As the migratory herds continue to gather and the young made it past the gaze of surrounding predators, the next chapter begins to unfold. Nature’s script for the greatest show on Earth is taking shape.
In the months ahead, the herds will travel through the long rains toward the plains of the western corridor, seeking the fresh waters that flow through the river. From there, they will continue north passing through treacherous plains, avoiding predators at every turn. Even before reaching the famed Mara River crossing, some will succumb as prey while pushing through.
Several of our best guides currently on safari in the lower Serengeti, along with Roving Bushtops camp owners we consider our close friends, shared footage of the herds. This isn’t professional videography or specialized equipment, just a mobile phone, a sighting and quick thinking, nothing more. As you watch, think of the dark side of the moon. You may not yet see the full herds moving in complete unison, but you can sense them gathering much like the unseen side of the moon that we know is there, even when it isn’t illuminated. In time, it reveals itself. The same is true of the migration. The herds are forming, building, preparing. Soon they will reach the river crossings. Soon they will converge.
Stay tuned as we continue tracking the migration’s progress. We’ll check back in a few months to witness the next stage of this remarkable journey.
Welcome back to a journey within. As we continue our new year of discovery, we are honored to continue Mahen’s Alphabet of Emotional Intelligence.
First launched last January, this series remains a vital part of Mahen’s enduring legacy, exploring the inner landscapes that shape how we experience the world. Join us as we continue our trek through the alphabet, uncovering the emotional tools that continue to enrich our travels and our lives.
P – Patience: Trust the timing of our journey.
Patience means facing life’s challenges with the strength and courage we have. It’s continuing to love and laugh no matter what, because we all know that circumstances will change. Love and laughter give life deeper meaning and help us stay determined to have Patience. Patience teaches us to sow the seed in the form of right actions and to allow the fruits of those actions to ripen in their own time. We don’t need to think about the future benefits of what we do now, because we know we will receive what we need when the time is right. Patience is essential to daily life—and might be key to a happy one. Having Patience means being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity.
Patience is not about giving up or feeling tired. It’s a positive trait, the ability to wait for the right moment. There are many examples that show Patience: The lioness waiting in the grass for her prey, moving only her tail for hours. The old monk waiting for God, with wise and calm eyes. The slow growth of a strong oak tree, starting as a tiny acorn and growing bit by bit. We live in a fast-paced world with fast trains, cars, walking, and fast-food restaurants. Even our view of growth is sped up with special cameras. Speed isn’t bad, but we need to ask: Does speed make us stop thinking? If it does, we may rush through life without reflecting. This can be dangerous. Maybe we need to make room for Patience.
Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and we’ll encounter all sorts of drivers along the way. Some will speed past us, while others will crawl along. Some will be courteous and let us merge, while others will honk and gesture. But don’t let their behavior dictate our journey. Stay focused on our own path, and keep moving forward. And when someone does inevitably switch lanes without a signal, just take a deep breath, smile, and keep on driving. Don’t let their recklessness ruin our trip. Instead, use it as an opportunity to practice empathy, understanding and Patience. After all, life is a journey, not a destination. The road may be long and winding, but with the right attitude, we’ll arrive at our destination feeling fulfilled, grateful, and ready for whatever comes next. So drive carefully, drive kindly, and enjoy the ride and BE PATIENCE.
“Learning Patience can be a difficult experience, but once conquered, we will find life is easier.”
Stay tuned for Letter Q
As we do each year around this time, our annual trending destinations video is ready. Every month, we track a range of key indicators including buying habits and destinations at the time they are booked, not just where travelers are going right now. It’s amazing how much purchasing behavior can shift in a 12-month period, and how often top destinations change.
The locations that rise to the top seem to follow a common thread, they represent destinations that offer more experiential, more remoteness, more authenticity, and most importantly, more time beyond comfort zones. This reminds me of a something I read from a study at Cornell University and a second study from Harvard and Yale about the correlation between the types of destinations that are trending and the style of luxury travel Big Five has long pioneered.
