Photo Safaris in Kenya (page 17 of 18)

For those who love animals, I hope you find what you're looking for

You’d have to be really hard to please not to enjoy it—it feels like a *Géo* magazine spread!!

You’re not just sucking up a little, are you?

Not at all! 🙂

I totally agree with you. What a treat this documentary was.😊🍷

Masai Mara: The Herbivores

While big cats are certainly the most sought-after mammals in African parks, herbivores are just as worthy of attention—and there are plenty of them.

The most impressive of all is undoubtedly the elephant. After all, it’s the largest land animal and commands respect.

Females live with their young in herds led by the oldest female, the matriarch. The calf reaches maturity around 15 years old, at which point males are forced to leave the herd. Once driven out, they often choose a solitary life but may sometimes live in small bachelor groups.

Calves are protected by the family, and the young teens have fun.





After elephants, rhinos come next... well, we didn’t see any in the Masai Mara. They’re there, but very few, and since they’re protected, the bush radio doesn’t work for them.

On the other hand, hippos are plentiful in the Mara or anywhere there’s water. They’re pretty stationary—either in the water, where you only see their snouts, or on the shore, where they nap. Actually, they only venture into the savanna at night to feed.



During our first stay, we witnessed a zebra fight—it was pretty intense. One chased its rival to exhaustion, trying to bite its genitals because the rival was trying to seduce one of its females. The fight was violent and could even be fatal. We didn’t see the end because they kept chasing each other where we couldn’t follow.

Masai giraffes also have a beautiful place in the savanna. Personally, I love them—they’re so graceful when they move.



These two put on a dance with their necks for long minutes. Actually, from a very young age, males challenge each other as a game. Later, as adults, neck fights can become deadly.



Other herbivores like buffaloes, which can also fight among themselves and get injured, as well as impalas and other antelopes, play their part too. They’re the favorite meals of predators, as we’ve seen in previous posts.

But the main attraction from late July through autumn in this park is witnessing the Great Migration. And especially, a crossing of the Mara River.

From the plains of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya, millions of wildebeest, accompanied by zebras and gazelles, move in herds every year in search of fresh grass and water. Despite significant losses (an estimated 250,000 animal deaths), the wildebeest migration plays a crucial role in the ecosystem. The wildebeest fertilize the land with their droppings, promoting plant growth and animal diversity. Additionally, the migration influences predator dynamics, maintaining the balance between predator and prey populations.

In 2021, we witnessed two "crossings"—it’s pretty impressive. The herds of wildebeest and zebras gather and wait for a long time, a very long time, before finally plunging into the river.



They descend the steep banks, risking broken legs, but as soon as one of them starts crossing, the rest absolutely must follow. A cacophony of bleating ensues, and the thousands of stomping hooves kick up an enormous cloud of dust.







The crocodiles wait for the perfect moment to strike, targeting an animal that’s weaker, smaller, or more vulnerable than the others for their meal. We saw just one wildebeest get caught in the distance—it unfortunately didn’t stand a chance.



Once they’ve all crossed the river, they continue on their journey, and silence returns after each one reunites with their group.

Did he pose in a studio for this one? With the perfect lighting and all that? Amazing photo! !

Did he pose in a studio for this one? With the perfect lighting and all? Awesome photo!

Yeah, he’s well-known in fashion studios—it’s Buffalo the Scarred One

Masai Mara: the sequel

Many other animals are present in the savanna, some quite rare to observe, like these two African wild dogs crossing an immense plain.



Others are much more numerous, like the hyenas we saw in large groups, especially during our second stay. When they’re fighting over a piece of a killed animal, their laughter really gave me the impression of hearing the ones from *The Lion King*. A female, who apparently must give birth soon, struggles to carry her prize, and the others leave her alone.



A jackal wants a share but is immediately chased away.





We witnessed a beautiful scene of a jackal family. When we passed near a thicket, a pair of jackals ran off. Shortly after, one of them (probably the female) returned. That’s when we saw a little ball of fur emerge from a burrow in the middle of the plain. The mother regurgitated what she had caught and swallowed to feed her pup. A second one arrived soon after, and the two played before returning to the burrow.

Most animals are born in the spring, so it's summer now and there are lots of little ones still nursing from their mothers.





Monkeys, especially baboons, live in groups of 20 to 40. They mostly stay in the trees but don’t hesitate to come down and attack small felines, antelopes, etc. Luckily, we didn’t witness any scenes like that.

