Sunshine Travelers (00:00)
If you're planning a safari or trying to figure out the best safari itinerary, today's episode is for you. Melissa and I recently returned from another safari through Kenya, where we explored Nairobi National Park, visited one of the country's premier rhino conservancies, spent time in Samburu National Reserve, and finished in the legendary Masai Mara.
In search of Africa's iconic wildlife. But this episode isn't just about where we went. It's about why we keep going back, what we've learned from each safari, and the experiences that continue to make Kenya one of the favorite destinations that we've been anywhere in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:46)
We're Scott and Melissa, The Sunshine Travelers.
Speaker 1 (00:49)
We're all about exploring the world and sharing the journey with you. Whether you're a seasoned traveler, dreaming of your next adventure, or just here for the stories.
Speaker 2 (00:57)
No matter where you are on your travel journey, we've got first-hand experiences, tips, and plenty of inspiration from some of the most amazing places on Earth.
Speaker 1 (01:06)
So buckle up and get ready to travel with us.
Sunshine Travelers (01:08)
So Melissa, people ask us all the time what our favorite trip is. And we have traveled all over the world. We've been to Morocco, we've been to Antarctica, we've been to Egypt and to the Galapagos. And yet when we're asked where we'd be returned tomorrow if we could, I think Kenya is always at the top of that list for us. it's funny because we were just asked this question last night and
I mean, immediately I knew that would be both of our answers as well. But we struggled to put into words exactly why. Because the feeling is so hard to explain. What
What we do know is that once you've experienced this, it's incredibly difficult to find that same feeling during a trip anywhere else. Yeah, for us, it usually happens with the elephants. I think, you're standing there, we're in the open safari vehicle, the roof, pops up. And so you're standing there and you're looking out with your head above the roof.
Everything around you is just so quiet, and you're watching a family of elephants just slowly walk past. There's little ones that stop and look at you with that curiosity that they seem to have. you might even see one do a little tiny practice charge and flop its ears at you, trying to convince you that it's much bigger than it really is. But I think for me.
Those are kind of those moments that you just sit there and think, this is unique. This is one of a kind. And one thing about what you said about them charging you. And then the the mom will just kind of like use her trunk and be like, No, like it's okay. They're not a danger to us. And it's so interesting to observe that behavior. And then also seeing just the tiny juveniles there.
chasing each other or learning how to charge each other and it looks like they're just playing, but they're learning the behaviors they'll need as they grow older, as they have to go out on their own. And the older elephants barely even acknowledge that you're there. That's what's so interesting about it is because like they know that we're not gonna be a threat to them.
they're just living their lives. They may look at you, as they're eating and getting grass, and just for a few minutes as you sit there, I mean you're just you're just part of the landscape. And it's just I could sit there for hours, honestly, and just watch these elephants. They're because they're majestic and you realize how big they are, but they also as they walk, they look so graceful as well.
And I think that's what makes Safari different. You're not watching the wildlife perform for you, right? There's nobody out there telling them to turn and face you. There's nobody feeding them. you're witnessing real life unfold exactly as it has for thousands of years. Every drive that we do out on safari is different. Every encounter that we have is is different. And
Think that's why we just keep coming back to Safari over and over again. And honestly, we just never tire of it. And I'll be honest with you, I mean, there's just times when you're just just riding along and just soaking it in. I mean, I think there's few other places in our world today where you are just like, you just want to sit back and soak that in, where you don't feel like, I need to be doing this and doing that.
and and honestly, as you sit there, you're just like, just pinch me. Am I really here getting to experience this?
One of the biggest surprises for us actually happened before we ever even left out of Nairobi. Yeah. So all of our trips usually start in Nairobi. Everybody will fly into Nairobi. That's where we'll all meet. And then we go off and start the Safari. Well, this time we started in Nairobi itself with the Safari.
This is where everybody flies in and gets situated before we head out on the safari. And normally we go on the first day while we're trying to get acclimated and go see things like the Karen Blixen Museum. Maybe we go to the Kazuri Beads place and see where the women make the handmade beads into bracelets and necklaces and
those type of things. But this time we actually started with a morning game drive in Nairobi National Park. And honestly, it's like, why have we never done this before?
So I was honestly shocked because we immediately almost, and when I think we just we got really lucky, but we saw both black and white rhinos. And what's so cool about Nairobi National Park is that the Nairobi skyline is in the background. And it is actually the only national park that borders a capital city. And even though it sounds strange, like why would you want to be on safari and still see a city? It's like it's actually really, really cool. Yeah.
and so unusual. There's also like a train bridge that crosses through it and their surrounding there are, people's homes and then there's a few lodges and things like that. So it's actually a very unique landscape. And we were shocked at the amount of wildlife we saw. Yeah, and this isn't like a a zoo or anything. So the animals aren't in cages or fences or anything like that, but they are right there.
kind of almost on the edge of the city, or actually on the edge of the city. And so there were times where we would run across wildlife and back behind them would be the skyline of Nairobi. And I think that experience really changes how we'll build our safaris going forward. instead of, rushing out of Nairobi
To get to other locations, I think we'll use Nairobi National Park to help us get launched into Safari mode.
we're going to use it as an introduction for our guest on how to safari, what it's like to get up early for a safari, enjoy coffee before we head out, how the guides read the landscape and they work with one another to determine where the animals are and where to go to, and then how to look for wildlife. And, it's gonna set the tone for the next few days is that.
