In early October, the plains are typically dry and windy, but as the month progresses, rains often arrive in the late afternoons, delivering dramatic skies, short-lived thunderstorms and a burst of green across the landscape.
The Masai Mara this October – photo credit Saidi Juma
The days started with blue skies and high-altocumulus clouds, which are mid-level clouds that appear patchy, lumpy, or like rippled sheets. When observed in the morning, they often signal that a weather system is approaching and serve as a good indicator that rain or thunderstorms will occur later in the day.
Dense pods of hippos are found packed together in the Mara River’s tighter bends, where the current slows; they prefer these deeper sections over the gently sloping banks favoured by crocodiles. The air is filled with grunts, snorts, and the constant jostling as they compete for space.
Competition for space – photo credit Alisa Karstad
This October, we received 54mm of rainfall, which was enough to ignite a protrusion of fireball lilies (Scadoxus multiflorus) – a species of bulbous plant native to most of sub-Saharan Africa. For much of the year, these remarkable plants lie hidden beneath the soil, but with the arrival of the rains, a single flower stalk emerges, revealing a magnificent cluster of blood-red blooms dusted with golden pollen.
Fireball lilies – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Beautiful as they are, these ornamental plants are highly toxic, containing dangerous alkaloids in their leaves, flowers, and bulbs. In the wild, particularly across the plains of the Masai Mara, they are a good indicator of the onset of the rainy season, bursting into bloom soon after the first showers fall.
Sunrises occurred at approximately 6:26, painting the sky in soft grey-blue hues that deepened into striking ambers along the horizon. During the early hours and again at dusk, when the sun is very low on the horizon, its light travels through a greater portion of the atmosphere, creating those rich, diffused tones. After rainfall, moisture and particles in the air scatter the sunlight even more, intensifying the brilliance of the Mara’s sunrises and sunsets in October.
Sunrise on the Mara – photo credit Jackson Inganji
Sunset – photo credit Jackson Inganji
In October, the grasses remained relatively long, with a fresh layer of green shoots emerging at their base after the rains. Zebras, a “keystone species,” play a crucial role in shaping these grasslands. Their ability to feed on the tougher, taller grasses that other herbivores cannot digest helps clear and open up the landscape, creating ideal feeding zones for smaller grazers that rely on shorter, nutrient-rich growth. This dynamic was particularly evident on the upper plains just south of the Mara North Conservancy border, where large groups of zebra congregated throughout the month.
Plains zebras on the border of Mara North – photo credit Naserian Barbrah
By the end of the month, large herds of topis, Coke’s hartebeests, and Grant’s gazelles were frequenting these plains, which had been neatly grazed down and refreshed by the showers that fell on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
Topis are “selective grazers” – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Buffalo, meanwhile, remained concentrated in the greener sections of the Musiara Marsh, where dependable water sources persist year-round. Although not especially demanding in their habitat preferences, buffalo deteriorate quickly without access to fresh, green grasses, making these wetter, lusher areas vital to their well-being and long-term survival.
Cape buffalos – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Servals were seen regularly this month; a reliable place to encounter them is in the tall grasses just beyond the entrances to each of our camps, where they stalk silently, scanning for rodents and other small prey. Two well-known individuals have mapped out their own territories at Governors’ Camp and Private Camp, and we often spot them on our return from afternoon game drives – a wonderfully unexpected highlight for many guests.
Servals are medium-sized wild cats – photo credit Naserian Barbrah
Throughout October, the Marsh Pride females split their time between the heart of the Musiara Marsh and, on a few occasions, ventured as far as Paradise Plains, which is a neighbouring territory, fiercely defended by the Paradise Pride females. This was an unusual and potentially dangerous move, likely prompted by the grazers they were following, which had shifted across in search of the shorter grass on that side.
