Twice As Nice

As parents to children aged between the ages of two and six, could there by any sweeter luxury than knowing they are being taken care of back at home while you set off on a day-long safari exploring the Maasai Mara? With nothing but distant memories of nap times and nagging, we could not have been more excited about the adventure that lay ahead of us.

We started with a compulsory cappuccino fix while watching a beautiful sunrise, before boarding our safari vehicle with our guide, Jackson, and heading out to explore.

Needless to say, soon our stomachs started to grumble, and Jackson found the perfect setting on the banks of the Mara River. Our breakfast table groaned table under passion fruit iced tea, individual breakfast tins, plunger coffee and a selection of Kenyan teas. Picnic #1 exceeded our already very high expectations. Delicious breakfast buns, fresh fruits, homemade muesli and more, it was such a treat to enjoy our feast while soaking in the sights and sounds that surrounded us.

Back into our safari vehicle and just moments after breakfast, we experienced one of the best sightings of our safari – a beautiful cheetah sitting atop a mound, scanning the landscape for his breakfast. We were the first vehicle to spot him, so we were able to enjoy the moment without another soul in sight.

Next, we came across a male lion on a buffalo calf kill. Despite breakfast being just a short while earlier, our tummies were on safari time, which means it is never too soon to start thinking about the next meal. Sensing this, Jackson drove to a safe spot a little further down the road to pull out our lunch picnic tins, which we were then able to enjoy while sitting on the vehicle. Again – it was absolutely delicious, but what was even better was being able to sit and watch the action at the kill at the same time. And, needless to add, ice cold Tuskers paired perfectly with picnic #2.

Three hours and an exciting rainstorm later, we had to tear ourselves away from the sighting and head back to Angama Mara. It was 10 hours since we had left the lodge but time flew past in an instant. The very best of safari days.

Note from the Editor:

When we designed our lodge kitchen 6 years ago, we included a lovely spacious picnic prep area. Well, it turned out to be a blessing as during the busy migration months many of our guests leave at sunrise and return at sunset not wanting to miss a moment of the action. Double picnic days have become the norm not the exception.