Patience is part of the experience, but you're also gonna see this is your first chance to try to get sights of some of those big five animals. So for example, you're probably gonna see the rhinos there at Nairobi National Park. You're gonna see the Cape Buffaloes there. you might even see lions there. But before you ever go out into these more famous, well-known
Parks and reserves, you can go ahead and start to check off your big five list. Yeah. And not only that, we saw Maasai giraffes, we got to spot rock hyraxes. and I I didn't even know what that was, but we stopped and saw those. And then we later in the trip saw tree hyraxes as well. We also saw hippopotamus, impalas, zebras, heart beast.
Which you don't we didn't see a ton of those other places. So that was really cool. and then the ostriches and the baboons, we probably saw a few other things, but like we were like, holy cow, we have seen so many animals right here in Nairobi National Park. We were just absolutely shocked. And so after this experience, we were like, okay, this is getting added to our first day of safari on our group trip.
Well, before we headed out, we made two more stops this time that have become important parts of how we want to introduce people to Kenya and to the to the wildlife. The first was the Sheldrick Wildlife Center. And if you've listened to us for any length of time, you already know that elephants hold a very special place in our hearts. You just even from the intro and from our first conversation, we were talking about how important these elephants are.
They're doing such a great job to try to protect and conserve these elephants. And so the Sheldrick Orphanage, they open their doors to the public like once a day. They have a public viewing. you do have to make reservations and be there at a certain time to do this. Now it's part of the national park. it is not a zoo, though. It
is a place where they have for years now gone out and rescued these orphans. And Scott, you actually have seen a lot, watch a lot of videos. There's actually a lot of videos out there where they show they go to these different places. so it's so interesting because every elephant there has a story. It has a name, it has a story. And the head keeper who kind of does the presentation tells all of them.
Every single one from memory. It is absolutely incredible. most of them have lost their mothers to things like poaching or conflict or drought or accidents. some of them just simply fall down in a crevice. or the mother, has fallen and the the babies are left and they won't survive.
With when without their mothers. And so watching these keepers and learning about them, how they do care for these young elephants and just like hearing these stories, it just reminds you that that conservation and protecting this wildlife isn't just a word. It's people who dedicate their lives to giving these animals another chance. These keepers, because these elephants are so tiny.
well I won't say tiny, they're like like little tiny. They're so young, I guess that's They're tiny compared to other elephants. Yeah. And they're so young, they do have to be fed every so every so many hours. so they can't be left alone either. And so somebody is with them 24 hours, giving them bottles. They also said though that the keepers have to rotate so that a keeper doesn't get attached to the elephant and the elephant doesn't get attached to that particular keeper.
so I'm sure they're friendly with all of them, but so it isn't like, okay, I can't let this one go. Because the idea then is that these elephants are then reintroduced in a national park or in a conservancy back into an an another elephant family who will take them in as well. So it's just so amazing watching them when it's time for them to come out, watching them run to get their bottles.
The older ones hold their own bottle by their trunks and then the keepers have to take them away from them so they won't like try to eat the nipples. so just absolutely incredible. The other cool thing was that they also, when we were there, they have a baby rhino and a baby zebra who have become a friends.
the rhino is from Nairobi National Park and of course the zebra can go there. And so they're kind of hoping that when they get old enough to be released that they can can kind of continue to have that bond there. it is a black rhino and they're kind of solitary creatures as far as rhinos go, but just to watch the two of those guys just like be best friends and it it's just really, really cool. Yeah, it really is. They're they're best buds. And I would say it impacted us enough that we now sponsor
the youngest of the orphaned elephants for our granddaughter so that she'll get regular updates on its progress. Yes. And so that visit to the Sheldrick Orphanage will also be a part of our group trip as well.
another thing that we did for the first time was to go to the giraffe center, which is right there in Karen which is right there by Nairobi, to learn more about the endangered Rothschild giraffe. So if you've ever heard of Giraffe Manor, the place where you can go stay, where the giraffe sticks their head in the windows, this is adjacent to that property. So you can actually see giraffe manor from your visit at the giraffe center.
