As we prepared to embarked on our first game drive in the Maasai Mara I was a little skeptical as to how long it would take before spotting some of the more sought after animals. But I soon learned that traveling with an experienced driver meant we already had an advantage when it came to tracking down these animals. Situated uncomfortably close to our unfenced wilderness camp we spotted our first animal a mere two minutes down the road, a leopard which was resting quietly in some shrubbery. I managed to capture the moment as the leopard got up before walking further into dense bush land to escape the newly received attention.
Leopard
If you haven’t been to this place before, Amboseli National Park is an area famous for its large herds of elephants. Situated at the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, it is an area which consists of dry dusty plains and wet marsh lands. On hot days you will also get to witness geothermal spouts which funnels dust up into the air like a mini twister. With the sun starting to set we embarked on our first game drive after arriving in the national park.
Immediately we came across a herd of elephants walking across the vast plain after spending the afternoon submerged in the marsh. I only photographed the trailing four elephants as the composition was better and allowed me to include the base of Mt Kilimanjaro in the background.
Amboseli Elephants
Another alluring aspect of the Maasai Mara are the traditional Maasai tribes who still live in small villages dotted throughout these lands. The traditional dance celebration is usually performed to mark a right of passage which welcomes young men into the next chapter of their lives. Although on this occasion it was performed for us as they welcomed us into their village.
Maasai Warrior Dance
Photo Credits
All Photographs are © Richard Johnston
Photographer Bio
Richard Johnston
Richard Johnston is an award-winning photographer based in Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Richard runs and operates an online photographic print store under the business name Lonely Hunter. His work has seen him travel to numerous countries as he continually builds and adds to his collection of fine art prints. Richard draws his inspiration from the natural world and the way we interact with it in order demonstrate beautiful imagery.
Blog / Website: Lonely Hunter
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