|
|
Marvels Of The Masai Mara Game Reserve. A Safari Into The Mara Is An Escapade To The Finest Wildlife Park.
Evidently the Mara is the greatest savanna of Africa Safari. A bird's eye view of the action below stirs my expectation.
Within a short time of flying into the Mara, we locate an elephant and giraffes below, and on the banks of the Talek River, a pair of hippos partly visible from the water.
It's end of June, just following long rains and the season before the great migration and the savanah is full of tall golden green grass of different types.
As we ride through, we come across many Thomson's gazelles grazing by the road.
Farther, a parenting cheetah with a rounded belly looks our way as it eats what remains of an antelope. Meanwhile the cub is still savoring the kill, its nose red with blood.
"Cheetahs are diurnal. They hunt in the daytime," explains the guide. "They are not as well-built as lions and leopards, so they eat fast or else their kill will be taken. They can even be chased away by packs hyenas or vultures."
Minutes away, we run into another cheetah with her two cubs on an anthill. They scrutinize us warily but the mother's ears pick the sounds of the cowbells and she sits up alert, scanning the plains. The flock of Masai cows is far far off and seeing no danger to her cubs, she slops down again, peaceful.
The big rains have ended and the plains are full of long grass making it challenging for the smaller wildlife to graze. Mostly it is the sizeable animals like giraffes and elephants and the bigger antelopes that can be effortlessly be seen around.
This makes hunting difficult for the cats and they end up with strange strategies. It is not uncommon to see lions and cheetahs trying to climb trees and anthills to get a high vantage point for spotting prey.
Cheetahs claws never foldup like those other cats and do not generally climb trees, but because they have to locate prey, they'll attempt anything.
Cheetahs, unlike other predators, are not strong so they hunt minor antelopes, by pursuing them to weariness as aim for the jugular vein of their prey to make a fast kill.
moments after sighting the second cheetah, we come across another cheetah Mother (Shakira).
"Shakira had five cubs but two were killed," the guide quips. "Cheetah mothers often keep relocating when they have cubs to dodge lions and leopards mauling their cubs."
Further on a pride of twelve lions shows up comprising of a male, females and cubs. The male roars, the roar echoing over the plains, as it rolls over on its back. The females get up ready to prowl the plains.
"This is my ideal time in the Masai Mara," says the guide, "because there is minimal traffic and makes it easy to spot animals."
In another full week it will be July, and the plains will start to fill with wildebeests as they cross from the Serengeti.
There will be a million plus wildebeests crossing the Sand River and heading to the other end of the Mara before turning to make the cyclic voyage. By the end of November, the grass will be consumed by the wildebeests and some 400000 zebras and other animals.
In one afternoon, within a radius of 10 km, we have spotted numerous wildlife. What a way to start off our Masai Mara safari.
The following morning, as the sun rises in the horizon, the plains seem calmer. This sunrise we go out in search for the big five.
Traveling To Pulau Redang: The Perfect Beach Holiday Resort And Diving Paradise In South East Asia Region Pulau Redang is a well known holiday destination and snorkelling paradise in South East Asia. It is an awesome holiday destination not only due to its compelling beauty, white sandy beach and azure sea water, but also because of its beautiful corals, and a national marine park that has plenty of attractive marine life.
Understand How You Could Find Time To Spend Together With A Romantic Getaway Thought When you and your significant other want to take a break, a romantic getaway idea is the best way to rest, rejuvenate and revitalize your individual self as well as your partner's.
Study How You Can Be Benefited By Romantic Winter Getaway Going away together on romantic winter getaway might be something that you have never thought of doing. There are more and more romantic winter getaways that you might find interesting or entertaining, and there are lots of benefits to these.
Planning For Your Forthcoming Tour, From 12v Air Compressors To Additional Rolls Of Film Planning for a road trip is always a very exciting proposition. However, it's one that you need to take a bit of extra time on, in order to make sure that you're properly prepared.
Travel Planning Tips Are Ultilised By Citizens For Better Vacations Are you tired of vacationing in the same spots? If so you may need the best travel planning tips. Do you want to arrange a family vacation using the best travel planning tips in a location you'll never forget ?
World Travel Guides Reference Egypt As An Excellent Vacation Spot Looking at any world travel guide that references the south of Egypt; one will find which is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser built in 2630 BC. Pyramid of Pepi II, also located at Saqqara was the last pyramid built by ancient Egyptians.
Main Tourist Attractions That You Must Drop By During Your Bali Tour Bali is the most famous holiday destination in Asia, with many beautiful coastline, spectacular scenery, picturesque hillside rice terraces and rich heritage with over 20000 temples. It is voted regularly as the world most enchanting holiday destination by tourists who enjoy their Bali tour.
Exactly Where To Help Shop Around Whenever Anyone Holidays In Bali As many other tourist destinations in the world, Bali also has a lot of places to shop from the high class fashion outlets such as DKNY, Polo, or Tommy Hilfiger to the Local shop outside the road that we can enjoy bargaining the price.
Cheap Flights To Islamabad. If you are looking for flights to Islamabad from London, you will not have many difficulties in finding a suitable flight.
Choosing The Right Bristol Airport Parking When you need to get a great parking spot and your in a hurry to the airport Bristol Airport Parking has much to offer. Along with the ease of service leaving your car at the airport there are many great advantages in return.
All The Reasons You Need To See Leeds If you find yourself in the West Yorkshire area in the north of England, then the cheap hotels Leeds are just one reason why you should pitch up in Leeds! Leeds is a great city, one of the largest in England and there is so much to do!
Tsavo: An Incredible Gem Which Epitomizes A True East African Safari Excursion. A Quest That Echoes Runaway Memories. Privately owned and managed, Finch Hattons is one man's dream to create an ideal destination offering guests a unique opportunity to relive the golden era of the safari with elegance, first class comforts and the finest cuisine surrounded by the spectacle of the great African wilderness.
|
More Articles
Blogroll
|