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MASAI MARA of Africa.

It opened in 1961, is located west of the Rift Valley in Kenya, and is a natural extension of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. The winding, dark waters of the Mara River crossing the reserve from north to south to continue their journey west to Lake Victoria and in Tanzanian land. The reserve is also home to the Masai tribe that once dominated the vast savannahs of a vast region of Eastern Africa.

They entered Kenya from the territory it occupies today Sudan and quickly conquered the central part of the country. Because of some diseases and famines they suffered, its population was gradually reduced to reach the 300,000 people who make up the community today. Until 1960 the Maasai had large tracts of land, but these were taken from them by the government with the creation of the Masai Mara National Reserve. This privacy land was not viewed favorably, as the Maasai do not grow or have a sense of ownership of land. Globalization and Western culture hits them hard and, currently, some Maasai are dedicated to tourism, although for most of them, their way of life and economy is livestock, practicing nomadic in search of better pastures to feed their oxen, one of the traditions that still remain intact.

Click on the picture to see more photos.

 

Text and Photo : Sergi Reboredo

They entered Kenya from the territory it occupies today Sudan and quickly conquered the central part of the country. Because of some diseases and famines they suffered , its population was gradually reduced to reach the 300,000 people who make up the community today .

Until 1960 the Maasai had large tracts of land , but these were taken from them by the government with the creation of the Masai Mara National Reserve . This privacy land was not viewed favorably , as the Maasai do not grow or have a sense of ownership of land .

Globalization and Western culture hits them hard and , currently , some Maasai are dedicated to tourism, although for most of them , their way of life and economy is livestock , practicing nomadic in search of better pastures to feed their oxen , one of the traditions that still remain intact .

Unmistakable features .

The Maasai are usually strong , high and very agile person especially since you're features are essential for military activities they perform.

Of Sudanese origin , are aware of their great beauty and decorate your body using exaggerated eye-catching necklaces , bracelets and earrings hanging from her ears disfigured . Most of their dressings are vivid and intense colors like red , yellow, blue and green.

Her hairstyle is another feature that differentiates them from other tribes. Numerous long tresses dyed a reddish mud hanging from her hair . The Warriors also differ in having long hair with two braids , one that falls to them ahead of the front, and one that will be dropping on the back.

Ancestral traditions.

For the Maasai , initially heaven and earth were united . When separated , the god Ngai , its main deity , went to heaven and from there gave them lots of cattle. It is believed that this is why they live so close to their cattle , which they admire more than their own wives , and they mean by wealth and power.

At fifteen years of age, children held a series of rituals known as the initiation ceremony to be performed in various events to become warriors . Receive as a gift a huge iron spear and a machete and start hunting the lion, which will kill and cut his hair for exhibition in celebration dances . These ceremonies are prohibited by the laws of Kenya, although some clans continue performing them illegally .

The Maasai villages .

The manyattas or Maasai villages consist of huts arranged in circles and are usually built with branches and logs smeared with feces from their own oxen. This circular serves to keep poultry overnight cattle and to prevent wild animals and vermin from entering.

The cabins are generally built by women, which are subject to the dominion of man. When they marry they become part of the property of her husband , as if it were a membership to the point that it can offer to a warrior friend who is passing through town for possessing it .

The Maasai do not bury their dead and practiced a kind of euthanasia for the sick . When a person is about to die takes her into the forest leaving him abandoned until death ensues.

Masai Mara National Reserve .
geography
The Masai Mara National Reserve is located southeast Kenya and covers an area of 1510 km2. Across the border in Tanzania, the Serengeti National Park , which is an extension of the same park .

Directions
The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is located 15 km southeast of Nairobi and most European airlines offer flights to this destination. Mara airfield is situated within the Masai Mara National Park and Air Kenya offers two daily flights from Nairobi at 10:00 h and 15:00 h . Other ways to get to the Park are owned or leased vehicle and in the same vans that are used for safaris if you have hired from Nairobi or Mombasa.

