In the world of safari, the Great Migration across the Masai-Serengeti ecosystem is as exciting as a Stanley Cup final.
Some of the best seats in the house are in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve, part of a 25,000-square-kilometre natural habitat protected for Africa's storied wildlife: the big cats, elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, antelope, buffalo, hyenas and, most of all, the wildebeest. The annual migration of approximately 1.4 million wildebeest in search of food – along with hundreds of thousands of accompanying gazelles, zebras and others – is the largest single movement of animals on Earth.
As my charter flight approaches the dirt runway, I see shaggy-faced wildebeest scattered all over the savanna, like an invasion of ants on a carrot cake. Warthogs are grunting on the runway, causing our pilot to brake hard and bounce the Cessna Caravan to a stop. Safari rangers driving Land Rovers greet us with gourmet snacks and chilled champagne. This is the wild African bush, as presented by &Beyond, a company that specializes in luxury safari adventures. Clients may sleep in tents, but these tents have four-poster beds and ensuite bathrooms.
On the drive from the landing strip, I spot giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, antelopes and a pride of lions. I am hoping to see a kill, or at least witness a chase. Many go on safari with this sort of expectation. Typically it comes down to patience, timing and luck. During the Great Migration, however, fortune is bound to be in my favour.
The Land Rover approaches &Beyond's Bateleur Camp, built into the forest on the edge of the savanna. Overlooking a vast plain, the camp offers luxury tent accommodation, guided safari excursions, a steady flow of cocktails and some of the best meals I've tasted anywhere. Large leather sofas in the lounge tent provide a comfy midday refuge to read classic National Geographic magazines from the 1960s and 70s. Dining is outdoors, set just metres from a low electrified fence keeping elephants, hippos and the occasional lion from wandering into camp. Best of all, an infinity swimming pool allows for a dip and wildlife viewing at the same time. With a limited number of guests, it doesn't take long for Bateleur's staff to remember our names – and our favourite cocktails, which they offer at every opportunity. Pimm's, with ginger ale made frothy from fresh cucumber, is a perfect libation under the dry, African sun.
On the afternoon game drive, we encounter another pride of lions, lazing in the shade of an acacia tree. Just a few kilometres away, I see tall, robed figures herding cattle. According to their legends, the Masai people have lived here since the dawn of time. I ask our guide, Joseph, a member of the Masai tribe, why the lions don't attack the Masai or their cattle. He points to the thousands of wildebeest, and the sheer abundance of food available. He jokingly refers to wildebeest as "lion takeout," and warthog as "lion sausage." Joseph tells us of the natural fear lions have for Masai warriors. For generations, Masai boys would come of age by killing a lion. Lions learned to fear the tribe, resulting in a peaceful co-existence. Still, visitors at Bateleur are advised to walk the camp at night only with an armed guard, and Masai villages protect themselves with a circular defence of thorny scrub.
The Big 5 – leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino – got their nickname from English colonial hunters. These were the animals they feared most, and subsequently have become a checklist for anyone on safari. Within an hour into the late-afternoon drive, I see three of the Big 5, and by the next day, I've glimpsed the final two. A night safari yields dozens of hippos, far from a river, silently roaming like ominous tanks. Hippos kill more people than any other mammal in Africa, save for man. Excited by our daily haul, Joseph is equally thrilled when we spot an aardwolf, an elusive animal he had only seen once before in the Mara.
The following day, we almost catch a kill when the wildebeest roam a little too close to a pride of lions. The tense moment passes when a dozen Land Cruisers pull up, with European tourists chattering loudly with excitement. There's a lot of traffic in the Mara, and our camp is by no means the only luxury lodge around. Using radio, guides share information on animal sightings, but also do their best to satisfy their clients' desire to be as close as possible to the action. As we wait for a potential chase, a large, muscular lioness walks past our open-air vehicle, mere feet from my legs. She gazes directly into my eyes. It would be easy for her to leap up and have me for lunch. Fortunately, lions don't attack cars.
The wildebeest are being stalked, and they know it. Instinctively they group together, with the largest adults on the rim. This is a waiting game, and after an hour and a half, we have waited more than our bladders can stand. We drive off for an anxious pee in the bush, safely guarded by our ranger.
With a never-ending conveyer belt of prey, predators can patiently wait, pick out the weak, and leave plenty of scraps for the hyenas, vultures and other scavengers. We see dozens of skeletons to prove as much. In nature, nothing goes to waste. Back at Bateleur, the same goes with the immaculately presented meals on my dinner plate.
A nearby Masai village welcomes visiting tourists, offering cultural encounters and a craft market. Here I learned about the Masai art of jumping, and how men who leap the highest are the most attractive to potential wives. The Masai are polygamous, but after jumping with a group of warriors, I joke that I'd surely be the only single guy in the village.
On the final evening, we join Masai villagers and other camp guests for a barbeque on the savanna. We drink vodka and honey as the stars glisten above us, and listen to the harmonies of red-robed Masai men singing round the fire. This is the Africa we all dream about, where members of different tribes come together in peace, celebrate good fortune and enjoy the untamed magnificence of the continent's beauty. Whether your goal is to see wildlife or share this dream, any visit to the Masai Mara is a score.
See more of the safari in the Masai Mara here.
Robin Esrock is the host of the OLN/CITY-TV series Word Travels. His website is moderngonzo.com.
Special to The Globe and Mail