It’s from this location hugging the Earth’s equator that regardless of the time of year, the night sky is fully expanded, free from obstruction and closer to stargazers’ wide eyes than nearly any other location imaginable. While looking through a telescope mounted next to the tour vehicle, stargazers are treated to a clear view of neighboring planets, distant solar systems and the milky glow growing from the center of our own galaxy. In the distance, lions roar and the silent thunder of hippos’ steps can be heard on this planet while gazing up at another.

Maasai travel guides and visitors from India, the United States, Spain and Britain gaze up at the night sky, in awe of the amber glow of the Milky Way, revealed as nowhere else on Earth.

National Geographic recently chronicled the rise of stargazing’s growth among travelers to Kenya and the relative ease of finding a guide to take visitors on such a journey. From the wildlife filled valleys of the Maasai Mara to the towering slopes of Mount Kenya, the night sky has become a central focus point of travelers from the world over.

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Citing the abundance of unspoiled wildlife that roam the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the heart stopping fury of the Karuru Falls, and the other worldly splendor of its equatorial rainforests, Forbes acknowledges Kenya’s natural beauty above other top contenders such as Australia, Iceland, and Chile.

Forbes looked to a 2022 Money Magazine study of each country’s natural beauty categories including volcanoes, prominent mountains and presence of coral to arrive at its own beauty ranking.

View the original Forbes article at the following link to read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2022/02/22/the-worlds-50-most-beautiful-countries-you-wont-believe-where-the-us-ranked/?sh=12967884389a

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We flew from Nairobi to the airstrip in the Mara – quite a sight to see herds of elephants and giraffes from 1000 feet in the air! Dickson picked us up at the airstrip, and our 15-night adventure began at Lorian safari camp, where the local Maasai warriors gave us a spectacular welcome with traditional chants and songs. The Maasai patrol the Lorian to keep visitors and staff safe from the beasts that roam about, but more than that, they give the Lorian it’s true character and make the glamping so much more colorful, personable, and fun. The glamping was very comfortable – big poofy duvets, full bath and shower in every tent, and very cool mild summer evenings perfect for sleeping. The Lorain also provided top level service, and the chef was able to provide delightful food that accommodated all of our dietary restrictions.

We spent 7 fabulous days on the Mara, and I saw every wild beast you could imagine. Massive herds of grazing animals all mixing together, with leopards and lions nearby waiting for a meal. A real highlight was driving down toward the Tanzania border to see the beginning of the wildebeest and zebra migration. Dickson made sure we saw all there was to see, and he and his assistant Don were gracious, funny, and always ready to help with whatever was going on.

One of my favorite things was the breakfast or lunch stops, sometimes for coffee too, where we could get out of the safari truck and have a picnic. One day we stopped near a hippo hole, and we were amused at all their cavorting (they are also very stinky). Whenever there was wildlife to observe, Dickson spotted it first and got us in the best position to watch and take photos. He and Don were ridiculously good at seeing things we would not have seen – Dickson even spotted and recovered one of our lost phones in the middle of endless savannah!

Another of my favorite days involved a trip to the local Maasai village. Dickson arranged for us to be able to visit the primary school and bring some educational materials. Meeting the beautiful children and seeing how they manage to provide school in such a remote area was fascinating, and of course I let the little girls play with my long white-girl hair:). After the school visit we toured the traditional Maasai village and bought gifts from the amazing display they put out for visitors. If you go to the Mara, try to see the people too. The Maasai are a colorful vibrant people, rightly proud of their culture and heritage. Dickson is the embodiment of all that is traditional AND modern in the Maasai, and he is the perfect ambassador for a glimpse into their world.

If you want to get the best experience and best photos, pay extra for the photo permit! For a full week pass it’s about an extra $70/day (for the whole group). It’s irresponsible and just wrong to pressure your guide to leave the established track without a permit, because the guide gets fined, not you. If you don’t have the permit, you’ll wish you did. Just pay for it and enjoy the much closer access to the animals.

Dickson’s safari truck itself was one of the best I saw – the top pops up so you can observe the wildlife, and the windows can transition from canvas roll ups (for the Mara) to regular glass windows (for driving in the rest of Kenya). The vehicle has everything you might need – six comfortable window seats so everyone has a good view, charging outlets for phones and cameras, beanbag like things to put your camera on and steady it when you shoot from the truck, always a full flat of water bottles in the back, and a communication radio for safety. Dickson is an expert in managing 4-wheel drive through the rutted roads of the Mara, and every stream crossing is a bumpy, giggly adventure.

I can’t say enough about the great service Dickson and his assistant Don provided. They were top-notch wildlife guides in the Mara and top notch travel guides in the rest of Kenya. If you want a real safari, with real guides who live there and know the Mara, hire Dickson. You’d spend a lot more money to go with a big corporate travel group, or you can put your money right into a Maasai tribe – where Dickson and the other guides use their money to support the village and its schools and churches (Dickson personally provides financial support for village orphans to board at the school, so it’s money well spent). Don’t be cheap in Kenya – pay what you think it’s worth in your money. And count your blessings.

Just go. You’ll want to go back like I do.

-Gina

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