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Kichwa Tembo

Kichwa is one of the original camps in the Maasai Mara. Along with its sister Bateleur Camps, it is situated in a forest grove packed with birds and monkeys and overlooks a classic savanna plain. This is home to a great safari.

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Masai Mara in the green season

They say the Masai Mara is over-traded. During the spectacle that is the annual wildebeest migration you might agree. I have just returned from an incredible stay in the ‘dreaded rainy season’. We got rain almost daily in fantastic thunderstorms (plus a little Rift Valley earth tremor one evening!). But as you will see below, we also got plenty of sunshine, saw loads of animals, very active displaying birds and very very few people…

These young lions will have a real appetite by the time the wildebeest migration returns to the Mara.

These young lions will have a real appetite by the time the wildebeest migration returns to the Mara.

We had a special sighting of a female hippo bringing her young calf from out of the riverine forest back into the Mara River

We had a special sighting of a female hippo bringing her young calf from out of the riverine forest back into the Mara River

Anyone that has been to the Mara Triangle will know the sound of the Little Swifts that nest at the Oloololo Gate. It seems they were gearing up for nesting.

Anyone that has been to the Mara Triangle will know the sound of the Little Swifts that nest at the Oloololo Gate. It seems they were gearing up for nesting.

This is such a classic Mara scene in the rain season.

This is such a classic Mara scene in the rain season.

Whilst this is not the most arresting photo of a lion, I enjoyed his focus and motion through the long grass.

Whilst this is not the most arresting photo of a lion, I enjoyed his focus and motion through the long grass.

The rains turn the landscape green, but this area has also been burnt so was a shocking green. We stopped for a picnic lunch and had 9 mammal species in view!

The rains turn the landscape green, but this area has also been burnt so was a shocking green. We stopped for a picnic lunch and had 9 mammal species in view!

The voice of the Mara is not quite as drab as people say! The Rufous-naped Larks are all singing and nesting right now.

The voice of the Mara is not quite as drab as people say! The Rufous-naped Larks are all singing and nesting right now.

Thatching weavers build nests is a great African safari treat. Quite how this male managed to keep avoiding the thorns whilst so busy I don’t know.

Watching weavers build nests is a great African safari treat. Quite how this male managed to keep avoiding the thorns whilst so busy I don’t know.

The first 5 of no less than 40 vultures that pressured and pushed this female cheetah off her gazelle kill right in front of us (we only saw one other vehicle this day!).

The first 5 of no less than 40 vultures that pressured and pushed this female cheetah off her gazelle kill right in front of us (we only saw one other vehicle this day!).

The ‘Out of Africa’ site where the superb new Angama Mara lodge will be opening soon.

The ‘Out of Africa’ site where the superb new Angama Mara lodge will be opening soon.