Curt & Laureen - Africa 2023: Tour Day 9

[Pictures were added at a later date due to poor internet access at the time]

[Sunday, August 6, 2023]

It was warmer here than it has been in some of the other places we have stayed. It might have something to do with the rather large body of water that happens to be just metres away from where we are located. The main fan (hung from the large, vaulted ceiling in our room), was also attached to the main lights for the area, so if you turned off the lights, the fan went off as well. Sigh. Fortunately, they had a spare fan sitting on a little table that we pulled closer and set up to oscillate across the mosquito-net-draped bed. The lock to the room was a big padlock that held shut the two heavy iron gates across the front door. So, we were padlocked in for the night.

The extra sleep was welcomed, and we got up, showered, packed our belongings and then headed to the restaurant for breakfast. Today was Malaria Sunday, so we both made sure to handle that item promptly. A quick photo in the roundabout by the restaurant area and we were on our way.

It didn’t take too long to reach a gate to the Serengeti National Park where we made a pit-stop to be ready for our first game drive in this specific park. The Serengeti is just under 15,000 square kilometers. That’s 10 times the size of the Maasai Mara. This place is huge. We made a couple of stops for some wildlife that we had already seen in Maasai Mara including wildebeest, Thompson’s and impala gazelles, a male ostrich and a rather spectacular looking blue starling.

A Spider Monkey getting into somebodies bus!

Our chariot. Notice the brand of the step! ;-)

Next, we came across a group of vultures that were “cleaning up” a topi that our guide said was probably sick and died of natural causes. Lions and other predators would not touch this animal as they seemed to be aware that it was sick, and didn't want it. Leaves the vultures to just compete with themselves for their breakfast.

Our next encounter was a group of hippos that were resting on the shore of a river. Not too far away was a single elephant who was standing in the water having a drink. There was also an alligator lurking nearby.

Time for another pitstop at a small airstrip. It seems as though there are a number of small airstrips in the Serengeti, so if one was so inclined, you could fly around the place instead of driving on the rather rough washboard roads.

It seems that there is an almost never-ending supply of animals in this place as we just started coming across one after another. Giraffe’s, elephants, and topi were all on the Safari menu before our lunch break.

Lunch was at an amazing place right in the park. The construction was such that the buildings looked like they actually were part of the landscape. We were treated to a menu instead of the usual buffet line.

Back on the road after lunch and the animals just kept coming. Cheetah (that was far away), cobra (only his backside – but rare to see like this), and then a group of lions that were just lying in the grass. It looked like a mother and two or three cubs, but it was hard to tell as they were just lying there and not really moving around.

Then we came across another lion that was stalking a Thompson’s gazelle. It was very interesting to watch her hunting. When she decided to attack, the gazelle spotted her and took off running. The lion gave up and wandered back to the other lions that were laying in the grass.

Crouching in the grass.

Then, we came across a herd of elephants snacking on the tree leaves near a stream. What an incredible sight. Our guide told us that this was a group of females and their young. They usually stay separate from the males at this stage. There was one baby elephant that our guide indicated was probably only a few weeks old. Cutest elephant ever.

The landscape here is incredible!

At this same location there were more elephants on the far side of the stream that we did not notice until one of them was clearly agitated by something. It appeared as though he was trying to warn the other elephants about some kind of impending danger. I have a short video clip of this elephant after it crossed the stream and was met by one of the older elephants on our side of the water. The sound they make when they are agitated like this is bone-chilling in person.

We did stop at a tree that had what appeared to be a warthog pulled up into a high branch. This looks like the work of a leopard, but there was no big cat in sight. We waited there for quite a while (with a bunch of others), hoping to get a glimpse of the elusive leopard – but to no avail. Hopefully we will see one tomorrow.

Next, we came across a lion that had taken down a hippo and was having a feast. There was a group of vultures nearby just waiting for the lion to be full. At one point the lion walked away, and the vultures started to move in, but the lion saw this and chased them away. I guess she isn’t done yet.

Drove the rest of the way to our next place of lodging. These were what I might call LUXURY Tents in the Serengeti. I wish my tents in the Rockies were this nice!