Jambo! This is ADS driver-guide Emmanuel with my newest blog posting. I am here to report on my most recent safari with 2 guests that I had from New York named James and Kit.  I would also like to share my pictures with the ADS family.

My safari started on October 2nd when I picked up the guests at the Kogatende Airstrip, which is located only a few minutes from the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti National Park. The North Serengeti turned out to be one of the highlights of our safari. We had a wonderful close up encounter with large herds of the wildebeest migration crossing right in front of us. We also managed to spot the very endangered black rhino. My guests and I enjoyed a total of four nights in the North Serengeti with two nights at Serengeti Bushtops Camp and two nights at Migration Lodge.

Continuing on our safari to the Central Serengeti, we had three nights at the ADS private camp, where we encountered many different animals. Highlights include lions, cheetahs and leopards. The clients also enjoyed a hot air balloon ride in this area. We then departed the Serengeti for 3 nights in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area including stays at Crater Lodge and the Manor Lodge. We then concluded the trip with 2 nights at Swala Camp in Tarangire National Park, which I think made a nice ending to this safari. Overall, the safari was spectacular and the very comprehensive itinerary allowed for some amazing wildlife encounters. I hope you enjoy the photos below!

Regards,
Emmanuel Kichao.
ADS Driver Guide

This was one of the last big groups of wildebeest to cross the Mara River. We were so lucky to witness this crossing as most of the wildebeest had already moved south towards the Central and West Serengeti as for now there was more rain in these areas.

-Black Rhino. This bull was the second sight on our counts of the big five as we made the number in just two nights on the northern part of the Serengeti.

Klipspringer. We saw them in the early morning as they were hiding from the predators. The kopjes are good spots to look out for danger.

These Cheetah cubs were very playful and healthy. We stayed with them for almost an hour as their mother was scanning around for prey. At this moment she needs to hunt almost every day as she is still nursing.

A leopard tortoise. The trip was very productive and after we were done with the big five, we started to look for the small 5! The little ones can be the toughest to find.

A herd of buffalo under the shade as it started getting warmer. This was our first sighting near Kogatende Airstrip just a few minutes after I picked up my clients from the airstrip.

Leopard at lobo valley. It was a beautiful sighting as my clients loved the scenery and the way she was posing for pictures. It actually made the day!

Bee eaters – As they like to be together, my clients liked them and James was pointing out every time he spotted them.

A leopard taking a nap on a Hammerkop nest. These nests are huge to be able to accommodate this big cat. It probably took at least six months to build. After they finish and lay their eggs, they leave the nest and it is taken over by different animals.

Sametu lion pride. We got there just in time as this pride had just killed a zebra. It was a pride of 5 lioness and 4 young ones.

A sunset at the ADS private camp.

My clients loved the balloon ride and suggested I should do it too sometimes. However, I am very afraid of heights! This was in the Central Serengeti.

This was at Simba Kopjes in the Central Serengeti. The pride was trying to get away from biting flies and climbed a tree. The giraffe was heading to the same tree, but it didn’t take long for the lions to be spotted. He was able to see them and they took about 15 minutes starring at each other before the giraffe changed direction and moved away.

Blue Sykes monkey – A very sincere looking monkey. This was at Lake Manyara National Park.

Vervet Monkeys with babies grooming each other. It’s a way of keeping friendship and bonding together among the troop.

A Rock Python – One of the things my clients wished to see was this huge snake. It looked like it had eaten recently. This was in Tarangire National Park.

Tawny Eagle. We were looking at the front of its head, eyes and beak and commented on how well designed they are for airborne hunting. This one was also Tarangire National Park, which is an excellent park for raptor viewing.