Thanks to everyone who has commented and liked the posts. I am truly overwhelmed by the response.
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Originally Posted by Rudra Sen Thanks for sharing this beautifully detailed trip. Great looking images too. |
Thanks Sir, that is indeed a compliment.
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Originally Posted by Thermodynamics May be Masai teaches important management lessons |
Thanks, Thermodynamics. LOL, you never know, there is much team management that one can learn from animals, especially lions who seem to have distilled team hunting down to a science.
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Originally Posted by SCORPION I have watched all this a million times on Nat Geo and Animal Planet, but it feels more surreal reading and seeing pictures of an actual Safari, rather than watching it over and over on TV. |
Thanks, SCORPION. Yes I too have been seeing it on TV but believe me, it is like watching a match at a stadium. No matter how many times you have seen it on TV, the live experience is so much better. And makes you want to keep coming back for more.
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Originally Posted by Venom_rider Just amazing set of photos! |
Thanks Venom_rider. Good to know you liked them.
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Originally Posted by ampere And yes, is the last picture of yours, you should have put the "capture machine" alongside! |
Thanks Ampere! "Capture machine"
indeed! While places like Kabini have their own charm and lure, the Mara like you say is quite an upgrade.
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Originally Posted by laluks 5 stars to you |
Thanks laluks.
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Originally Posted by hemanth.anand I went through the log again now for the second time. |
Thanks hemanth.anand. The log took quite a while to write and proof read. Good t know you (and many others) appreciate it. As I said earlier, thanks for taking the time to read thru the log.
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Originally Posted by libranof1987 Again, wow! I read somewhere that you went with a group. How feasible is it to plan such a trip by yourself (logistics-wise). And cost, if you don't mind sharing. |
Thanks libranof1987. I'm a Libran too!
Yes, I went with Toehold as a group, mainly because of the fact that I don't have to worry about logistics and the accompaniment of a tour skipper who is highly knowledgeable about local conditions and is a photography guru. The cost for this trip was approx. INR 2,50,000/- all inclusive. But if you want to plan it yourself, it is quite easy actually. The only thing is that the guide/driver will be assigned to you based on which resort you stay in, as they all have their own vehicles, operated by one of several safari companies and you will have to share the vehicle with other tourists, unless your group is large enough. Companies like Toehold will also organize personal or family group trips, so that you can relax without worrying about the quality.
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Originally Posted by pugram I wish there were "Thanks" buttons on each and every image posted in this thread. Awesome clicks.
The wild animals seem immune to the papparazi around. They seem to have got used to it. |
Thanks a lot pugram. It is really good to know so many people appreciate the photos! The animals are definitely used to the vehicles and are not bothered by them at all. As long as you don't get out of the vehicle, it is quite safe too. The only problem is that sometimes their movements are dictated by the presence of vehicles, as the route they want to take may be blocked or a hunt may be interrupted by a vehicle driving across (which happened once in front of us, no fault of the vehicle, he couldn't have seen the hunt in progress) but otherwise, the vehicles are as much a part of the landscape as the animals themselves.
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Originally Posted by Saanil I am guessing there would be a lot of normal tourists also in there who wanted to experience such an amazing wildlife! You also highlighted how a father and his son were taking photographs with their mobile phones – why were they not stopped by their tour guide? |
Thanks Saanil. Oh yes, there were several people whose only equipment was a cell phone! There were even people whose only aim seemed to be to take selfies with a lion in the background, mostly the younger lot and especially ladies! I'm not sure why the father and son duo were not physically stopped by the tour guide, since our drivers made it very very clear to us that in no circumstance were we allowed to step out of the vehicle, except at designated spots. Maybe the tour guide did warn them and these two ignored him with that typical Indian attitude of "Do you know who I am?"
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Originally Posted by //M There are so many wonderful travelogues on the forum, and then once in a while we come across a truly inspirational one-of-a-kind travelogue that makes us crave for a similar experience once in our lifetimes. This one is right there on top of my favourite logs.
Request you to kindly share the typical costs involved in planning a similar trip. Also, please let us how difficult is it to plan a similar trip without any agencies or operators involved. |
Thanks //M, that's very high praise indeed. As I mentioned, it is quite easy to plan a trip all by yourself. You just need the time to haunt sites like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet to get some idea of where to stay and the costs involved. Flights of course are simple. But the driver is what makes all the difference to a safari in any place, especially the Mara and this is the one point over which you have very little control if you do the booking by yourself.
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Originally Posted by sainyamk95 ^This sentence is the highlight of your write up for me. |
Thanks sainyamk95. That sentence is heartfelt, believe me. Seeing those vulnerable and beautiful animals being brought down just for their horns is very cruel and I hope the d***ks of whoever takes the medicines shrivels up and drops off!
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Originally Posted by earthian You had a lovey time, it seems. Great narration and beautiful photographs too. Thanks for sharing. |
Thanks earthian. Yes, I very definitely had a love time out there.