African Safari: A Photo Journey

One bucket list item that should be on every travel lover’s list is an African Safari!

I recently had the privilege of going on a mission trip in Kenya and received the added bonus of spending a day in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

To see African wildlife in its natural habitat is nothing short of spectacular!

This is a travel experience that I will cherish forever.

Our trusty driver, John, navigated our jeep through the massive park for nearly 7 hours, stopping frequently so we could snap photos and get our fill of the majestic creatures.

We simply couldn’t get enough! John was skilled at spotting and identifying the various kinds of animals, which were too numerous for me to even count. But I’ll do my best to share the highlights.

Unlike most of my blog posts, I’ll keep the words to a minimum for this one, because as they say…a picture is worth a thousand words! And I probably took a thousand photos as there was something exciting around every turn on our African safari.

Join me on a photo journey through the Maasai Mara National Reserve!

Elephants

Elephants are one of the “Big 5” that everyone wants to spot in Africa, and we saw tons of them!

From baby elephants to massive ones, we saw them travel in packs and enjoyed watching them at a distance as well as close up.  One time we were a bit too close for comfort and the protective mama elephant let us know with a low growl. John obligingly and quickly backed up!

Giraffes

The animal I was most excited to see were giraffes…and I saw tons! There is just something about their awkward yet graceful bodies that just amaze me.  And seeing them graze and glide through the African landscape had me in complete awe.

Lions and Other Large Cats

We were fortunate to see a group of female lions seeking shade in a bushy area, thanks to John’s cunning eye. There were four or five lions huddled in the overgrowth and we didn’t get too close or hang around too long. But it was amazing to see these ferocious creatures calmly resting.

We never saw the more massive male Lion or any leopards, but we get a glimpse of a cheetah and stumbled upon a serval cat, who was enjoying a tasty mouse for lunch!

Zebras

Another favorite of mine was the zebras. With their bold black and white stripes they almost seemed out of place amidst the muted green and brown landscape.

We saw tons of zebras throughout the park grazing among the many other species of wildlife, and it was truly a sight to behold.

Water Buffalo

I couldn’t even begin to count the number of water buffalo we spotted.  Thousands!

At first these massive creatures seemed to just be dots on the landscape that I would try to decipher with my binoculars. But as John drove us through the areas of the park where they were grazing, we got to appreciate their truly massive size. And while their faces seemed to hold a constant grimace, they paid no real attention to us as we politely drove by, admiring their swirly horns and hefty builds.

Hippos and Crocodiles

Even though we didn’t get too close to these creatures as they enjoyed a dip in the water, we could still appreciate the massive size of the hippos. And I was fine just peering at the crocodiles through my binoculars!

Warthogs

We saw lots of warthogs, both big and small. And yes, the phrase “Hakuna Matata” was uttered several times as we recalled the cherished movie, The Lion King.

I found the real warthogs to be just as lovable as the cartoon one as I watched them not so gracefully amble through the African wilderness.

Antelopes, Gazelles, Ostriches & More

Antelopes of many different kinds were plentiful throughout our safari adventure. I’m still learning all the various kinds, but John was quick to identify each one that we encountered. From Elands, to Kudus, to Impalas and thousands of Thomson’s Gazelles…we were enthralled with every unique species!

We even came across some incredibly large ostriches!

Kenya and Tanzania  Border

During most of our safari we were under strict orders to stay inside our jeep. There is a hefty fine for anyone who breaks this rule.

But we were able to get out and stretch our legs for a bit and take a photo op at the border of Kenya and Tanzania.

It’s not every day that you get to put each foot in a different country at the same time, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity!

It was also the perfect spot for a group photo!

Lunch at Camp

Midway through our safari we were also treated to a stop at one of the luxury camps for lunch.

A far cry from the primitive villages we visited during most of our stay in Kenya…this place reminded me of the exotic destinations you would see on an episode of The Bachelor!

We were presented with four different meal options.

I decided on the red snapper…and honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect given that fish can be served in many different ways around the world.

But I absolutely loved (and devoured) this meal! The fish was tender and the sauce was sweet with a little bit of kick. YUM!

And I finished off my meal with the banana mouse.

Both the extravagant meal and the time spent spotting African wildlife are experiences I will never forget!

Have you ever been on an African safari? What unique wildlife did you spot? If not, I highly recommend adding this incredible experience to your travel bucket list!

Want to learn more about our entire mission trip? Please check out my other articles.

If you are interested in helping the mission of KCEA or sponsoring a young girl in Kenya to complete her secondary education, please click here.

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

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