Kakiya Cave
A hidden gem
We’re used to surprises in the Bush, but sometimes we get left open-mouthed. We had been running Mara Bushtops for 10 years before discovering that our Conservancy held a secret: the Kakiya cave.
Discovered by the Mau Mau in the 1950s, it now forms part of everyday Masai tribal life. The name means the place of eating and drinking, but your Masai spotter will explain its wider history, including ancestor worship and animal sacrifices and initiation ceremonies. It is still used for rituals and preparing traditional medicines, using Orange leaf crotons, the sickal bush, combretum molle roots and more.
- 15-minute drive then 10-minute walking safari through a scenic valley
- Or walk direct from Mara Bushtops 2 ½ hour round trip
- Learn about a hidden centre of worship, sacrifice and communal gathering
- Explore medicinal plants
On arrival at the cave, you will learn how to make a fire without matches. This illuminates a space decorated with red ochre depictions of wild animals and warriors, reflecting hunting as a rite of passage. Today, conservation has replaced hunting, but the imagery has inspired generations of the Masai – and even our Bushtops identity and iconography. The cave is utterly unique: don’t miss your own special visit!
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April 2023
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