And so this is the only place right now where you will be able to see the Rothschilds. and it's just another reminder that Kenya's wildlife story isn't just about seeing the animals. there's also a whole like learning environment. it rained when we first got there. So we went into like the more of like the learning center and it really gave us an overview of like, okay, here's how you can tell.
the Maasai draft from the reticulated draft from the Rothschilds and the differences between them. And that that's very valuable. I mean, your guides will like reiterate that and you can always ask them, but that's very val valuable information to like kind of know when you see the different ones as well.
the work that's being done in Kenya to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to experience this too.
Well, one thing you'll notice about the way that we build our safaris out is that every stop on the safari has a purpose. We don't simply go to the most famous park and spend a week there, you literally could go to the Masai Mara and just spend a whole week there. it would be really easy to do, but
We want to curate this in a way where you see how each ecosystem that we're going into offers something that's a little bit different. And we intentionally stack the itinerary to give our guests the best overall experience. So thinking about this trip, Melissa and I are actually on the safari this time, leading a small group. We had a small group that was with us of people who had done
the habitat for humanity build for with us. And so afterwards we're taking them on this safari and so we're
telling you a little bit about the itinerary that we went through, but it's also matches the itinerary that we're gonna do on our group safari in twenty twenty seven. So like I said,
Each of these stops along the way, we're doing it on purpose. And one example of that is going up north towards Solio Ranch.
And so if seeing rhinos is on your bucket list, this is absolutely one of the best places that we found to do it. So I know we mentioned that you can see them in Nairobi National Park, but not like this. Solio Ranch for rhinos is just an absolute special place. and it's honestly one of the best places. I mean, you just see so many.
And you see the ones with the really long horns. And we were really lucky this time we got to see quite a number of black rhinos as well. And so before we had ever reached the Maasai Mara our guests had already experienced some of Africa's rarest animals in their natural habitat. And also getting to see, okay, here's how the white rhinos in groups, here's the how they interact.
here is the rhino toilet and this is what this means and this is how this this works. Like rhinos don't just walk and just poop everywhere. They have a designated place that's a toilet. and then seeing how the the different behavior is from the black rhino as well.
Sunshine Travelers (17:57)
We've traveled all over the world and experienced some truly incredible places, but there's one experience that keeps calling us back again and again, and that's a safari in Kenya.
And in June of 2027, we want you to come with us. We'll be leading a small group through three of Kenya's incredible wildlife areas, including the Maasai Mara, where we'll head out each day in search of Africa's big five and experience so much more along the way. You'll stay in luxury tinted camps surrounded by the sights and sounds of the African wilderness. And we're intentionally keeping this group small.
because we believe the way that you experience a safari matters. One of the biggest differences is how we've arranged the safari vehicles. We're limiting each vehicle to just three or four guests. That means everyone has plenty of room. You can move from one side of the vehicle to the other when wildlife moves. You have space for your camera. And when a lion or an elephant or leopard or cheetah appears.
You're not trying to look around a crowded vehicle or worrying about someone blocking your view. It gives you a much more personal and immersive safari experience. June is also an incredible time to be in Kenya. And these dates often sell out more than a year in advance. But we've worked with our trusted partners in Kenya to reserve space specifically for our group. So if an African safari has been on your bucket list, Don't wait any longer.
Space is limited, and once these spots are gone, they're gone. All of the places we've traveled and all the incredible experiences we've had around the world,
A safari is still the trip that keeps bringing us back. It's truly one of the most amazing experiences that we do. And this time we want you to come with us. Join us in Kenya in June of 2027 for the Sunshine Travelers Experiences Group Safari.
Visit sunshine Travelers dot com slash safari dash group dash trip to learn more and reserve your spot. Space is very limited and the deadline is quickly approaching.
Sunshine Travelers (19:57)
The Solio Ranch is not just about rhinos. We also saw the Cape Buffalo there, which is part of the Big Five, reticulated giraffes, zebras, and plenty of other wildlife. But the rhinos are what make this place so special. And it's a conservancy that's focused on protecting both that black and white rhino. And so your chances there are outstanding. I mean, there's what, Melissa?
Hundreds, maybe a thousand or more rhinos there. Yeah, just incredible. And what's so incredible about this is we actually learned from somebody in the community on the habitat build is a conservancy that is close to where that community was, they're gonna actually get some of the rhinos from Solio Ranch. So they've done such an amazing job at bringing these numbers back that they're now able to
share those rhinos into other conservancies, which I think is really, really cool. So one evening that we were there, we had the opportunity to visit the rhino orphanage. And it just so happened that we were there at feeding time. And so the way that this rhino orphanage works is I think it's in groups of six people can only visit at one time, which makes it a very intimate experience and very different from that Sheldrick orphanage. So we were very lucky to be able to do that.
feeding a baby rhino its evening bottle is honestly one of those experiences that not only do few people ever get to have, but something that we are gonna always remember. And we also can't help but think that those people that work there and those dedicated conservation teams, like just what a work that they are doing to protect a species.
