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The Big Cats of the Masai Mara - September 2019

Masai Mara Big Cat Photo Tour - Kenya

Posted on 18th October, 2021

Stu Porter

Male Lion drinking, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour
Male Lion drinking, Masai Mara, Kenya

This photo safari offered some amazing encounters with Cheetah and we were lucky to go on the hunt with the famous "Tano Bora”, the 5 strong male cheetah coalition.  They are an amazing unit to watch as they go off right into the middle of the big herds, with such confidence.  They caught a young Thompson's Gazelle and a young Wildebeest over the few hours spent with them.

Our 4 nights in the Mara Triangle proved to be very productive, with the mega herds grazing in the open grasslands towards the Tanzanian border.  Of course, there were plenty of lions around as well as cheetah.  The Mara weather was fantastic and so were the sunrises and sunsets.  It remains one of the best photo "hotspots" for African wildlife photography.

Upon crossing over to the main reserve, we enjoyed photographing yet more lions and cheetah as well as a beautiful serval.  We had a really lucky "once in a lifetime" encounter with the, soon to be famous,”Polka Dot" Zebra foal named "Tira".  We had heard that it had been seen in the general area of the Sand River so, one morning, after spending time with a beautiful female leopard, we decided to go and look for this special Zebra foal.  Incredibly, 30 mins later, we were taking pictures of this beautiful and unusual Melanistic Zebra and we feel very privileged to have been able to spend some time with it.

Our photo safari would not have been such a success without great people behind the scenes.  Many thanks to Thomas, of Fact Safaris for his tireless efforts to look after us and the trip logistics and also to the staff at Serena Lodge & Entim Mara Camp.

Thank you, James, our excellent driver/guide, for looking after all our needs in the field and for manoeuvring the photo vehicle into the perfect position for some amazing photographs.

Thanks so much to both Linda & Bernice for joining us on yet another WILD4 Photo Safari to photograph the Big Cats of Kenya's Maasai Mara.

Enjoy a selection of images from this African Wildlife Photographic Safari.

Best wishes, 

Stu.

Male Giraffe sparring, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari
Male Giraffe sparring
Black Heron, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Black Heron, Maasai Mara
Sunset in the Mara, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris. Panorama
Sunset in the Mara
Cape Buffalo with a Yellow Billed Ox Pecker on his nose, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo
Cape Buffalo with a Yellow Billed Ox Pecker on his nose
The mega migration herds near the Kenya/Tanzania border, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic
The mega migration herds near the Kenya/Tanzania border, Maasai Mara
Long Crested Eagle, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Long Crested Eagle
One of the five male Cheetah at full speed, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour
One of the five male Cheetah at full speed
Two male Cheetahs fighting over the baby Thompson's Gazelle kill, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildli
Two male Cheetahs fighting over the baby Thompson's Gazelle kill
A "journey" of Giraffes, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialist
A journey of Giraffes
Cheetahs at sunset. Wildlife Panorama & composite, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Cheetahs at sunset
Male Cheetah being watched by Wildebeest, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography
Male Cheetah being watched by Wildebeest, Maasai Mara, Kenya
Elephant at sunset, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari
Elephant at sunset
Female Ostrich, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour
Female Ostrich
Male Ostrich, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Male Ostrich
Female Cheetah and her 3 sub-adult cubs, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Female Cheetah and her 3 sub-adult cubs
Giraffe pair, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari
Two male Giraffe, Masai Mara
Lion pair, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour. Wildlife Panorama
Lion pair
Two Cheetahs, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Two Cheetahs, Maasai Mara
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic T
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African
They first harassed the mother to distract it
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
One Cheetah focussed on the Wildebeest calf
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo sa
Cheetah pulling the calf down
The Cheetah boys running down a young Wildebeest calf, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic T
Once down the other Cheetahs arrived and the mother Wildebeest just kept on running
Young Lion cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Young Lion cub resting in the shade
Male Lion patrolling his vast territory, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari. Wildlife
Male Lion patrolling his vast territory
Southern Ground Hornbill with lizards, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour
Southern Ground Hornbill with lizards
Lioness yawning, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Lioness yawning
Black Backed Jackal puppies at their den, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Black Backed Jackal puppies
Giraffe in the wide open plains of the Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic To
Giraffe in the wide open plains. Wildlife Panorama & composite with sky replacement
Eland running, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Africa's largest antelope, the Eland
Herd of Impala at sunset, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari. Wildlife Panorama
Herd of Impala at sunset
Hot Air Balloon over the migration herds, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour. Panorama
Hot Air Balloon over the migration herds
Lilac Breasted Roller, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4 Small Group African Photography Safari Specialists
Lilac Breasted Roller
Male Lion with blond mane in the Mara Triangle with a Wildebeest kill, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African p
Male Lion with blond mane in the Mara Triangle with a Wildebeest kill
Male Lion running, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari Stu Porter Photographic Tour
Male Lion running
Tira the famous Polka Dot Zebra foal, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Tira the famous Polka Dot Zebra foal, Masai Mara
Tira the Polka Dot Zebra foal with its mother, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Tira the Polka Dot Zebra foal with its mother, Masai Mara, Kenya
Serval Cat, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour
Serval Cat
Tawny Eagle, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African photo safaris
Tawny Eagle silhouette at sunrise
Two male Cheetahs, Maasai Mara, Kenya. African wildlife photo safari. Wildlife Panorama & Composite
Two male Cheetahs
Zebra at sunset, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Stu Porter Photographic Tour. Wildlife Panorama
Zebra at sunset
Our WILD4 specially modified photographic safari vehicle, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Wild4
Our specially modified photographic vehicle in the Mara

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