small tips
paperwork
To enter Kenya with a valid passport valid for six months required.
health
Sanitary conditions differ greatly to those we are used to prevent risks and travelers should take precautions with food.
It is advisable to be vaccinated against tetanus , yellow fever , polio and hepatitis A and B and perform a prophylactic treatment against malaria.
climate
The Masai Mara National Park has a mild climate and more humid than other areas of the rest of the country due to its altitude , above 1500 meters , and location. The rainy season usually from November to June and nocturnal storms are quite common .
currency
The official currency is the Kenyan shilling ( ATS ) , which is divided into 100 centavos. There are notes of 1000, 500 , 200, 100 , 50 and 20 , as well as coins 20,10,5 and 1. One euro equals about 83 shillings. Is possible to change money at hotels, banks and exchange offices . You can also pay at hotels or withdraw cash with credit cards Visa and Mastercard .

clothing
It is advisable to wear clothes of linen and cotton , comfortable and breathable shoes for safaris and wear something more formal if you think about going out at night . Essential to a good mosquito repellent , light-colored clothing and a hat for the sun.

Good shopping and crafts
Kenya is an excellent place to buy souvenirs . We can find fabrics, batiks, kangas , size handmade ebony , sisal baskets , soapstone figures , colorful Maasai jewelery and even elephant hair bracelets , which are actually made ??of plastic or embetunadas herb .
Prices can vary greatly from store to store so it is recommended not to buy in the first place and try to haggle.

By Sergi Reboredo ( text and photos)

PHOTO 1: Rites and celebration dances Masai.
PHOTO 2: Rites and celebration dances Masai. The Maasai adorn your body using exaggerated eye-catching necklaces , bracelets and earrings.
PHOTO 3: A Maasai near his cabin that are normally built with branches and logs smeared with feces from their own oxen.
PHOTO 4: A Maasai teaches one of his sons as to fire.
PICTURE 5 : Portrait of a Masai with all the trimmings and braids in her hair.
PHOTO 6: Masai at the door of his hut .
PHOTO 7: The Maasai are set to launch a dance in the village.
PHOTO 8: A boy and his father at the door of the cabin.

 

MASAI MARA, THE BOOK OF WORLD MOST FAMOUS ANIMALS. It opened in 1961, is located west of the Rift Valley in Kenya, and is a natural extension of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. The winding, dark waters of the Mara River crossing the reserve from north to south to continue their journey west to Lake Victoria and in Tanzanian land. The reserve is also home to the Masai tribe that once dominated the vast savannahs of a vast region of Eastern Africa. 02-AT0105: Rites and celebration dances Masai. The Maasai adorn your body using exaggerated eye-catching necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

 

MASAI MARA, THE BOOK OF ANIMAL WORLD MOST FAMOUS.

It opened in 1961 , is located west of the Rift Valley in Kenya, and is a natural extension of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. The winding , dark waters of the Mara River crossing the reserve from north to south to continue their journey west to Lake Victoria and in Tanzanian land . The reserve is also home to the Masai tribe that once dominated the vast savannahs of a vast region of Eastern Africa.

02- AT0105 : Rites and celebration dances Masai. The Maasai adorn your body using exaggerated eye-catching necklaces , bracelets and earrings.

05- AT0109 : The Maasai live in villages consisting of circular huts of mud and straw and surrounded by a fence of branches to keep out predators. The town has many entries as component families.

06- AT0107 : A Maasai near his cabin that are normally built with branches and logs smeared with feces from their own oxen.

AT0424 11 : The Masai Mara was opened in 1961. Located west of the Rift Valley and is the natural continuation of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. The winding , dark waters of the Mara River crossing the reserve from north to south to continue their journey west to Lake Victoria and in Tanzanian land .

AT0414 12 : Elephants walking through the plains of the park. This nature reserve in Kenya is ranked among the best in Africa by the large number of birds and mammals that live inside. There are tourists who share the ascent of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, a Kenyan safari land .

Backlit 15 - AT0308 of a giraffe. The Masai Mara National Reserve , also known as The Mara , is the largest park in Kenya and captivates visitors with its evocative plains where wildlife abounds . No trip to Kenya would be complete without first performing a safari here.

AT0710 - 16 : A pair of elephants walking across the plains. This typical African landscape served as the backdrop for movies like "Out of Africa " or " Mogambo " . It is a country of contrasts, where the traveler is transported to another bygone era.

18 - AT0913 : A cheetah is prepared for hunting. In this park , wildlife is beyond question. The lion is found in large herds and not difficult to find leopards and cheetahs.

19 - AT0712 : A cheetah hunting a gazelle just . The park abounds with elephants, buffaloes , zebras , giraffes , baboons , hippos , antelopes , gazelles , impalas , topi and wildebeest . It is more difficult to observe the rhinos , as there are few examples.

