Day0
The excitement had built up well before Sep 26th, the D day - shopping, packing, countdowns and anticipation, almost right after the yellow fever vaccination.
We packed light, one bag per person, jackets, caps, goggles and the new binoculars, ready to eat food and snacks of course.
The onward flight was via Mumbai to Nairobi, Indigo no frills airline. No frills, no seat selection, no food or drinks on board, no in flight entertainment and no cushion on seats!!
Immigration check, baggage check and customs was as basic as the airport terminal. Our camp had sent a bus for us and a car to take our luggage directly to camp. As we drove out we got a sense of the city - the dichotomy of an expressway on one side and workers walking to work on the other. The apartments led to slums and then to the countryside - the vast swathes of land bereft of villages or cultivation. We stopped by a shack along Rift valley for breakfast of packed Teplas. Rift valley became gift valley, thanks to our ladies shopping for souvenirs. It is 9000km valley that is splitting Africa from Red sea to Mozambique in the south.
Next stop was the detour to Naiwasha lake. The package included a 1hr boat ride. The 5 to 6 seater motorized boats took us along the perimeter, First sighting of Topi (water...), Pelicans, Hippos as we rode through submerged Mangrove like trees. As the sun came out, we made our way to Cresent island, a microcosm, with it's Topis, Wildebeest and Zebras. It was great to watch the Afghan Fish Eagle and Kingfisher in action.
Back in the van, traced back to Narok, the dry bush land passing by. We stopped by at Maasai Buffalo curio shop for lunch - more teplas and tomato chutney inside a pergola, it was starting to get hot.
From Narok, there were many small settlements that began to emerge - mud huts, fenced cowsheds, and black men in red checkered clothes talking to white tourists in front of them.
The roads got narrower, potholed, traffic sparse. The last hour was on pebbled road, bone rattling, and finally pulled into the gates of Camp Osero Sopia.
Karibu Karibu ("welcome") - the staff put up a traditional Maasai dance. We were a big group - 18 and were soon settled into Pyramid 1, 2, 3 and River front 1,2
Osera Sopia is a beautiful camp - by a photographer for the photographer. It is an open camp, meaning that it shares it's non-marked boundary with the Masai Mara forest reserve, just separated by the Mara river. The staff is super welcoming, guides are very knowledgeable, the food was yummy. At nights, the security guards escort you to the rooms for safety.
The adults in our group lost little time in grabbing the Tusker, the chilled variety - beer! The rest of the evening was spent over food, drinks and some classic Kodambakkam chit chat.
Day1
Today was all about the Masai Mara park (not your local park - this one is just 1500 sq kms) visit. The plan was to start before 6, in 4 land cruisers, with packed breakfast and lunch from the camp.
The jeeps crossed the river and we were in the park! The park gets it's name from the Mara tribe and Masai, meaning spotted - the lone umbrella Acacia trees dotting the vast Savannah grasslands. As the first light broke through the clouds, landscape was magically transformed. The hum of the jeeps broken by the constant chatter on the jeep's walkie-talkie, as the drivers tried to track the wildlife.
First up, the Osera pride - within 10mins of drive, we spotted the pride of female lions lazing around. I was with Raddy, one of our more experienced (and talkative) guides. We spent some alone time with the tigress before the other jeeps made their way. "Majja ma", "theek hai"
Another stream crossing, we came across many jeeps stopped near a clump of trees. Perched up on a branch was a leopard, with a hunted gazelle. Raddy informed us that he was a young male, still living with his "mum", and the mum was also around in the trench. We switched off the jeep and waited like the rest of a dozen jeeps, sometimes even for the slightest movement of the wild cat. The leopard moved around on the tree and eventually slid down. The action then shifted to the mum who made it's way between the parked jeeps, then across the stream to the tree and at some random time, burst up the tree in 2 swift movements, to enjoy the leftover breakfast. Despite being right there, many missed the climb - blink and you miss it, literally.
Of course, we passed through herds of Zebras, Topis, Gazelle and stopped to admire the Giraffes.
When we stopped for breakfast of Sandwiches, eggs and bananas, our other guide, Latetato (a.k.a Wilson) introduced us to Superb Sterling, which was looking for the crumbs.
For the pack of cousins, the scene of the trip was about to unfold. The men and the boys began to relieve ourselves into the open, while looking over the horizon. As RaPo was mid way into his 'job', of filling (what he thought was) a small pit, a family of warthog sprung out of pit and darter across, leading to peals of laughter. The warthog family was last seen across the Kenya border still running, startled.
