Made up of almost 600 square miles of protected and conserved ecosystem in southwestern Kenya, Maasai Mara National Reserve is home to some of the world’s most spectacular, charismatic and endangered creatures.
Africa’s “Big Five” (lion, leopard, African elephant, African buffalo and black rhinoceros) all reside in the game reserve, along with exceptional populations of cheetah, zebra, hyena, Thomson’s gazelle and wildebeest. Hippopotami and Nile crocodiles are also found in the Mara and Talek rivers. As a result, it is one of world’s foremost places to view these impressive beasts in their natural habitat.
One of the best ways to see the park and its famous inhabitants is on a balloon safari. After a dawn lift-off, hot-air balloons float silently above the plains, sometimes as low as treetop height. The bird’s-eye view afforded from the balloon’s wicker basket allows you to at once appreciate the scale of the park and the beauty of the animals that inhabit it.
Costing around £275 per person, balloon safaris last an hour on average. Typically, a champagne breakfast befitting a learned explorer – served on bone china, with silver cutlery and linen table cloths no less! – is served after landing.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Images: Adrian Barnes; Snake3yes; Wajahat Mahmood; Greg Marshall; left-hand)