AT0901 - 20 : A typical vans open to observe wildlife live without any risk ceiling. Sometimes animals are close to incredible distances .

AT0417 - 22 : Thousands of buffalo and wildebeest Masai Mara newcomers to graze on the savannah, while leopards and lions are lurking .

AT0812 - 25 : Two lionesses resting on the plains of the park. The attack usually lionesses males to defend their cubs.

27 - AT0805 : A lion roars and shows his sharp teeth.

AT0423 29 : The show Masai Mara in Kenya is not alone in the wild, but in the overwhelming sense of freedom that comes over you , in saffron sunsets , in the vastness of the horizon , in the lonely acacias that seem petrified by a vengeful god.

30 - AT0707 : Airkenya flies three times a day throughout the year from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Masai Mara.

 

BOGORIA LAKE IN THE HEART OF KENYA. Lake Bogoria, located in the Rift Valley, is one of the best places in Africa where you can watch flamingos. Sunsets are unmatched, and if this were not enough, its hot springs and geysers are an attraction for tourists looking for a nice addition to the great safaris. By Sergi Reboredo (text and photos). We had spent the night at the Inn Marigat, or what is the same, the most mediocre of all the region place, and breakfast, as expected, so austere and terse as the rooms themselves. Our friend Kimbuva knew the place and offered to accompany us in our efforts to teach our daughter Iris as flamingos lived was so excited to see him in his books.

Lake Bogoria.

BOGORIA LAKE IN THE HEART OF KENYA.

 

Lake Bogoria , located in the Rift Valley, is one of the best places in Africa where you can watch flamingos .
Sunsets are unmatched , and if this were not enough, its hot springs and geysers are an attraction for tourists looking for a nice addition to the great safaris.
By Sergi Reboredo (text and photos).

We had spent the night at the Inn Marigat , or what is the same, the most mediocre of all the region place , and breakfast , as expected , so austere and terse as the rooms themselves. Our friend Kimbuva knew the place and offered to accompany us in our efforts to teach our daughter Iris as flamingos lived was so excited to see him in his books.

The history dates back to 1885 Bogoria , when the Anglican Bishop James Hannington crossed these lands with the intention to establish a diocese in Uganda. Was the first to spot these moorland and for this reason the lake was called Hannington throughout the colonial era. But James did not have a happy ending and was killed near Lake Victoria at the hands of the cruel king of Buganda, Mwanga II.

Bogoria currently covers an area of ??about 30 square kilometers in the northern part of the Rift Valley, 25 kilometers south of Baringo , and its maximum depth is 9m . It is a soda lake and does not possess any drainage path by causing intense evaporation proliferates lot of seaweed green and blue , favorite food of flamingos .

According to park workers Lesser Flamingos population over a million and a half copies . They say that after the drought that affected the nearby Lake Nakuru in 1995 the majority of birds living there migrated to this lake , although today some have decided to settle in the Nakuru again.

The geysers , A MORE ATTRACTIVE .

Although flamingos and alone justify the visit, the sulfur springs give added value to the landscape. The heat given off by these hot springs and geysers is such that in a few minutes you can cook a hard boiled eggs. Everything is usable here in the Bogoria , even heat emanating geysers , which is used as if it were a sauna . According to Kimbuva own mouth , sauna half an hour is enough to make peace with God and make all your problems disappear .

The egg business is booming and even some Samburu takes the opportunity when their animals graze peacefully nearby lake to offer their services as egg cooker and letting do the typical picture of step with tourists , yes , on payment 50 shillings.

Despite not being a place included in the tourist circuit , the coming and going of these is constant. You can even see some busloads of school uniform dresses from the most remote areas of Kenya. This is mainly to bring the wonders of the country, usually reserved for foreigners, a school with limited resources.

The eastern side of the lake offers an equally evocative landscape dominated by deep green hills populated by dry bushes , grasslands and riparian forests that hosts a wealth of wildlife, including notably the wild kudu . Some buffalo also roam the area so it is necessary to obtain a special permit and hiring an experienced hiking to make if we get into the wooded area guide .

Leaving the lake, in the north is Kesubo Swamp , which is currently being developed as a tourist area thanks to the many different birds that nest here. It is believed that there are over two hundred species and also holds the record of birds sighted within an hour, nothing more and nothing less than 96 . Leveraging the thrust of tourism, have been trained a group of young people for a small fee visitors teach the qualities of each bird and how to discern which is which.

