The Maasai Mara Africa s Crown Jewel

K enya is not renowned as          Flights that take about 40-45      the land of safari for          minutes are also available. Birds  nothing. Apart from             are featured in plenty, for those  breathtaking scenery, miles of        in love with the winged wonders.   scorching white sandy beaches,        Over 450 species of birds          welcoming people, numerous game       including 50 species of birds of   parks and reserves and wildlife,      prey have been recorded in the     there is the Maasai Mara. They        Mara.                              say you haven’t been on safari                                           till you’ve been to the Mara.         They include Vulture, Widow bird,                                        Secretary bird, Crowned crane,     The Mara is arguably Africa’s         Red-billed Oxpecker, Ostrich,      crown jewel in terms of wildlife.     long-crested Eagle, Pygmy falcon,  The Maasai word ‘Mara’ means          Scale francolin, hornbill,         ‘spotted’ in English perhaps          African goshawk, Fiscal hike,      referring to the countless wild       Yellow-throated long claw,         animals that dot this gently          Marabou, White-backed vulture,     undulating 1510km² of grasslands.     and Prowl plovers. These birds     Maasai Mara is endowed with an        can be seen perched and chirping   extraordinary density of animals      away on groves of acacia and       including the Big Five (lions,        thorn trees that interrupt the     leopard, elephant, buffalo,           grass-carpeted landscape. All      rhinoceros) and an array of           these animals can be viewed by     plains game. The Maasai Mara lies     taking game drives into the        about 270 km from Nairobi and         wilderness of the Maasai Mara.     takes about 5 hours by road if                                           you fancy seeing the beautiful        However, this extravagance of      Kenyan countryside on your way to     fauna, this plethora of flora,     Maasai Mara.                          this expansive blue African sky                                          and the untouched untamed          landscape, all dwarf the              drowning or between the jaws of    unparalleled sensation of the         the sneaky crocodiles, while       relentless march of the               attempting to cross the churning   wildebeest. The great wildebeest      waters of the Mara River. Once     migration is a wildlife marvel        the Mara pastures have been        beyond comparison. Witnessing         exhausted, the herds head back to  this marvellous play of nature is     the Serengeti and Ngorongoro       an awe inspiring experience. More     plains where fresh rain has        than 500,000 wildebeest and           nourished the grasslands.          200,000 Zebra accompanied by          Numerous other animals reside in   other herbivores migrate far          the Maasai Mara like Impala, the   south from the plains of the          are nocturnal bat-eared fox, the   Serengeti to the Maasai Mara for      Roan antelope, the Thomson's and   the luscious pastures occasioned      Grant's gazelle, Topi, Zebra,      by the long rains of April and        Giraffes, Coke’s hartebeest,       May. But the trek is punishing        Hyena, Cheetah, Wild dog,          because the migrating herds           Jackal, Hippo, Kongoni, Eland,     attract the attention of a            Monkeys and Ostrich .             voracious horde of predators,                                            especially hyenas and lions. The      The panoramic landscape of the     predators single out the lame and     Maasai Mara is also captured in    sick animals for easy prey.           various films like "Out of                                               Africa" and its wildlife in        Another natural barrier in the        documentaries like the BBC         form of the chocolate Mara River      Television show Big Cat Diary.     fraught with ravenous crocodiles      Another thing you must do is take  and frolicking hippos await the       the early morning Maasai Mara      galloping herd of animals. When       balloon Safari and softly glide    the migrating herds pick a spot       in the endless azure African sky.  to cross the river, more die by       The feeling of floating in the     skies with hordes of wild game        coexisting peacefully with         marauding in the plains below is      wildlife and the savannah. Tents   just beyond description. The          can be made available and          sight of giraffe heads bobbing        tourists can spend a night in the  among the trees and the chill of      homesteads of the Maasai to the    the wind whispering around the        sound of hyenas laughing and       balloon will be forever engraved      lions roaring.                     in your memory. After the                                                exhilarating sashay in the            There is a wide range of           heavens a glass of champagne is       accommodation available in the     served for those who love to          Mara. The resorts in the Maasai    toast. Then a sumptuous freshly       Mara revolutionise the meaning of  prepared breakfast is served in       luxury by the way they pamper and  the bush in the middle of             spoil their clients. Both local    nowhere. Oh you will wish that        and five star cuisines are served  your life was such a continuous       accompanied with drinks. Some of   luxurious adventure, especially       the Resorts are the Kichwa Tembo   when you get back to the concrete     Tented Camp, Maasai Mara Serena    jungle (city) or your work place.     Safari Lodge, Saruni Camp, and                                           Mara Safari Club Hotel. Do not                                           forget to carry a pair of good     If you fancy a trip that also         quality binoculars, get the        explores the culture of the           necessary immigration jabs and     locals of the Mara, the Maasai,       take anti malarial medicine. A     guided tours can be arranged. It      visit to the Maasai Mara is an     will be interesting to learn how      experience of a lifetime that you  these ancient peoples and their       will never forget.                 livestock have adapted to              About the Author: Sean Oling is editor of authoritysitecentre. You can find more information about masai mara safari, kenya wildlife safari African safaris as well as hotels and lodges on the website. Published At: www.Isnare.com