Kito, Enkerai and Lola at Paradise Plains – photo credit Saidi Juma
Lola – photo credit Saidi Juma
Kito and Nusurika – photo credit Saidi Juma
The Marsh Pride has some exciting news: Kaelo is now the proud mother of two male cubs, estimated to be around 2 months old at the time of compiling this report. They were born at Bila Shaka, an area long favoured by generations of Marsh Pride females for denning, thanks to its dense orange-leafed croton thickets and African wild olive trees, which provide excellent cover and protection. To ensure Kaelo had the peace and security she needed during these crucial early weeks, the Musiara rangers temporarily closed the access road, keeping the area off-limits and undisturbed.
Kaleo and her cubs on the 31st October – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Around three weeks later, she moved the cubs to a secluded spot we refer to internally as “Patrick’s Culvert,” where several fallen elephant pepper trees create an ideal refuge in the heart of the Musiara Marsh. From this sheltered position, mothers can scan the surroundings for potential threats and keep their cubs dry during heavy rains, while the soft, waterlogged ground naturally prevents vehicle access. The hollowed trunks offer an added layer of protection, shielding the cubs from trampling by buffalo and elephants, as well as from predators such as roaming male lions and hyenas.
Kaleo scans her surroundings – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Given the Marsh Pride’s complicated history with cub survival in recent years, our optimism remains cautious. Kaleo herself has a challenging track record of losses. In late November 2023, she gave birth to three cubs, but one disappeared in December, and the remaining two did not survive beyond February 2024. By August 2024, she had given birth to another litter; yet by early November, the final surviving cub, the one suffering from a back injury, had also been lost.
Kaleo was born in 2018 to the legendary Marsh Pride lioness, Kabibi, and one of the Bila Shaka males. She grew up with her brother, Orkirikoi, and Lola, who is the daughter of the late Rembo, which explains Kaleo’s close bond with Lola.
New mum, Kaleo – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
However, there is a meaningful advantage this time: the pride is now under the protection of the Topi Boys, who might recognise this newest litter as their own, offering the cubs a far stronger chance of reaching maturity.
Born during the Covid years to the Topi Pride females on the Topi Plains, this coalition of seven young males has now controlled the Marsh territory for nearly a year. They are the sons of the legendary Sala’s Boys – Olepolos, Osapuk, and the late Orkitok – who were born in 2015 and achieved their first major pride takeover only a few years later with the Rekero Pride. Seeking further dominance, they went on to secure the Topi Pride, driving a period of remarkable growth that saw the pride swell to around 30 individuals at its peak.
Moja, Ukingo and Djodjo at Bila Shaka – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Nzuri (M6) is celebrated as one of the most striking male lions, not just in the Masai Mara, but across the world. At the slightest onset of humidity, his distinctive wavy mane transforms into a dense crown of tight curls – a signature look that has earned him the affectionate nickname “King of Curls”. Widely believed to be the son of Olepolos, Nzuri regularly appears in the social media feeds of top wildlife photographers who visit the Mara in hopes of photographing one of its most visually captivating male lions.
Nzuri – photo credit Saidi Juma
On 31 October, Otipo intercepted a passing hyena, clamping down on its spine and wrestling it to the ground. The commotion quickly drew the attention of Ukingo, well known for dispatching a hyena in a similar manner earlier in May. With effortless strength, Ukingo tossed the hyena from side to side, and before long, the rest of the males arrived.
As Africa’s eternal enemies, it is well known that lions hate hyenas and will kill them whenever they can – although they will not eat them. Despite the hyena’s determined resistance, it stood little chance against the combined power of this coalition and ultimately succumbed beneath the youngest male, Kiongozi, who delivered the final blow.
Kiongozi finishes off a hyena – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
For a long time, Vuli (M5) has been kept at a distance and even attacked by the other males, prompting him to explore other areas further afield – he has even been sighted sniffing around Paradise Plains. Recently, however, Kiongozi has also found himself facing growing aggression from the coalition. On October 23rd, we witnessed a hostile situation involving Nzuri and Ukingo, who were seen chasing Kiongozi out of the Bila Shaka area.
Nzuri and Ukingo chase Kiongozi – photo credit Elisha Kimtai
Djodjo is one of the largest males in the coalition – an immense powerhouse of muscle whose weight rivals that of Ukingo. These two are widely regarded as the dominant pair within the group and are occasionally seen challenging one another over mating rights with the Marsh Pride females.
