A tour of Africa's animal kingdom, from the Masai Mara to Serengeti

Africa is a dream destination for most. As a wildlife enthusiast and animal rights person, I was filled with a sense of adventure and excitement before leaving to Kenya and Tanzania. Everything from taking my yellow fever shot to buying safari appropriate clothes was an experience. We landed in Nairobi and within a few minutes were on board the Cessna to the Masai Mara.

The MasaI Mara:Masai Mara is a 1,510 square km large game reserve. Our lodge was on the intersection between the Mara and Taleg rivers. On both sides we had hippos and crocodiles. The night was spent in a tent with the sounds of Hyenas, Hippos and many other animals. The safaris are not for the lazy tourists, and normally the game drives start from 5 am. We spotted topis, zebra, the Grant gazelle, Thomson's gazelle, impala and lions on the very first day.

Zebras grazing in the green fields are a common sight. Photo: Mail Today

The most remarkable sight was watching a herd of zebras, gazelles, topis and African buffaloes live together in a formation known as the mixed species association. Whiles zebras have a good sense of direction, the topi knows when a predator is approaching and together, they make survival in the wild a little easier for one another. At regular intervals, we would see magnificent giraffes drinking from the many rivers. On our last day, we realised we had not seen a cheetah now extinct in India. Just as we were giving up, we saw four cheetahs relaxing in a bush. As we made our way to the Serengeti, I was filled with despair thinking about the dying forests of India.

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The Serengeti:As we landed on the Seronera airstrip, we saw around us a landscape that was much more dry than the Mara. On our drive to the hotel, we sighted two lions close together enjoying each other's company. The Serengeti is 12,000 miles (30,000 square kilometers) and is derived from the Masai word for 'endless plains'.

A pride of lions with their prey at Masai Mara. Photo: Mail Today In the Serengeti, we witnessed the famous migration. The gentle grass eating wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and Impala migrate searching for water and better pastures to graze. The timing of migration depends entirely on the rain and natural factors. In the dry season the animals take refuge in the Mara and so the great migration from the Seregetti to the Mara.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area:The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest inactive volcanic crater. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of the places where the wildlife enthusiast can spot the black rhinoceros. It is so rich with wildlife that it is known as "Africa's garden of Eden". Contrary to popular belief, Africa is the best place for vegetarians and vegans, I ate fresh avocados, butternut squash, cassava, yams, kale, kale and more kale.

Their vegetables were truly organic and the freshness could be felt with every bite. From ugali (vegetable stew) to sukuma wiki (leafy greens) to cassava chips and fresh mandazi (doughnut like snack) for breakfast it was a lip smacking treat!

Majestic giraffes walk past you in Masai Mara during the safari. Photo: Mail Today
Source: A tour of Africa's animal kingdom, from the Masai Mara to Serengeti