We left Lake Nikura for a moderate drive to the nearby airport, where we took 3 connections to get to Maasai Mara. This is a bit of an exaggeration - the airport was a grass field and there were three take-offs and landings and each stopover was less than 10 minutes (and the last two legs were 6-10 minutes each). There were men on motorcycles keeping wildlife off of the landing strips.
The drives into the Mara were impressive. Large numbers of Thompson's gazelles, cape buffalo, impala, warthogs (Pumba!), elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, hartebeests, zebra and topi. Topi were new to us - larger members of the antelope family that are exceptionally good lookouts for danger. A lot of these herbivores hang out together to add their natural attributes to detect and alert others to nearby predators.
On the first evening, our briefer drive into the Mara gave us a lioness on the hunt. We watched her stalking a herd of zebra a 200 yards away through a blind of bushes. Eventually, we ran out of time and had to go (park hours are strictly enforced). Stalking is a slow process.
The second day was an early breakfast and an all-day adventure in the park (7:30AM - 4:45PM). We saw a lot of animals, but the highlights centered around cats:
Cheetahs #1: Cheetahs are typically solitary or work in pairs. There is one set of 5 males in Mara that work together and go after larger game than a normal single/pair would take on. Our driver heard on the radio that they had been spotted and we raced over. We got some nice photographs of all 5, clearly very alert and on the hunt. Then they crossed the road, and we could only count four. They were clearly all very attentive , but not moving. We were enjoying the view for some time when suddenly a heard of topi came running by (driven by the 5th that had taken a wide path around and flushed them towards the waiting others). All 5 charged the herd at full speed, and the topi, when realizing they were being attacked at the flank, made a whole lot of noise. In the end, it was a brief chase with no prize, but it was a lot of exciting drama. We took more photos of the now-lounging cheetahs, and then moved on.
Lions #1: Another radio lead - we drove up to a family of 8+ lions sleeping under a bush - including a large maned male lion. Less drama, but we were able to get very close.
Cheetahs #2: Our driver noted a few cars pulled over, and we and joined and found two cheetahs sleeping under a tree. Total cheetah count for the day: 7.
Lions #2: Two female lions perched on an overlook, looking into the valley below. Very pretty. Total lion count for the day: >10.
Of course, there were a lot of other highlights. Lunch on the hill at the Tanzania border provided amazing views. We saw large numbers of hippos basking in the river and a couple of crocodiles (in a couple of months, the wildebeests will be migrating across the river, and the predators will all be out). New birds. And there can never be too many giraffes or antelope.
A very, very good day.
First day:
Flight to the Mara; waiting at the gate
Planes are escorted by Zebra Chasers (on the bike to the right of the plane). This is a very necessary function.
Landing at the Mara
The entryway is guarded by two daleks.
Flower outside the room.
The Mara also has infant elephants.
The topi - always on high alert.
A lone acacia on the Mara plain.
Lioness on the hunt
Disappearing into the grass to observe her prey.
Stalking.
Day 2 - the long road-trip
Giraffes on the ridge. There can never be too many giraffes.
Male zebra with unusual pattern.
Two cheetahs visible (3 hidden)
Four cheetahs - we could no longer locate the fifth.
The four take off to join the fifth on a flanking maneuver against a herd of topi. It happened so quickly I failed to collect any photos at all, other than this initial sprint.
After the failed attempt, all 5 regrouped at this bush.
I spotted a pair of camouflaged Thickney birds (they are there). They look like leopards with feathers. Strange how nature finds the same solutions in entirely different ways.
Just before lunch, we stopped at the Tanzania/Kenya border. Christopher has kindly labelled. Jana and I went to Tanzania for a bit, and abandoned Christopher in Kenya.
Wattled plover
Hidden cell-tower
Agama lizard
Ostrich. The bright pink head and legs indicate a high level of 'excitement'. His mate was nearby.
Mara River. The Wildebeests cross this as part of their migration. This is where a lot of the National Geographic specials show them being taken down by crocodiles and lions.
Lions sleeping beneath a tree. We counted 8, but did not check the whole backside of the tree.
The king, sleeping.
Many, many, many hungry, hungry hippos.
Croc on the bank
Short story - at Lake Nakuru, we met a pair of ladies from England who had been on safari for two days, and had not yet seen a cat. They were very upset. They said if they did not get a cat the next day they would be seriously unhappy with their guide and their driver. They had been promised cats. The fact that we had seen both lions and a leopard upset them more. We ran into them today at the checkpoint at the Mara River, where they were having lunch. I saw a monkey (carrying its infant) jump through the driver's window, steal one of the ladies' lunches and run out through the side door of the van. This is that monkey eating her muffin. There is some poetic justice.
Cheetah lying beneath a bush (his buddy is on the other side of the bush).
Lilac-breasted roller
Two lions perched, looking across the valley at prey.
Hammer-head birds (Hamerkops)
Crested cranes, with chicks. Crested cranes are cool.
A lot of forms of antelope. A lot of horns sticking up through the grass.
Pumba!
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