The evening falls and the sky ocher paints the lake . We watched the sunset, astounded , lonely , with nothing to say , close to heaven and earth at the same time . It is the finishing touch to an unforgettable day.

BOGORIA .
MORE INFORMATION
Kenyan Consulate in Spain . C / Alberto Alcocer 26 , 28036 Madrid 3rd H . Tel 91 458 51 71 .
Kenya Tourist Office in Spain . Paseo de Gracia 120 3 º 1 ª 08008 Barcelona Tel 93 415 83 87 .

RECOMMENDED GUIDE
Lonely Planet . " Kenya " You find it in English / French / Spanish .

AS IR
There are no direct flights from Spain . Major airlines , Air France, Swiss Air, SN Brussels , KLM , British Airways and Kenya Airways flights with a stopover in Paris , Frankfurt , Amsterdam and London respectively from 770 euros plus taxes.
Once in Nairobi most practical and economical is to take a share on Dubois Road to Nakuru taxi, which costs about four euros and takes about three hours . From there it's easy to find buses and shared taxis to Marigat , a quiet place near the lake with accommodation options for all budgets.
The lake has two inputs , of which the simplest is the Loboi door to the north . Log in Lake Bogoria National Reserve costs Ksh 2000 .

GEOGRAPHY
Bogoria is located in central Kenya, within the confines of the Rift Valley. It is a soda lake and covers an area of ??30 km ², with a maximum depth of 9m . There is no drainage path leading to high concentration of salts and minerals , which proliferates lot of blue-green algae, which are the main food of flamingos.

DOCUMENTATION
A valid passport with a minimum validity of six months along with a visa can be processed at the airport for 40 euros or $ 50 is required .

TELEPHONES :
Fixed telephony : from Nairobi or Mombasa will have no problem in calling abroad . Mobile Phones : Although it may seem otherwise , the cheapest way to communicate is to use your GSM mobile phone . Throughout the central region and in the cities , there is good coverage. Of course , this does not apply within the parks. Anyway , a safari is the perfect excuse to be untraceable and forget the mobile for a couple of weeks. Stamps can also be purchased at the souvenir shops and bookstores.

WEATHER
Rift Valley area enjoys a pleasant climate with an average temperature does not drop below 21 degrees throughout the year. It has two rainy seasons , from March to June and from October to late November, despite this the weather is usually quite hot and dry. The maximum rainfall is 200mm in April.

CURRENCY
The official currency of Kenya is the Kenyan shilling ( Kenyan shilling ), which in turn are divided into 100 cents. There are notes of 20, 50 , 100, 500 and 1000 shillings and coins of 1, 5 , 10 and 20 cents , with a change of 72.74 shillings per dollar, ie , that for every euro they give us something less than 92 shillings. The best option is to arrive in Nairobi with dollars or euros , as travelers checks only a handful of places that accept them , adding to this a less favorable exchange rate . Some banks such as National Bank of Kenya, charge fees for what is usually more profitable change in the exchange houses . VISA credit card can be used in almost all hotels and shops.

VACCINATIONS AND HEALTH
A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever for travelers over one year from infected areas are required . It is advisable to be vaccinated for yellow fever and hepatitis A, and go to the vaccination centers outside where we can personally advise on the best prophylaxis against malaria and mosquito repellents , which will be of great help. Do not drink water from the rivers , and it is necessary to peel the fruit .

WHAT TO BRING
Always light clothes , you can wash and dry very easily, sneakers , sandals , good sunglasses, and a hat. Do not forget that some times in the evening gives by rain, and a foldable raincoat can get us out of trouble .

SHOP - MEMORIES
To buy local crafts one of the best places is Nakuru. Being a larger city that Marigat can find many more things and more competitive prices in Nairobi or Mombasa. Shops abound fabrics and batiks, but you can also find wood carvings and soapstone

 

DESTINOS  EL MARA, UN SAFARI DE ENSUEÑO.  La Reserva Nacional de Masai Mara, o El Mara (comúnmente abreviado) es el mayor parque de Kenia y cautiva a sus visitantes por sus evocadoras llanuras donde abunda la fauna salvaje. Ningún viaje a Kenia estaría completo sin realizar antes un safari en este lugar. Por Sergi Reboredo (texto y fotos).  Este típico paisaje africano, con sus colinas tapizadas por praderas, y evocador de películas como "Memorias de África" o "Mogambo" es Kenia, un país de contrastes, donde el viajero se encuentra transportado a otra época pasada.  Los espacios naturales de Kenia están clasificados entre los mejores del África por el gran número de aves y mamíferos que habitan en su interior, por lo que numerosos turistas comparten la ascensión al Kilimanjaro en Tanzania con un safari en tierras kenianas.

