A final day in Maasai Mara

I really wondered what we could find on our last day in the Mara- and there were repeat sightings of cheetahs, zebra, wildebeest, elephants and giraffes. But there were also hippos and young lions to add to our list as well as a few colourful birds.

We really wanted to come across lion cubs at play but the weather was glorious – such that they were more interested in shade than play and this was the best we found. Part of the problem was the officiousness of the rangers and their apparent inconsistency in not allowing vehicles to go off road – even though they should be able to if they have sighted any of the Big Five.

Despite our waiting a while, the youngsters were not moving so we set off to find the hippos.

We were later to see hippos out of the water: they are really short-legged, wide-bodied animals, and look very menacing.

That afternoon we also had our first view of female lions in the open, lying in shade: a group of three who hunt together.

As the skies darkened, I was struck by the light against a dead tree and we stopped, only to find hidden in the branches one of the most colourful birds we had seen so far.

Having to be out of the park by 6.00p.m. it was already time to move – and to pack our bags for the next day’s move to Serengeti, across a country border where a new guide would meet us.

We got back to Ilkeliani just as the rains came and, once again, were grateful for those hot water bottles!