There are places you visit in your life as a traveler that resonate particularly with you and make you say “I’ll probably go back someday”. And then there’s Kenya and its majestic Maasai Mara National Reserve. A Noah’s Ark of wildlife that brings these beautiful landscapes to life. A place you end up leaving, thinking: “How soon can I go back?”
Located in the South West of Kenya, the Maasai Mara is contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Home of the Maasai people, it is globally famous for its exceptional wildlife, and for hosting one of the most incredible natural events in the World – the Great Migration. A place where Disney found inspiration for Simba (Lion in Swahili), Pumbaa (Warthog in Swahili) and all the characters and story of the Lion King.
Every day in the Mara is like a new adventure. Inside your jeep, with no protection and no particular path to follow, you drive around this incredible place that gives you a feeling of what the Earth looked like before the human race took it over. There, lions are the kings of the land. Elephants are freely roaming and breaking trees, here and there. Giraffes are graciously eating the leaves of the tallest trees. Hippos and crocodiles share the Mara River, which twice a year about 1.5 million wildebeest and zebras have to cross during the migration.
A spectacle even better than in any of your dreams!
Zebras tend to live in small harems, and are very common in the Mara. I couldn’t resist shooting this reflection of them, drinking in a water hole.
Have you had the opportunity to make it to Africa yet? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comment section below. Were you as enthralled as I was? What were your highlights and where did you go?