A Brief Sojourn in the wild – an unforgettable night in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Try to envision a vista of wide-open spaces with vast rolling grasslands and a backdrop of dramatic cloud formations on the horizon. You gaze in wonder as a herd of graceful antelope gallop away and observe with keenness, a giraffe stretching its long neck to nibble at vegetation high up on a tree.
The Maasai Mara reserve borders Serengeti National Park and is world-famous for the annual wildebeest migration. The Mara is also home to the Big five, abundant birdlife, and its rivers are home to multitudes of crocodiles and hippos.
A safari to the Mara can be a reality, even for busy executives who are only transiting Nairobi as they proceed to yet another business meeting elsewhere. If you have a night to spare, a brief interlude in the wild will give you an unforgettable experience.
Your safari experience begins when you check-in for your flight at the Wilson airport, Nairobi’s second-largest airport located about 20 minutes’ drive from the city center. Wilson airport is a launchpad for flights heading to exotic destinations such as Diani Beach, Lamu, and Mombasa and safari destinations like Amboseli, Tsavo, and Samburu.
The terminal building has an air of adventure about it, as khaki-clad passengers embark and disembark from the small aircraft parked on the tarmac.
Finally, it is time for your adventure to begin. Your aircraft smoothly takes off and ascends above the clouds, leaving the suburbs of Nairobi far below. Keeping in mind the available time at your disposal, the wildlife lodge selected is situated right in the Mara Triangle, the location with the highest game concentration, hence maximizing time spent game viewing; there will be no need for long drives to distant parts of the reserve.
In less than an hour, your aircraft descends, and you land at a bush airstrip. Your hosts have arranged a transfer for you by the lodge driver in a 4X4 vehicle. As your vehicle makes its way to the lodge, you enjoy a taste of the game viewing experience. You may spot buffalos basking in the sun, a herd of elephants, or even a rhino.
A warm reception awaits you at the lodge; the refreshing towels and cooling tropical fruit cocktails on offer are certainly welcome.
After check-in, enjoy a bush sundowner – a unique cocktail hour that enables you to watch the sunset from a strikingly beautiful vantage point specially selected for you in the bush. After that, dine at the lodge restaurant and enjoy international as well as local cuisine.
An early wake-up call with a hot cup of tea alerts you that your morning game drive will shortly begin. Dawn is the best time of day for game spotting, as there is a lot of activity in the bush during the cooler hours of the morning. Your guide is familiar with the terrain, he knows exactly where to go, and most importantly, how to locate the elusive varieties of game.
Like many others before you, you concur that the thrill of photographing game in their natural habitat is incomparable. Watching the sunrise while listening to increasing crescendo of bird sounds is sure to be etched in your memory. Also, at an early hour such as this, catching sight of a predator moving in for the kill is a possibility!
At 9:00 a.m, you head back to the lodge for a well-earned breakfast, after which you have an expansive array of amenities to choose from at the lodge, to keep you occupied. You may opt to spend the rest of the morning at the swimming pool, or perhaps the gym facilities and spa hold more attractions for you.
After lunch, your experience in the wild draws to a close as you board the lodge vehicle to drive back to the landing strip to catch your flight to Nairobi.
The Maasai Mara is a world apart that offers you a chance to view an abundant concentration of game freely roaming in the wild, an opportunity not to be missed. It is an experience that will be the source of abundant memories that will be forever treasured.