My First African Adventure: Safari Trip Through Kenya and Tanzania

This summer, I was able to have my first adventure within the continent of Africa. This marked the final of the 6 primary continents that I have personally traveled to which in of itself was a bucket list accomplishment. My primary goal for attempting to visit during this time of year was to see the Great Migration in person. This is an annual event that occurs when large herds of herbivores move in a circulate path throughout the year from the southern grasslands of the Serengeti towards the northern grasslands within the Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya. This migration is driven by the rain as these herds are following the new grass. The herds are composed of several species but are dominated by wildebeests which number in the millions: making this the largest overland migration of wildlife in the world. While the highlight of this migration is often the river crossings since these rivers produce a choke point that creates a concentration of the herds in a single location; being able to see any aspect of the herds would have been more than enough to create a lifetime memory for me. During the time of year I was visiting, the most likely area where the herds would be located was on the border of the northern Serengeti, crossing the Maara River into Kenya.

To begin my adventure, I flew into Nairobi, the capital city and largest city within Kenya. I arrived late in the evening so the first thing I set out to do was to get some local food. Luckily, the hotel I was staying at had their own restaurant with a diverse menu to try. My first meal in Kenya was some Mbuzi, a local goat with a side of a local cooked maize flour known as ugali. I felt all fueled up for the first safari of the trip; Amboseli National Park. This is a national park known for diverse wildlife and large herds of elephants that is located on the southern edge of Kenya, on the border with Tanzania. Once the park crosses over into Tanzania; it becomes Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. I was picked up from my hotel at 5 in the morning and my guide and I set out towards Amboseli; a drive of roughly 4 hours. Since this national park is on the edge of the Mt. Kilimanjaro plains, the mountain can be seen within the park on clear days. Although the weather did not cooperate during my safari, I was still able to catch glimpse of the mountain, scratching another item off my bucket list. Instead of the mountain, the wildlife throughout the park was out in incredible numbers and I was able to see nearly every animal that lives within this national park. The highlight of this first safari was an up-close encounter with a herd of elephants, being able to witness a family of 6 cheetahs, and overlooking an open plain that was filled with a mixed herd of elephants, wildebeest, ostriches, zebras, and gazelle. In addition to this, I was able to see hyenas, dozens of species of birds, countless elephants, monkeys, baboons, and giraffes. Being able to see incredible wildlife such as this in the wild was an amazing experience and I am thrilled to have been able to see so much on my first safari and cross this experience off my bucket list. All my safaris on this trip would follow a similar setup. Getting out of vehicles is not allowed to ensure the safety of both the visitors and the animals. Instead, the safaris take place within a 6-passenger van with a roof that can be lifted open allowing those inside to stand and receive uninhibited views of the surrounding landscapes and wildlife. These vans are generally designed for off-roading, but the amount of off-roading done on any individual safari is dependent on the rules set by each individual park. The entire safari lasted around 6 hours from the time we arrived at the entrance to the park at 9 am until it was time to begin the drive back to Nairobi at 3 pm.

The next morning, I had another early morning wake up call to begin another long drive, this time to Massai Mara towards the west. After arriving in Kenya, I found out that this was an unusually rainy year which had accelerated the migration. The herds had already crossed the Mara River and were now within the Maasai Mara Reserve. While this meant I had missed out on seeing a river crossing, it also meant that this reserve would be my best chance of seeing the herds up close. I was fortunate enough to accomplish this goal as the herds had made their way to the northern edge of the reserve and were spread out throughout the grasslands in the northern Maasai Mara. Large swaths of the grasslands were completely covered with these giant herds; frequently covering entire hillsides. These wildebeest herds were also joined on the plane by Buffalo, giraffe, elephants, zebra, and a variety of species of antelope. In addition to the massive herbivore herds, I was also able to get up close encounters with several of the primary carnivores of the ecosystem, including an up-close experience with a cheetah and a male lion. The following day, I continued my adventure within the Maasai Mara with a full day safari in the park that began with a hot air balloon ride across the southern grasslands of the reserve.

The following day started at 4 am so that I could get to the hot air balloon early and ensure that we were in the air in time to see the sunrise spilling out over the wide grasslands. Saw several herds of wildlife in addition to a pack of lions. Was also able to enjoy a gorgeous sunrise from high up in the air which provided a breathtaking taking view of the sunlight spilling out over the expansive grass lands of the Maasa Mara. This was an incredible way to see the reservation from a new angle and see the scope of just how large the Maasa Mara is. After the ride, we were treated to a great breakfast in the middle of the grasslands of the Maasa Mara. All fueled up for a full safari day on the Maasai Mara.

Started the day before sunrise to board a hot air balloon to take a ride over the Maasai Mara reservation in Kenya to watch the sun rise over the grasslands while gaining a new vantage point of the wildlife here. Loading into the hot air balloon was an adventure on its own as it required all riders to lay down in the basket while it was on its side. Once everyone was loaded, the balloon was filled up with air and allowed it to begin to rise, flipping the basket upright along with all of us. A few minutes later, we were all up in the air just in time to see the sun rise. I immediately was reminded of the opening from The Lion King as I watched the red dawn sun begin to bathe all the grasslands with an assortment of golden hues. Seeing wildlife from this vantage point is a completely new experience with one of the highlights being a close-up view of a price of lions that had just taken down a morning kill. As we passed over the Maasai Mara, we were able to see several other local inhabitants ranging from gazelle to hippos. Once the ride ended, we were dropped off in the middle of the reservation where we enjoyed an incredible breakfast in the grasslands while seeing the wildlife pass by around us. We then followed the balloon ride up with a full day safari where we were able to see every corner of the reservation. With some luck, we were able to catch a glimpse of nearly every animal that calls this region home. Some of the highlights of the safari included an up-close encounter with a cheetah and driving along the Mara River where we saw many crocodiles and hippos. In addition, we had a second close encounter with a different pack of lions, saw more of the large wildebeest herds that make up the Great Migration, and saw several families of elephants and giraffes up close. The sheer quantity and diversity of wildlife that can be found within a short time span out in the Maasai Mara is incredible to behold and show cases why this park is ranked among the best places in the world to enjoy a wildlife safari and why it has it earned its spot on many wildlife lover's bucket lists. The following morning, we had one final morning game drive through the Maasai Mara in route back to Nairobi.

During our time in the Maasai Mara, we stayed at a camp site that was located a short drive outside of the main gate to the reservation. This be best defined as a glamping site where we stayed in very large, comfortable tents that came complete with running water and bathroom facilities. Meals were prepared by a chef who was part of our guide company with meals typically composed of locally sourced ingredients and platters ranging from chicken and beef to plantain and fresh fruit. This allowed for a very comfortable place to sleep at night to recharge for the next safari each night. Once we arrived back in Nairobi, we had dinner at a restaurant I've seen featured on many travel blogs in Nairobi known as The Carnivore Restaurant. This is a Brazilian style buffet that includes local BBQ as well as wild game from the area. I was able to try nearly the entire menu during my dinner including crocodile and ostrich. This would end our time in Kenya as it was time to continue this adventure towards the next country: Tanzania. But that is a story for another day…