Coming out in Spots

5th October 2010

Here is a tease from the plains. As well as some outstanding crossings early on, there have been some excellent predator sightings. Long, long hours have been spent in the 4WD landcruisers (is there any other way of doing a proper, grown-up safari?) and they have been rewarded. In spades. There have been no leopard cubs unlike last year and also no tiny lions but cheetahs and incredibly servals have more than made up for this. Picture the scene, and any veteran safari enthusiast will understand this: 11 hours already in the saddle. Hot and dusty, eyelids drooping and suddenly a crackled radio call from a fellow Kicheche guides pierces the ether ' Serval, toto'. The clouds clear, the dipping sun then lights up these two impossibly beautiful kittens right down the barrel of the lens. Gasps replace the yawns of an hour before and an intoxicating high remains till it's time to turn in, a high, I might add that no artificial substance could ever emulate. I will re-iterate it again, if you are prepared to do the hard yards the Mara will always repay.

Paul Goldstein