that still faces enormous challenges outside of these conservancies. One of the things that stuck with me though is so the little ones are still in their own little holding pin and they have the keepers who, I mean they know their personalities and and all the things, but they would take that bottle and they would just go into that little house that they have and lay down and go to bed. She was like, yeah, they just put themselves to bed and just just like
those behaviors is it's just really, really amazing. And then to know then, because they did talk about at this, at this orphan orphanage, which is not just for rhinos. They have several other animals that they have there and
they let them kind of go and come as they please, which is what they do with the elephants. They explained to us too that they've that these animals then have to feel comfortable to go out on their own. And she even talked about, well, one went out, it was a female and it went out and it got pregnant, but then it came back to have that baby back to this rhino orphanage. And then it just decided, well, this is a safe place. We're just gonna stay here. And I just thought that was so
so neat. So they just did really do a great job of educating too when you're here. Well, we're excited that our guests on the twenty twenty seven Safari are likely going to be able to experience Solio with us. But we're also watching the changes that are happening there very closely. There's a JW Marriott that has gone into the area, into the to the ranch, and it's starting to change the landscape a little bit.
Access for outside operators has become more limited. And even since we got back, we heard that Solio Lodge was shut down and they were given 24 hours to vacate. So, this is one of those examples where I'm sure if you're going to that JW Marriott and going to that ranch, it'll be spectacular experience, but it's also where it's
shutting down access for other people to have that same experience without going to JW Marriott. And we really don't know how we feel about that. So we're gonna keep watching that. But for right now, it's on our itinerary for the 2027 trip. I will say that one of the things that we do like about Solio is their continuing support
for conservation. And that's why we continue to keep that on this itinerary. As Melissa said, going to this Rhino orphanage and feeding the babies, I can't think of where I've seen that be a possibility anywhere else. And it would be such a shame to lose that as a option for us.
Well from Solio we continued north into Samburu National Reserve. and for us, this is where the safari begins to really change. Samburu is a I don't know how you would describe it. I don't know if it's a desert. It's definitely warmer in Samburu. The the landscape becomes a lot more rugged, the vegetation starts to change.
And now you're seeing some species that don't live in the further south. And every ecosystem in Kenya has its own personality. And I think I've said before, Samburu was just different for me from the very first time that we went there. and it just continues to be a very special place.
It's so interesting because there is actually a Samburu special five. So we talk about the big five. Most people know about the big five. There's also a little five. there's also an ugly five, but in Samburu, there's a Samburu special five. And so I think that's also just shows you how special Samburu is. There's animals there that you're really not going to find in any of these other places. So on this trip, we stayed at Samburu intrepid's camp.
which is where we'll also plan to stay for the next group safari. And that's right along the river. And one of our favorite things to do wasn't even a game drive. We had the opportunity to have some time to just sit outside of our tent in the chairs or under the thatched roof at the main camp lounge that also has the dining area and simply just watch the river and just enjoy being
They are and being outside because you honestly never know what you might see. it's possible that you could see elephants. we this time we saw a lot of like local people with their their herds like coming down to the water to drink and and things like that. But honestly you you never know what you're gonna see. Yeah, the Samburu warriors would come down there with the goats and
they would even get in and, cool off a little bit
Every morning during our game drives in Samburu, we'd watch family groups of elephants emerge from the hills and then slowly make their way down to the river. Never in a hurry. They would always stop and eat along the way. And that's something that elephants do like all day long is eat. And you can
When you're right next to you just see how massive they are and you understand why they eat all day. but they'd go down, they would interact with each other, and then eventually, they would work their way down to the river. And water is a major part of their life. I think they drink like eighteen hundred gallons of water or something like that, or eighteen hundred liters of water a day.
It's a massive amount of water. And so they work their way down to the river to get the water. That's where they'll all also kind of splash around and play a little bit. the especially the younger ones. they're the ones that are always kinda having fun while the matriarch has to, be focused about business
Sometimes they'll cross the river right there and go to the other side and maybe they'll go up into the hills on the other side of the river for the next evening and then they come back down again. But that's one thing is these elephants are following these ancestral paths that are leading them to water because it's so important. And so
That is also one thing you're not going to see in Nairobi National Park. It just is not large enough for the elephants, besides those babies that are in the orphanage there. they have to end up releasing those guys somewhere else. so this is really the first opportunity you have to see the elephants because they're not they're also not in Solio Ranch as well. and so one morning we watched a troop of the baboons.
high in the date palm. So this was so interesting because when our last safari we were there in October. And this time being there in June, which is when we're gonna do the group trip, the next time as well, the fruit is on those trees, which it wasn't in October when we were there. I wanted to say fall, but I was trying to think. We're right there at the equator, so the seasons kind of change depending, but I do think it would have been.
