Off-season in the Masai Mara - The fabulous Mara Plains Camp in the OMC.

[madaboutcheetah]

Check out the terrain that Amani hangs out ........ There is a road going up that hill (extremely bumpy and back breaking) - but, they have some awesome terrain/topography when you get up there. She has apparently been hanging out there a lot too....

[twaffle]

Love the cheetahs, very special.

[madaboutcheetah]

Back to that sighting of the big male cheetah; he is being trailed by a jackal to see if he can get some scraps .........

[madaboutcheetah]

He takes off and back into the woodland - we leave him be and go back to Amani and cub (round the corner ....... How awesome is that????)

[graceland]

I always love your photos; I know there will be plenty of cheetahs. I love those "elusive" cats, and they definitely showed up for their photo shoot with @@madaboutcheetah..

 

I think the Mara does deliver on the cats for sure.

[Sangeeta]

Super photos, Hari! Lovely sharp images on nice blurry backgrounds (bet there is a technical term for that but I don't know it...) and lots of interesting experiments with the subjects you've chosen to focus on. The honey badger cheetah on tree is adorable.

 

About Ol Kinyei - I only spent 2 days there last year on a whirlwind trip through the Mara but it was my favorite conservancy, mainly because of its incredible landscape variations. Having said that, the wildlife was tremendous too - and entirely all to ourselves. Spent hours with a cheetah mum there and her 4 (or was it 5) sub-adult cubs. Interesting you have that jackal-cheetah photo. Saw some great cheetah-jackal interaction at Ol Kinyei too. The plains game and the giraffe numbers were also amazing. So even though we saw a lot more lions and finally leopards at OMC, I still thought Ol Kinyei was better overall for me.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks, Sangeeta. Ol Kinyei is definitely on my list if and when I return to the Mara. Regarding Cheetah-Jackal interaction (more to come from Narasha's daughter (no name) ) ..... very fascinating!!!

[madaboutcheetah]

Survey ......... ( The odd sighting where one finds an active Lion )

[madaboutcheetah]

Yawn ....... "I'm heading back to my Monico Hill; I will head back to my supermarket later!"

[madaboutcheetah]

Some Eland (saw some very co-operative herds and the sightings of Eland were better in the conservancy)

[Treepol]

Beautiful pictures as always @@madaboutcheetah.

 

Thanks for taking the time to share these

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @@Treepol - Thanks for taking the time to read this report!

 

 

Hazy reflections ..........

Edited April 7, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[Soukous]

loving the cheetahs Hari

[madaboutcheetah]

We've got to break up all the cheetah with some plains game .........

[madaboutcheetah]

I was amazed by the plains game even in the off-season ...........

[madaboutcheetah]

Very relaxed Eland .......

[madaboutcheetah]

Never know who's doing what on the plains..........

[Super LEEDS]

Hey MAC

 

Great pics and luck with the cheetahs! Could you give us a breakdown of dates, camps etc and, if its OK, rates? Who did you book with? The dates will help with determining whether off-season Mara is worth a go as the weather and grass levels looks fantastic.

 

Sorry if I've missed this amongst all the visuals

[madaboutcheetah]

@@Super LEEDS ..... thank you!

 

Sure will have all that information at the end- plus my comparison of the main reserve versus the conservancy. Is that okay? Reason I say that- will have a blurb on my stay in the reserve too.......

[madaboutcheetah]

The Background gives us the scope of those Plains being filled up by a variety of antelope

[madaboutcheetah]

The light on the Topi at the right angles; brings out a hue of colors.......

[madaboutcheetah]

What do I call this? Topi in landscape?

[madaboutcheetah]

Back to Amani and cub .........

[madaboutcheetah]

Different angle?

[madaboutcheetah]

Angles ...........