Cottages at the Mara Wildebeest Resort. PHOTO | LYNET IGADWAH
What you need to know:
If you haven’t experienced the annual wildebeest migration then this is the time as you still have a month.
Ever experienced an African massage? You probably have but remain clueless that is the tag given to such an experience. Simply put, that is the treatment your body gets when you travel the rough road into the wild.
A trip to the Maasai Mara conservancies by road may be exhausting but a truly memorable African massage experience. You start feeling the heat when the tour van diverts from the tarmacked Mai-Mahui/Narok Road to the rugged feeder roads into the wild.
As the tour van leaves behind thick clouds of dust, one can’t fail to notice the beautiful sight of wild animals and vegetation interacting freely in the ecosystem.
Nature
Zebras and antelopes munching on grass, baboons scratching each other’s backs, different bird species resting on acacia trees and not forgetting young Maasai herders waving excitedly as the van vrooms past. It is like having a glimpse on how nature should be.
The African massage continues for 100 kilometres, from the main road to the Mara Wildebeest Resort, located at Lamek conservancy. The resort is an idyllic lodge tucked away on the banks of Mara River on the eastern edge of the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Frank Neugebauer, the general manager, is at hand to welcome us as we drive into the resort. “Karibuni. How did you like the African massage?” he asks in jest as we burst out laughing, breaking the ice.
Nothing can be more relaxing than being handed a wet face towel, a glass of cold tropical juice and a seat after two hours of this rugged ride.
As the name indicates, the Mara Wildebeest Resort sits a short distance away from the wildebeest migration corridor. While we are sipping our drinks, we hear one of the most familiar sounds of Africa; the hippo’s wheeze-honk. Noticing the curiosity written all over his guests’ faces, Frank points and directs us towards the river which is just a stone’s throw away.
The resort sits in a serene natural environment and has 66 beautiful African themed cottages that guarantee great comfort and total privacy. The cottages are just 10 metres away from the swishing waters of the Mara river.
From the front porch of your cottage, you can quietly watch hippos and crocodiles going about their business in the river unperturbed.
Game drive
On checking in, you realise the cottage interior décor boasts of elegant and unique hand carved African furniture which sort of reminds that you are in the wilderness.
Meals are served in varied wildlife dining arrangements next to the banks of the river and amid the soft rustling of the surrounding vegetation. A blend of exotic and African cuisine makes up the menu. Breakfast may be taken at the bar as guests watch resident hippos bobbing in the river while buffet lunches may be enjoyed under a tree next to the river. There are no restrictions where you want to enjoy your meal from.
Inevitably, a game drive is the next item on the agenda as everyone boards tour vans equipped with cameras to capture the amazing wildlife that most people have only watched on TV.
It is a mad adrenaline rush as herds of wildebeest make their way across the road forcing the driver to halt for a while. It feels great to experience first-hand the annual wildebeest migration from Serengeti in Tanzania to the Mara in Kenya. It is quite a spectacle that happens between July and October, and has been aptly described as 8th wonder of the world. If you haven’t experienced it, then this is the time as you still have a month.
Other wild animals at the Lamek conservancy include buffalos, giraffe, lions, water bucks, Thompson’s gazelles and warthogs, to mention but a few.
We drive back to the resort a few minutes to 7pm and head straight to our cottages for a soothing warm shower. Nothing could be more rewarding after a long day.
Hippos in the water make a variety of sounds from grunts to roars, as we sit and sip our drinks waiting for dinner to be served. After supper, we all converge at the fire place and chat the night away. Meanwhile, sleep beckons and nothing could be sweeter than slipping between soft beddings, knowing that you are at one with nature for the night.
