(Mostly) Maasai Mara

 Hello again,

I feel like I've lived about a hundred days since my last post on the 21st. I have been very busy (though not unpleasantly so) with assignments, classes, and the start of expedition at Maasai Mara!

The last few days at KBC I spent doing my assignments. The presentation went smoothly (mother will be proud), and the two papers... are done! I have another paper due on the 4th and 2 more due on the fifth, though. So far Kenya feels like a never-ending cycle of dishes, laundry, and assignments. Although, I guess that's life as a whole. Anyways, on our last drive to Amboseli, we saw some hippos pretty close!

Hippos (Amboseli National Park)

We drove to Maasai Mara on Wednesday. The drive was beautiful, and we got to see many different towns and environments. Once we got there, we unpacked into our tents (3 people per tent) and I sat in my tent and read A Little Life. The next day, we had a guest lecturer from the Mara Elephant Project and then we went on our first game drive which was AMAZING. The reserve is gorgeous, and though it feels like there are fewer animals than Amboseli National Park (since the reserve is so much bigger), we've had a lot of luck seeing carnivores. On the first day's game drive, we saw the last two male cheetahs in the Maasai Mara reserve. 

Cheetahs (Maasai Mara)

We've seen spotted hyenas each day we went on a game drive, lions three of the four days, and cheetahs the first day. We've also seen jackals, topee, wildebeest, buffalo, impalas, giraffes, gazelles (Thomson's and Grant's), and a bunch of birds.

Giraffe (Maasai Mara)

The second day we had a lecture from the Mara Predator Conservation Programme where we learned about the conservation of lions and cheetahs. Then, we went on another game drive where a lioness came VERY close to our car (5 feet away), and then we got to drive right next to prescribed fires that were burning. The difference between the burnt and the healthy grassland is beautiful. We also visited the Tanzania Border.

Lioness (Maasai Mara)

Lioness (Maasai Mara)

   

She got even closer than this!

Fire line (Maasai Mara)

Group photo at the KE-TZ border

The third day, we visited the beading museum by Maasai Mara and then we had a guest lecturer at a private conservancy! Then, we visited the Tanzanian border again (this time at the Mara triangle) and the Mara River! At the Mara River, we got to see hippos and crocodiles very close.

Me at the Tanzania border

Mara River

Mara River

    

Beading display

On the fourth day, we went on our last game drive in Maasai Mara, then we had a lecture from a KWS veterinarian who let us shoot the dart gun! Very fun. I've really loved Maasai Mara, and though I'm sad to leave, I'm excited to see Nanyuki, Mt. Kenya, and Ol Pejeta private conservancy (not to mention Tanzania)! 

Thanks for the childhood BB gun lessons, Boppa!

Thank you for reading the blog post! Let me know if you have any questions or want to see any more photos of anything! Til next time. 

Smoke line above a stream