It is a long hard drive from Lake Nakuru to the Serena Lodge in Masai Mara. The roads get bad 100 kms from the Mara. We were told that Mara actually means something like “spotty” since there are so few trees in this amazing expanse of grasslands or Savana that from afar gives the effect of small “spots” of trees. The scale of the park is inspiring and it is completely dedicated to wildlife. Consequently the rich grasslands provide for about one million wildebeests and many types of antelopes which in turn provide food for the carnivors. There are many Lions, less leopards and cheetahs but also hyenas, jackals and other scavengers.
It was still very green and some impassible tracks from previous rains. The wildebeests had mostly already migrated south to Tanzania but there were still herds of perhaps 50-100 seemingly running all the time. They must be the most stupid of animals as they dive into the river Mara and drown or be eaten by crocodiles in their hundreds. When not migrating they become the target of Lions. Luckily there are so many of them that they clearly flourish.
One of the tourist “must dos” is a balloon ride at dawn over the Mara – but it is not cheap. The cost is 250 pounds per person for a ride which lasts 1 hour max. I think in earlier days they flew balloons low to see game but this disturbed the herds too much. Consequently the flights are now higher and although they must give a panoramic view over the Mara – to me it seems not worth it. Luckily we hadn’t pre-booked and turned down the last minute deal as the dawn turned out to be cloudy that day. My advice is forget it and – and use the 500 pounds to pay the bar bills for your stay in Kenya !
The Masai Mara is a unique expanse which joins into to the Serengetti in Tanzania. There are too many tourist buses which follow wildlife but they are restricted normally to set paths close to the lodges and camps. The park is large and with the Serengetti makes probably the largest remaining true Savanna wild park in the world. Tourism funds the park – so it has to be worth it. Everything seems in ballance for the widlife – Lions, Elephants, Zebras are thriving and healthy with sufficient food all round. There is no over population of one single species- (except man that is !). This is how nature must have functioned in perfect balance for millions of years until we turned up to upset everything.
Probably even this doesn’t matter in the long life of the earth – as 10000 years is just a blip in what is a very rare planet which seems to promote and sustain life.
