Jan 26-Jan 30, 2024:
After a quick overnighter in Nairobi at the Four Points Sheraton Nairobi (there aren’t
direct flights from Lamu to Masai Mara, also referred to as “Maasai Mara”) we headed
to Wilson Airport (a smaller airport in Nairobi that does a lot of the smaller
flights out into the bush for safaris). We had previously weighed our luggage before
heading to Kenya, making sure to keep it all under 20 KG (about 44 lbs.) per person (cumulative
of checked luggage and handbags). Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that for the
safari jumpers, the weight was 15 KG (33 lbs.) per person (including your purse,
checked bag, everything coming with you on the airplane). After some back and
forth, we made it all work, but I’ll definitely pack less next time!
It was a decent-sized plane all things considered (about 20 seats) and the flight took under an hour before we landed in the open Mara airstrip (which is basically a dirt parking lot where cars park and airplanes land). As we landed, we spotted an elephant and a hippo from the air (off to a good start!).
Waiting for us right outside when the airplane landed were
two Maasai warriors named Simon and Peter. Simon was to be our driver during
out stay at our Offbeat Ndoto and Peter would be our spotter. Both were
incredibly friendly and welcoming and they helped us throw our stuff in the truck
before taking off towards the camp in the middle of the Mara.
On the drive to camp, we saw 18 different species (thank you
Irina for keeping count!). We saw all different types of antelope from topi to impala,
zebras, giraffes, elephants, hyenas, warthogs, a bunch of different birds, and
even a cheetah – just to name a few! It was pretty spectacular to see these
animals in such large numbers and out in the wild, but also to see them just up
to close. At one point we had to stop because a herd of elephants crossed
directly in front of our truck!
As we pulled into the camp, there was an entire welcome
party of Maasai warriors and camp staff waiting for us with some chilled
beverages. Everyone shook our hands and then got us settled in. The camp was definitely
“glamping” (or whatever the next step above that is!). Our private tent was stylishly
furnished and came with a full legit bed, full electricity with lights and
charging ability, a heated shower, a flushing toilet, and wood floors (each
tent was sitting on a concrete foundation pad). It was pretty awesome and definitely
not quite what I’d imagined when I heard camping (something I was quite thrilled
with as I’m much more an “outsidey” type person than “outdoorsy!”). The camp
also has a beautiful lounge and dining area, chef, full staff, wifi, and a full
bar. It was also completely run off solar with everything being very focused on
sustainable and environmentally friendly use.
After a really nice lunch with some chilled wine, we met a
few of the other “campers” (I’m going to use the term campers fairly loosely because
this place was really really nice!). The camp had 7 tents total (most of the Masai
run camps in the Mara have about 5-7 tents total and there is a maximum of no
more than 12 camps on Masai land to make sure it doesn’t become too
concentrated). Also at the camp were two British couples (one on their
honeymoon and another enjoying some adventurous travel together) and an older
German woman from Munich who was traveling alone (she shared that she’s been
married for 30 years and for the past 20 she leaves her husband for a month and
goes on safari, apparently he’s not as into seeing the wildlife).
After afternoon tea (served daily at 4 before the evening
game drive), all of us camper sets left with our individual trucks and drivers
(because we were a family of 5, we had a fairly large truck for our family,
plus Simon and Peter). Prior to jumping in, they asked for our preference for
our “sundowner drinks” (i.e. red wine, gin and tonic, etc.) and packed them
away for the drive.
During our drive, we learned a bit more about the Maasai
warriors and their land conservation efforts through the Masai Mara Conservancy. In an effort to conserve the land,
pool resources, and save the animals, 3,000 different Maasai landowners have pooled their land to create the conservation we were on. They run the camps for
income (at Offbeat Ndoto where we were staying, 90% of the staff are Maasai),
charge entry for visiting the conservation, and also utilize alternating parts
of the grassland for cattle grazing (there are over 3,000 cows on the Maasai
conservatory with cows being very valuable to the Maasai people). Simon also
shared with us a bit about his family. He was married with two children and shared
that like all Maasai, he had to pay a dowry (of cows) for his wife to her
father. He proudly shared that she was very expensive and he had to pay 6 cows
for her because she had an education and went to school.
It was also during this drive that I became very acquainted
with my new toilet for the next week (the area behind the back two wheels of a
truck). For some reason, I had to go to the bathroom about every two hours
(Letizia and Irina said it has something to do with being so close to the equator.
Maybe it was that, maybe it was the amount of water I was drinking, or maybe it
was the malaria meds. Who knows? All I
know is that I got very acquainted with the backs of these safari trucks
and the brown paper bags where the tissue was placed after use. I also now have
a much greater understanding of the look my little dog Tortellini makes when she’s
using the restroom outside and other living things are getting too close to
her. That’s how I felt except the other living things were elephants and
hyenas.)
The Mara had experienced a lot of rain so it was pretty muddy, but it also meant there was a lot of green grass for the animals and it was so uplifting to see so many happy, healthy animals (think Lion King opening “Circle of Life” scene). This drive we saw some water buffalo, jackals, probably a hundred zebras and more antelope species, a cheetah, elephants, and a beautiful rainbow.
