New Horizons

Wide open spaces of the Maasai Mara

It will come as no surprise that we have a deep-rooted love for Africa, it is after all where our interest in wildlife photography was born. We’ve been back several times, to Zambia where it all started, to Botswana and to South Africa. All have special memories for us and each location differs slightly from the others. The one thing they do have in common is that in the main, all our trips have been into what I describe as ‘close bush’, no wide-open spaces.

This pattern was finally broken on our February trip to Botswana, where two of the four reserves we visited, Central Kalahari and Nxai Pan, introduced us to the wider picture. It was therefore with some excitement we embarked on our latest trip into the Masai (or if you prefer Maasai) Mara in Kenya. We selected a small camp on the edge of the National Reserve and in close proximity to the Mara River, which proved an excellent choice.

It would be easy to say this has been our best ever trip to Africa and certainly in terms of the number and quality of sightings, that would be true. In fairness to all the other trips, this one was different on a few levels. The camp only has 5 tents and numbers true Masai people among its staff. The food was excellent and we spent 9 very happy days there. The tents were very comfortable, not that we spent much time in camp, so a return visit is already in the planning stages.

Our transition from high-end camps to mobile camping in Botswana has changed the way we operate on safari. This trip has seen us somewhere between these two extremes and is very much a model for the future. It has meant we can game drive all day – typically at least 12 hours a day - in our own exclusive vehicle, which makes a big difference to our photography. I can’t see us returning to the lodges or camps that operate strict morning and afternoon game drive itineraries with a siesta between brunch and high tea.

Earlier I mentioned the number and quality of sightings, the best we have ever had. Top of the list was in excess of 100 different lions, including 8 prides. Cheetahs numbered 11 and there were 4 different Leopards. But some of the sights they gave us were special too. The kills are always bitter sweet, but it’s the law of the jungle so to speak. There were fascinating insights into the hierarchy at a kill and there were some failed hunts too.

Hopefully this post will have whet your appetite enough to want to read more and over the coming weeks I hope to blog further on various aspects of the trip.