Counting Wildebeest by Isak Pretorius

How long will it take you to count two million wildebeest given that it takes you one second to count one wildebeest and that you can count for eight hours per day? This is the question that one of our guests had during the recent Masai Mara Photographic Safari with C4 Images and Safaris.



The fact is that two million wildebeest is a lot of animals, and it is just as Shem warned people before the trip - it's a lot to take in. The sheer number of animals is overwhelming and as a natural history experience it's one of the spectacles everyone should see at least once in their lifetime!



The photography during our safari was brilliant - it really put wildlife photography in a new light. The sightings in the Mara is so good that we would often just drive past inactive predators because we knew that we were going to see better action somewhere else. Everyone was keen on the classic Mara shots - cheetah on an anthill, lions on a kill, vultures on a wildebeest carcass, wildebeest crossing, and the lone tree with big sky scene to name a few. We were fortunate that we had the opportunity to cover all those shots in the first few game drives which forced us to chase better sightings and more creative shots. Apart from the wonderful wildlife photography that the Masai Mara has to offer, the other highlight of the trip was the good coffee that Kenya is known for - strong, smooth and aromatic!



The tent camp on the Mara river with it's bush feel was a hit with everyone. We were treated to all sorts of animal calls at night, and even leopard calls every morning. One morning during coffee we managed to spot a leopard as he walked past our camp only a few hundred meters away from us. The week before, our guests from the previous photo safari hit the jackpot when they saw one of the most dramatic wildebeest crossings right in front of camp.



With camp located inside the reserve and having five safari vehicles to our disposal we made great work of first morning light. Early morning landscape shots were at the order of the day. Each vehicle had the option of having a packed breakfast out in the veld or to have breakfast back at camp, but we all wanted to stay out photographing as long as we could. The vehicles we use are very photographer-friendly, with the option of photographing through the top hatch or through the side windows. Each photographer also had a whole row of seats available to him/herself which added to the comfort of the ride.



From all the Safaris I've ever hosted, this was the trip where memory cards got filled to capacity the fastest! Thank you Lexy and the staff for a wonderful trip!



So how long will it take you to count two million wildebeest? The answer is ... more than three months!!