A Kenyan Safari

We’ve all watched those wildlife documentaries on TV, often accompanied by the dulcet tones of Sir David Attenborough’s narration trying to instill in us a sense of what it feels like to be observing the animal kingdom in their natural home.

The magic that comes with being on safari experiencing a ‘live’ wildlife documentary is a bit like the difference between listening to your favourite musician on your phone and seeing them live in concert.

I hasten to add that I was never one of those kids who grew up obsessed by animals or watched hours and hours of Nat Geo or the Animal Planet channel (though the latest series “Our Planet” on Netflix is probably one of the most incredible television productions I have ever seen) but to be there on the African savannah in Kenya’s famous Masai Mara National Reserve is like being transported into another world. But we’ll get to that…

What also makes this place so significant is that it truly is the cradle of civilisation.

Prior to leaving on the safari I spent time in Kenya’s impressive National Museum in Nairobi where I was able to see for myself the unique discoveries by the British paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey who in 1959 unearthed the earliest recorded hominid fossil at Olduvai George, Tanzania - very near Masai Mara.

At the time the discoveries caused something of a sensation in the scientific world and placed the first known human existence in Africa; rather than Asia or Europe as had previously been thought.

Subsequent diggings would go on to unearth one of the most diverse and densely packed accumulations of fossil bone in Africa.

One of Mary Leakey's famous discoveries...

Bedded down in lava flows and representing a unique archaeological record in Africa, the fossil beds incorporate that most elusive period of human history between 14 and four million years ago when the largely primate Kenyapithecus (appropriately named!) evolved into our earliest bipedal ancestor Australopithecus afarensis.

Amazingly, in the sandy clay, seven of the 18 hominoid specimens known from that period were found. You can only begin to imagine how those discoveries 60 years ago changed everything we had known about mankind’s early existence and collectively they represent the single most important collection of human fossils in the world.

My visit to the museum also included a visit to the adjoining Nairobi Snake Park...and a warning, those who suffer from ophiophobia (fear of snakes) might want to skip the next photo!



Don't try this next time you visit the zoo! For snake fans I'm holding
an African Rock Python which can grow up to 9m in length...

The range and diversity of Kenya’s snakes is not for the faint hearted, though I was obviously hoping to avoid any direct contact with some of the more poisonous varieties during my visit!

The day before I depart on safari, I meet my three fellow adventurers. There’s Johnny from Ireland who quickly charms us with his Irish brogue, Mark from the UK who informs us he’s on ‘gardening leave’ and Lois, a high school counsellor from California. We quickly form that bond common amongst travellers swapping stories and sharing our anticipation of hoped for animal sightings. We retire early full of expectations for our big adventure.

Day 1 of our safari dawns bright and clear and after a quick breakfast we meet our “new” guide Rose who steps in after our previously assigned guide is unable to join us at short notice. We’re soon on our way headed for Masai Mara, a seven hour and at times bone shaking journey from the capital Nairobi.

The reserve is located within Africa’s famed Great Rift Valley, one of the most extensive rifts on Earth's surface, which extends from Jordan in southwestern Asia southward through eastern Africa to Mozambique, almost 6,400 km in length and averaging between 48–64 km in width. It truly is spectacular to witness it first-hand.



Africa's famed Great Rift Valley

The Masai Mara Reserve itself, which attracts more than 160,000 visitors annually, is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeest migration alone involves over 1.5 million animals while almost 100 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 bird species are contained within the reserve.

We finally arrive late afternoon feeling a bit like milkshakes that have gone through an extra blending as a result of the road conditions. All part of the safari experience Rose our guide assures us. (Quick side note, I was intrigued that locals dig large holes in the road forcing the safari vans to veer onto private land whereupon they are charged a toll by the enterprising landowners. With employment prospects all but zero, you can’t blame them wanting to extract a few dollars from the tourism sector which provides few financial benefits for the local Masai population.)

The permanent bush camp which will be our home for the next 48 hours could be straight out of a film set. Complete with permanent tents, beds and even boasting hot showers, we’re all a bit taken aback by the high standard of our accommodation. It’s almost ‘glamping’ and hardly the image most of us had in mind when we signed up for a camping safari thinking we would be “roughing it"...but we're not complaining!

Not exactly roughing it, our tents came complete with very comfortable beds!

We’re introduced to the resident chef Franco who will keep us well fed during our short two day stay and we also meet some of the local Masai staff, resplendent in their distinctive coloured blankets designed to keep lions and leopards at bay - supposedly put off by their vibrant colours - not that I’m willing to put the theory to the test myself.

After settling in, we’re soon off on our first game drive. Being out in the open in our specially designed mini-van, complete with pop up roof for enhanced viewing, the experience is exhilarating as you scan the surrounding landscape for wildlife while bouncing along the off-road tracks, wind in your face and your adrenaline pumping. This is truly Africa at its best!

