Kenya has always had a very special place in my heart. I spent seven years of my childhood in Kenya after which I shifted to India for good. The only thing which was missing in India was visiting the national parks of Kenya. I visited Kenya once every year for holidays but that one month was definitely not enough for this beautiful country. So, when the pandemic hit the world and India was completely locked down, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to stay back in Kenya for almost a year. 2020 has been a very difficult year for many, but honestly this year has allowed me to nurture a new skill.
From the very beginning, the wildlife of Africa has always fascinated me. The idea of being so close to nature and animals really excited me. I always thought just observing and watching animals in their habitat is what gives me happiness until I experienced the magic of capturing all the breath-taking moments I got to witness in nature. In November 2020 my mother insisted that I should accompany my brother on a photo safari. I went on safari with Pareet Shah, and those 5 days changed my perspective of wildlife photography. That was when I started my journey into photography and I couldn’t have asked for a better start. My heart was filled with excitement to explore more about photography and wildlife. So, when my brother asked me in January this year if I wanted to go on another photo safari with Nisha Purushothaman, I could not say no. I feel so grateful to have had the chance to learn from two people who are renowned for the work they have done in this field.
I have been to several wildlife places in Kenya such as Amboseli, Nakuru, Ol Pejeta conservancy, northern Kenya and my favorite of all Maasai Mara. I will always fall short of words talking about the Maasai Mara National Reserve. For me it is not just a place, it is a feeling. It’s an experience that has taught me and keeps teaching me a lot every time. I have been to the Mara around 15 times and my experience is always different from the last time. Mara always has to offer something unique. I can guarantee you will always go on a game drive expecting something, but nature will always provide something even better, something you have never seen before.
Situated in south-west Kenya, Maasai Mara, which is spread over a large area of 1,510 sq km is one of Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserves and is connected to the Serengeti National park in Tanzania. It is about 270 km from the capital city Nairobi and takes about four to five hours by road or 40-45 minutes by flight. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving a huge number of Wildebeests, Topis, Zebras and Elands. This happens every year starting from July until October and during this time you will find millions of wildebeests and zebras wandering in the plains of Mara. So, the best time to visit is July-October if you want to witness the migration. Also, December to February are great times as it is dryer and good for the Big Cats.
I recently was on safari in Mara for 16 days. What a surreal journey it was. Waking up in the vast grasslands of the savannah with the excitement of what that day holds for us. We’d start the game drives early in the morning so that we wouldn’t miss the beautiful golden light. The feeling of the wind hitting my face, the rattling sound of the tall grass, and the undying spirit of the Maasai guides makes every safari worth remembering in Mara.
Every sighting in Maasai Mara is always exceptional. Especially when the sighting is of the big cats of Mara. Seeing the strength of the lions, the beauty of the leopards, the speed of the cheetahs has always astonished me. My favorite species undoubtedly has to be the leopard. These elusive big cats are tremendously difficult to spot. Most of the leopards are very shy and don’t like to be in the presence of humans. But the bliss that you get after seeing a leopard cannot be put into words. I am very lucky to have had numerous sightings of leopards on my recent safari. We saw a total of seven leopards. The one sighting that will always be close to my heart was of Kaboso jr. We heard on the radio of a leopard called Kaboso being spotted the day before. We decided to head there early in the morning the next day, we searched the entire morning but found no signs of her. However, we did not lose hope and after a short rest in the afternoon we were back in her territory searching for her. We had spent about two hours looking for her but in vain. The sun was about to set and we had started losing hope. Our guide suggested that we go to the spot where her cub was spotted last and then return to the lions who were seen close by. We went to the spot but had no luck. Our guide started to reverse the vehicle and only then he spotted the tip of the tail of a leopard and pointed out her direction for us. We were filled with excitement but could not see her. On looking we finally saw her trying to run back towards the bush and there she was, Kaboso jr. Eight hours of determination and patience finally paid off. We were smiling ear to ear and couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Another sighting which thrilled me was of a cheetah named Neema and her three cubs. We spotted her one evening and she looked really hungry but as it was getting dark, she decided to find a safe spot for them to spend the night. The next day we headed straight to her and within half an hour of searching we found them. The sun was just rising and the next thing we knew Neema and her cubs were covered in the beautiful golden light. We got some really stunning shots that morning. But the fact that cheetahs are near to extinction really bothers me. We need to save them before it is too late. We wouldn’t want to face a situation in the near future where we will have to think that we had a chance and knew how to save the species, but we just let them go.
The Maasai community in the Mara are really working hard and putting as much as effort as they can to save the wildlife. I feel so much content seeing the human wildlife conflict end and the wildlife being conserved. These animals are truly a blessing and we have to strive harder to save them.
