|
|
|
|
|
Wilderness
>> Maasai Mara
 South
Western Kenya is the heartland of the Maasai.
The Maasai
are a strongly independent people who still value tradition and
ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard
themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as
much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their
lives.
Traditionally, the Maasai rarely hunt and living
alongside wildlife in harmony is an important part of their beliefs.
Lions and Wildebeest play as important a role in their cultural
beliefs as their own herds of cattle. This unique co-existence of
man and wildlife makes this Maasai land one of the world's most
unique wilderness regions.
At the heart of these lands is
the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, widely considered to be Africa's
greatest wildlife reserve. The Mara comprises 200 sq miles of open
plains, woodlands and riverine forest. Contiguous with the plains of
the Serengeti, the Mara is home to a breathtaking array of life. The
vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe,
Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and
Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The
Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles.
Each
year the Mara plays host to the world's greatest natural spectacle,
the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti. From July to
October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the
north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single
massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a
spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from
horizon to horizon.
At the Mara River they mass together
on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging
waters, creating a frenzy as they fight against swift currents and
waiting crocodiles.
The wildebeest bring new life to the
Mara, not just through their cycle of regeneration of the
grasslands, but for the predators who follow the herds.
The
Mara has been called the Kingdom of Lions and these regal and
powerful hunters dominate these grasslands. Cheetah are also a
common sight in the Mara, as are Hyena and smaller predators such as
Jackals.
The Mara is an awesome natural wonder, a place
where Maasai warriors share the plains with hunting lions, a place
of mighty herds and timeless cycles of life, death and regeneration.
The Mara is probably the best serviced of all Kenyan Parks
and Reserves with a wide range of Accommodation for any budget. The
Reserve is a popular attraction with Safari operators. The reserve
is ideal for game drives, and some lodges and camps offer walks and
balloon safaris.
Wildlife moves freely in and out of the
reserve, and through neighbouring Maasai lands. Outside the
boundaries of the reserve there are many other small camps and
lodges, some of which offer walking, horse riding and other safari
options.
The Loita Hills and the Nguruman Escarpment, both
considered sacred to the Maasai, offer high forest trekking
opportunities for the adventurous traveller.....
|
|
|