It’s not long before we spot a herd of wildebeest preparing for their own travel adventure. Few animals evoke the spirit of the African plain as much as the wildebeest. There are more than one million of them in Masai Mara and we watch as the various herds begin to unite in preparation for one of the animal kingdom’s great overland journeys - the annual migration.

The annual migration of Masai Mara's one million wildebeest is spectacular

We hear an elephant before we see him. Hidden behind bushes, the sound of branches being torn from a nearby tree is classic elephant behaviour. And then he reveals himself. Weighing up to 6300kg, the African elephant is certainly intimidating and not to be messed with. I’m told of one tourist who chanced upon an elephant while walking outside the park only to be charged down and trampled to death when he attempted to take a photo. They have also been known to charge safari vans, so our driver Patrick is wary, and we keep our distance. Though the elephant is commonly referred to as ‘the king of the beasts’, elephant society is largely ruled by a lineage of elder females.



Slowly revealing himself the African elephant is impressive to see in the wild

We also see herds of zebras, giraffes, gazelles and buffalos. It’s like the entrée to the main course which will involve a more extensive game drive the following day.

Zebra's are numerous in Masai Mara

Fresh from a mud bath, this buffalo seems happy

Built for speed, an estimated 400,000 gazelle's also migrate annually

But just as we're preparing to head for home we spot a group of vans gathering up ahead; always a sign of animal activity. When we join them we're surprised to find a group of female lions napping right next to the road no doubt wondering what all the fuss is about!

A female lion enjoys a late afternoon nap in preparation for another busy night's hunting

We return to camp weary but exhilarated at what we’ve seen and feast on the three-course dinner Franco has prepared for us.

The next morning disaster strikes - at least for me personally. I wake feeling very nauseous while also discovering I have contracted a bad case of “the runs!” Of all days for it to strike after being largely spared any real health issues during my time away.

Not relishing the thought of spending a day in an enclosed van and of course not being permitted to step outside the vehicle whilst inside the park, I reluctantly inform Rose that I will be confining myself to camp for the day. I’m obviously disappointed but philosophical that when it comes to travel you have to take each day as it comes; particularly when it involves your health.

Franco quickly shifts from chef to nurse and prepares some welcome hot ginger tea and banana sandwiches for me and between hasty visits to the bathroom I enjoy learning more about his life and the various Kenyan tribes, of which there are 42, the Masai being one of the largest. 

Gradually I begin to feel better and later that afternoon we head off on a nature walk, accompanied by one of our resident Masai guides. I’m comforted he is with us knowing there are no fences enclosing the nearby game reserve and various animals are known to venture close to the camps. But just to be sure I'm made an honorary Masai and given a blanket to wear and told I look the part - tall and thin just, like a Masai should be!

Honoured to be made a Masai for a day!

He quickly takes a liking to my wide brimmed hat so on the spot I decide to gift it to him. He’s very pleased with his new acquisition and not having seen a single Masai wearing any sort of headwear since arriving I know the hat will prove to be something of a novelty amongst his fellow Masais.
 

The only Masai in the Rift Valley with a new hat to wear...

During our walk I learn more from Franco about the amazing medicinal qualities contained in the various trees and bushes we pass ranging from treatment for stings and bites, leaves that when rubbed on your skin will stop irritation and the well-known red stinkwood (Prunus Africana), which has been exploited internationally for the treatment of prostate cancer.

I rejoin the rest of the group mid-afternoon for a visit to a local Masai village where we are treated to traditional dances and a Q&A session on the elements of Masai culture. Surprisingly, it seems the women do most of the hard labour including building the mud houses, which have animal dung as a key ingredient in the mix, while the males tend the animals. All cooking is also done by the women inside the house on open fires but surprisingly there’s no chimney or ventilation. It’s no wonder many Masai women suffer from respiratory issues later in the life as a result of ongoing smoke inhalation.

I buy a few souvenirs from the village stall. All are hand made and I notice I’m being waved over by one enterprising young man aged about 12 who it seems has been eyeing me up and is clearly ready to extract some money from me.

I spot one of his wrist bands and offer him 300 shillings (around $NZ3). He’s not biting and insists on 500 shillings. I up my offer to 400 but he holds out for his price. Clearly, he’s been through this routine many times before and I’m no match for his sales technique. Impressed with his tenacity I agree to his price. Satisfied he takes the money and hands over the wrist band with a wry smile. I shake hands and tell him he should be selling real estate! He doesn’t quite understand but senses that I approve of his technique and returns the smile.

Is this Kenya's most accomplished salesman? He gets my vote!

We gather for dinner and reflect on the day. It quickly becomes obvious that the rest of the group have agreed a pact not to talk up the day too much in sympathy of my absence. I tell them it’s okay and out come the stories of lions, leopards and cheetahs. I’m not too worried as I know I will return to Africa for another visit at some point in the future; I’m already addicted. Plus, we have one final game drive before we depart, so I pin my hopes on a few more animal encounters to make up for things.

