If the global outpour of empathy for Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe is any indication, it is safe to say that animals still hold a direct link to the human heart. Here, our fitness and travel guru Dannielle Blaker shares her story of coming face-to-face with lions and bonding with nature, humanity, and herself. Read about her enthralling adventures in the Masai Mara, Kenya—one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserves.
TOUCHDOWN IN KENYA
Firstly, it’s important to know who Tristan Voorspuy is as he’s basically in charge of keeping everyone on the safari alive. Voorspuy, 60, speaks fluent Swahili and has been leading safaris in Africa for more than 30 years; he is also one of Kenya’s honorary game wardens. With this title, Voorspuy (by law), can shoot poachers caught in action. Besides being an extremely courageous safari guide, he also breeds horses and is a seasoned polo player. Oh, and he owns and flies a Cessna jet, which leads me to the start of our journey.
We met Voorspuy at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi and embarked on a 50-minute plane ride to the Rift Valley. Describing the Kenyan landscape from 13,000 feet would not do it justice. Voorspuy told us to keep an eye out for the “Big 5” animals: the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and white/black rhinoceros. Soon enough, we spotted three rhinos under a tree—this was the moment when it started to sink in that we were truly in the wild.
A ROYAL BASE
The Cessna jet made a smooth landing in a grassy field and we made our way to Deloraine House, our guide’s home and the base for the safari. Prominent settler Lord Francis Scott built this magnificent colonial stone mansion in 1920. It sits on 400 acres of lush, green land, complete with a cross-country jumping course, tennis court, croquet lawn, and a stable of 50 horses. Many royals have stayed at Deloraine House, including Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who visited when Kenya was under the rule of the British Empire. I was fascinated with how this remote estate is completely self-sufficient, running on solar energy and where the water is heated with fire. It may sound like we were roughing it, but it was quite the opposite; we stayed in large and comfortable en-suite rooms, enjoyed three-course, candle-lit gourmet dinners served in fine china, and had Wi-Fi access.
Mares with their young at Deloraine House
SAFARI ON HORSEBACK
Up at the crack of dawn, we set off from Deloraine House in a Land Rover and five hours later, arrived at our campsite in the Masai Mara. Our living situation was comfortable; the thick canvas tents were large enough to stand up in and our beds were single cots with a bedside table in between. There were two portable showers with hot water, a tented dining area, and each couple shared a portable outhouse.
Once settled, we saddled up for an afternoon ride. I was eager to take Mary, my mare, into the Mara River, but the water level looked too high and there were at least 30 hippos. Voorspuy tested it out first and decided against crossing the river that day as the current was too strong and the horses would have struggled. While riding, we stumbled upon a giraffe family and just as we were getting out our cameras, a massive hippo unexpectedly emerged from a small pond in front of us and ran in the opposite direction.
Voorspuy then received a call that there had been a lion spotting. We commanded our horses to canter to the location and spotted two males in the open plain. The next day, we saw another lion, this time in a tree. The thrill of watching these magnificent animals was exciting, to say the least.
In the evening, we dined on freshly prepared three-course meals and chatted about the excitement of the day. After dinner, we gathered around the fire, and listened to Voorspuy’s legendary stories of life on the Mara…
For more information on Kenyan safaris, visit www.offbeatsafaris.com.
—Dannielle Blaker