I’ll wrap up this long description of the animals in the Maasai Mara with the birds—over 400 species have been recorded here. I’ve already posted a lot, probably way too many since the start of the travel journal.

I’ll just show you a beautiful Verreaux’s eagle-owl in the trees and a black-shouldered kite with its prey.



A southern ground hornbill caught a small frog and is really struggling to get it the right way to swallow it. Much easier with the small snails, which are their favorite dish.



A hoopoe is making trips back and forth to feed its chicks in a nest dug right into the ground.



We had fun trying to photograph some birds in flight, which is pretty tricky since they’re so quick and unpredictable. Rollers and bee-eaters are the most accessible.





As you’ve probably gathered, we loved exploring this park full of amazing wildlife encounters... we’ll probably be back.



The end of the journal is here

This last pretty photo is classic but totally fitting for a "okay, time to head back now" conclusion ;)

I’m totally smitten with all these babies (.... and with Verreaux’s eagle-owl too 😉)

This last pretty photo is classic but totally fitting for a "okay, time to head back now" conclusion 😉

I’d saved it for the end... yep, time to head back now 🙁

I melt for all these babies (.... and for Verreaux’s eagle-owl too 😉)

Me too—I always melt for the little ones... they move around, they squabble, it’s innocent, it’s life 🙂

A huge thank you, Isabelle, for this amazing "double travel journal"—your photos are absolutely stunning and really capture the emotion of these safaris (even if, of course, it’s way better to be there in person ;)).

I also love coming across little ones, no matter the species... I think nature did a great job making us melt for these young lives so we’d feel compelled to protect them.

A huge thank you, Isabelle, for this amazing "double travel journal": truly stunning photos that really capture the emotion felt during these safaris (even if it’s still better to be there, of course 😉). I also love coming across little ones, no matter the species... I think nature is pretty clever in making us melt for these young lives so we feel the urge to protect them.

Yes, Sylvie, and you know it even better than I do since you go every year, and I imagine you make new discoveries each time 🙂

Nairobi

On the last day at MPS, we leave just like every other morning before sunrise. We don’t go far from camp because we have to be back by 10 a.m. Yep! Departure is at noon, and after a good lunch, it’s time to head back to Nairobi. It’s long, really long, with not much conversation during this final drive. It takes no less than 6 hours to cover the 260 km to Russell House, where we spend a few hours before being taken to the airport for our return flight.

In 2021, a few months before our trip, Air France canceled our return flight and put us on the next day’s flight. MPS couldn’t extend our stay in the Maasai Mara by a day but offered to take us to Nairobi National Park instead.

Nairobi National Park is located on the outskirts of the city. It’s fenced on three sides, while the southern part is left intentionally "open" to allow animal migrations.



You can spot black rhinos here, and rangers patrol the park to protect them.





Crocodiles bask in the sun.



We make even more new encounters, like this Cape eland or this Somali fiscal shrike.



After all the animals we saw during our three-week stay, this park wasn’t the most thrilling, but if you have a day to spare and still can’t get enough of wildlife, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Recap

We’ve been to Kenya twice, visiting almost the same parks just two years apart. But we discovered the animals with the same sense of wonder as the first time. We can go back to the same place multiple times without feeling like we’ve already been there, like in Baringo or Nakuru. Both times, it wasn’t the same at all.

So, what to take away from these two photo safaris in Kenya:

For those who love animals, you’ll be more than satisfied. There’s a beautiful diversity of wildlife, and sometimes you get really close to the animals.

For those going to Kenya for wildlife photography, beware! Your memory cards will overheat—remember to bring a backup hard drive.

I loved all the parks we visited, but if I had to pick one I liked the least, I’d say:

Ol Pejeta—I didn’t really enjoy the monkey visit. Even though they were doomed to certain death if the sanctuary hadn’t rescued them, I didn’t like that the guide called them over to come to us.

On the other hand, it’s much harder for me to say which one I liked the most. They’re all different, but I have a soft spot for Samburu and Amboseli.

The behind-the-scenes of these two trips... which you can skip! 😉

A gorgeous double travel journal beautifully illustrated! 🙂

A gorgeous double travel journal beautifully illustrated! 🙂

Thanks Agnès 😊 Actually, it wasn’t that easy juggling the two years 🤹‍♀️