“The only person I truly envy is someone who has never been to Africa – because they still have so much to look forward to.” – Richard Mullin, American singer and songwriter.
This quote could actually have come from me (travel designer Petra). There are moments in life that you never forget and that change you forever. I experienced this on a safari in Kenya. Anyone who has ever witnessed the “Great Animal Migration” in East Africa, this unique natural spectacle, will agree with me. Millions of wildebeests, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and antelopes, move between the Serengeti and Masai Mara in search of water and pastures. It is a spectacle that only happens once on our planet, that has been repeating itself for centuries, that is incredibly fascinating and definitely unforgettable.
Even from a distance, you can see a dark ribbon winding its way through the African savannah. As you get closer, you can hear the pounding of millions of hooves. Up close, the dark ribbon turns into thousands of wildebeests and zebras, body to body. Huge herds of wild animals follow a route determined by an inner compass. Millions of their fellow creatures have traveled the same route before them, time and time again. And will hopefully continue to do so in the future. They are driven by a will to survive, an instinct. The weather plays an important role in this. Rain, and with it the growth of grass, their food, determines the direction of their migration. It is believed that the animals can smell rain from a distance of up to 50 km.
At the beginning of the year, countless young animals are born, mostly in the area around the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. At this time of year, they find ideal conditions here, with water and nutritious pastures. Then they begin their migration north/northwest, always clockwise through the Serengeti and on to the Masai Mara, where they usually stay from July to October before continuing eastward and southward. Many lose their lives along the way, either crossing rivers such as the Mara River, where crocodiles lie in wait, or at the hands of predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. Only the strong and healthy have any chance of survival. Thus, the cycle of life in the African savannah comes full circle.
Let yourself be enchanted by this natural wonder of the world. Experience Africa’s wildlife and return home positively changed and deeply impressed.