DESTINOS

EL MARA, UN SAFARI DE ENSUEÑO.

La Reserva Nacional de Masai Mara, o El Mara (comúnmente abreviado) es el mayor parque de Kenia y cautiva a sus visitantes por sus evocadoras llanuras donde abunda la fauna salvaje. Ningún viaje a Kenia estaría completo sin realizar antes un safari en este lugar.
Por Sergi Reboredo (texto y fotos).

Este típico paisaje africano, con sus colinas tapizadas por praderas, y evocador de películas como "Memorias de África" o "Mogambo" es Kenia, un país de contrastes, donde el viajero se encuentra transportado a otra época pasada.

Los espacios naturales de Kenia están clasificados entre los mejores del África por el gran número de aves y mamíferos que habitan en su interior, por lo que numerosos turistas comparten la ascensión al Kilimanjaro en Tanzania con un safari en tierras kenianas.

Éste ha sido uno de los peores años en cuanto a turismo se refiere. Las amenazas de atentados en este país, que no son mayores de las que pueda tener más de una capital europea, unido a que algunas compañías aéreas hayan decidido anular como destino el aeropuerto de Mombasa por falta de seguridad, han originado un duro golpe en el sector. Pero las reservas de animales son completamente seguras, y el único peligro al que estamos expuestos, que constituye el ser devorados por un felino, se evita simplemente haciendo caso al guía y no saliendo del jeep durante todo el safari.

El parque de los parques.

Inaugurado en 1961, está situado al oeste del Rift Valley y es la continuación natural de las llanuras del Serengeti, en Tanzania.
Las serpenteantes y oscuras aguas del río Mara atraviesan esta reserva de norte a sur para proseguir su camino hacia el oeste hasta el lago Victoria, ya en tierras tanzanas.

Los animales son completamente libres e ignoran por completo las fronteras dibujadas sobre papel, ya sean las políticas como las propias del área protegida, por lo que no es nada extraño encontrar cebras, monos y gacelas 50 kilómetros antes de llegar al parque pastando cerca de la carretera.

La espectacular fauna del parque.

Uno de los atractivos del Mara es sin duda alguna la espectacular migración de más de un millón de ñus y doscientas mil cebras, que cada año, durante los meses de Julio y Agosto se desplazan en busca de mejores pastos desde el Serengueti para volver a Tanzania hacia Octubre.

En este parque la fauna salvaje está asegurada. El león se encuentra en grandes manadas y tampoco resulta complicado encontrar guepardos y leopardos. Abundan los elefantes, búfalos, cebras, jirafas, babuinos, hipopótamos, antílopes, gacelas, impalas, topis y ñus. Resulta más complicado el poder observar a los rinocerontes, ya que únicamente hay 37 ejemplares en toda la reserva.

Safaris para todos los bolsillos.

En Nairobi y Mombasa muchos comerciantes a comisión buscan desesperadamente wazungu (blancos) a los que venderles safaris. Es muy recomendable visitar varias compañías antes de escoger el tipo de safari deseado ya que, aparte del precio, puede influir la calidad del servicio. Algunas no organizan safaris sino que son meras agentes de terceras, otras como "Come to África" reducen costes mediante vehículos destartalados, y otras como "Savuka Tours" derivan los clientes a peores compañías en caso de no llenar el vehículo.

Los safaris, que en swahili significa viaje, son de dos tipos en cuanto a alojamiento, en camping o de tipo lodges o tiendas de lujo con comodidades comparables a hoteles de alto standing.

Los safaris organizados en vehículos suelen efectuarse en minibuses o furgonetas de entre seis y ocho plazas con el techo semi-descubierto. Si el dinero no es problema podemos realizar románticos safaris en camello, en globo, en avioneta, en moto o alquilar nuestro propio vehículo.

