How do I begin to describe the Maasai Mara? perhaps by letting these photos "speak"...
The wide-open spaces are breathtaking in their simplicity, with little sign of human presence...constant reminders that this is Nature's realm, that the denizens are of the wild variety, and that we humans are the visitors/intruders. (These are my very favorite animal photos...many others are posted on Facebook.)
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| An impala buck and his harem |
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| Wildebeest- one of hundreds of thousands |
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| Black rhino- one of three we saw |
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| A hartebeest |
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| One of four young cheetahs who crossed our path |
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| Okay, people, here I am...take your best shot. |
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| Young male lion watching us watching him |
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| Wild African buffalo- the only animal feared by the Maasai |
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| Mama and baby |
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| A zebra brush |
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| Elephants visiting a tiny watering hole |
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| Zebra posing |
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| Monkey see...actually, a baboon |
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| A gorgeous giraffe |
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| Hippos coming up for air |
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| The lion sleeps tonight... Two days...three game drives...and the only one of the "Big Five" we did not see was the leopard, by far the rarest animal on the Mara. On our last evening, as we sped back to camp, trying to beat the encroaching darkness, we spied an incredible sight: twelve giraffes crossing a nearby ridge in a long, stately parade. And in spite of the darkness closing in, there we sat, along with the inhabitants of another 10 or so vehicles, breaths held in awe as we watched these gorgeous animals heading back to their own base. What a way to say "good night"! |
Our final goodby to the Mara came as we were leaving the park and encountered several elephants, including two babies, eating from bushes on a small rise next to the road, almost near enough to touch.
And so it was farewell to the Mara, with deep gratitude for this amazing natural place which remains in the heart of Africa. Prayerfully, we humans will not damage it too much as we seek to feed our souls with its beauty.