Djodjo – photo credit Amos Topisia
The Topi Boys continue to rely heavily on buffalo as their primary food source – an abundant, year-round resource in the Marsh. Whether it’s an old bull caught alone while wallowing in the mud or a weaker individual separated from the resident herd of more than 600 buffalo, the coalition has become highly skilled at exploiting these opportunities.
Their size, strength, and coordinated tactics make them formidable buffalo hunters, and as a result, it is uncommon to see them feeding on anything else. Smaller prey, such as topi or zebras, are taken only occasionally, typically when a chance encounter presents itself; however, buffalo remains their overwhelming preference and the foundation of their success in this particular territory.
Nzuri with a buffalo kill – photo credit Amos Topisia
The Topi Boys spend much of their time patrolling the expansive Marsh territory and the far reaches of its surrounding landscape, continually reinforcing their dominance. On occasion, we are fortunate enough to see all seven males gathered together, which always makes for great photo opportunities. More often, however, they split their efforts, with a few on the far eastern side of Bila Shaka and the rest patrolling west of the Musiara Gate.
Nzuri and Djodjo in the marshlands – photo credits Elisha Kimtai
The grey-backed fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a common resident of the Mara’s open wooded grasslands. Like other shrikes, it’s a formidable predator, often seen perched conspicuously on the top of a branch or a termite mound, scanning the ground for prey. Its diet is varied, including grasshoppers and beetles, small lizards, and even other birds.
What makes the grey-backed fiscal particularly interesting is its social life, which sets it apart from its more solitary cousins (like the common fiscal). These birds are highly sociable and often form noisy, active family groups. They are cooperative breeders, meaning that older offspring and other adults in the group assist a breeding pair in feeding their young and defending the territory. This collective, chattering, and tail-waving behaviour makes them a lively and engaging sight as they go about their business in the Mara’s scrublands.
The grey-backed fiscal – photo credit Alisa Karstad
A common and conspicuous resident of the Masai Mara, the wattled lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) is easily identified by the bright yellow wattles that hang from its face. These birds are a fixture of damp grasslands and areas near water, though they also forage in drier habitats. They are most often seen in pairs, methodically picking insects and other invertebrates from the ground. October falls within their breeding season, making it a good time to observe their dramatic, noisy parental behaviours.
Wattled lapwings are ground-nesters, laying their camouflaged eggs in a simple scrape on the earth. An impressive display of courage protects this seemingly vulnerable strategy. Should a predator or even an unsuspecting vehicle approach the nest, the parent birds will launch into the air, engaging in loud, diving “mobbing” flights, accompanied by their unmistakable and persistent alarm call. To regulate the temperature of their eggs in the hot sun, they will often stand over the nest with their wings slightly spread, a vital behaviour known as “shading incubation.”
The wattled lapwing is an intra-African migrant – photo credit Alisa Karstad
October in the Masai Mara heralds the arrival of one of the world’s most impressive travellers: the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). These birds are not residents but rather Palaearctic migrants. Having spent their summer breeding across Europe and Asia, they undertake an arduous journey of thousands of kilometres to escape the northern winter. The Mara, with its rich insect life, is a crucial wintering ground and stopover site for these aerial acrobats. They arrive exhausted but in vast numbers, signalling a distinct seasonal change in the Mara’s birdlife.
You will spot them gracefully skimming over the grasslands and riverbanks, their deeply forked tails silhouetted against the sky as they feed exclusively on insects caught in flight. In the evenings, they often form huge, swirling flocks, settling into reed-beds along the Mara River or in the Musiara Marsh for the night. Their arrival in October is a tangible link between the plains of Africa and the far-off continents of the Northern Hemisphere, a true testament to the cycles of migration.
Barn swallows are common winter visitors to Kenya – photo credit Naserian Barbrah
By Jess Savage with imagery contributed by Governors’ Camp Collection guides. If you’d like to find out more about a safari in October, please visit the link below.
A SAFARI IN OCTOBER
