The next stop on our tour of Africa took us from Amboseli over to the Masai Mara. To get there, we had to fly through Nairobi. The first plane ride was completely uneventful, and once we touched down at the small airport in Nairobi, someone was right there to meet us. They escorted us over to the main terminal and took us through security again so we could wait for our next small plane to fly us into the Mara.
No Time to Waste
Our game viewing actually started the very minute we landed at the airstrip. The airport itself is located right inside the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, which was a very different setup from our first visit back in 2019. The Serengeti is just a massive place. This time, we stayed at a lodge called Saruni Eagle View, which is built right on top of a hill. It looks out over a huge expanse of the plains. Because of where the lodge is positioned, we enjoyed pleasantly short rides to get out to where the animals were.
The Lodge
The tent cabins at this lodge were probably the nicest ones we stayed in during this entire trip. The rooms were spacious and came with both a shower and a bathtub, which is great for people who enjoy a good soak. The views were wonderful, too. One afternoon, I was actually able to see an elephant right from our bed while it was hanging out near the watering hole.
The weather was a little warmer here than it had been on our previous stops, which was a nice change. That said, it was still quite cold in the mornings. You have to remember that this was the end of June in Northwest Kenya, so the chill is definitely there.
The common areas and the dining room were also lovely and featured great views of the watering hole. Aside from that single elephant and a few herds of grazers we spotted from our room, we didn’t have any close animal encounters right at the lodge itself. This place was really all about the game drives. I did manage to sneak away for some downtime on one of the afternoons, though. I took advantage of a complimentary massage that came with our booking, which was a wonderful treat.
Game Drives
At this lodge, the main event was definitely the lions and leopards. We had shared game drives here, which was a nice change of pace for us. It gave us a chance to meet a few other couples, and we found ourselves with loads to talk about during the day and over dinner in the evenings. One of the men lived in London and even gave us a whole list of restaurant recommendations for our next visit there.
For the most part, we had the same driver for our drives, just like at the other lodges. We tried to switch seats around a few times to keep things fair. I had absolutely no problem letting the younger people climb up to the very back, higher part of the safari vehicle.
On our very first afternoon drive, I even ended up recommending that some of the others put on more layers. If you don’t know just how cold it gets the exact minute the sun goes down, you will be absolutely miserable.
Our guide asked us right away what we were most interested in seeing, and the first thing I thought of was cheetahs. When we were in the Masai Mara before, we spent quite a bit of time watching a famous group of five cheetah brothers. I mentioned them to our guide, and he actually remembered them. Sadly, he told us they have all died now from various circumstances. After our chat, he drove us straight to a spot where two cheetahs were hanging out, just doing what cats do. On the way there, we also spotted giraffes, elephants, and a few different types of antelope.
First, the Leopards
Fairly late into that first afternoon drive, we spotted a leopard up in a tree, which is exactly where you expect to find them. A little while later, the leopards apparently decided it was time for a walkabout. Our guide told us that this pair was actually a mother and her son. The son was about a year old, though I couldn’t really tell them apart without looking a lot closer.
We spent at least half an hour watching the two of them walk around completely in the open along the edge of the trees lining a stream. They weren’t bothered by us at all and walked incredibly close to our vehicle. One of them even took a shortcut right under our truck to get to the other side.
These beautiful animals were so close that I could have easily reached out and touched them. Of course, I didn’t, but it crossed my mind since we were in a completely open vehicle. The guide explained that the animals see the truck as a single, large entity and don’t really distinguish the individuals sitting inside it. That was completely fine with me. We have never had an encounter this close with leopards, especially for as long as they chose to hang around us. We knew right then that it was a truly special experience. Aside from stopping to mark a few bushes, they mostly just wandered around slowly. It was certainly much better than trying to spot them hidden away in a tree or flat-out asleep on the ground.
We saw the same leopard pair the following day, too. We hung around them—or they hung around us—for another 20 minutes. They really are magnificent animals.
All About the Lions
Our guide mentioned that there are two distinct prides of lions living in this specific area of the conservancy. One pride has fewer than 20 members, while the other is massive, with about 40 lions. That larger group includes two males, six or eight lionesses, and a whole bunch of cubs of various ages. That explained why we kept seeing such large groups of them together.
Our very first encounter was with a male and female pair, and the female happened to be in heat. What that means in the lion world is that they mate every 15 to 20 minutes for five days straight. Apparently, lions aren’t terribly fertile, which you wouldn’t necessarily guess based on the number of cubs in the big pride, but that is what we were told.