We’re up early the next morning. The air is cool and inviting and filled with a scent that is unique to Africa. During the night I'm woken by something going through the rubbish bins near my tent. I decide not to investigate fearful of what I might confront but energised by the fact that whatever it was had shown no fear at all to help him or herself to our leftovers.

We enjoy our final breakfast, make a small presentation of thanks to Franco, our driver Patrick and our Masai hosts then its into the van for one final game drive. It’s 6.30am and hunting is almost over for another night. We spy a pair of cheetahs and our driver positions the van to get us the best shot. Just metres away, I’m in awe of how close we are to these world-class sprinters with the ability to go from zero to 75km/h in less than two seconds and capable of reaching speeds in excess of 110km/h. But to actually see them run at these speeds is rare as it is to see them make a kill and once again I’m full of admiration for wildlife documentary producers who must spend hundreds of hours waiting around to gain those rare 30 seconds of footage which capture just how impressive the cheetah is at full speed.

Would love to have seen this guy at full speed...

I wonder if Kenya’s famous Olympic athletes draw inspiration from the cheetah which might be described as natures true embodiment of hunting perfection. (Quick side note, since 1956 Kenyan athletes have won 91 Olympic medals in total, all from boxing and track and field events. Of these, 61 medals come from long-distance running events.)

It’s not long before we spy a tower of giraffes. (NB. Yes, bet you didn’t know the collective noun for giraffes is in fact a tower!) They are oblivious to our presence content to enjoy a breakfast of fresh shoots and leaves plucked from the very tops of trees. And given their reach, it’s foliage they largely have all to themselves.

Enjoying an early morning breakfast...

As we leave the giraffes, I spot a kettle of vultures. (I know, you’re starting to think I’m showing off all the collective nouns I’ve never been able to use previously and you’re probably right, but it does make for a great trivia game!) There are more than 20 of them in the trees waiting to feast on the left-over carcasses from the kills that have occurred during the night. It’s not a pretty sight when gore-encrusted vultures take over a rotting carcass that no other scavenger wants, but even the animal kingdom has its acknowledged waste masters to clean up the leftovers. 

Vultures can always be relied upon to clean up the scraps

Rounding a corner, we discover a lone ostrich breakfasting on a patch of fresh grass. Standing tall and weighing upwards of 130kg, these ancient flightless birds escape predators by running at 70km/h which looking at them just doesn’t seem possible. They are also known to disguise themselves by lying flat on the ground to resemble a pile of dirt. Who knew ostriches could be so clever?



These guys can run when they have to...

We pass more zebras, one of which is hobbling with a fresh gash above its hind leg suggesting it had been attacked during the night and looked unlikely to survive. Stopping momentarily, we watch a jackal feasting on the remains of a carcass and then, just like that the park gates emerge and our African safari adventure is at an end.

A jackal with some early morning breakfast still in its mouth

As we pass through the park gates I reluctantly begin to pack up my camera gear and reflect on an amazing 36-hour visit. I decide then and there that I will be back for another safari in the future. As that infamous advertising slogan so appropriately says ‘once just isn’t enough.’

But I also fear what state Masai Mara will be in another decade or two from now. A recent article in the Kenyan Standard newspaper pointed out that current signals point to a bleak future for the national reserve whose popularity has drawn droves of tourists and investors in numbers that have reached a point where its sustainability appears impossible.

It seems government officials, both at the national and county levels, who have chosen to simply add up the visitor numbers and the revenues that their visits bring and ignore the impact that this is having on the ecosystem, are guilty of poor management of this fragile and critically endangered eco-system. The hospitality industry too, whose players have cut corners in erecting facilities and tour operators that veer off track to get visitors closer to the animals forcing them to get up and walk in order to secure better photos for their passengers, also share the blame. I witnessed this first-hand myself and was appalled at the actions of obvious ‘cowboy’ operators who it seems simply pay off the rangers to gain ‘unofficial’ access to the park. Sadly, corruption is rife in Kenya and you don’t have to look far to find it.

Kenya’s natural environment is inspiring but also troubled. The county is home to some of East Africa’s most beautiful landscapes, from it’s signature savannah to palm fringed coastlines with towering mountains, parched deserts and dense forests in between. Aside from ongoing issues with corruption, Kenya also faces a host of environmental issues that challenge the very sustainability of its future, with impacts upon everything from climate change and food security through to the viability of protected areas and the ever present issue of poaching. Like so many things Kenyan, it’s a complicated, fascinating story.

I just hope in another few decades it can still be the wild, exhilarating and captivating place that it is currently. Sadly, I have my doubts which is why I decided to go now, before it’s too late. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Acknowledgement: With thanks to Lonely Planet Kenya for some of the factual material contained within this post