Flying into the Maasai Mara

We had one last breakfast at the Sunbird. Julius and Peter our drivers turned up at 8am.

The drive to the 'airport' was surprisingly smooth - with road lines! Such a novelty after a week in Nakuru. We got there early and waited by a rusty gate to an empty paddock. After an hour, two rusty planes turned up. It was sad saying goodbye to Julius and Peter - I felt like crying. I knew neither of them had been on a plane before and really wanted to. I waved to them out of the window under the wing. The plane had a distinctive coffin-like feel to it, with no doors apart from the back one and a low roof.

The airport

Peter and Julius

I soon forgot about this as the plane took off above the zebras below and spectacular views. The ground lowered and turned brown as we headed west. 40 minutes later we landed in the Maasai Mara. Wildebeest scattered off the runway as we touched down. So many animals I was unsure if it was safe to walk out freely.

The plane

Hippos!

The Mara river

Landing

Maasai warriors and green land cruisers waited for us. It was definitely safari town! I took the last front sea in an open jeep with no walls.

Our driver Tom said it's be 5km to Mara River Lodge. In that distance we saw a lioness running around in pure daylight. With nothing between me and her, I shrank back to the isle, as we plunged into the trees she was hiding in.

Trying to smile while terrified of lion encounter less than 2 meters away with no walls

The lodge was basic but incredible. With an eating area over the river bend there were 50 odd grey hippos snorting in the brown water. There was also a crocodile, an electric fence separated us, but the generator only ran an hour during the day and in the evening.

Monkeys, hippos and a croc at the breakfast table

We each got small but cozy rooms. Geckos sprinted away from our feet, it was stifling hot.

Our safari left at 3.30 with Tom in the same jeep. We saw so many animals, the number and seeing them so close to each other was incredible! Zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, warthogs, gazelle, elam, other deer-like creatures, mongooses, a herd of buffalo, secretarial bird, a herd of elephants...

Last but not least we picked up a ranger and dropped him at a broken down van, delaying us half an hour after dark. We were speeding to get and almost ran over a cheetah on the road! It was a beautiful creature.

We sat on the deck and drank tuska in the dark while the hippos snorted.