Tracking the Chetah
The rest of the day was largely spent tracking a Chetah. It started as another stop to stare at the tall dry grass. There's got to be something if 10 other jeeps are doing it. And sure enough, under the perfect camouflage, a pair of ears twitched and then the tail - Chetah spotted - check. No, we did not stop there, read on!!
After waiting an eternity, the jeeps decided to take a closer look - this spotted tear scared cat was already living beyond their average 12yr lifespan, and today, going by its belly, it had to hunt.
Our guides seemed to know this guy well, we kept a viewing distance while it scanned around for an easy prey - a young gazelle or so. It followed a walk-scan-sit-scan-repeat and we matched a drive-talk-wait-talk somemore-repeat pattern, for the next 2 hours.
As the sun hits it's peak, we stopped for lunch, but quickly aborted the plan and got back to the chase. The radio chatter was high with anticipation as there were other jeeps on it's tail too.
Our patience wore thin and we succumbed to a lunch break under a tree. Lunch was rice, daal and yogurt and sandwich if you cared to scavenge the breakfast.
Post lunch, for some inexplicable reason, our guides decided to not go after the Chetah, choosing instead to check insta reels (or whatevery) and chat away. After about an hour of this, alerted by the radio, they jumped back in and drove to the group of jeeps. The Chetah had just taken down a young gazelle, still battling for it's dear (or deer?) life, it's mum had bolted off. The aged predator, having lost its teeth was unable to kill it quickly enough, the bleating moans of the prey was echoing in our ears. There were 2 layers of sadness, one a balm for the other - one for the baby gazelle, but soon another overpowering one, for missing the chase.
Though the hunt could have lasted less than 10 seconds, the group felt we were undone by our guides and lost out on a great opportunity. The skies turned gloomy as well, we rolled down the drapes of the jeep window, as the skies sulked down some rain.
Back near Osera, the pride of lions gave us some bit of a farewell charge in the drizzle.
We carried the common grouse to dinner - more soup, salad, rice, daal, pasta, chapatis and sabji, fruit and dessert.
Day 2
Spectacled, Hilda brown, Red cheeked blue cordon, Canary, Yellow Bishop, Slate colored Boubou, African paradise fly catcher, purple grenadier, white browed Robin chat, Scimitar bill - over 2 hour 7am to 9am, we sat in the bird hide - our lexicon had these new words. Our guides, Wilson, arguably the best birdologist in Masai Mara, told us not just namaste, but sounds, quirky characteristics, of these winged beauties.
Day 2 was all about taking a break from the park and spending time at camp.
The women went off to visit a tribal village, the kids into the pool, the men stayed loyal to the Tusker by the pool. In the hot afternoon sun, the ladies relayed stories of the tribal ways. Polygyny or jumping courting, back at the pyramid things were very civilized. Lunch was soup, salad, rice, daal - ok, you know it by now.
The (hide)ous hyena
Nashulai conservancy is one among a series of protected "private" Savannah. Rich Masais who own the land pledge it to the wildlife. Animals move here freely, many rules of the park do not apply here. Limited tourists are allowed to get out of jeeps to walk with animals, go on a night safari. Nashulai has a hideout, complete with a trapdoor leading to an underground viewing chamber, overlooking a pond, with soft lighting to view (and photograph) nocturnals. The fine print is that one needs to maintain complete silence. Yeah right, 8 excited kids and silence!!
Anyways, we left for the conservancy at 5, short walk with the scared Giraffes and Zebras and in light drizzle, we went underground!
We were served coffee, tea, biscuits and cake while we waited for darkness. Surely, darkness came and then the rain. In the well lit pond, the toads croaking orchestra drowned our whispers. Our hopes were high, the wait lasted one full hour. Some kids fell asleep, some adults negotiated a late stay.
Just as the kids were contemplating leaving, Abraham went "shhh, shhh". A hyena came, first popping it's head from the bushes, then into full spot light. Then we put on more lights and the hyena scurried away.A few of us stayed back to experience the joy of anticipation - just silent stare into edge of the pool that lay lit before us - the concept of space and time redefined.
Our pin drop patience was rewarded - the hyenas came, they were crushing a carcass from a previous lion hunt. A wily jackal also joined in for a while.
At 10pm, at the insistence of Wilson, we decided to call it a day and sat through the bone rattling drive to the camp.