it would be fall for that one. But they of course don't really have fallen like we do. They call it the rainy season. but anyway, in the June they had the palm fruit was on the trees. And so as they pulled that fruit down from the trees, some of them fell to the ground. And before long the elephants were really figuring out what was happening. And so they gathered under the trees and they would wait patiently for those baboons to accidentally
drop them down and shake them off. And so they would hit the ground and the elephants would reach for them. the baboons would try to be racing for them as well. So really it was so interesting to watch that interaction. There was baboons on the ground. There were some in the trees knocking them down. The elephants were trying to get to them. And so of course the baboons pick them up and They hold them in their hands and it takes them quite a while to eat them. Well those elephants are just, popping them popping the whole thing in their mouth at one time. So
It's it felt like you're watching a game that's probably been played for generations. but but also to remember that, the time of the year that you're there matters because you're gonna also see different things as well. Everyone talks about how lions and leopards are a big part of a safari and and rightly so, but sometimes it's those quiet interactions that stay with you the longest.
And that's why we tell people not to rush from sighting to sighting although there are times when that is the case. your driver will talk to someone on the phone and they'll be like, Hey, we saw a cheetah and you need to get there now, or they'll come over the radio and you'll hear talk about a lion somewhere. And so those moments do happen.
But then there's these other moments, especially late in the afternoon, and you're working your way back to the camp and you come across this large herd of elephants. They're probably working their way back up to the hills. And you get to just sit there and you just get to watch this. Or maybe it's a a herd of Cape Buffalo.
the Cape Buffalo is probably one of those animals, even though it's part of the big five, that people don't appreciate as much. And they don't sit and watch them, I think, quite like we do. But those are the times where you'll just sit back and you'll remember something that happened. Or, you just think back through the day while you're watching it and you just think how amazing it is that you're right amongst these animals in their
home land, right? Where where they live day in and day out. And it's just so such a special place. I love how the Cape Buffalo like turn their heads like they're looking at you. Yeah, they give you side eyes. And then they just chew. And then they just so it is just so interesting to watch them watching you. So the way we build our itineraries, Samburu also gives us the first real encounter,
with some of Kenya's big cats. and the excitement over trying to seek those also never gets old. Not for, not even for our guides, right? It is just, it's fun for them. It's fun for them to try to be the one that finds them or just be able to make it to where they are and hopefully we get to see them too if they have been spotted. So even after multiple safaris,
Hearing our guide say that a cat has been spotted, if they tell you. Now sometimes you have a guide and they don't necessarily tell you. And then sometimes you have one that they will kind of tell you. So It's like the vehicle just starts going faster all of a sudden. And you're like, he's on to something. And so if one's been spotted and seeing if we can see it too is an exciting part of a safari. So
We have been fortunate enough to see all the cats in Samburu during one or both of our visits. So we've seen cheetahs both times. we didn't really see lions this time. We saw lions last time, but we did see a leopard this time. So you just never know. but the cats, unlike anything else, because of their numbers and their elusiveness, you just never know. But the encounters with them.
are absolutely spectacular. And I think it's it's always neat when you come across these animals. Often most of the time our guides don't have cameras because they are hundred percent focused on getting you in the best position possible to get the best photo and to get the best view of these animals. But sometimes they will bring out their phone and they'll be taking pictures as well.
And so it's like, you know, that that they've seen maybe even these same cats like a hundred times and they're just excited about it and they're taking pictures too. but one of the reasons that we try to keep our safaris limited in the number of people that go and we try to get it to where it's only three to four guests per safari vehicle. So if
if we've got nine people, we're taking three safari vehicles out. And that's so that everyone has a clear view. Nobody's having to lean over somebody else's shoulder. You don't have to worry about someone turning their back, right into your picture or your view while you're trying to watch it. and you also can ask your guide questions. you can ask them
To even move the vehicle a little bit if if maybe you don't have the best shot. Normally they're asking you that question. They're like, Do you ha do you have the right angle? Do you need me to move? Do you need me to pull forward? Do you need me to back up a little bit? Right. Our guides are really good and they're the ones that are usually asking those questions, but you can ask them for that. Or you can simply just ask them to stop. if you see something,
And I just think back to the last safari where we were heading back to the camp and I just saw there was an acacia tree and the sun was setting behind it. And I was like, Hey, can you just stop and let us take in the sunset? And we did. And, he pulled to where we just had a good view of of that tree and the sunset beside it. And then like we didn't even notice that there was a lot of animals around us. and so
we're just watching this and you've got this wildlife all around you and you just feel like you're in the Lion King or something like that.
And so those of you don't know, the animals are, they're most active in the mornings and in the early evenings. And so that's why your game drives are structured around that. Getting up early, getting there when the at the animals are active, hunting, eating, moving, that kind of thing. and then same thing in the afternoon. A lot of times it's just simply too hot in the middle of the afternoon
and so after our morning and afternoon game drives, coming back to the camp, it honestly they really do make you feel like it's coming home, regardless of what camp. They will say to you, welcome home. They make you just always feel so welcome. And so you can do things like having a relaxing massage at the spa, having dinner, in overlooking the river at Zambur Intrepid's.