At around 6:30, we pulled on top of a large hill and watched
the sunset and a group of elephants in the distance while wrapped in shukas and
drinking our sundowner drinks (a gin and tonic for me) – it was fairly magical.
After loading back into the car, it soon turned dark, there was lightning and
thunder, and our car got stuck in the road. While at first we got a little spooked,
another truck quickly came with some rope and pulled us out before we had any wildlife
encounters. Once back at camp, they had prepared a beautiful multi-course meal
(with desert!) for us and we went over the wake-up plan for the next morning
(which admittedly was a little early for me, but when on safari…).
At 6am we got what I like to call “rooster service” as someone
knocked on our tent with a tray of French press coffee, some milk, and a small
tray of English biscuit cookies. It was a gentler way of getting folks like me
up, out of the tent, and into the truck by the 6:30 leave time. Rocking my safari
boots, safari hat, and outfit – out I stumbled with my coffee to-go cup at 6:27
just in time to see some of the sun starting to rise (which was admittedly
beautiful).
Seeing the sunrise and sunset over the Mara was absolutely breathtaking,
especially over the grasslands where you’d see hundreds of different species
like the different antelopes and zebras mixed together so peacefully. On our
morning drive that day we saw giraffes, dik diks (adorable teeny tiny deer-like
antelopes which are always in pairs because they mate for life, apparently when
one dies, the other will also die of heartbreak. They weigh only about 5 KG so
they are so small and soooooo cute!), we saw a beautiful ostrich, baby and full
grown hyenas, AND LIONS!! The lion siting was particularly unique because we
got to see the just after effect of a kill with the fresh carcass of a buffalo still
being torn apart by the lions while the other animals like the hyenas and
jackals lingered close-by waiting for the lions to give them some scraps. (The
lions included one big male lion and 4 lady lions).
After seeing the lion’s, we had our breakfast on the river and got to see about 20 hippos in the water (including some adorable baby hippos who were learning to swim!) Fun fact, apparently hippos can hold their breath for 5-6 minutes (and they stay in the water because they sunburn very easily!).
The days continued about the same each day. Early wake-up
(dressed in layers as it was fairly chilly in the mornings), morning game drive
with sunrise, breakfast out in the Mara (one day they surprised us with a full
beautiful breakfast set-up complete with a table, chairs, and a cook making
everything in an outdoor kitchen!), then lunch back at camp, 2 hours to
nap/chill, tea at 4pm, evening game drive at 5 with sundowners (bringing layers
to add on as it gets cold), dinner, be guided back to your tent by an camp guide
(for safety), sleep, do it again.
Seeing so many different animal species and in such big
numbers was nothing short of remarkable! At one point we saw a tower of
giraffes with about 20 giraffes! We also one night drove up to what seemed like
the real-life version of pride rock and found over a dozen lions (including
some really little lion cubs!) just snoozing and chilling. At one point, we
literally forded a river in the truck (and then forded it again on the way back
only to be blocked by a tower of giraffes we had to wait for to move!).
The Offbeat Ndoto team and camp was also amazing and I would
definitely recommend it for any first-time safari goer looking to see a lot of
animals and support community-led conservation efforts.
The only downside to my time at the Mara was the Malaria
meds did start to affect me a little bit from a mental health perspective starting
day 2 at the Mara when I felt a really noticeable drop in my natural serotonin
levels. (We took Larium which G’s family has taken for years when they visit
and were also on and didn’t have any challenges, but I guess I have a bit more
sensitive psyche. I had taken the Larium knowing the potential and
well-advertised mood side effects because obviously getting malaria would be
much worse and the other two options have to be taken every day and are known
to cause a lot of stomach discomfort, plus I figured if G’s family had always
taken them and was fine, I would be to). By the time we got to Samburu, I think
my body had naturally adjusted because I felt more like my happy joyful self again,
but they did take me for a bit of a ride. I think if I were to take them again,
I would most likely consider taking some serotonin supplements with them.
Overall, it was an incredible experience! Our wonderful guide Simon took us on one last drive as we went to the airstrip - it was a quick flight back to Nairobi where we'd hop off the flight, hang out for an hour, and jump on an even tinier airplane to Samburu! The adventure continues!
Things I'm glad I packed because we wore them every day:
- Safari straw sun hat with wind lanyard and spf baseball cap for G
- Amazon basics t-shirts, Amazon basics lightweight packable puffer in green, convertible hiking pants that zip off to become shorts (2 pairs)
- Comfortable leather hiking boots, leather Birkenstocks, and higher ankle socks
- small cheap sling bag
- Portable cell phone charger
- Mosquito spray and mini sunscreens, sunglasses
- Gloves, summer scarf, multiple sweatpants, more than 1 long-sleeve button up shirt (it wasn't as cold as I'd prepared for)
- As many clothes as I'd packed (all the camps offer free daily laundry, they just won't do ladies underwear, but they provide detergent for you to do it yourself).
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