It has been our lifelong dream to go on safari in Kenya and Tanzania and see wildlife in their natural habitat. Every encounter we had, big and small, was well worth the wait. Part one below in Kenya.
Maasai Mara
The Maasai Mara was everything we imagined an African safari to be. Below are pictures with brief commentary that describe it better than we ever could with just words:
You name it, the Maasai Mara had it. The game drives there were incredible. Kudos to our awesome guide/driver Maxwell who took us to the best spots and could seemingly magically spot animals from nowhere.
We also visited a local Maasai village. They welcome us with a dance that Carlos participated in. Then they showed us their way of life – men grass the cows, boys grass the goats, women cook and clean and build mud houses with cow dung. The houses were small and the bathroom is by the river. It’s also a polygamist society but the wives come at a cost; 10 cows plus blankets and sugar packets. We wondered if they knew how other people lived elsewhere.
Lake Naivasha
An unexpected stop between Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru, we took a serene boat safari in Lake Naivasha that was a pleasant surprise. It was a nice break from hours and hours in the car, and there were so many cool birds.
Lake Nakuru
We came to Lake Nakuru with one main objective – to see white rhinos! Plus other wildlife, too, but really the rhinos. We were not disappointed. It was incredible to see these beasts! Soooo cool.
Some of the other wildlife we saw:
The landscape at Lake Nakuru was much more lush, while the driving path around the lake was also more established and less wild than in the Maasai Mara.
Amboseli
Amboseli is known for its wildlife with the backdrop of the famed Mount Kilimanjaro. Unfortunately, it was cloudy both days we were in the park, so the view was not there. 🙁 Nonetheless, we had great game drives and got very close to some elephants and hippos and lions. So close to the lion it came right by the parked vans.
The changing landscapes within the park were fascinating. At times dusty and arid, at other times lush and swampy, it was hard to believe we were still in the same area.
The coolest part of Amboseli was the swampy area. All the wildlife gathered there during the day to drink water and feed, so it was a real smorgasbord of different wildlife, left and right.
Our van broke down on our last day in Amboseli, also our last day in Kenya. While less than ideal, if there had to be a day for the vehicle to break down, we would have chosen this day.
After 6 days on safari in Kenya, we crossed the border to continue our safari in Tanzania.
Going on safari? Read our Top 10 Safari Tips & Lessons – or just look at the cute animal photos.