Masai Mara National Reserve

We boarded a 7:30am flight from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR).  Why is it called a National Reserve and not a National Park?  I think it’s a country’s preference or perhaps it’s not big enough to be called a National Park.  But for all intents and purposes it is a National Park.

We were met by our drivers/guides Martin and John.  Just as we were coming, another OAT group is leaving.  This is how frequent OAT runs these safaris.  There were other group coming and leaving as well.

Arriving at the Masai Mara National Reserve

We did not waste any time driving to our lodge.  Our first game-viewing drive starts as we drove to the Nahdy Travel Mara Sentrim Lodge.  I can't believe the abundance and variety of animals we saw:  giraffe, elephants, lions, wildebeest, zebras, etc.  They are all in their natural habitats.

Game drive vehicle with pop-up roof

A Majestic Giraffe

Herd of Wildebeests

A Male Lion and his mate

An Elephant

The MMNR is contiguous and north of the Serengeti in Tanzania.  Wild animals don't know anything about the border between Kenya and Tanzania.  To them it is one big expanse of land to roam.  Every year around July these wild animals migrate from the plains of Serengeti to find new pasture in the MMNR.  This is called the Great Migration and is one of the most impressive wildlife events of the world.    More than a million wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of zebras, gazelles, and smaller numbers of elands and topis move north to feed on fresh pasture before returning to the Serengeti in October and November.  This is the reason why I signed up for this tour in July.

By the time we arrived in Kenya, most of the migration had already happened, a few weeks before that.  That's why we saw so many animals in the MMNR.  We spent three days driving around the reserve looking for animals.  We were not disappointed.

Topis and Zebras

Impalas

Cape Buffalo

I capped off my visit to the MMNR with a hot-air balloon ride.  I have never been on a hot-air balloon before.  I thought this would be a good way to see the MMNR.  I also signed up for another balloon ride in the Serengeti.  

We were given a briefing the night before by one of the representatives from the ballon company.  We started very early the next morning, at about 4:30am, and it took about 30 minutes to drive to the balloon launch site.  There were quite a lot of people and a lot of balloons there.  Several balloon companies run the balloon business.  Sixteen of us were picked to go into the same ballon. There were five of us from our OAT group.

Two giant fans are used to inflate the balloon

Turning on the burner to heat the air in the balloon

We were give instructions on how to get into the balloon and eventually get out.  Once the balloon is properly inflated we got into the basket and took our positions sitting down but lying backwards.  The captain then turns on the burner to heat up the air in the balloon and soon we are upright.  We sat up and slowly we lifted off.  It was a smooth liftoff and soon we are higher up in the air.  

The balloon goes where the wind blows.  The only thing the pilot can control is the height by turning on or off the burners.  It was a beautiful sight from above.  The captan helped us identify animals we see on the ground and pointed out different landmarks.  The entire ride took about 1 hour.  The ground crew followed the ballon in vehicles to help us when we land.  

The burner is on and we are ready for take off

Other balloons are launching at about the same time

Groups of wildebeests seen from above

A view of the lush fields and river

A picture with the captain after we landed

The lodge where we stayed is just outside the MMNR.  However, there are no fence separating the lodge from the reserve.  Wild animals do wonder around the lodge.  Because of that, whenever we leave our room at night, guards will be there to escort us.  These guards are stationed around the property and are mostly native Masais.  They are used to encountering wild animals and know how to react to them.

My room

At night the mosquito net is put down