Masai Mara

Freeman Safaris

‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’

You promised me a memorable Mara safari.
Wow! How you kept your promise!
From the moment I alighted from the aircraft and set foot in the Mara to the time we said our goodbyes, every hour of the 8 days I spent with you and your fabulous team was full of experiences never to be forgotten. Even through the night I heard the welcoming sounds of the animals I had come to enjoy the company of; the unforgettable heart throbbing roar of the Lion, Hippos bellowing and munching grass outside my tent, a Leopard (Olive?) with her throaty cough-like roar... and more.

In the Mara they talk not of the big five; but the big "six", Lion, Rhino, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and the Cheetah. In the first three days I got super shots (camera!) of them all. AND the Rhino was a black one (out in the open); after four safaris I finally got the shot!
Other highlights: A memorable Cheetah kill, speed that must be seen to be believed as she finally brought down the young impala. Mating Lions. Lioness carrying her two-week old cub (unfortunately the cub was dead two days later due to maternal neglect). Marvellous close encounters with Elephants. The courtship display of the Kori Bustard. A hard to spot and seldom seen Nightjar. Two spectacular Wildebeest migration crossings of the Mara River. As seen on TV, but you have to be there in person to really appreciate the sight and sounds of this truly remarkable event. The resident Leopard Olive, and her two generations of male cubs play-fighting; what a time spent watching these superb animals. No dashing off to find the next animal like most other safari groups. You and your team of excellent driver/guides ensure we have time to photograph, observe and study the animal’s behaviour. You also know how to get us into position for the best view and best light for photography. How Martin managed to anticipate the animal’s next move and be in position for THAT shot was remarkable.

I cannot fail to mention my fellow guests, they were all super and great fun to be with. They even tolerated my many senior moments and my down to earth Yorkshire manner and sense of humour. It would be a real pleasure to meet up with them again on a future Freeman safari. (Folks, if you are reading this.... keep in touch!)

You and your team left nothing to be desired (except mating Leopards or even mating Black Rhino!). The food was delicious, many a four star restaurant would find it difficult to match. Obi, you are a marvel, and what a welcome to dinner was your samosas..... Yummy.

Trevor, October 2011

Why is the Mara the Jewel of Africa?

The simple answer is that it matches everyone’s wildlife expectations. I have no hesitation in calling it the ‘Jewel of Africa’ for the simple reason that everyone, including people who have visited many other parts of Africa, all tell me so. I can hear many of you say I am biased but I assure you this is not the case and, as I am told it so often, let me tell you why.

The Mara quite simply provides one of the greatest wildlife experiences in the world. Where else can you see millions of migrating animals passing through each year in search of grass and water? Where else can you watch lions, leopards and cheetahs, day in day out, making kills out in the open plains, from start to finish? Where else can you see cubs of all the cats, not just once but often and on every safari. Or see the big males out in the open? The list of these and other species is endless.

First of all let me give you a very brief thumb sketch of ‘my area’ right in the middle of the real Mara, where all the action takes place where ‘no white mini buses fly’.

The Mara is 1,510 square kilometres in area and is located 275km from Nairobi within the Great Rift Valley at an altitude of 1,500 metres above sea level. The climate is rarely too hot and usually quite cool at night. There is occasional rain all year round. However there are rainy seasons in November/December and April/May.

The Masai Mara consists of many different eco-zones. There are the wetlands, the grasslands, the riverine forests, the Mara river itself, and the seasonal rivers and gullies. Each zone has its own characteristics which are, very briefly:

The wetlands

Mainly seasonal and occur where there is black cotton soil, and we all know how slippery that becomes! When wet, water is trapped at the surface or underground.

The Grasslands

The plains, which cover the vast majority of the Mara, are typical rolling savannah consisting of Red Oat and Thatch grasses with odd scattered trees. It is this area that supports the huge herds of wildebeest and zebras.

The Riverine Forests

These are now mainly confined to the banks of the Mara and Talek rivers and are home to buffalo, water buck and hundreds of birds.

The Mara River

The Mara meanders southwards through the park, in places between steep banks and over rocks, creating rapids and pools. It is home for a large number of hippos as well as the huge Nile crocodiles, who prey on the migrating herds as they run the gauntlet of crossing and re-crossing the river from June through to Oct.

Seasonal Rivers and Gullies

The Talek and Sandy rivers are probably the best known of these. These are seasonal rivers which are often a torrent but in the main just a trickle or a series of pools. The Talek river, the most famous, is home to a number of lovely leopards. The gullies fill up with water which runs off the plains creating a series of pools. These provide water not only to the grazing animals but also to the many different birds.

It is this diverse habitat, and particularly the open grasslands, that supports the great migration. It also supports indigenous species such as topi, Thomson’s gazelles, Buffalos and the many Wildebeest and Zebras that choose to remain behind. And, of course, these in turn support the lions, over 500 it is said, as well as cheetahs and leopards many other predators.

Well, that’s the technical stuff done so let me explain why my ‘back garden’ is so unique.

On every safari, and I mean every single one, we go out and enjoy the park from dawn to dusk., We enjoy large and small wildlife experiences, from the Tommy giving birth and the calf instinctively getting to its feet, to big lion making a kill out in the open. We are able to follow the cats throughout the season, the cheetah with her three cubs from last year is still here and her cubs are nearly fully grown. She is about to abandon them to their own devices. We have been able to observe them throughout their lives, seeing them hunt many times. We see a cheetah kill on every safari and so far we have enjoyed eight hunts in the last week.

I can go on and on giving you examples but you only have to read my Newsletters to get the true feeling of the Mara, the huge open spaces, the drama down on the river crossings, the big cats and their cubs, the sheer numbers of game. It is just pure magic, it’s Africa at its very best. I can honestly say I can’t remember anyone ever being disappointed and that is why so many of you return so often. Some even return every year as there are always new things to see, new experiences to enjoy, better pictures to take.

What makes it even better is the location of my camp, right bang in the middle of where all the action takes place. Literally every major part of the park, the Mara and Talek rivers, the major river crossings, Musiara swamp, Paradise and Topi plains, Rhino Ridge - nowhere that counts is more than 30 minutes away.

Unfortunately I don’t think that the Mara will remain in its present fantastic state for ever because more and more regulations will be applied, the infrastructure will be like an artificial safari park to meet international standards. Also there is increasing pressure on the surrounding land and, as a result there is encroachment of cattle into the park as herds increase in size, more permanent manyattas are built and, more worryingly, huge areas are now being used to grow grain, denying the passage of game. So it will cease to be the back yard I have loved for nearly all my life. When it becomes another ‘Kruger’ I just won’t want to know and will say ‘Kwaheri’. How far away that is I simply don’t know but it won’t be too long from now.

So if you want to enjoy it the way it is, the way it should be, then join me for a real ‘Yesterday’s Safari today’ You won’t be disappointed but whatever happens don’t leave it too long..

The Masai Mara