Reserva Nacional de Masai Mara.
Geografía
La Reserva Nacional de Masai Mara está situada al sureste de Kenia y cuenta con una extensión de 1510 km2. Al otro lado de la frontera con Tanzania se encuentra el Parque Nacional del Serengueti, que es una prolongación del mismo Parque.

Cómo llegar
El aeropuerto internacional de Jomo Kenyatta está situado a 15 km al sureste de Nairobi y la mayoría de compañías aéreas europeas disponen de vuelos hacia este destino. El aeródromo de Mara está situado dentro del mismo Parque Nacional Masai Mara y la compañía Air Kenya ofrece dos vuelos diarios desde Nairobi a las 10:00h y a las 15:00h. Otras formas de llegar al Parque son en vehículo propio o alquilado y en las mismas furgonetas que se utilizan para los safaris si lo hemos contratado desde Nairobi o Mombasa.

Pequeños consejos
Papeleo
Para entrar a Kenia se necesita un pasaporte en regla con una validez de seis meses.
Sanidad
Las condiciones sanitarias difieren en gran medida a las que estamos acostumbrados y para prevenir riesgos el viajero debe extremar las precauciones con la alimentación.
Es aconsejable estar vacunado contra el tétanos, la fiebre amarilla, la poliomielitis así como la hepatitis A y B y realizar un tratamiento profiláctico contra la malaria.
Clima
El Parque Nacional de Masai Mara dispone de un clima suave y mucho más húmedo que en otras zonas del resto del país debido a su altitud, por encima de los 1500 metros, y a su ubicación. La época de lluvias suele ser de Noviembre hasta Junio y las tormentas nocturnas son algo bastante frecuente.
Moneda
La moneda oficial es el chelín keniano (chelines), que se divide en 100 centavos. Existen billetes de 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 y 20, así como monedas de 20,10,5 y 1. Un euro equivale a unos 83 chelines. Existe la posibilidad de cambiar dinero en hoteles, bancos y casas de cambio. También se pueden pagar en los hoteles o sacar dinero con las tarjetas de crédito Visa y Mastercard.

Ropa
Es aconsejable llevar prendas de lino y algodón, calzado cómodo y transpirable para los safaris y vestir algo más formal si se piensa salir por las noches. Imprescindible un buen repelente de mosquitos, ropas de colores claros y un gorro para el sol.

Buenas compras y artesanía
Kenia es un lugar inmejorable para comprar recuerdos. Podemos encontrar telas, batiks, kangas, tallas de ébano elaboradas a mano, cestos de sisal, figuras de esteatita, coloridas joyas masais e incluso pulseras de pelo de elefante, que en realidad están fabricadas de plástico o de hiervas embetunadas.
Los precios pueden variar enormemente de una tienda a otra por lo que se recomienda no comprar en el primer lugar e intentar regatear.

Por Sergi Reboredo (Texto y fotos)

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Language: Castilian
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Eight Leagues MASAI MARA To enter Kenya with a valid passport valid for six months required. Health Sanitary conditions differ greatly to those we are used to prevent risks and travelers should take precautions with food. It is advisable to be vaccinated against tetanus , yellow fever , polio and hepatitis A and B and perform a prophylactic treatment against malaria. Climate The Masai Mara National Park has a mild climate and more humid than other areas of the rest of the country due to its altitude , above 1500 meters , and location. The rainy season usually from November to June and nocturnal storms are quite common . Currency The official currency is the Kenyan shilling ( ATS ) , which is divided into 100 centavos. There are notes of 1000, 500 , 200, 100 , 50 and 20 , as well as coins 20,10,5 and 1. One euro equals about 83 shillings. Is possible to change money at hotels, banks and exchange offices . You can also pay at hotels or withdraw cash with credit cards Visa and Mastercard . Clothing is advisable to wear clothes of linen and cotton , comfortable and breathable shoes for safaris and wear something more formal if you think about going out at night . Essential to a good mosquito repellent , light-colored clothing and a hat for the sun. Good shopping and crafts Kenya is an unbeatable place to buy souvenirs . We can find fabrics, batiks, kangas , size handmade ebony , sisal baskets , soapstone figures , colorful Maasai jewelery and even elephant hair bracelets , which are actually made ??of plastic or embetunadas herb . Prices can vary greatly from store to store so it is recommended not to buy in the first place and try to haggle.


Masai Mara, animal freedom


To reach the vast plains of Loita , in the lobby of the Masai tribe home , poor Africa is no more than a beautiful literary device in which hard to believe .

