|
 
Ash-Ford Tours & Travel Website !
THE MASAI MARA
The Masai Mara is one of the best known
and most popular reserves in the whole of Africa. At times and in
certain places it can get a little overrun with tourist minibuses,
but there is something so special about it that it tempts you back
time and again.
Seasoned safari travellers, travel
writers, documentary makers and researchers often admit that the
Masai Mara is one of their favourite places. So why is that? Perhaps
it is because of the 'big skies', the open savannahs, the romance of
films like 'Out of Africa' and certainly because of the annual
wildebeest migration, the density of game, the variety of birdlife
and the chance of a hot air balloon ride.
Area:
1510 sq km
Altitude:
1500 to 2180m
[4950-7195 ft]
Access
from Nairobi: Road
:
270 kms
( 5.5-6.5 hours )
Air :
60 minutes, daily flights.
Location:
Masai Mara is in
the Rift Valley Province, S. W Kenya and S.E of Lake Victoria.
Animals:
Prolific wildlife , including the "big 9" and many more carnivores
and plains herbivores.
Vegetation:
Open savannah and light patches of bush, woodland. River forests
along the Mara river.
Birds:
Rich variety ,
including birds of prey
such as vultures commonly found in Masai Mara and other Kenya parks.
Other parks in Kenya such as Lake Nakuru however have a more diverse
birdlife than the Mara.
Accomodation :
Several lodges, ranging from luxury to
budget as well as campsites within
the reserve.
Safari Attractions:
Wildlife all year round, and the annual
wildebeest migration
between July and September makes Masai
Mara a prime safari location.
The Maasai Tribe
This warrior tribe of nomadic pastrolists are
descendants of Nilotic and Cushitic people originally from north of
Lake Turkana over 10 centuries ago. Their life is dominated by their
herds of their cattle and livestock.
They often move hundreds of kilometers with large herds of livestock
in search of water and rich pastures. The Masai diet is based on
fresh curdled milk and meat from their livestock.
Centuries ago the Maasai were feared as ruthless conquerors and
cattle rustlers who invaded other tribal areas in search of bigger
grazing land and more cattle. The Maasai are also famous for
drinking a mixture of cattle blood and milk during ceremonial rites.
Conservation in the Masai Mara
The Masai Mara
has a strong but vulnerable eco system with thousands of tourists
annually visiting the reserve , putting pressure on the environment.
Conservation in the Mara is of paramount importance,
and has been targetted at preservation of the wildlife and
environment.
Like most third world countries, Kenya has growing demand for land,
with the increasing population ever searching for more space to live
and cultivate on. The Mara has it's share of human-animal conflict.
This is an issue being taken up by government, conservation bodies
and NGOs. Funds are a major problem when it comes to conservation
and often, organisations involved in conservation bodies depend on
charities and donor funding.
MASAI
MARA SPECIALITIES
· Wildebeest Migration
· Hot Air Ballooning
· Huge savannahs of golden grasslands
· Big skies
· Rift Valley escarpment
· Lion sightings
FACTS
This is a malarial area
There is no night driving and vehicles must be back at the lodge by
6pm.
Several lodges are located outside the park's boundaries, but as
there are few fences you may not be aware of this.
This is a Reserve rather than a National Park and it belongs to the
Masai people.
|
