| Tips and photos of Masai Mara Game Reserve tourist attractions and tourist traps, posted by real travelers and Masai Mara Game Reserve locals. Masai Mara Game Reserve Map |
 | Masai Mara Game Reserve Tourist Traps | Tips 1 - 10 of 11 |  |
 Hawkers at the gate by gretsLeave a Comment
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 Maasai people along the side
of the road by grets
If you visit a Maasai village - which I recommend you do - you can take as many pictures you like of the people, so don't bother to take candid shots along the road, wait until you get to the village. Leave a Comment
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 An opportunity to be seperated
from your money by grets
I will say that I didn't fin the salespeople particularly pushy, they let us browse in peace. It is probably quite a good place to acquire that 'must-have' souvenir for the side board! Leave a Comment
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Your guide, no matter how much you beg and plead, will make the obligatory shopping stop.
This will be disguised as a bathroom or drink stop.
You will soon notice him stopping ONLY at shopping venues where the restroom in in the back - waaaaaaaaaay back behind a virtual obstacle course of trinkets, wares, carvings, pictures and various other sundries designed to make you strike up bargaining.
Shop vendors are very adept at making you feel obligated to shop in their store after you've utilized their rest room and face it, after a 4 - 6 hour bumpy ride, down a horribly built road with your bladder feeling as it will burst at any given time, you're apt to agree to anything if only they will let you make it to the end of that tunnel...
make NO eye contact, with ANYONE! Do NOT ask for directions to the bathroom. Instead, look for arrows, crude pictures resembling a man or woman or, other such male/female symbol to indicate the general direction of the bathroom.
Trust me, it will be in the waaaaaaaay back of the shop.
You might as well save your shopping til you've emptied your body and you have a clearer mind as your driver will be no where to be found after you've finished, having conviniently sneaked off to God only knows where on the property hoping to give you enough time to be pressured into a sale for which he will make a commission!
If you wish to enter into barter or, should you be caught eyeing something, under no circumstances pay more than 50% original asking price - sometimes as low as 40%!
Enter into bartering in the following manner:
They: Hello Meeester; US $120.00
You: WHAT!?! NO thanks! I had trhe same thing offered to me in the Mara for 20 dollars!
They: No, no no meester, they cheap, mine good, you name price
You: I already did, 20 dollars!
They: ok ok, i come up, you come down...I say 80.00
You: Nah, I say 40.00, final price
They: No meester, i need more, i tell you, mine is good, name new price. I say 70.00
You: Ok, 55.00 final answer
They: NO meester, 70.00
You: Goodbye, not interested (you walk away)
They: $#$*(!#$# (Swahili for God knows wat) but chasing after you...Ok meester ok, 50.00!
Alternative is: Do as little drinking as possible. If you must use the bathroom, let your guide know you have NO interest in buying. You wish to continue on your way as soon as you're done.
Walk past everyone on way in and out (it is not considered rude to ignore - it comes with the territory of being a vendor).
Jump right back into the van and refuse to move! Leave a Comment
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Although "sold" as an authentic, working Masai village; one later finds out that few if any Masaai actually live in such places. Only an ocassional nomadic elder tending to his goats and cattle.
Most now own cellphones, have computer access and attend public school.
They conviniently show up for scheduled tourist trips to sell their wares, talk about Masaai culture and do traditional dancing. Leave a Comment
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 Lion surrounded by tourists by grets
As you can see from this picture, the majority of the vehicles obeyed the rules and stuck to the tracks. Our driver didn't - he drove right up to the lion. It meant that we could get some nice photos with all the other trucks in it, but all their photos would feature us! Ce la vie! Leave a Comment
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 Maasai warrior dance by BorneoGrrl
As you walk through the village, some Maasai people will approach you to sell their handicraft e.g Masai cape, glass bead jewellery and animal tooth or claws (lions or other big cats) apparently killed by the Maasai warrior in a ritual to prove their manhood
Don't be fooled, this people are no way backwards. They've been exposed to commercial and foreigners for decades
Take as many pictures as you can of the village and the Maasai people because elsewhere, you will have to pay should you want to take their picture
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 Peter showing of his jumping
skills by gretsLeave a Comment
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 Elephants cornered by cars by BorneoGrrl
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 "YUCK! MINNI-BUGGER!" by safardreams
MASAI-MARA 9/2002
GET A REAL TRUCK!
GET A REAL TRUCK! Leave a Comment
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