The land moistened by rain permeated with its smell , the whole atmosphere. The Sun, in the distance, like a ball of fire, throwing its last rays timid and threatened to hide behind the horizon . As if to witness the rainbow made ??his brief appearance and even animals dared disturb the silence of the bush. It was a sunset in Masai Mara , Kenya 's great book , but it seemed the height of the world's creation .

The traveler has heard from him by the prose of Karen Blixen , Ryszard Kapuscinski and Javier Reverte, whites never be the same again after going through this forgotten corner of the world. But here , while the vastness of the clear horizon can fulfill the old childhood dream to check with your own eyes that the Earth is round effect , when one realizes that he is in a unique place you want to return while alive and never forget . Nothing but artificial painted in Europe in colonial borders, distinguishes the reserve Masai Mara Serengeti ecosystem neighbor . Nowhere else in the world many mammals living in the wild as in this .

the reserve

Poor progress on the reservation , herds of herbivores begin to appear on the prairies. On one side of the dirt track , dozens of wildebeests accompanied by a handful of antelope and zebra , crossing the road , undaunted , a group of elephants with their young adults are the kings of the savanna , in the distance, silhouetted against the horizon , a family of masai giraffes flirty ... While predators are more visible at dawn and dusk and remain on keeping forces ; sheltered in scrubland or uploaded on the tops of the acacia -dwelling leopards, spotted hyenas prowl around large herds of wildebeest, and to see the king of the jungle to look for in the best areas , as families of lions living along streams in minimally leafy areas.

Just dawned and it's time for dessert. The males , the first to eat and the last to intervene in any brawl , make digestion while a flock of vultures spread leftovers . Embezzlement lasts until the lioness , who knows what it takes to bring home the bacon , and scares off scavengers to claw in the blink of an eye comes. The safari continues along the banks of the Mara River , and this is the place where you can see one of the greatest shows on Earth : the passage of the Great Migration . With over 25,000 square kilometers , the Serengeti- Mara ecosystem maintains its precise biological balance thanks to this natural phenomenon , whereby half million wildebeest, 250,000 zebras and gazelles half a million Thompson- accompanied , of course , a ceaseless procession of predators and scavengers , walking 3,000 miles each year in search of pasture . The journey , circular, born in nearby Ngorongoro Crater - Tanzania - where between January and March delivery occurs 400,000 wildebeest calves , and ends in the same place after crossing the Serengeti plains , crossing the Mara , destroy Maasai pastures and back again to the south. In late November , the great migration is over and hoping to see a herd of wildebeest crossing the water is small. But worth it to get here if only to see the remains of the battle. Crocodiles , primed for the rest of the year , have their bellies swollen sun and do not flinch because a colony of marabouts has been made to sift through the huge cemetery that has become the chocolateadas waters of Mara . In another bend in the river , as large buses parked doze a group of hippos and their only concern is diving into the water every few minutes to cool off ...

The city and the Maasai

But this exhibition of wildlife is not, although it is amazing, the greatest treasure that stays on the heart of the traveler. When leaving, when , back to Nairobi, back asphalt and begin to see the first gas stations, the first houses of corrugated iron , the projector 's memory starts passing the unrepeatable human faces that stay in this remote savannah and the jeep becomes an unexpected funeral so it leaves behind. Most admirable of Maasai land are its people. In another time feared warriors, the Maasai maintain ancestral traditions and continue to put their lives pastoralist livestock available . The cow is the central element on which turns the Masai universe. Get her milk and blood with which they feed. With its horns and skins made ??necessary utensils for a nomadic life. With cattle manure build their houses . The cow is in addition to ongoing current coin to buy a wife. So, as if unconsciously visitor would be for soothing mild house pain of evil in Africa, the suitcase back full of useless trinkets , souvenirs of the Maasai , which in the considered first world gain a huge sentimental value.

The nostalgia of that land and its hospitable people is so intense around until you spot the red earth shoes trouble detaching once has left that place of towering beasts and perennial smiles.

Mara Sopa Lodge. Situated on the hillsides of Oloongams, is one of the first lodges built in Masai Mara. Built following the Maasai rituals, is a real treat for the senses.

Mara Serena Lodge. Spectacular views of the savannah from its location on the hill of a hill. Of the most luxurious of all Masai Mara.

Masai Mara Low Cost