Double Page Spread – Kenya Airways

Few destinations in the world can evoke such a mysterious image, and even less can compare to the mass encounter you can experience on a wildlife safari during the migration; this will be my 14th season. The Great Wildebeest Migration and their treacherous crossing of the Mara River is truly the highlight of what is dubbed “the greatest show on Earth” and the ultimate wildlife experience for every photographer. Trust me, no documentary film or image can do justice to nature’s most astonishing life and death dramas; one must bear witness to the suspense, thunder, drama, sounds, panic and dust, to understand this mind-blowing event.

The Great Migration

Every year, millions of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle will travel in search of new pastures from Tanzania to Kenya during the largest movement of animals anywhere in the world. However, their journey is dominated with a very sinister backdrop and seemingly impossible odds to overcome, for predators such as lions and leopards are well versed on this annual migration and depend upon it for a feeding frenzy of their own. Then, there is the crossing of the Mara River between the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, a natural border, which promises dramatic scenes and often, a very cruel struggle for survival.

The Mara River Crossing

A nervous excitement begins to build when you find a mass heard in the savanna’s and suddenly the leader decides it is time to move, signaling it is time to head to the river, and get into position while you watch the line of animals and the march. They gather in masses on the banks of the river, nervous to enter, as they instinctively know the dangers of the unforgiving crocodiles lurking ominously in the waters below. Suddenly, the pressure becomes too much, and the first wildebeest propels itself through the air, head first into the rushing river. Nearly at a stamped, in a mass frenzy, the rest of the herd follows. The very existence of each wildebeest hangs in the balance and a matter of seconds will decide their fate. Some fall prey to the ferocious jaws of crocodiles while others succumb to the river itself, drowning amid a strong current, while others are trampled to death in the panic-stricken herd’s exit. Even after they make it across, opportunistic lions and leopards lay in wait.

There are simply no words to describe these heart-stopping moments or the genuine suspense of watching the drama play out.