Making More Lions
The way it works is quite systematic. The two lions will be sitting on the ground relaxing, and then the male will look over at the female to see if she is ready to go again. If she growls at him, they wait. When she finally looks back at him, the male climbs on for less than a minute, sometimes holding her ears with his teeth. When he finishes, he just goes right back to his starting position on the ground. The female then rolls around on her back for a minute or so, which is supposed to help with fertility. After that, they both just lie there and relax again. You just rinse and repeat that for the entire time she is in heat.
The next day we saw the same behavior, though I honestly couldn’t tell if it was a new couple or the same one from the day before.
The Hunt and the Kill
However, that wasn’t even the most interesting part of watching the lions. We were up on a hill when we came across three lionesses laying low in the grass, intensely watching a herd of water buffalo. At some point, the buffalo realized they were being stalked and took off running. We tried our best to follow the chase. In the distance, we could also see a herd of zebras running, so we figured the lions were actually going after them instead.
Our driver was moving very quickly across the terrain to catch up to the hunt when another guide came over the radio to report a kill. We raced across the hills to get to the spot, and I have to say, it was a pretty rough ride. Some of the other people in our vehicle said they caught a glimpse of the actual touchdown, but unfortunately, we missed it. We did, however, arrive just before the pride started tearing into the baby zebra they had caught.
Eating and Eating
We sat there for at least an hour watching the lions devour their meal. It was fascinating to watch the natural pecking order take place, and there was a fair amount of growling at one another going on. This specific group consisted only of females and a few brave cubs. We watched them eat right through the sunset. The guides eventually turned on a red light so we could keep observing them in the dark. It can be a bit intense, but it’s easier to watch if you just think of it as the circle of life, so that is what I tried to do. It was also interesting to notice that after a while, a few of the females and cubs managed to tear off a piece of the zebra and carry it a little ways away so they could eat in peace.
The next morning, we stumbled upon the truly large pride with two males, a group of females, and many cubs. They had successfully killed a wildebeest and were busy chowing down. The two large males were right at the center of the action, with the females joining in around them.
Time For the Scavengers
Of course, the local scavengers were already on the scene. A few jackals and a hyena were sitting nearby, just waiting for their turn at the leftovers. One particularly brave jackal kept pacing back and forth remarkably close to the lions. One of the big males finally growled and told him to get lost. There were two other jackals keeping their distance further out. We also saw a hyena carrying a bone back toward its den for the rest of its pack.
For the rest of the afternoon, we were treated to a little bit of everything—we saw topi, dik-diks, giraffes, plenty of birds, and hippos. It was just another awesome day in the Serengeti. On our second evening, we were actually able to stop for a proper sundowner out in the bush. It was a lovely treat after sitting and riding in a safari vehicle for so many hours. The sheer volume and variety of animals out here is just spectacular.
Birds of All Sizes
While the birding here paled a bit in comparison to the big cats, there was still plenty to see out on the plains. Our first encounter was actually with the largest of these creatures—a lovely male and female ostrich pair. They were so close to one another that in many of our pictures, they are snuggled up so tightly it looks like a single, four-legged ostrich.
We also spent quite a bit of time observing a pair of grey crowned cranes. These are such beautiful birds, and we have been lucky enough to spot them all over Africa during our travels. Then, of course, there was a whole slew of avian predators like eagles and ospreys, alongside the usual scavengers like vultures.
One of our more interesting bird encounters actually happened right outside the dining room at our lodge with two hornbills. One of them was a red-billed hornbill, and the other was a common hornbill with a black beak.
They sat just outside the window waiting for their turn at the leftovers for at least 30 minutes during lunch. I don’t honestly know where they disappeared to after the food was cleared away. I was heading straight back to my tent for a much-needed afternoon nap. Those morning game drives start incredibly early, so you have to catch your sleep whenever you can.
Food
This particular lodge also served very good food that was always beautifully presented. I am sharing some of our photos below. Though, to be completely honest, I couldn’t tell you exactly what most of these dishes were at this point.
I do know that Mike ordered a full English breakfast every single morning without fail. Dinner was always a proper three-course affair. But for now, here are a few of our favorite food pictures for your enjoyment.
Wrap Up
This concluded the regular safari portion of our African journey, and we certainly ended things on a high note. I would absolutely recommend that you put the Masai Mara on your wish list of places to see in Africa. The unique terrain, the stunning sunrises and sunsets, and the sheer volume of animals everywhere you look are just amazing.
We did have one final stop on our tour of Africa before heading home. But you will have to wait two weeks until we tell you all about where we went next.
What about you? Have you ever been on a safari, or is a trip to the Serengeti still on your travel bucket list?
