I was recently speaking to some friends who were visiting Kenya from the UK. They asked me what I thought of the Maasai Mara and Amboseli – the two places they were visiting on their trip. And, I responded that I saw each park, each reserve, as having a soul, all with different moods, mysteries, and magnetic presence? “Almost like women,” I joked!
It began as a playful thought… but as I sat with it longer, I realised that these parks are indeed alive. They speak, they seduce, they challenge. And if you’ve ever stood quietly on their soil, as I have, you’ll know they each carry a feminine force – wild, wise, and full of character.
So, I thought I would share how I see each one of them! Let me know what you think.
- Maasai Mara – The Brazen Hussy
She is bold, brash, and utterly unapologetic. The kind who walks into a room and owns it with a single glance. She shows everything all at once, there is nothing coy or shy about her. It’s all about drama in every direction. She is about instant gratification and maximum exposure. I think she is obvious, even a little slutty – but she definitely knows her worth and is undeniably unforgettable. - Amboseli – The Elegant Grande Dame
She is quite simply timeless. Silver hair, sage wisdom, and a wardrobe of dusty rose and earthy greens. She doesn’t speak loudly – she doesn’t need to. Her beauty lies in her poise, her slow gestures, the way she carries Mount Kilimanjaro like a crown. She is my favourite, because she is dignified and calm, understated, with a kind of grace that demands reverence, not noise. - Samburu – The Mysterious Introvert
She is quiet, complicated, and very layered. She is not one to give herself away easily – you have to earn her trust. She hides behind ridges and dry luggas, letting you in little by little. When she does, you’re rewarded with rare, graceful creatures – the Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Gerenuk, and Somali Ostrich. I love that she is soulful and textured, a deep well of beauty that’s not for the impatient. - Ol Pejeta – The Brooding Heiress
She is cloaked in legacy and perhaps a little grief. There is weight to her presence, haunted by the ghosts of rhinos past. She is strong, dark-eyed and wrapped in a velvet shawl of greens and blacks and shadows, but always protected by the watchful maternal gaze of Mount Kenya – protector, provider, priestess. I visit her often as I find intrigue in her contrasts; conservation and wildness, privilege and pain. She reminds me that healing and heartbreak can share the same soil – and that even in mourning, life finds a way to survive and, more importantly, thrive. - Tsavo – The Fierce Wildling
Sun-scorched and untamed, she is fire and rust and survival. She will strip you bare, challenge you, maybe even break you. Her love is hard-earned and scorching. You either respect her or you stay away. Her red soil will stain your safari boots like war paint. She always reminds me that she is not here for my comfort! Rather, she’s here to remind me of my own strength. - Nakuru – The Faded Belle
She was once the toast of the town, and my childhood favourite. There were flamingos in her fold, rhinos and lions at her beck and call, the lake a part of her soul. But now? She is a little worn, a little weary – a melancholic beauty, trying to remember her song, as her waters overwhelm her, leaving her somewhat disenchanted. But if you look hard enough, you may just catch her on the right day, and you will see glimpses of her former glory. - Meru – The Untamed Rebel
She is the wild child with a past – I remember her as the home of Elsa the lioness from Born Free. She is gritty, rough around the edges and unpredictable. Her terrain is split between lush and arid, as if she can’t quite make up her mind what she wants to be. Although she doesn’t suffer fools, she will reward those that are patient with raw, cinematic beauty. - Aberdare – The Gothic Enchantress
She lives in mist and moss, whispering secrets to the trees. A moody forest queen draped in emerald cloaks, hiding waterfalls in her folds. She is dramatic, and perhaps a little haunted, and even more so, somewhat haunting. I find that she can be cold at times, damp even, but oh when she opens up, it is like wandering through a dream – full of solitude and sacred silence. - Nairobi National Park – The Urban Diva
She is a contradiction in motion – where concrete meets the bush, cosmopolitan but yet fiercely wild. She carries the city on her shoulders and the wilderness in her heart, with skyscrapers behind her and lions at her feet, as she balances city hustle with primal instinct. She always reminds me that nature doesn’t live in isolation, but rather it pulses even in the heart of a city.
I’d love to know what you think. What is your favourite safari destination and why?
Until next time, stay inspired!
Shalini