One of the most famous Wildlife Conservation Reserves in the whole world.
Located in Kenya this area is home to a large number of lions,
elephants, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, basically, every big animal that you can imagine.
Welcome to Maasai Mara! Or as they say in Swahili: Karibu Kenya.
The Mara is a vast landscape of plains and bushes.
And it's also the home of the Maasai tribe.
That's where the name Maasai Mara comes from.
So how do you get here?
First, you take a flight to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
From there, you can either drive on the road for around 6 to 7 hours,
or take a small flight in a plane similar to this one.
The flight takes around 1 hour and the most popular airlines here are Airkenya and Safarilink.
But of course, we would recommend flying as the roads in Kenya aren't the safest.
One of the most popular safari activities here is spotting the famous Big 5.
The term "Big 5" goes back to when safaris were all about hunting and killing the animals.
The Big 5: elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo were the most difficult animals to take down.
So if you managed to do all five, you would get a special trophy.
Nowadays, we thankfully don't shoot the animals with firearms.
But with our cameras.
The Maasai Mara is home to all 5 of them.
And you're almost guaranteed to spot 4 of them.
We spotted all 4 but the rhino, the most rare and difficult to find.
For shooting wildlife with a camera,
I would definitely recommend you to get a very good zoom lens camera.
The one we have goes up to 75 mm and I think, it's not enough.
You should get at least around 200-300 mm so you can get really good pictures of the wildlife here.
You might wonder if it is safe to be around so many wild animals.
Or if Africa is a safe continent to visit for tourists.
Well, in this regard,
I can thankfully say that the area of Maasai Mara is located in one of the safest regions of Kenya.
As it's such a popular place for tourists to visit,
the government and local camps have put a lot of measures to ensure that you are safe.
There are experienced rangers and safari guides to make sure
that you enjoy your trip without having to worry about your safety.
Now she's really close to us.
Wow.
It's like 2 to 3 meters.
The animals are also quite used to the safari jeeps.
And don't see them as prey or a threat.
Most of the time, you will see the animals surprisingly unimpressed by your presence.
During our stay in the Mara,
we got to see the last of the largest animal migration in the world:
the Great Wildebeest Migration. Every year, more than 2 million animals, mostly wildebeest,
but also accompanied by zebras and gazelles
migrate through the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
Following the seasonal rains in hopes of green grazing land and water.
The best time to see this, are the months of July to September.
It is easily one of the most thrilling and spectacular displays of wildlife behaviour.
And the Maara River crossing is considered the climax of the migration period.
Actually, we wish we would've come even a bit sooner.
As we were already a little late for it. The sheer sight of the animals running, stopping
and hesitating before the crocodile-infested river
and finally going ahead and rushing right through it,
or stumbling or falling, makes you feel anxious, excited, amazed and in awe.
All at the same time.
So this gun is for protection? From the lions?
We really wanted to walk, because all day we are driving
and we're not moving enough. And we need to move about.
One very nice and slightly scary activity we did was the nature walk.
The Maasai Mara is among the few reserves in Africa
where one can see all the Big 5.
But it's allowed to do guided nature walks.
Now, don't just run off into the savannah by yourself, though.
Leaving the safari vehicle is generally not allowed
without a guide or armed ranger, for your own protection.
Personally, I was a bit nervous leaving the safety of our safari vehicle.
And being out in the open.
But, with a few rules in mind, this can be a very safe and enjoyable activity.
One of these rules is to take an experienced guide and an armed ranger with you.
It is not expected that you will be attacked by the animals.
But it's a precaution in case of emergencies.
The guide also knows the best places to walk and will make sure that you avoid the lion territory.
If you see a big elephant, buffalo, or really any animal: don't run!
Stick together as a group, stay calm, and don't panic.
Your guide knows the best thing to do in such a case.
So this thing, this is the one we use for cooking at home
for making porridge. We just cut this and this
and we leave this alone so that when we'll be cooking, we do this.
Then this one here will be stirring the porridge.
Oh, so it's like a tool.
So it is our natural blender.
Wow!
Another very popular activity is taking a hot air balloon ride
and enjoying the Mara from a bird's perspective.
Keep in mind that the balloon rides are generally very early in the morning.
As soon as the sun rises. So you will have to get up at 4:30 or 5 a.m.
Yeah, it's going to be rock and roll, man. – So before it starts, we have to be in this position.
It really looks like astronauts preparing for a launch.
Oh yes, now it's almost straight.
There we go!
Finally! – That was smooth!
We're already up.
If you're lucky, you get to spot many animals from the top.
And even see across borders into neighbouring countries like Tanzania.
Balloon rides are super smooth and extremely peaceful.
Well, except for the take-off and the landing.
Right outside on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve,
we have the town of Talek behind me. On the other side, there's a Maasai village called ---
We will be visiting it soon to explore the culture of these Maasai tribes.
The Maasai people are arguably the most well-known tribal group in the whole of Africa
due to their distinct customs and brightly coloured dresses.
Even today, they still retain many of their semi-nomadic traditions.
But they are also welcoming tourists and visitors.
You can visit one of their villages and meet the people,
learn about their culture, enjoy dancing and singing,
and even see a typical Maasai home from the inside.
Be prepared to pay an entrance fee of around 20 Dollars per person,
depending on the village, to support their community.
Our Maasai guide welcomed us at the gate with a big smile and led us inside,
where the group performed a welcome dance for us.
As you can see, I even participated in the
tribesmen's signature jumping dance. It's called Adumu.
And it's usually a part of the coming of age ceremony of a boy here.
Our guide Chris is the son of the clan chief and he was fluent in English.
He showed us how they make fire using wooden tools and elephant dung.
So, just a little drop of this is used. – Just a drop?
So this is what is going to give us the fire. – Wow.
He also showed us the inside of one of their homes.
Which are typically built by their women. And told us that we are allowed to take photos, videos
and ask as many questions as we liked.
Yes, but the houses are very different. – Very hot.
Very dark.
Now, if you're interested in visiting the Maasai Mara in Kenya, here's how to best prepare for your trip.
Most airplanes don't allow big and hard suitcases.
So if you come by plane, check with the airline beforehand to see the weight limit
and what kind of bags are allowed.
Most camps and resorts here have a washing service that you can use.
Keep in mind that the camps you'll be staying at here are mostly tents.
Ah, so this is our tent!
Wow.
Even if they are big and comfortable, you will be very close to nature.
Our first camp wasn't even fenced and right next to the river
where we could hear and see hippos all day and night long.
Are they running from me? – This felt amazing and adventurous.
But every night, we had to be escorted by an experienced security guard
whenever we wanted to move from our tent to the dining area.
And it required us to be a bit brave. Even in the fenced camp we later stayed at,
we had baboons coming by. This is not a bad thing.
And we personally loved it.
But it's something to keep in mind if you're coming with maybe little children
or if you aren't as adventurous. You will be meeting a lot of wild animals here in Maasai Mara.
Also, be aware that you have to pay a park entry fee of around US Dollars 70 per person.
Or less, if you are an East African citizen.
This fees can usually be paid at the end of your stay in cash or with a card.
Surprisingly, US Dollars are widely accepted in Kenya.
As mentioned before, take your best camera with you.
If you want to take good pictures of all the animals while on a safari,
bring a good zoom lens.
Even though it gets quite hot during the day, in the early mornings or at night, it can become quite chilly.
So do pack a warm sweater or jacket Along with your summer clothing for the early mornings.
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See you next time!