Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
Masai Mara
Days in the Mara merge into one another. The routine is the same - up early, a light breakfast and out just before first light. As we are now right in the middle of the park you never know what’s around the corner. Just imagine, within 700 yards of the camp coming across Kike (a cheetah) who decided she needed to use the Landrover as a spotting platform, jumping up first onto the bonnet then onto the roof. I am not sure Pam has recovered from the excitement, it was exciting even for someone of my experience, what a start to the day!
Some days we are out from dawn to dusk, with a buffet lunch somewhere in the middle of the plains under an acacia tree like my grandparents did in the years gone by. Other days we return to camp in the heat of the midday sun. During the morning we stop for a well-earned break, tea, coffee, sandwiches and cake. I try very hard to get into camp just before last light but have to admit it doesn’t happen too often as invariably something exciting happens or there is just one more place I need to check on the way back.
It is difficult to give a day by day account as it depends entirely on the game. However, we will have been tracking events for some time so we will have an extremely good idea of what’s where. But as we all know animals can be so unpredictable and that’s the fascination of wildlife. So even if I have made a rough plan it often happens, and in many cases virtually straight away, that circumstances change my mind and we’re off in a different direction to enjoy another wildlife happening.
Why don’t you read the diary entries, A Day in the Mara and A day following the Migration as they give a personal view of events which probably summarise a good day, and we have very many of them.
I am not sure what else I can say except no two days are the same. Concentrating on the whole Mara does mean the days are varied. We may choose to stake out a potential river crossing with huge herds of wildebeest banking up giving us a chance to concentrate on action. After all that is exactly how the professionals get results. One thing is for sure you will never be bored but tired, yes!
See why the Mara is the ‘Jewel of Africa’
© Freemansafaris.com 2012
The Mara gave us so much, we saw a jackal kill a Thomson’s, lion everyday, cheetah four of our five days, eagles, wildebeest crossing the Mara river, crocodiles, hippos, the rare bat-eared fox, mongoose, hyena, warthog, buffalo, vervets, baboons….
Jay