When in Africa (Part 2): Masai Mara National Reserve

The first time we traveled to Africa with my family, we visited both South Africa and Kenya (For more info about South Africa, visit "When in Africa (Part 1)"). The country is best known among animal lovers for the Masai Mara National Reserve, which holds the Mara Triangle. The Mara Triangle is one of

the world's best places to go on safaris, as it holds a really high density of animals of all kinds, including the Big Five.

It is in the Mara Triangle that you can see the great migration, in which animals migrate from Kenya, to the Serengeti National Park, in Tanzania.

One of the things you should be aware of, before visiting Kenya, is that it is a dangerous country, especially for tourists. When we first got there, at the entrance of the hotel, the security team checked for bombs under the car, and before entering the lobby of the hotel, we had to put all our stuff through metal detectors and x-rays.

When we asked the receptionist about places to visit in the city, as we had a few hours to explore the city in our schedule, she told us that it would be best if we didn't leave the safety of the hotel, but if we did, we shouldn't be out after 4 pm, and we should only trust Uber, or certain taxi companies. So you should be aware of your surroundings when you are in the city.

When we were in Nairobi, we went to visit the Giraffe Center, which is a conservation center for giraffes, in which you can see them from really close up, and you can feed them, without really disturbing their habitat. It is a really nice experience if you would like to have a closer look at the giraffes.

The next day we went on our way to the Masai Mara, with transportation provided by the hotel we stayed at in the park. The trip was supposed to be around five hours long, but construction workers from the roads were protesting, as they had not been paid for three months of their labor. The trip ended up taking most of the day.

The hotel we stayed at was beautiful, it was on the side of the river, and you could see the hippos from the porch of your room! You could have breakfast outside, by the shade of some beautiful trees, but you had to be careful! As monkeys would try to steal your food. It was part of the fun, though.

You cannot visit the park on your own, you have to go with a guide in a vehicle capable of going through the rough paths. Usually, the driver that took you to the hotel will be your driver for the park. You pay him daily (per family), and he takes you wherever you want. Also, as they work mainly in the park, they know the best spots to look for game!

When you are in the Masai Mara area, you have the chance to visit some Masai people villages. When you visit their villages, you pay a fee to enter the village, and they tell you a little about their lifestyle, they show you their houses, some dances ,and encourage you to dance with them! They even teach you how to lit a fire with elephant poop!

My family and I being received by Masai people in their village.

The Masai Mara experience is completely different from the Kruger Park experience, in fact, I wouldn't even compare one to the other. They are both unique in their own way, so if you have the chance to visit them both, I would absolutely recommend that you do so. What I would say though, if you only have the chance to visit one park, if you like a wilder, more rustic experience, the Masai Mara would be your go to. But you must be aware, there are no stores or any other kind of commodities nearby, except from other hotels.