Day Ten
Today consisted of us waking up for a breakfast at 6:30am provided by the Maasai Mara AA Lodge. At around 7:15 we got on a matatu (Swahili for a mini-bus for large groups, in this case with a raised top to allow us to see better on the safari) and headed for the National Reserve for our safari! 583 square miles of savannah plains that border the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The park is home to a multitude of species, including the infamous Big 5: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. We found it funny that our tour guide, Linus, also had a group of animals that he called “the Ugly 5”: hyenas, vultures, warthogs, wildebeest, and marabou stork. Despite the label assigned to this set of animals, we in fact found them to be very cute! We stumbled across two hyenas, one of which was laying on the side of the road for a little nap. His spots and face— in stark contrast to mainstream media portrayals— was soft and endearing.
We spotted about 20 warthogs, including piglets, throughout the entire safari, reminding us of evenings from childhood, filled with animated characters and sing-along soundtracks. On our “hunt” (which is what we called searching for the animals) we saw many creatures, such as giraffes, elephants, impala, and lions. We were able to catch a glimpse of a male lion, napping under shade. Linus informed us that lions are the laziest of all the animals, because they sleep up to 20 hours a day!
Before stopping for lunch we got group photos on the border between Kenya and Tanzania. For lunch we had a picnic on blankets where we fended off ants while eating a packed lunch of chicken, yogurt, bananas and cucumber sandwiches. We also enjoyed a box of mango juice with our meals. After lunch we went on a walk to find hippos and crocodiles within the Mara River. (We found them!) Crossing the Mara River is part of the Great Migration. We learned some interesting facts about hippos and crocodiles. One fact is that hippos need to come up for air every 5 minutes, are vegetarians (they will kill humans, but not eat them), and during the day will stay underwater and use mud to protect their skin from the harsh rays of the sun. We also learned that crocodiles lay their eggs on the shore of rivers and bury their eggs in the sand until they hatch. The chirps of the babies allow the mom to find them. After the walk we made our way back to the matatu to continue on our hunt.
About an hour after lunch, we came across three lionesses trudging in the savannah. They would creep into the plains, camouflaging themselves, and then they came out in the open, walking along the tire marks tattooed in the landscape. One of them ascended on a massive rock, almost as if she were posing for all the tourists in sight. Sunshine and cool breezes characterized the territory. We also got the rare chance to see another pair of lionesses feasting on a carcass they just killed. (We believe it was a small warthog.) We were up close and were even able to hear the ladies breathe heavily while crunching on their meal. It was really interesting to see the dynamic between the two lionesses as they fought over who got what pieces of the food.
We stumbled across a small herd of giraffes and a large herd of buffalo. As we made our way out of the Maasai Mara, we again observed zebras, elephants, and impala crowded near the gates. We arrived back at our lodge and rested until dinner. It was a fun safari with majestic scenery. We were all grateful to Linus for showing us an amazing time and to the park rangers who protect this land, the visitors, and the animals.
By Celeste and Riley
