PATS OASES TOURS THE MARVELOUS MAASAI MARA GAME RESERVE
I’ve had the rare opportunity of visiting the Marvelous Maasai Mara twice so far. I wouldn’t mind visiting again. The first time, we won a complimentary family trip offered by a travel agent during a sports day function at my daughter’s school. The second time I visited Maasai Mara for an official function. Maasai Mara is one of the most famous wilderness areas in Africa. This game reserve is named after the local people who live in the region, the ‘Maasai’ and ‘Mara’ means spotted due to the shadows that cloud the savannah grasslands. The game reserve was established in 1961 to protect wildlife from hunters.
From the Kenyan side, I have passed the Sekenani gate twice while entering Maasai Mara on the Kenyan side. The Sand River gate is on the Seregeti side of the game reserve. Maasai Mara neighbours Serengeti in Tanzania. Serengeti has a higher density of trees compared to Maasai Mara and this is where the great wildebeest migration happens. The great wilderbeast migration is the annual migration of wild animals from Serengeti to Maasai Mara ecosystems in search of green pastures in a regular pattern. Over two million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles migrate during this spectacular event in search of green grass. August and September are the best times to see the great migration at Maasai Mara. The heard returns to Serengeti, Tanzania during the rainy season which starts in early October.
While in the Maasai Mara one can marvel at the Maasai jumping dance called ‘adumu’. It is a celebration to mark the rite of passage, to welcome the young men to the next stage of their lives. The Maasai warriors called ‘Moran’ also engage in the Adumu dance.
Here are some phrases you can use when communicating with the Maasai:
Hello – Sopa
How are you? – Supai I’m fine, thanks – Ipa, ashe
Where are you from? – Kai eye epukunye
I am from Kenya – Kai eye epukunye Kenya
Thank you – ashe
Eco-Travel Tips
- Avoid untreated water, ice in your drinks or cleaning your teeth with the tap water. You are always safe drinking the bottled water that is readily available at all the camps and lodges.
- During the cold season, the game reserves can be extremely dusty. Contact lens wearers should bring eye drops and eyeglasses, to avoid eye irritation.
- Clean your camera and video lense regularly and store in a camera bag when doing game drives during the dry and dusty season.
- Avoid the temptation to offer ‘hand outs’ to kids on the side of the road. This only encourages dependency on such generosity and teaches these children that begging brings reward.
- Many hotels and lodges are actively involved in working with their local communities to sustain schools, clinics and other projects. Ask about this when you are there and visit the school, clinic or project, donate if you can.
Travel Quote
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the peoples you can, as long ever you can”- John Wesley