While we had to get up early to go to the airstrip, thank god it wasn’t as early as the game drives! Our trip to the strip would take about an hour but we left with time to stop if we saw anything of interest.
On our way out we came across a young bull elephant and stopped for a minute for pictures, but he had different ideas. Slowly but surely he strolled over to the jeep where my friend Naomi was taking a video. Everyone held it together pretty well!
After that it was uneventful drive to the strip. This flight was a bit longer headed south to Naboisho. This Conservancy is know for its cat population.
About to land among the Acacia trees.
Our next guide Jakob met us at the air strip. Almost immediately after leaving the strip we came upon a small group of wildebeest.
Jakob noticed that one was about to give birth. First she was laying down.
Then she got up and started to circle rapidly, essentially using the centrifugal force to get the baby out. In the picture below the baby is more than half way out.
After the delivery she and the herd tended and protected the baby.
A vervet monkey.
We once again had a warm greeting from the staff at Naboisho, this time with a rhythmic accompaniment.
This camp is located in the Masai Mara, a location known for the “Great Migration” of 15,000 wildebeest from July through October. It is also known as the home to the Maasai people, historically cattle herdsmen (as well as goats and sheep), recognizable by the red “shukas” and intricate beadwork that they wear. Many of the men have had their lower front teeth removed. Our guides were all Maasai.
Unfortunately when we were all doing the meet and greet I took a step backwards onto a rock and took a very bad fall. Turned out I fractured a vertebrae which I didn’t realize until I got home. But for now all I knew is that it hurt like hell!
After lunch, 800 mg of ibuprofen, and another nap we went out for the afternoon game drive. The first thing we saw were these Lappet-faced Vultures in the tree top.
Then our first lions here in the Masa. You may notice a pattern. When we found lions in the late afternoon, they are all waking up from their afternoon siesta:)
A bull elephant.
As sunset approached, guess what we found? More lions 🙂 This time it was females and cubs.
A troop of baboons taking refuge in a tree to stay safe from the lions.
And this evening’s sunset with our sundowners.
Once again we were up before the sun and off for the morning drive. And the first thing we found was … lions 🙂 This time two males and two females.
A couple of fascinating things occurred in this encounter. The first was that it appeared that at least one of the females was in heat.
The second was, after we had been there a few minutes, a third lioness appeared at the top of the hill.
It soon became obvious that she was not a member of this pride. The two females we were watching took great exception to her approach and began to stalk towards here, roaring every few steps. The second male emerged from the brush to see what the commotion was about. Then the other male followed behind. They walked only feet from our jeep.
The two females continued to the top of the hill and the third interloper retreated.
When they were convinced that she was gone, they headed back down to the males.
We left them to their nap.
Next up, a herd of zebras at a watering hole.
Then a spotted hyena.
Giraffe.
A pair of ostriches, the male is black and the female – gray.
Secretary Bird.
And back to camp for lunch, more ibuprofen, and a nap. We were taking our cue from the lions 🙂
After tea, off again with Jakob. He heard over the radio of a large pride of females and cubs in the bush, so we went cross-country to find them, crossing a deep creek and crashing through bushes.
To give you an idea of how much the lions ignore the jeeps and people…
A cub determined to follow the lioness.
And lastly, on our way to our sundowner we came across some elephants. These two babies were having a dominance battle. Once it was done, returned to mom.
That night at dinner we were treated to the Maasai staff members Maasai performing a ceremonial jumping dance known as “adumu.”
3 For the Road 
Very cool, thanks for sharing!Sent from my phone.
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