To watch the wildebeest migration from a hot air balloon has been on my bucket list for a long time. So when I find myself in the Masai Mara and realise the wildebeest migration is happening…well I just had to sign up for this optional extra!
It has been pelting down rain the night before but when we wake up early morning and get ready for our 5.30 am pick up it is another beautiful day in Africa and we know that our balloon ride will not be cancelled after all!
I am excited as I watch the balloon being fired up. It is my second time in a hot air balloon as I went up for the first time in Alice Springs, Australia just last year. But this will be a completely different experience as we will be watching the wildebeest migration!
It is a beautiful sunrise as the balloons set off. We are flying just above the tree tops and our first sighting is of some elephants in the bushes.
As we take off a bit higher we spot the wildebeest. They are crossing one of the creeks in the Masai Mara and we watch this stream of animals cross the creek, then spread out in the massive park to graze. The park is about 1500 sq km of completely open grass land and I am just amazed at the vastness of these open plains.
The wildebeest migration happens each year between the Serengeti (Tanzania) and the Masai Mara (Kenya) parks which are separated by the Mara River. These animals leave the Serengeti in July is search of greener pastures across the river in the Masai Mara. In October they return south to the Serengeti again and this is what we are witnessing. There are 1.5 million wildebeest in these parks but the parks are massive and the animals spread out to graze on the open grasslands!
More than 8,000 wildebeest are born each day during the breeding season but an equally large number of these beast become prey during the migration and other times to the cats and other predators here. They form an important part of the food chain in the parks!
We fly for an hour and completely enjoy the experience of flying over the Masai Mara. Each time the balloon is fired up, the wildebeest scatter and our pilot reckons we are dancing with the wildebeest. When the balloon goes quiet, you can hear the pounding of the wildebeest as they continue running. Once they stop running the silence is only broken by their grunting.
Reluctantly we get into landing position as the balloon lowers back down to earth. This perfect experience ends with a Champaign breakfast. We are driven to a beautiful spot in the park and under a lone tree we see they have set up tables with white linen cloths and an amazing spread of fruit, cereals and bacon & eggs. After camping for the past few weeks and living rough, this is n feast we will definitely savour and enjoy for awhile! It will be a long brekkie and what a perfect setting!
As we head back to meet our truck for the long drive back to Nairobi, I reflect on the fact I have ticked off another dream from my bucket list!
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be. ~Douglas Adams
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