And then just sharing stories and sharing our favorite things with our group and remembering things that we had seen from the day becomes honestly as memorable as the wildlife itself is talking about, what was your favorite thing from today and things like that. And then of course, like I mentioned, the absolute top-notch service and hospitality. we just think that the hospitality in Kenya.
is nothing like we've really have experienced anywhere else. They know how to do it.
Well, by the time we left Samboru, everyone had already got into understanding, how the safaris work, kind of got used to those early morning game drives. We had seen the rhinos, the elephants.
in our first big cats.
That flight from Samburu to Masai Mara is pretty memorable itself. For many people, this might be the first time that you've ever been on a small aircraft. it's definitely for a lot of people the first time that you've taken off or landed on a dirt runway. And it's most definitely the first time that you've ever seen a guy on a motorcycle trying to run the zebras.
Off of the runway while you're trying to take off or land, right? So it's a pretty special place to take off and land out of. So we'll get on a small bush plane. We're gonna fly across Kenya, we're gonna go south now, and we're gonna go below the equator this time. And as you're flying, you really get to see how diverse the country is and how the geography starts to change.
as we head down to the Maasai Mara. I would say that it's an adventure in and of itself and it's a perfect transition to get into that iconic destination of the Maasai Mara.
I think for most people is you just show up at the airstrip and you board the plane. Like get your luggage out, they put it on, and you just board the plane. So there's no airport building, there's no TSA, there's no security. on this trip, one of the times that we did this, there were a couple of kids who got out their soccer ball, they're playing soccer. This other guy comes out while we were waiting on the plane and they're just playing soccer there. It's just that's just another whole unique.
I think experience that is part of this as well, which which makes it really, really fun. And like Scott mentioned, it's fun to see them ride down the airstrip on that motorcycle. But then also literally because you notice that as soon as you're getting off that plane, you could see elephants, you could see giraffes, you could see zebras, you could like be seeing wildlife immediately, which is just completely crazy.
And I think the Maasai Mara is where people really start to understand why Kenya is considered one of the greatest wildlife destinations on earth. They have wide open grasslands that stretch to the horizon. When we were there, the grasses were pretty tall. and on the the border of the Maasai River, which separates the Serengeti from the Masai Mara.
They were actually burning some of those grasses ahead of the Great Migration. So if you've ever heard of that before, the Great Migration is where, millions of wildebeest and zebra and buffaloes and things like that migrate from the Serengeti over into the Masai Mara after the rains to get that fresh green grass. when they say
Grass is always greener on the other side. Well, that's the story on the Maasai Mara, just after this time of year.
So we stayed at Ashnill Mara camp and actually quickly became one of our favorite safari properties. It's a little bit larger than some of the intimate camps that we've stayed in before, but everything about it was fantastic. The staff and the food, the location along the river. They even had some cultural things that went on a couple of different nights, hearing the hippos at night. So this camp really strikes a wonderful balance between comfort.
and feeling connected to the wilderness, but you're completely safe from the animals as well. They make sure of that. Yeah, we often tell people that Maasai Mara is famous for its big cats. And It definitely lives up to that reputation. And so if you haven't seen all of the big cats by this point,
your chances of getting to see the ones that you didn't see are gonna be greatly expanded in the Mara. we spent time with multiple lion prides. We watched cheetahs out in the plains, looking for their next opportunity to hunt and feed. And we were even fortunate enough to see a leopard again. So we had seen the cheetah and the leopard in Samburu. Now we're gonna see
we get a chance to see them again, along with several prides of lions in the Maasai Mara. So you're looking at Africa's most elusive predators, and they all seem to be centered right here in the Mara. And what always amazes me and is that even when you find a lion, the experience is never the same twice. And funny about this is that there were times where we saw the same
lions on multiple days in the Mara and our guide would be like, those were the lions we saw doing such and such yesterday. So even you're not going to see even the same ones doing the same thing. because they do have their own territories and their own, kind of regions. And so that's why you might have the opportunity to see them again. sometimes they might just be sleeping in the shade, or in this case, this time in the tall grass.
sometimes they might be interacting with their cubs, which we saw a lot on our last trip, but not really on this trip. and every once in a while you're lucky enough to witness a behavior that reminds you that these animals are still wild and they make their own decisions. So for example, you might you might see a kill or you might see them, eating their kill or learning that the males eat first, even though the females
Do the kill. they get what's left. we saw a couple this time where they the male was interested in trying to mate and she wasn't having it. So you just have no idea what you're gonna see. and so this time we actually saw quite a number of larger prides. They were mostly juveniles of several years old. And once and one time we even saw there were seven of them.
that they had kind of gotten near another pride's territory. And boy were they hightailing it back into their direction. Like they had gotten caught trying to get close. and they were like running in a line. something that we had never experienced before. It was absolutely incredible. And so it just reminds you, I mean, these creatures are so stunning, but it reminds you that each encounter
Is going to be something different and gives you an opportunity for your guide to tell you more about them and about their behavior. One quick example was I didn't realize that if something happens to the male, the male head of that pride, if there are male cubs in that pride, they get killed. He makes sure that they are killed so that they don't end up being a competitor.
