our SUV. The vehicle just stops and we quietly watch the animals.
A herd of African Wild Buffaloes.
The Cape Buffalo .
We see lots of wild Buffaloes which are also called African Cape Buffalo which are considered very dangerous as they will charge any time in any direction. So the people around there are wary of these Buffaloes than they are of Lions!
We could not go near the Lion and I was thankful that I had taken my Binoculars and hubby dear very happy with his Zoom lens.
We see the majestic Lion but from quite a distance.
John is continuously talking to other drivers of vehicles to check where the animals are to be spotted.
He kept reminding us that this is not a zoo and is actually a Real Wild and one should be lucky to spot animals especially Lions and Cheetahs.
The Cheetah which is so perfectly camouflaged
The Vehicles surrounding the Cheetah eventually driving it away, which should never be done.
We spot a Cheetah and lots of vehicles are surrounding it. I was surprised at the number of vehicles. This being the season more than 100 vehicles are moving around the wild and any special animal is spotted , immediately there was a crowd of vehicles gathered there.
In this case the Cheetah got disturbed as some vehicles went very near it. The rule is that the vehicles should keep to the mud roads and should not trespass into the grass, No body should get out of the vehicles and no body is allowed to be inside the game reserve after 6 p.m.
These are some of the other animals we saw.
Thomson Gazelle
Topi a kind of Antelope seen in Africa
A Herd of Elephants which we saw while returning to the lodge.
Wow how majestic the group looks.
Some were disappointed that we could not go near the Cheetah but with a promise of seeing more animals the next day we return to the lodge.
After a very tiring two days and the bumpy rides we had dinner and went to deep sleep.
At last our tour started albeit delayed by a day.
The first day was a tour of the city of Nairobi (which we missed) and the so called second day we were to move to Masai Mara National Game Reserve immediately after break fast.
This became our Day 1 now and by the time we started it was already 9.30 a.m or so and we had a 6 plus hours journey by road.
Our Guide Mr. John was waiting for us in the Airport. There was a family of three, from Delhi with us, Mrs and Mr. Agarwal and their daughter Shreya who had come in the same flight from Mumbai who had the same tour program as ours.
We took a short eating break in between ( we were taken directly from the Airport by the Safari Vehicle which was to be our vehicle for few days in Kenya) as we had not had any breakfast at all. We bought some muffins and coffee. Our Lunch was waiting at the lodge in the Masai Mara.
John who was driving the vehicle did a wonderful job . The roads were good partially and we had to go through mud roads for most part of our travel. We passed through a lovely valley called the Great Rift Valley. The ride was real rough at times reminding us of the Dubai Desert Safari.
The Great Rift Valley
We reached the Keekorok Lodge at around 3.30 p.m. and were rushed to the dining room as the buffet lunch time was extended only for us. We just had little time to freshen up and start for the Game Drive. Another group which had missed us in Nairobi was waiting for us. Their tour had started in South Africa and we were to be together for 3 to 5 days depending on their tour itinerary.
The rooms in the lodge was very nice and aesthetically done and the food served was North Indian .
The wild which we entered now was so unlike any Forest(s) I have seen. We went in our Vehicle driven by Mr. John. The vehicle roofs were opened and we could stand up and watch and if need be when the vehicle stopped we stood up on the seats (of course without shoes).
I could not believe myself I am in a place which I had seen in movies like "Beautiful People", "Born Free", etc. I decided to be in the 'present' ( thanks to the Isha Meditation which I do) and savour every moment of the ride in the Wild.
Group of Zebras and Wildebeest hanging together.
Group of Zebras their stripes merging with one another and the back ground.
Group of Wildebeests.
The Shiny Cute Zebra.
The Wildebeest. The guide was saying this was the creature God created last as its body parts looks as if borrowed from lots of animals.
There are no trees and just bushes and dry grass. We saw herds of Wildebeest and Zebra going together. It is amazing to see so many of them in one place.
When we are on the road the Zebras are crossing the roads in front of us . I just wanted to touch the smooth back of the Zebra which looks so polished and healthy. I know if it just gives one kick from its hind legs I am finished. But since it is seen so much in plenty you feel, as if it is as common as our domestic cows.
The Cows of Masai Tribe Vying for the Grazing land.
There are herds of cows owned by the local Masai Tribes which are also brought here for pasture. We see the Rangers of the forest fining those people and driving them away from the game sanctuary.
Even the female elephants have the ivory unlike Asian Elephants. Unfortunately that makes it a target of poaching. sad.
African Elephants skin is more rough and hang out like an old person's skin. I felt Indian Elephants have comparatively smoother rounded figure.
We see a Mother Elephant and its baby crossing in front of our SUV. The vehicle just stops and we quietly watch the animals.
A herd of African Wild Buffaloes.
The Cape Buffalo .
We see lots of wild Buffaloes which are also called African Cape Buffalo which are considered very dangerous as they will charge any time in any direction. So the people around there are wary of these Buffaloes than they are of Lions!
We see the majestic Lion but from quite a distance.
John is continuously talking to other drivers of vehicles to check where the animals are to be spotted.
He kept reminding us that this is not a zoo and is actually a Real Wild and one should be lucky to spot animals especially Lions and Cheetahs.
The Cheetah which is so perfectly camouflaged
We spot a Cheetah and lots of vehicles are surrounding it. I was surprised at the number of vehicles. This being the season more than 100 vehicles are moving around the wild and any special animal is spotted , immediately there was a crowd of vehicles gathered there.
In this case the Cheetah got disturbed as some vehicles went very near it. The rule is that the vehicles should keep to the mud roads and should not trespass into the grass, No body should get out of the vehicles and no body is allowed to be inside the game reserve after 6 p.m.
These are some of the other animals we saw.
Thomson Gazelle
Topi a kind of Antelope seen in Africa
A Herd of Elephants which we saw while returning to the lodge.
Wow how majestic the group looks.
Some were disappointed that we could not go near the Cheetah but with a promise of seeing more animals the next day we return to the lodge.
After a very tiring two days and the bumpy rides we had dinner and went to deep sleep.
1 comment:
I have heard verbal accounts from friends who have visited masai mara. But this is the first total mood capturing narrative, thanks leela.
Post a Comment