SAFARI FINALE

                        A Thrilling Day 

Our last day in the Masai Mara, as well as the last day of Safari, was another warm sunny day. We had seen so much already, what could this last day bring us? If we saw nothing we still would go home  happy campers.

But before the day was over we would spot another ten lions. First we spotted two lionesses, one on each side of a ditch, lying just as pretty as you please, head high, as if posing for our cameras.

Not long afterward we came upon a mom and her two cubs perched on top of a dirt mound. They just ignored us and after awhile the cubs started to play.

Another lion was feasting on her recent wildebeest kill. A short distance away another lion was resting beside her recent kill. Guess she was tired from the chase.

When we thought it couldn’t get any better our driver spotted a pair of cheetahs resting under the shade of a tree. With their fat bellies, we thought they were pregnant, then we discovered they were both males. The cheetahs obviously had just eaten. We were told that cheetahs always travel in pairs. Our cameras were clicking away when suddenly the animals sat up with the hair on their neck standing up stiff. A quick glance showed a lion walking across the savanna. Our guide immediately backed the van up to allow the animals plenty of maneuvering space.

Suddenly the cheetahs split, each running in a different direction. The lion could chase only one. Before long both the lion and cheetah stopped in a standoff, looked at each other, then suddenly the chase continued.

The cheetah outran the lion who just sat down. He looked so dejected before he slowly wandered off. The cheetahs were safe for another day. They came back together and  slowly wandered off  to the shade of a tree on the opposite side of the savanna.

      What a thrilling day it was, and what a way to finish a fantastic vacation!

THE MARSI MARA

                            A Fantastic Place

When we were in the Galapagos we ran into a couple who had been on Safari the year before and they told us to be sure to get to the Marsi Mara. The Masai Mara is one of Kenya’s best known game reserves famous for its black maned lions and huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle.

Our lodging changed dramatically when we reached the Mara. Our home for the next three days was to be a rather comfortable tent, but roughing it we really were not. Our approximate 10 X 14 tent  was over a permanent concrete slab with a permanent sturdy roof. It was equipped with two single regular beds (not cots) with linens and small bedside tables. Unzipping the back of the tent we discovered a complete bath with concrete  block walls. It even had a shower! It sure beat an outhouse or a primitive  ground dug loo. The water was solar heated. We showered at night as the water was warmer then in the early morning.

The tents were arranged among the foliage so all we could see from ours was a tiny corner of the tent next door. A large permanent lodge housed the reception, dining areas, bar, and gift shop.

The first evening a park ranger told us, “The Masai Mara is in the northern Serengeti and is only 1510 square kilometers. That is smaller than some of our other parks, and although it is very animal dense  there are ample watering holes to support the population and the Mara River runs through the area. The Mara runs across the border into Tanzania. There are eighteen lodges in the park/preserve making it the densest tourist area. The first lodge was built here in 1962. The Masai Mara is probably the most popular spot to visit in all of Kenya.

“I’m happy to tell you the black rhino population has increased from two to thirty-eight animals. There are 1500-2000 elephants in the area and 700 lions. It is difficult to count sometimes as the animals wander in and out of the preserve as there are no mechanical barriers.”

The safari runs here provided us with hartebeest (kongoni), topi, which are only seen here, jackal, leopard, cheetah, and several lions. Totally unplanned and unexpected we were in country for the annual wildebeest and zebra migrations. The herds are unbelievably big. We saw many  thousands of these animals, and it let us imagine what our buffalo herds must have been before we wiped them out!.

Mara means spotted. From a plane one sees spots of tree tops---giraffes graze the bottoms of the trees.               

The big five of Africa are the buffalo, elephant, rhino, leopard, and lion. Leopards are nocturnal and visitors often end their vacation without  seeing one. One afternoon on a game run, the radio suddenly crackled with information that a pair of leopards had been spotted on a hillside. Our driver spun the van around and headed for the designated area.  What a sight! The leopards were about half way up the hill, their coats camouflaged by the rocky bush-covered terrain, but the sun shining on their gorgeous coats afforded us a good view and great photo op.

As we watched in awe suddenly the male mounted the female and we knew we were watching a mating pair! Afterward the female rolled over on her back like a contented playful cat. Then suddenly they disappeared into the bush.

Excited my son said, “Oh, Mom, what a bonus. That was wonderful.”

And it was.