Great Safari Weather In The Mara

The weather is great – cool with showers in the evening. Morning temperatures are around 17^ºC and afternoons  27ºC.

THE GREAT MIGRATION OF WILDEBEEST AND ZEBRAS

The wildebeest and zebra have crossed Mara River from the west to east. They are around Rhino Ridge and Posse Plain after the rains last week. They are everywhere now and easily seen around Mara Intrepids.

      

PREDATOR SIGHTINGS

Predators sightings has been the best ever recorded around olkiombo plain, particularly of the leopards and the cheetahs.

LIONS

There are new born cubs in all the prides around Olkiombo area. The Marsh pride has three cubs aged three months old and the Ridge pride has two and Paradise pride has two. The rest of the prides have not removed the young from cover.

Marsh pride is mating. Two females are in estrous and three with Ridge pride. Notch with one of his son’s is at Hammer kop lugga with the Olkiombo pride which has ten cubs. Notch’s other three sons are with Olkeju ronkai pride at Shonko crossing. The Ridge pride and Paradise pride has been taken by Notch three sons.

LEOPARDS

Bahati killed a Thomson gazelle west of Olkiombo airstrip and Olive was spotted at Smelly crossing coming from the north. She has signs of lactating.

CHEETAHS

Amani has separated with her cubs in the evening of the 9^th August 2013 at Rhino ridge. She went to Paradise plain and the three cubs went south of Rhino ridge, hunting Thomson gazelles and wildebeest calves.

Narasha is at Paradise plain with two grown up cubs. She will soon separate from them. Malaika and her son are at Hammer kop lugga.

Heritage Hotels (Kenya) manages two luxury camps in the Masai Mara - Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids - in the confluence of the four game viewing areas of the Masai Mara. The camps are on the banks of the Talek River, with most tents spread along the banks.  Report and Pictures by John Parmasau, Head Guide, Mara Explorer & Intrepid Camps   ©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/

Migration In Paradise

The weather’s cool with clear mornings and sunny afternoons.  The clouds build up late in the day with rain falling on the peripheries of the reserve.

Day time temperatures: 16ºc to 27ºc.

THE GREAT MIGRATION 

The wildebeest and zebra are moving towards the main Paradise Crossing at Mara River. It’s west of Mara Intrepids Camp. From here the herds continue to the Mara Triangle where the salt licks are at the base of the Oloololo escarpment.

The Nile crocodiles are having a feast every day making kills even when they don’t need to. Along Olare Orok and Smelly River, the zebra and wildebeest are in plenty where there are also many salty licks around Olkiombo area where Mara Intrepids Camp is.  

   

PREDATORS SIGHTINGS

Cat sighting all around Mara Intrepids Camp are great. The predators are having a great time with plenty of prey all around. The best time for action is late in the evening and early in the morning. The rest of the day, it’s too hot for the cats and they retrieve into the bushes – which also helps to avoid being seen by the prey. 

LIONS

The prides are looking good and healthy with playful cubs.

The lionesses from the Olkeju-Ronkai pride have teamed up again with Notch’s three boys. The three females are mating at Olmisigiyio, south of Mara Intrepids Camp. The rest of the group is at Shonko Crossing. 

The Olkiombo pride has split into two groups but live in the same territory. The larger one has twelve cubs and four lionesses. Notch is always with them. The great black-mane lion loves being with the cubs. They can be seen between Mara Intrepids Camp and Fig Tree.

The smaller group has six individuals - one cub and five lionesses roaming between Talek River and Olare Orok River.

The Ridge pride of 12 is still together with their sub-adult cubs, now aged two and half years.  Their range covers the crossings along Talek River between Rekero and Mara Intrepids Camp. 

The Paradise prides of 11 has three dark-manned lions who are still operating on both sides of the Mara River hunting zebras - one of their favorite prey.

The Marsh pride is also divided into two. One group made of nine has three lionesses, three cubs aged one year and three males. They are at Topi Plain. Two of the lionesses are mating. The other group of twenty six is at the marsh. Scarface, the male is with them.

LEOPARDS

There are good leopard sightings along Talek River and Shamarta and Mara River, west of Mara Intrepids Camp.

Olive and her offspring are seen between Mara Intrepids Camp, Olare Orok and Rekero Crossing. 

Bahati and Saba are still at large. 

CHEETAHS

Alama (Narasha) and her two sub-adult cubs are south of Mara Explorer.

Narasha

Malaika is at Survey hills, south of Olkiombo.

Amani is north of Mara Intrepids Camp at Chuvi-Chuvi.

Heritage Hotels (Kenya) manages two luxury camps in the Masai Mara - Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids - in the confluence of the four game viewing areas of the Masai Mara. The camps are on the banks of the Talek River, with most tents spread along the banks.  Report by John Parmsau. Pictures by John Parmasau &  Edwin Mirara  ©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/