Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara
(HKNW-HKLP)
For January 7, 2023
Michael MacKuen

We spend an afternoon flying over the Maasai Mara to conduct an aerial “safari”. First we fly from Nairobi to Keekorok near the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Then we reload a new flight to fly low-and-slow over the region’s herds of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and hippos. We may get down to ground level to play with the animals.

Our first stage involves flying from the national capital and its busy General Aviation airport Nairobi Wilson [HKNW]. Enroute, we fly over Karen Blixen’s old homestead [Blixen], now a museum, and then pass the Nagong Hills [Nagong Hills]. As late as the 1930s (as described in Out of Africa), this was all farmland and open country. We cross over Kenya’s Rift Valley and stop at  Entasopia [HKOV] before climbing up the Nguruman Escarpment. The low-lying mountains are the Loita Hills – a sparsely-populated area between the Rift Valley and the Maasai Mara. Here the traditional Maasai culture is most likely to flourish. The sacred Loita Forest covers the eastern part. We land at Entesekera [HKOW], the location of the region’s only high school. We continue on to Keekorok Airstrip [HKKE], the first real airport built for the now crowded safari country.

For the second stage, pilots should use the World Map to load the second flightplan and restart at Keekorok [HKKE]. Optionally, they may also switch to smaller aircraft. We shall take a few minutes to make these changes.

On departing, we quickly start to encounter herds of animals. You almost certainly want to fly low, say at treetop height, along the rolling hills so that you get a good look. The first group [Giraffes] will be fairly numerous and wandering near-but-not-exactly-at the waypoint. The second group [Rhinos] are White Rhinos. We want to pay careful attention here because this will be our only practical opportunity to see the Rhinos. They will be near the waypoint (perhaps heading southward). You might want to get down for a close look. You might try landing amongst the herd and then “running with the rhinos” not for fun but for the educational experience. Afterwards, a couple of miles further along we encounter [Elephants], again on the move. We shall see plenty of moving Elephants and Giraffes and you may want to get down among the animals whenever you get the chance. Then we reach the Mara River and may see a small group of [Hippos] in or near the water. (The Hippos are animated but stationary.) Just before the Hippos, you may see a fast-moving herd of Black Rhinos. If so, get down and look at the endangered species. Normally, this group is very difficult to track down so we shall be happy to see them if they cross our path.

We continue north along the critically important Mara River. Originating from the Mau Escarpment (far north of here), the Mara is the only continuous water supply in the region. And it is the site one of the most spectacular events in the world. Every year about 1.7 million wildebeest, along with 260,000 zebras and 470,000 gazelles, engage in a clockwise circular migration from the southern Serengeti in Tanzania up to the Maasai Mara and then back down again – all in search for seasonal rainfall-nourished grazing lands. This Great Migration is typically seen as one of the “Natural Wonders of the World.” In Kenya, some of the more dramatic elements occur when the wildebeest must cross the Mara River to continue on their circular journey. Crocodiles lie in the river and lions wait on each side – both ready to take their prey. These river crossings of thousands of wildebeest at a time are an especially violent reminder of the cycle of life. You might like this quick photo essay Masai Mara – a scenic wonderland. Even better is this long documentary Apex Predators Hunt During the Great Migration. Masai Mara Big Hunt. Also excellent is this personal video story of a safari photographer: Maasai Mara My first visit to the Maasai Mara. A German-American couple, traveling the world with their children, visit the Mara to produce this charming little video: Masai Mara. The Safari of a Lifetime.

Along the Mara River, and then the Talek River, we can see an increasing number of camps and lodges, including the Entim Mara Camp [Entim] at which our safari photographer stayed while working in the area. (While labelled “tented camps”, these are often accommodations of a very high standard.) We stop at Ol Kiombo [HKLO] which serves a fair number of these camps including the highly-rated Mara Intrepids Tented Camp. After chasing one herd of [Giraffes], we follow the Talek and execute a low pass over the Fig Tree Camp [FigTree] and Fig Tree Airstrip [HKKX]. We visit herds of [Elephants] and [Giraffes] before landing at the small rough Narok Airstrip [HKTU]. Then south over hill country for 16nm to Cottars Mara Airstrip [HTMM] built for Cottar’s Safaris and Cottar’s House. 

Next we fly on the Kenya-Tanzania border (and thus into the Serengeti National Park) to see open grasslands and a number of [Giraffes] and [Elephants] on the way. We land at Kogatende Airstrip [HTMZ] around which lie a number of safari camps on the Tanzanian side.

We turn back east along the Mara River and pass [Hippos] and the Purungat Bridge [Purun] to get a sense of the central place the Mara holds in the area. Eventually, near Lookout Hill, we turn north west. This is the Mara Triangle which is a fully protected nature reserve administered by the national government. While visited by many safari groups each day, this grassland is much quieter than the habitats to the east which are threatened indirectly by increasing human settlements – despite efforts to the contrary. We see [Elephants] and [Giraffes]. And then land at Mara Serena Airstrip [HK0A] which hosts one of the few lodges within the nature reserve boundaries. The room views of the Mara are just beautiful

Then along the winding Mara with lush riverside vegetation. We see [Hippos] on the way. Then west to climb up the Oloololo Escarpment to pass over our night’s luxurious tented accommodations at Angama Mara (Swahili for “suspended in the air”). We land on the sealed runway at our final destination Angama Mara [HKLP]. A fine meal and drinks await our arrival.

Documentation
The two flightplans (for Stage 1 and Stage 2) can be found here. In addition, Little Navmap users can import [Userpoints|Import CSV] a waypoints file “Animal Locations for Little Nav Map.csv” that is supplied in the scenery package. These user points show all animal locations in the package. Finally, you may turn on “Fauna” Points of Interest in the simulator. (Use: Assistance Options|Points of Interest|Fauna Markers = ON).

Aircraft
The Stage 1 trip from Nairobi to the Massai Mara is about 105nm with a couple of stops. I’d recommend a Cessna 208 Caravan or a Kodiak. (If not using a default livery, enter your choice on the far right column of the spreadsheet.)

For the Stage 2 flying in the Maasai Mara we aim to fly low-and-slow over flora and fauna. My suggestion is an aircraft with good vision and some nimbleness for flying in amongst the herds. You might like something that can land on the savannah to get up close to the Rhinos, Giraffes and Elephants. An aircraft capable of something like 115-120kts would be good. Perhaps a Husky, a Carbon Cub or Grravel, a Cubcrafters XCub and NXCub, a (faster) Stearman, a Pilatus PC-6, a Cessna 172 (several types, including a bush version), Cessna 182, (also a Kitfox and Wilga). And of course the faster helicopters. Many aircraft would be just fine. Please fly what you like. (I’ll choose a Kodiak and a GotFriends NXCub, both in stock liveries.)

Additional Scenery
Required for this flight is the expanded Maasai Mara Animal Safari v2.0 by darshonaut. Thanks to the author for the excellent concept and execution.

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 3:00 pm local for January 7, 2023.
We typically prefer real weather. The forecast is fine.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Saturday, January 7, 2023. 1900 UTC
Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel
Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server.

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!