Kenya, Masa Mara and Great Rift Valley- Where the wild writes its own story.
Photo. In the presence of wild animals in Kenya, Africa. © Travel Explorations.
Where the Earth opens wide, Kenya’s Great Rift Valley reveals a landscape shaped by fire, time, and wonder - a journey into a world where action goes on both day and night, breathtaking natural scenery combines with some of Africa's wildest wildlife.
And beneath the hot sun of the Masai Mara in Kenya, the lions rest in silence. Bellies full, eyes half-closed, tails flicking lazily in the heat - saving their strength for the cool night hunt.
Predators move like shadows through golden grass. Herds roll across the plains like living rivers. Dust rises, birds scatter, and somewhere in the distance, something is always watching. On safaris, you are no longer the center of the world. You are a quiet guest.
Do not disturb animals lives
In the wild, the most important rule is simple: Do not disturb their lives. It doesn’t matter how close you are, how emotional the moment feels, or how strong your instincts become. The animals are not there for us. They are living their own reality as hunting, grazing, protecting their young, surviving.
Seeing a kill in the wild can be deeply dramatic - even unsettling. When lions move silently through the grass and a group of impalas stands unaware, your instincts react. You feel the tension and almost want to warn them.
There is something in us that wants to protect the vulnerable, to interrupt the moment and to change the outcome. The impalas look so alert, so graceful, and suddenly so exposed. But this is nature’s own law at work.
Predators hunt because they must, and prey survive because they can. Every movement, every chase, every escape is part of a balance far older than us. The lions are not cruel. The impalas are not helpless. Both are exactly what they are meant to be. As observers, our role is not to interfere, but to witness.
Close - But not too close
Finding the balance in Kenya is a big challenge sometimes. There is easy to be eager and forget about everything else. There is a quiet paradox in the wild.
You travel thousands of kilometres to come closer to nature - to feel it, hear it, and almost touch it. You want the heartbeat of the savannah. The breath of elephants. The presence of lions moving through tall grass. And yet, the closer you come, the more you understand something essential, and as mentioned: You must not interfere.
On one hand, you long to step closer - to feel the breath of the wild and stand at the edge of something untamed. Yet at the same time, you understand that the greatest respect you can show is restraint. True connection is a subtle balance: to be near, but not intrusive. To witness, but not interfere - or in worst case - not to be the prey. Not to become part of the story - only to observe it as it unfolds.
I remember the first time I locked eyes with a lion in the open savannah. There were no fences or barriers - just breath, distance, and respect. In that moment, everything unnecessary disappeared. Deadlines. Notifications. Noise. What remained was something raw and ancient - a reminder that life is not staged or filtered here. It unfolds on its own terms. It is not a zoo. That`s good to keep in mind. You need to take your own precautions. There are no cages or no glass there - except if you sit in a car. No carefully timed appearances. In Kenya, the wild does not wait for you. You wait for it.
Inside Kenya’s untamed heart
When the Savannah Decides What Happens Next. No Script, No Fences - just wild Kenya. That is the magic of Kenya. You never know what is going to happen. A cheetah may explode into motion. Elephants may cross your path in absolute silence. A giraffe may turn its head slowly, as if measuring your presence. Every second feels unscripted. And that unpredictability changes you. In the wild, you don’t control the story. You witness it. You wait. You listen. You feel your senses sharpen. Time stretches. The air smells of dust and grass and possibility.
It reminded that beauty can be brutal. That silence can be louder than any city. Kenya’s wilderness does not perform for you. It invites you to step inside its rhythm, and if you are patient, humble, and awake, it will show you something unforgettable. Out there, the wild writes its own story. The nature is the only director. And for a brief moment, you are part of it.
Stein Morten Lund, 20th February 2026
Additional information
The Great Rift Valley is an immense chain of connected geological depressions stretching roughly 6,000–7,000 kilometres, depending on how it is defined. It begins in southern Turkey, passes through the Red Sea, and continues all the way down to Mozambique in southeastern Africa. Read more about the Great Rift Valley on Wikipedia.
Surrounded by 30 lions in Savuti, Botswana, Africa
One morning in 2000, I had to extend my breakfast, or risk becoming breakfast myself. Just after sunrise, with the light still soft and golden, my travel mate and me, lay inside a thin canvas tent, hungry and ready to step outside. Suddenly I noticed that around thirty lions moved quietly past my friend and me, on their way to a nearby waterhole.
What should we do? Lions appeared all around us, leaving us trapped. We barely breathed. Suddenly, a scream came from the next tent. We saw nothing but feared the worst.
Then it was quiet for a while. There were no roar or drama. Just the steady sound of paws brushing through dry grass and the deep, low rumble of a pride that belongs completely to the land.
There was nothing between us and them but fabric. Of course, I felt fear. I had no idea how close was too close, or how quickly calm could turn into something else. Every second stretched. But in that fragile morning silence, I learned something essential: real adventure isn’t about control. It’s about knowing when to stay perfectly still and feel the wild breath just outside your temporary shelter. It was with mixed emotions, but memories live. Read full story on Travel Explorations.
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