And then he mates with those females and they have their own cubs, but those males would be seen as a competition or a threat to him. I mean, it's just I mean, it's terrible, right? But it's the circle of life and it's absolutely fascinating. But I didn't hadn't been told that from a previous trip. Yeah, seeing the seeing these predators when they take down their prey, right? And
you're just like, man, I wanna see this. And then all of a sudden you realize, they're going after the youngest, right? That's the easiest one to get. And then you're just kind of like, I don't want to see this happen. But then you can't watch you can't look away, right? You're you're just in enthralled by it. And and I think it does help to just remember that this is part of the circle of life. This is this is how it happens. And so you're just watching that. But some people ask us
if they're gonna be guaranteed to see the big five. And the answer to that is no. Nobody can promise you that. Wildlife doesn't work on a schedule. they're not out there with these animals in cages, releasing them when you come by. Right. They're in the wild. And all that we can do is to help design an itinerary that gives you the best possible opportunity. And like I said,
We literally saw the big five twice on this trip. and an example of that is you don't normally look for the rhinos in the Maasai Mara. just because there's so few of them there and the Mara is so big and they like to hang out in the brush brushy areas that that you're not in. But this time we happen to see a black rhino in the Mara.
And so, that actually rounded out that we saw all of the big five in Samburu or before we got to the Mara, and then we saw the big five again in the Mara.
Another thing that surprised us was how quickly our group just settled into our safari life, our safari routine, I guess I would say. but the excitement of each siding is still there. And but I think that by this point everybody had really learned just to slow down and appreciate like the big five, but also the little bitty things.
as well. There was one time when we saw the ants and how they make their little trail. And the guides they know about everything, big, small, birds, the insects, the f the plants, and being able to listen to the guides, ask them questions, and just appreciate the small moments like that. and then of course the headline sightings, but just everything
It makes up that ecosystem.
And I think it's, those little things that you start to enjoy the most towards the end of a safari is seeing that sunset, watching that group of buffalo sitting and watching the elephant herd as it's going back into the hills at night. at I think at first it's fun to go and f try to find those elusive animals.
But by the of the Safari you've done hopefully you've already done that. You've found the elusive ones and now you're just sitting back and enjoying things. And that's how you bring this safari to a closure is appreciating even the smallest things like the birds, while you're out there on Safari. And so it got time where our group was
Coming to the end of their safari. They were going to go back home. Well, Melissa and I stayed a few extra days. And this is one of the important parts of what we do and why it's important for, the safaris that we lead, for the, clients that we book on safari for through Sunshine Travelers experiences. Because we go out and we visit camps, we meet the lodge managers, we go in and inspect rooms, look at those.
We evaluate their service. there's one that we posted on Instagram that we went to. And as you walk up to the doors, these doors open up and there's this beautiful lodge just beyond the doors that are looking out over the Mara. and we get to see things like that and be like, hey, we know so and so that would really enjoy this, or if we have somebody,
For example, when we went to Mara Serena and we said, Hey, if we have somebody that really loves Disney and loves Animal Kingdom, this is the perfect place for them. This is like real life animal kingdom. And so we go out and we try to make sure that we're staying and going to the places that are gonna give the best itineraries
Both for us as well as those who are traveling with us. And so this time we also spent time somewhere we had never been before, which was the Mara Triangle. And so although it's part of the same ecosystem, it has a very different feel because it's run a little bit differently. There's fewer vehicles, it has stricter conservation rules, it has stricter rules about where you can drive and where you can't drive and how long you can be in the park.
there's very few camps and things that are actually inside that Mara Triangle. It's definitely a quieter atmosphere and it allows the wildlife encounters a bit different. Yeah. We stayed at the Mara Engai Lodge, and this one's different because your adventure kind of starts before you ever get up and
check in to the lodge. the operator that you're with, they drive you up to the base of the lodge, which is at the bottom of the mountain, and you get unloaded into the lodge's six by six vehicle because they're gonna have to drive almost straight up the face of this mountain to get to the lodge in
They unload you. They take all of your stuff to your room for you. You check in inside this beautiful we're trying to think of what the name of this space is where you go in, but it's, kind of like their lobby area, if you will. but it's beautiful, it's well decorated. they usually bring you out like a cold drag so that you can wash the dust off of your face and your hands.
They'll bring you some kind of juice to, to sip on while you're checking into the lodge.
