In the Maasai Mara, you will embark on incredible wildlife safari drives to spot big cats (cheetahs, leopards, and lions) with opportunities to visit a Masai village and learn about this nomadic culture while in Uganda, you will visit Bwindi Forest National Park in western Uganda for its incredible endangered mountain gorillas. The Kenya Uganda safari will start in Kenya and end in Uganda.
The Maasai Mara is a must-see for every safari traveler. Take to the crystal blue skies for a birds-eye-view of the golden African plains and its many inhabitants. For a more up close and personal encounter, embark on a thrilling jeep safari among the area’s lions, elephants and other wildlife. The Masai Mara National Reserve & conservancies never fail to entice and excite.
Watch the gentle rolling Savannah stretching out as far as the eye can see. Imagine countless wildebeest and zebras grazing lazily right there in front of you. The feeling is humbling and inspiring all wrapped into one. The Maasai Mara is known for the highest concentration of wild animals in the world. More than 40% of Africa’s larger mammals can be found here.
The Maasai Mara becomes the backdrop of one of the most spectacular wildlife shows on earth from July through October – the Great Migration. The sight of so many animals dotting the plains is almost inconceivable. The rolling Savannah’s sun burnt grasses become home to more than 1.5 million zebra, wildebeest and antelopes trekking from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara in search of greener pastures and water. There is nothing else quite like it.
During migration season African big cats come to life. The endless stream of migrating prey offers the big cats a seemingly endless buffet of meal options. Lions, leopards and cheetahs grow stronger during this time of year and are able to have healthy little ones with plenty of food to grow.
There are quite a few lion prides in the Masai Mara that have lived in the area for decades. Females are permanent members of the pride; however, the male lions tend to get chased out of the group by other male lions.
At night you may even hear a deep roaring of male lions warning other males to stay away from their territory. For the best chance of seeing a lion on the prowl in search of prey, head out on an early morning or late afternoon safari.
After all that, visit a traditional village, accompanied by an English-speaking guide who lives there himself. Find yourself in the midst of the daily hustle of local life as you witness the daily rituals of the Maasai. Once you have drunk your fill of this authentic cultural experience, you can choose to browse through the Maasai Craft Centre and purchase artefacts made by the people you encountered. All proceeds from this go directly to the community.
Living a semi-nomadic lifestyle, the Maasai tribe has modernized in some ways but still adheres to many aspects of their traditional culture. Established as fierce warriors, their lively cultural dance, vibrant clothing and beautifully crafted handiwork are recognized worldwide.
The Maasai used to move nomadically with their herds to abundant lush pastures but these days they have built permanent huts or boma and prefer to stay in one place. They are pastoralists and cattle are essential to their way of life. A man’s success is measured by the number of cattle and offspring he has. As great a status and show of wealth the cattle are, they are also a vital food source.
With such amazing experience gained, cross to Uganda for yet another show in the jungles of Bwindi. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has 17 gorilla groups making it the best place or park where you can see the gorillas in the wild.
Bwindi is habitat to more than half the world’s population of Mountain gorillas. Actually, there are over 300 mountain gorillas living here. One requires being realistically physically fit to take part in this mountain gorilla trekking adventure because it may involve climbing the steep terrain.
The gorillas move around freely and they don’t stick to any trails. So, your guide will take you on a trail in the forest to get you in the general vicinity of a gorilla group first. When you get closer, you’ll probably have to leave the trail and follow the guide and trackers while they make their way through forest undergrowth. They try to find the easiest way through for you and they will use machetes to clear branches along the way.
The time offered to see them is limited and so are the permits which currently are offered at a cost of $700 per individual. Spend one hour with the gorillas. Bwindi gorilla trekking is a morning activity and it can take any time from 30 minutes to five hours to find the gorillas. Once your group gets near to the gorillas, you will regroup and leave some of your belongings with the trackers who will stay behind.
You then get in close for the actual viewing of the gorillas. The guide will facilitate viewing during that time by getting you in good positions for photographs and by moving you around the group of gorillas to try to see different members of the group, including the silver back.
