Wild Camping in the Masai Mara
I was on a borrowed bike as my pride and joy was damaged in transit and unrepairable with African resources. The bike had a chain that was too short for the gear linkages meaning that if a gear too high was selected it would jam completely and I’d be forced to stop and fix it. Add to that the seat which had a habit of moving or should I say collapsing unexpectedly, I think it was fair to say I was not a happy bunny. 500 miles on African roads with that pile of @%#*!
Despite my grumpiness that first evening we were blessed with a real treat. We found an abandoned camp site on the banks of the lake. We pitched our tents on the tranquil beach and enjoyed a hard earned dip after covering 80 sweaty miles in the hot sun.
We started day two skirting the awesome Serengeti. Our attention was on anything but the road ahead, as we spied out the African wildlife beside us.
Day three we finished in the Kenyan town of Migori. That same evening we choose to stash the bikes and head off in the support vehicle along the 80km road to the Masai Mara. That journey was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. It was like driving down a dry river bed with lumps, bumps, and craters a constant menace for the entirety of the journey. We didn’t have a 4x4 designed for that sort of hammering and abuse, we had a Toyota Noah – an MPV. There were times when we feared the vehicle was on the verge of toppling over. And on one occasion we had to run back down the road to collect the rear bumper which had just been ripped off.
Four and a half hours later we reached the gates of the Masai Mara and entered the park. In the pitch of darkness we set up camp with the help of our two new friends – our hired guard and his assault rifle, employed to protect us from any wondering lions or hyenas! After a journey like that the thought of an over-curious dangerous animal wondering into camp was actually a rest bite in comparison.
Now I would like to say that the experience of camping in the wilderness was one of the most awe-inspiring, humbling experiences of my life. But in reality it was the time of the European Cup. Myself and my friend Adam using the internet data on his phone spent the evening listening to England play terribly against some lesser known team. What with the shenanigans of the day we happened to fall asleep in the tent while still listening and using data. Adam had the mother of all phone bills when he arrived home.
So the following morning we were up before the crack of dawn to see more of the mighty Masai Mara. We weren’t disappointed! Now I’ve done one or two safaris in Uganda before this, but the concentration of wildlife here was staggering. Lions, cheetahs, hippos, elephants by the dozen, giraffes in their hundreds. By the end of the day we were growing bored of spotting our long-necked friends. Male elephants charging at each other will remain in my memory for a long time.
We opted to take a different route out of the park that evening. One that in distance was much further but would prove to be safer – apart from the time after dark when an elephant and her baby crossed the road close in front of us. After braking hard she turned her head to stare at us. Visions of an angry charging mother flipping the vehicle over flashed through our heads. But before we geared into reverse the animal continued on her journey.
After camping again, being ripped off by a guard who charged $100 to keep watch all night only to knock off soon after midnight, and almost running out of fuel, we eventually got back to our bikes with the knowledge that we now had to cycle two days in one – 106 miles to get to our next port of call – Kisumu – a busy city on the banks of Lake Victoria.
Another two days passed cycling hard through Kenya eventually arriving in the Ugandan town of Jinja. This is where the Lake forms into the majestic river Nile. We found an idyllic camp site with a bar serving cold beer, there was a T.V., a group of friendly students and a pet monkey. We thought we’d stepped into paradise until we came back down to earth after watching Roy Hodgson’s men go out on penalties…AGAIN!!!
After a hot and tiring final day on the saddle we rolled into Kampala, where we were escorted by a Ugandan T.V crew and an entourage of supporters. We finally finished our epic 536 mile ride at the Viva Kampala Office – the charity who we were raising funds for and whom my sister works for. It had been an experience to savour for life and it was the spark that started my future adventures.
The excursion was a mixture of highs and lows but going through these experiences and coming out the other side instils in you a steel and a resolve, and an ability to cope with whatever life may throw at you. I’d recommend anyone to step out of your comfort zone and take a bit of a risk every now and then. You won’t regret it. Just don't travel in a Toyota Noah!