Kenya - Masai Mara Lion and Wildlife Conservation

For sure it would be getting to witness a hunt in the wild, not once but twice by the same Cheetah in the span of 3 days. It brought me face to face with the well known “circle of life”. I dare to say the second hunt was easier to watch, I was more content with the events unfolding. I still struggle to find the words that can capture the magic behind witnessing that. It honestly felt like I went hunting together with that cheetah, like we were partners. Definitely goes in the bucket of once in a lifetime chance and I am forever grateful for this experience.

By living at the College in Kenya, I was able to interact with the Massai students and staff. I felt I was part of the Community. I also learned a lot as a member of the Big Five Research Team. It was a great experience.

I absolutely loved my time on this project. You get to be so close to wild animals, in their natural environment. the ecosystem is thriving in the Maasai Mara so you can expect to see lots of them, all the time. My favourite wildlife encounters, ranked: Cheetah successful hunt, 2 male giraffes fighting over a female, lion pride taking a morning walk and cubs playing. Of course there are many more but these were the most special. On top, the local team staff was amazing, I really bonded with the project coordinator and can proudly say we are now friends. :)

Photos

I just loved being out in the field collecting data and being able to learn how the data is being used. It feels great to be a part of active conservation of these beautiful animals that aren't found anywhere else in the world. Seeing these animals in person helps foster a greater appreciation for them and the desire to conserve their land and their way of life. It was also great getting out into the community and helping people with projects or visiting schools to further educate the local community on the benefits of co-existing with their wild neighbors. I truly enjoyed this project and appreciate the organization and communication from GoEco throughout the experience.

My most memorable experience was for sure the days in Naboisho. This conservancy is just so special and I have never seen so many animals before. The landscape and the animals there are so special. And you get to see them in a relaxed way without many other vehicles.

I really loved reconnected with the locals in the area after being part of the program a year prior. Being able to monitor wildlife and get up close and personal during my stay in Kenya has been incredible.

We were driving through naibosho when our volunteer leader & driver said we had to get somewhere quick which was unusual. We arrived to a place & saw a beautiful elephant in the distance and then were told that it had a spear in its leg and a vet was going to come to get it out. We saw the helicopter come in and tranquilize it and it ran til it fell down unconscious. Then we drove over and watched the manager of naibosho remove the spearhead & fix the wound and we were even able to touch the elephant. It was a very impactful and beautiful experience that I’ll never forget.

I really enjoyed monitoring / going on game drives to see and record the indigenous fauna, specifically the big cats. Interacting with the locals was also another highlight as they were nice to talk to and easy to get along with.

Animals, animals, animals :-) The staff (guides, chef, cleaning) were amazing. Really appreciated that we were a small group of volunteers. Learned many new things from our guides , Sem and Patrick. All in all , a most awesome experience.

We woke up and headed out for our early Monday morning game drive and within 10 minutes we encountered buffalo chasing lions! Yes, that way round! The lions had killed a baby buffalo near the camp during the night and the buffalo were chasing them away from it. The chased them for probably about 2 hours!

The love and kindness of the community was heart warming! The knowledge of the area, culture and wildlife was thorough! The other volunteers I met will be life long friends. I will definitely be back. Thank you for such an amazing experience !!!! Thank you Gyme-Lynn Bennett

The animals were of course amazing and beautiful, but the people I met were incredible. The Masa people were so nice and friendly and so talented at what they do. I had a great time and couldn't have ask for a better experience. The guides were excellent, knowledgeable, and fun to be around. The Chiefs were awesome and made amazing food. I am a vegetarian and they always made sure I had enough food.

A wonderful experience and a very professional team. A great opportunity to have contact with wild animals, help a sustainable project and gain experience in field work. Absolutely recommended.