Day 14: Ballooning, and the Mara River
Up this morning at 3:30 am for a nearly 2-hour drive to the ballooning site on very rough trails. But sunrise was beautiful.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wPWrg7RaHc/XYAbfPZ8kxI/AAAAAAAAVH8/cl_zMBd_lzoTpnCDKiD-9Ox7roYeC5bAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B27109112019.jpg) |
Moly was a bit skeptical when she first got into the basket |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iayeys_12bQ/XYAbff_M4GI/AAAAAAAAVIE/12NCrm6jAxwl9R7bhDhCta9YcUYYCAHYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B34709112019.jpg) |
landed on our side-interesting perspective |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-88esgjLwFCA/XYAbfun9BJI/AAAAAAAAVIM/Ro-5RJc_NusVHnA2eLOahMY8YOEHCbAmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B36509112019.jpg) |
Champagne or OJ breakfast |
On to our game drive along the Mara River.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--NCjZPoTUys/XYAbaNpNO-I/AAAAAAAAVGg/0exgdzISGCA7v5zEli16KUM6Qy2aSgKbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B00909122019.jpg) |
Lilac-breasted roller |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7RyKc8bOLjM/XYAbaahsrpI/AAAAAAAAVGk/tgvHh7p2C58job5jg8Pd2BgI6Sfk7Bo_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B01109122019.jpg) |
.....in flight |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiPzCARTd7s/XYAbarNbqkI/AAAAAAAAVGo/r6iIwOs16roRHVzEOzHCSapoGAtV0AnGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B01809122019.jpg) |
Malachite kingfisher |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JnZsko5RSHU/XYAbdTtB0gI/AAAAAAAAVHY/twhYCoeJc-kHUO9kaZKOcluynzTkMt4pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B20909122019.jpg) |
Go-away bird |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1RMiNiH7po/XYAbdxGvsPI/AAAAAAAAVHs/sVjTVHiDOaI2s7u6X4G9t7N0VXDds6PcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B22909122019.jpg) |
Impala |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r6vQYIuy4PU/XYAbghmVAGI/AAAAAAAAVIg/e0siNDmcR9cM-gJNfKD1UwLUG5hr4VkzACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B39409122019.jpg) |
Hippos in the Mara |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLf1ZFWdI8E/XYAbiieiOkI/AAAAAAAAVIw/3SI51weERF4seLGsdphVgLmMMA4vfyskgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B43109122019.jpg) |
Wildebeests just didn't want to come down the bank today |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AhUTKM_G_t4/XYAbjJgSvMI/AAAAAAAAVI0/9xN2X7vGmNgO1_ry7lTQGivBYyGzAozQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B43809122019.jpg) |
Perhaps this is why? |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oVD3UXmhNPI/XYAbln_r8EI/AAAAAAAAVJI/POTn7Qkj_jk0ZJQge5n30K87gauuSMpOACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B47909122019.jpg) |
Yellow-billed stork |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nq4CQtEdJQ4/XYAbl5bVLCI/AAAAAAAAVJQ/lcryUkpfsb41DICHE9kyd-nMo_u0W0ohwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B48909122019.jpg) |
Spotted hyena |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hkiwh_Mb8K0/XYAbnBHYWKI/AAAAAAAAVJs/AXEf9Xw0EMwkUWW916okGayvM1b15oioACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B56409122019.jpg) |
Olive baboons |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJxuGnCNRX4/XYAbl6liNOI/AAAAAAAAVJY/GQpEKKAEzNI2n7FI1j0CFeTG_j50CJAHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B49809122019.jpg) |
Serval (very rare sighting during the day) |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KImcMzSfusE/XYAbo2sTywI/AAAAAAAAVKI/n8YFDK88Kd8aJRBACO0I828QimFpP0F4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B69509122019.jpg) |
Serval with a kill (dead bird) |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyucSW-vzyg/XYAbpja08JI/AAAAAAAAVKQ/VmJwiKwE7wkIkVBZIQMZEmX5fN7QNeB9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B77609122019.jpg) |
Wildebeest crossing at the Sand River |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNhllYGIdLs/XYAbahgGmdI/AAAAAAAAVGs/UQ5nfA1D2B8o1Cm9QMzgJs1N_uG4lHN1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B000109122019.jpg) |
Trail lunch
|
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--TuYAK7AkzE/XYAbrsDrUpI/AAAAAAAAVKo/cbHgd9rWFNAab_N8d7CvqyNv1ZXeBchBACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B90809122019.jpg) |
Exhausted photographer |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1gbe8SCAX4/XYAbrYj5FmI/AAAAAAAAVKk/pRmVhRFItpccZoY0JKVnmhM9cip3yfvNQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B90509122019.jpg) |
Steinbok |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TID5qyQl544/XYAbsoQZ-BI/AAAAAAAAVK0/YT64__G_OC0klDVKfIBD2mPy4efX8G9kgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D14%2BCottar%2527s%2BCamp%2BMara%2B3%2B98309122019.jpg) |
Leopard |
Back at Costar's, we were pampered with a bush bath at the end of a very long day.