And one of the reasons that we go to all these different places is we don't want to recommend a property that we've only seen in a brochure. We'd love to make sure that we've experienced it ourselves, whether we've stayed there or we've just gone on a visit and toured and met the staff. but we want to make sure that wherever we're sending people, that it meets the
the kind of luxury experiences that that we're looking for. And one that would be, good for families or one that we'd say, hey, you might want to just go and visit this one yourself. I think of Melissa, we went to the Butler cabin. And like this one, Butler is not spelled the way that we spell Butler. It's a little bit different.
But this one you definitely don't want to bring your kids to. It is super high end, super luxury. and the cabins or the the rooms, the tents that you stay in, it's just unbelievable when you think about the fact that you're inside of a tent.
But all of this helps to just, helps us recommend and craft custom itineraries for our clients, even beyond what we we've done or that we do on our group Safari.
And as we closed out our safari and started our making our way home, I found myself thinking about something that people ask us all the time. So why would you want to keep going back to Africa? And it's definitely a fair question because there are so many other places that we want to explore in the world.
And I think the answer that we give is that it's some there's something there that we haven't found anywhere else in the world. And we've struggled to really put that into words because the feeling that we have is really hard to explain. We've tried to tell you what it's like sitting there and watching those elephants, but until you've been there and you've experienced it, it's really difficult to to know what that is.
And and to just share it in words. It's a feeling, right? It's not something that's meant to be shared in words. It's a feeling you have. And so, we were warned before we ever went on safari by friends of ours that it's going to become addictive. And a hundred percent they were right. And like Scott said before, it's not about checking the big five off of a list because that is not a guarantee.
it's about watching that family of elephants interact with one another. It's about the older matriarch like teaching some of the other mothers what they are gonna need to know. It's about the moms letting the babies know that we're not a threat to them. and and just seeing that by the way that she uses our trunk. it's about seeing those baby rhinos.
And those baby elephants that are given a second chance and watching a guide who has spent decades in the bush notice something that we would have driven right past, and then also be able to emulate the sound of that animal or tell you something that you haven't heard before. and slowing down enough to appreciate that every game drive is going to be different and you're going to learn something different.
And I think we would agree that every Safari has taught us something new and different each time we go. that we need to add Nairobi National Park to the itinerary. I think, we've always begun with Solio, but Nairobi just gives you a kind of a soft launch into that safari. And I think that was very beneficial.
It introduced us to new lodges that we can now confidently recommend to our clients. And it also reminded us that Kenya is constantly evolving, which means we have to keep learning, we have to keep going, and we have to keep updating our knowledge as things change. And that's one of the reasons that we lead these trips ourselves and we intentionally spend time going and seeing other lodges and checking out new places.
Because we definitely aren't interested in just putting together an itinerary from a website. We want to get to know the guides. we want to meet the camp managers, we want to walk through the rooms, experience their service firsthand and understand which makes each place different, each place special. And when we recommend something to
Our clients, when we want when we add something to our group itineraries, it's because it's special. It's because we've been there and we know that we want others to experience it as well. And we also believe that Safari should be an intimate experience. that's why we do game drives in private vehicles, not the lodge vehicles. We have vetted guides. We also keep our groups intentionally small.
So that we can have better conversations, better viewing from the vehicles, better photography, and a much more personal experience. And some of our favorite memories aren't even of the animals. It's the conversations that we have around dinner table after we've had an incredible day in the bush. And I would say too, it's the incredible bush breakfast that we have and seeing animals while we're having breakfast or the sundowners and watching the sunset or
One of the evenings it was literally sitting there during our sundowner watching the elephants go back up into the hills. And so if Africa has been on your bucket list, we'd encourage you to stop waiting for the perfect time. There will always be another reason to postpone it. But if there's one trip that has changed the way we look at travel, it's this one. And we hope this episode gave you a glimpse into why Kenya has been such an important part of our lives and will continue to be.
An important part, why we're so passionate about sharing it with others. And if you'd like to learn more about joining our future small group, we'd love to have that conversation with you, whether you're traveling with us or you're going on your own. Our hope is that one day you'll find yourself standing quietly in an open safari vehicle, watching a herd of elephants disappear into the distance and finally.
You two will understand that feeling that we've been trying to describe. The link to learn more about our June 2027 group safari is in the show notes, or you can go to our website, sunshinetravelers.com, to learn more. And if you want to talk to us about planning your own private safari, you can find that link in the show notes as well. And so thank you for spending part of your day with us. If you enjoyed this episode, we'd appreciate if you would subscribe.
And also leave us a review and share the podcast with someone who's dreaming about an African safari. And if you have questions about Kenya, the safaris, or any other travel experience, reach out to us at Sunshine Travelers Experiences. And until next time, keep exploring, keep making memories, and we'll see you on the next adventure.
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