Ballad of Land & Sea

Fly into Nairobi this morning where you are soon to board a flight for Maasai Mara. Flying high above the Great Rift Valley, the “cradle of mankind,” you pass through a point of a new beginning and a time between what was and what is next. Time feels suspended as you start to approach the greatest wildlife park in Kenya and begin to spy what looks like tiny little creatures walking in slow motion on the land below—the first stanza in the “Ballad of Land and Sea.” Your multiple safari game drives present you with countless spontaneous moments watching animal interactions and movement. Your expert guide gives fascinating descriptions and tells colorful stories. Your time off of amazing safari game drives is spent in utter relaxation and comfort at your wildly romantic and secluded tented camp in an optimal position in the park. You will learn that a safari is always much more than a game drive—it is an unscripted rendezvous with unrestrained adventure.

After your morning safari, enjoy a cup of Kenyan coffee on your veranda with endless views over the vast open clearings of the ecosystem. Maasai Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti. The park is without a doubt one of the greatest safari destinations in Africa. The great wildebeest and zebra migration is the largest movement of animals in the world and any time of the year you will be stunned by the number of animals you will encounter. The best part? There is really no predicting what will happen next on this part of your adventure. Maasai Mara—a vast savanna grassland, dotted with acacia trees, with rolling hills and breathtaking panoramas in every direction—is one of the best places in all of Africa to spot the Big Five. “The Mara” is well-known for its great herds of plains game, like black-maned lions, leopards, cheetahs, and elephants, as well as virtually every other kind of animal found in Kenya. Between July and October, over a million wildebeests and zebras and a few of their other mates make the dangerous trek crossing across the croc-infested Maasai Mara in search of new grazing territory. Culturally, the reserve is extraordinary because of the proud and colorful Maasai who inhabit the area. Highlights during our time here include phenomenal game viewing, a walk along the banks of The Mara River—where hippos and crocodiles are often seen in great numbers—and exploring the optional activities in The Mara, which include bush dinners and sundowners, visits to a local school and other cultural experiences, and of course the legendary early morning hot air balloon safaris over The Mara, among others. Back at your luxury tented camp—where relaxation and romance dance together in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable—soak up all of the wide-open breathing space that is often lost in our usual day-to-day existence back home.