MeetiNg the MaaSai
Arriving at Governors’ Il Moran Camp we’re welcomed by the
snorting (and worse) of more than 20 hippos gathered on the
riverbank below the camp. More endearing is the family of
warthogs that roams the grounds. From the large male to the
tiny piglets, this rolling audition for the role of Pumbaa makes
every lunch a porcine variety show.
Here, our tent on a concrete base is both spacious and
well equipped; its bathroom is of the standard of most good
hotels. A ceiling fan and billowing net make the bed a cloud-like
sanctuary of comfort. It’s one of just 10 well-separated tents,
set within the shade of the forest with views over the Mara
River. Patrick Reynolds, the ever-present manager, is affable,
knowledgeable and ensures that no request is a problem. In
the evening, when roaming animals can be an issue, there’s
always a watchman with a torch ready to escort you to dinner
and back again.
The camp offers the opportunity to leave wildlife viewing
behind for part of the day and instead use the time to visit one
of the local communities.
Maasai homes are very dark inside – the red earth walls
absorb the meagre light from a tiny window. we are warmly
greeted and welcomed inside by the owner. Her grandson is
delighted to be able to show us how to start a fire.
we’re in the traditional Maasai community of Mara Rianda,
the closest to Governors’ Camp. It’s a compound known as a
manyatta, made up of 48 tiny traditional houses surrounding
an open area where the cattle sleep at night.
The Maasai people are statuesque with natural dignity and
a great sense of colour coordination and jewellery. They invite
us to dance with them, but my leaping is appreciated more for
effort than finesse.
we had paid for the opportunity to visit the community and
are gratified that contributions like ours fund a school and pay its
teachers’ wages. Under the clever guidance of the organisation
Pack For A Purpose, we’ve also brought some simple supplies
the school lacked.
The game drive on our last morning in Kenya takes us to
the Mara River’s main migration crossing point, although it’s
much quieter than it would be during September. we chose to
come here outside the migration season and the upside is that
we’ve enjoyed wildlife sightings with few other vehicles around.
“Come back in September,” Enos, our driver, laughingly
implores. “I’ll show you plains full of animals and rivers full
of crocodiles. Yes, it’s crowded but it’s wonderful, too.” It’s an
invitation that may prove too tempting to refuse.
When he’s not leading adventurers to Antarctica, DAVID
McGONIGAL ( @davidgmcg) plys his trade as an award-
winning travel writer and photographer. He’s viewed the
world’s wildlife from pole to pole, but now lists East Africa
as his favourite nature-based destination.
92 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER
Capturing the
perfect shot
not just big game there’s a
temptation to concentrate on
shots of elephants, lions and
hippos. some of the most
rewarding images, however,
may be of a spectacular
kingfisher or the endless
toil of a dung beetle.
Keep it still you’ll mainly be
shooting from an open 4Wd.
Even so, use a tripod (they
work surprising well braced
against the seat and side).
an alternative is to pick a
camp with 4Wds that offer
small individual camera
platforms at each seat
with a beanbag on top.
Size matters you’ll want
a good telephoto lens
(around 400mm) so
you’re not cropping in
to your prime subject
and discarding pixels.
While the more glass
the better, a zoom (like
an 80–400mm) lets you
compose your image as
the subject approaches.
that said, make sure you
have another camera –
even a smartphone – to
capture close-up scenes
and video moments.Bright idea When looking
at ways to reduce weight
you may think your flash is
unnecessary. you’ll want
it, though, to photograph
animals around the camp
at night.
Carry protection dust is your
enemy and it’s everywhere
in Kenya. Use a dust cover,
avoid changing lenses and
carry a sensor cleaning kit.
in the frame Kenya provides
the best and worst for clean
composition. a single tree
on a hill just needs the
juxtaposition of the right
animal and good light. but
animals come in groups and
are often around bushes and
groves of trees. scan the
whole scene before pressing
the shutter and consider
shallow depth of field to
remove confusion.
The light is right regular
dawn and dusk game drives
are perfect for photographers,
but the golden light doesn’t
last long, so you have to be
in the right place – or very
lucky – to make the most
of the best light.
Talk about it While most
game drivers know the angles
photographers seek, you
need to tell yours if you want
a specific image. Mine was a
single tree backlit at sunset
and we looked for that at the
expense of sundowner drinks.Getting close to the local wildlife.