Sunday, November 17, 2013

MAASAI MARA SAFARI


The Maasai Mara is a large game reserve in Narok County Kenya.  It is named in honor of the Maasai people (the ancestral inhabitants of the area) and their description of the area when looked at from afar.   "Mara," which is Maa (Maasai language) for "spotted," an apt description for the circles of trees, scrub, savanna, and cloud shadows that mark the area. 
 
When it was originally established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary the Mara covered only 520 sq. kilometres (200 sq. mi) of the currant area, including the Mara Triangle.  The area was extended to the east in 1961 to cover 1,821 km (703 sq mi) and converted to a game reserve. 
 
The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland with seasonal riverlets.  In the south-east region are clumps of the distinctive acacia tree.  Wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good, while tourist disruption is minimal.  Wildebeest, topi, zebra and Thomson's gazelle migrate into and occupy the Mara reserve, from the Serengeti plains to the south and Loita plains in the pastoral ranches to the north-east, from July to Oct or later.  All members of the "Big Five" (lion, leopard, African elephant, African buffalo, and Black Rhinoceros) are found in the Maasai Mara. 
 
It was named in 2006 as the 8th wonder of the world because of its uniqueness of the area and the preservation it provides to so many species living in harmony.  It's understable  because the annual migration is the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth and we were able to see this.  Maasai Mara is about 5 hours to drive from Nairobi or by plane it takes 45 min.  We boarded a plane and it was great to see all the animals roaming around together.

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