I’m pleased to share a brief overview of those findings below, along with an inspiring video for you to enjoy.
The Mechanism: Attention Restoration Theory (ART)
Research from Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology (specifically the work of environmental psychologists like Dr. Nancy Wells) supports Attention Restoration Theory.
The Physiology of “Planetary Health”
The “One Health” Framework
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health promotes the concept of Planetary Health—the understanding that human health is dependent on the health of natural systems.
Stress Reduction & Biophilia
Yale School of the Environment has long championed the Biophilia Hypothesis (popularized by Harvard’s E.O. Wilson).
What trend are you following?
Part II of our East Africa dispatch brings us to my native, Kenya. And as always, a trip to Kenya means reconnecting with old friends, not just former classmates, but longtime partners in adventure as well.
Starting off at Ol Lentile, where on a previous trip I had the most memorable elephant encounter (more on that later). But the best part of my stay, wasn’t actually the stay. It was reuniting with my friends Solomon and Boniface. Now mind you, this is right after I was labeled an honorary gorilla tracker by the guides in Bwindi because of my frequent visits. Seeing these two again brought a huge smile to my face. Solomon was not yet at the camp during my last visit, however he and I had connected. Boni on the other hand, was my brother from another… and our last visit was, memorable to say the least.
On my last visit, Boni and I were walking along a trail when we heard elephants in the distance and were aware of their presence. Much like most activities at Ol Lentile, you are on foot or on an ATV. The vehicle isn’t used that often, only to transfer to and from a starting point. As we rounded the curve, a small hill created a blind spot along the path. All of a sudden, a tusk, then two, come to sight. Now mind you, we were, as Solomon likes to say, walking like Maasai, at a brisk pace. Boni and I stopped and stood still as I remembered from past encounters that you never run. We knew we were not in danger, as both of us have had amazing close encounters with elephant over the years, for Boni, his whole life. He has had the closest of all encounters with cheetah and lion, however that is a story for another day. Slowly we moved off the path, almost in slow motion, making it clear to this young bull that we were not a threat. This whole time we were just amazed at another example of just how intelligent these animals are. All of these memories came back to me, as Boni, Solomon, and I talked about the conservancy model, recorded an episode of our podcast, and as I found myself once again immersed into the Samburu way of life.
The final chapter unfolded in the Mara, at a camp that I honestly discovered by chance nearly 20 years ago. I met Andy Stuart, co-founder of Bushtops Camps, on a flight to the Mara as we both happened to spot his camp from the air on our way in. The conservancy model that so proudly represents a path forward for responsible safaris in Kenya, was still in its infancy, which makes me even prouder to see what has become of the camps that participate in this model. Yes, there are still some issues to work through, however the vision that started this path, is still our north star. With the abundance of resident game in this section of the Mara, the sightings began immediately. However, it was not until we were in the main reserve, that we had the most fun.
While vehicles in the southeastern sector crowded around radio reports of lion sightings, we chose to steer clear. I was triggered by the number of vehicles around these lions, something I spoke passionately about in various speeches, and in articles for outlets like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Crowds of vehicles around one or groups of animals is not what safari pioneers had in mind, and I was reminded of that whenever we moved out of reserves and into community owned land. Now where we had fun with this, was calling by radio to tell one of the group drivers surrounding the lions, about a cheetah sighting we had made without anyone knowing. We gave them a location that was off by a little bit, in order to ensure the cheetah was respected and her boundaries of movement protected, aka, the Kenya bluff.
One by one, the vehicles scattered, and we were left to peacefully view the lions without encroaching on their habitat. Once we left back for the conservancy, I felt empowered to speak even louder about the need for better controls in reserves, the justification of higher prices, and to highlight the work that conservancy-based camps like Bushtops and many others are doing, to preserve the natural setting.
We are not living on this land, we are simply borrowing it, holding it for the next generation.