Day 3 - the Big Five
Today was another full day in the park. Imagine rolling grasslands for as long as you can see. You look a bit to your right, Zebras are grazing around, some take off running randomly, other stand facing away from each other as your jeep approaches. To your left, there are 4 wild buffaloes matching your stare, protecting their herds of hundreds. Far out behind you, there are 2 tall necks sticking out of the trees in the valley, wildebeest are walking towards the horizon to the left, warthogs trying not to get trampled an gazelle and Topis all around. Lest you get distracted, an African elephant in heat flapping its majestic ears (yes, just ears) walks right in front - This is the Kenya portrait for me!
We had set out at 6am for another all day at the park. The idea was to view the Victory pride, Hippos and crocodiles. A longish drive, great sunrise and the hot air balloons at a distance.
The familiar jeep pack led us to the first set of female lions lounging inside tall grass, already trying to escape the sun.
More driving and another jeep pack, this time it was a Chetah, a young female, also looking for game, we were told by our guides. This time we did not try to track it, but proceeded towards the Paradise pride (or Victory Pride), further south towards the Mara river crossing.
The paradise pride has over 16 lions - sure enough, we came across another set of "migratory jeeps", bazooka lenses and face bikinis, all pointing in the direction of a majestic male lion, walking in disdain towards the bushes. There were visible wounds on his face and he only cared about settling down in some shade. Behind him, 2 females lions and a litter of 6 cubs in tow. Our jeep followed the young ones for a while.
Watching this Lion King, Simba from less than 10 feet, made me wonder why he tolerated the tens of flies around his face and body - some "simba-iotic" relationship this! Hakuna Matata!
Just along the edge of the river we stopped, got off the jeeps to stretch while watching the hippos lazing in the Mara river below. Latetato gave us a quick lecture about Hippos and their mouth opening for dominance (not unlike our big-mouthed bosses, politicians, whatsap experts?). Latetato also then pulled out his sword and demoed some of the Masai tribe lion hunting routines - buffalo hide shields, swords, spears and Okiti, Osaro (cow blood mixed with milk).
But this time, our recluse jeep was nowhere to be seen, we moved on to find a Acacia tree for breakfast. Mid way through breakfast the Raddy jeep joined us and we finished breakfast of sandwiches, eggs and fruit.
Our guides had decided that we would like to step across the border to Tanzania, so we drove to the border. If the buffalo skull, a warning signboard and concrete border stone was suppose to deter us, it didn't. A few of us went across and marked our boundary. There was no shopping or chai to be had, so we hopped on to the jeep.
Some of us were still harboring hope that we would see the Chetah or a Lion kill. Lunch was a quick stop for the usual and this time, the guides packed up real quick too. We went after the Chetah. Just as we approached another "jeep huddle", we noticed a gazelle stuck between its teeth - the chase had lasted 5 secs and this time even the target was camouflaged.
As we drove back to camp, the skies opened up, I put my legs up, used the dusty pillow, felt like the king of the jungle (minus the flies). The evening rains came on schedule. Back at the camp, we bid the goodbyes, tipped our friendly guides / drivers and grabbed more "Tuskers". I managed to catch a view of the beautiful Woodland Kingfisher by the banks of the Talek river from the restaurant. Our binoculars did come very handy!
At dinner, the Osero Sopia staff dressed up in their traditional Masai costumes, performed their "hoo-hoo" dance and their vertical jump pair offs. Vertical jumps are a great indicator of overall strength, and is critical part of attracting a bride!
Day 4 - Kwaheri Osero Sopia
We started the 6 hour drive on a big luxurious bus, at 9am, after saying our Kwa-heris (good-byes) to Nivia, Elija and Joseph and the friendly staff. Our Etihad flights only allowed carry on luggage - check-in, airports security, immigrations, customs, duty-free shopping, in-flight meals, lounges - offer an adventure in itself, esp. when you are traveling with a dozen kids - wait, do we have everyone with us.
As we get back to our concrete jungles, a tiny part of us is now alive to the bird calls - was this the Boubou?
Kwa-heri Kenya! Kwa-heri Masai Mara! Kwa-heri Osero Sopia!
The parking lot seemed half a km away from start line. Marathoners are this weird tribe, who run 42kms for nothing, but will argue that the parking lot is 0.5kms too far. I managed to find a hiding spot under a rock for 2 gels which I intended to pick up for the second half.
After about 3kms of climb, the course surprisingly went downhill. This was the last minute change to the route - rather than go all the way up the hill, we would go down, U-turn and get back up and then down again. I guess I did ok on the downhill, not as fast as I would have liked, but avoiding any cramps. With 3k to U-turn, Akshy passed me in the opp direction, now in first place, Deepak about 2kms behind him in 4th place.
