After surviving the border crossing and the change of vehicle and guide we headed off down the highway for the Masai Mara Conservation Park. Quite a drive through numerous villages before turning off onto a rather stoney, corrugated, water eroded bumpy road. It went for kilometres and I believe I will never moan about the condition of an Aussie road again! We don’t appreciate how good we have most things. Villages doted the road and life appeared pretty basic for these people with generally smiling happy faces.

We stayed for two nights just outside the park as there is no accommodation within the park. A bit of a straw poll amongst our group revealed a couple of things some of us would like to see during our last two game drives. A pride of lions with cubs and a ‘kill’, blood thirsty lot! Would the Masai Mara deliver?

One of our first sightings was a close up of a Topi, it has a marking on its rear thigh that resembles a map of Africa.

Later there were good sightings of members of the ‘Ugly 5’; a pregnant hyena, a young vulture and a marabou stork (an unpleasant looking face!). The other two are the warthog and the wildebeest.

The first lion thing on our list soon delivered. A pride of lions with cubs just lay around asking to be photographed! Tick!

Lions continued to make appearances in good numbers. There were three lioness camped on a small rise cleaning up the remains of a kill. We did not see the actual kill.

Another occasion saw a procession of lions, male, female, young and old make their way down a hillside to a creek. I think there were about eleven all up. Numerous trucks pulled up to witness the parade. The lions wandered around close to our vehicles, sitting down in the shade up against wheel hubs. Quite a sight!

After spending time fascinated by this procession it was time for lunch. The guides found a great spot under one of the few trees for us to enjoy a picnic box. Keeping an eye out of course for any visitors!

Towards the end of our last game drive, the second item on our wish list was fulfilled. Out of nowhere two lioness chased down a small warthog, a ‘snack’ according to our guide. They disputed ‘ownership’ of the kill. One holding on near the head and the other the butt. Quite a struggle ensued, the warthog squealing and the lions grunting. Turn up the sound for this video!

A little off putting and disconcerting for the small animal lovers among us. Nature at work though.

It has been a very rewarding time seeing the big and small animals and birds of the East African plains. We haven’t missed much. We were a little late in the season for seeing the zebra and wildebeest cross the Mara River and battle the crocodiles. We saw one of the spots though and there was a vivid picture of the event in one of our lodges.

This was to be the end of the safari ‘action’ for us as we headed back to the lodge for our last night in this part of Kenya. In the morning we returned to Nairobi, a long days drive, for two nights and a day of rest before leaving for Egypt and the Nile.