This is ADS driver-guide Peter Huka with my latest safari report. This time I had the pleasure of leading 3 guests from Florida named Ann, Damian and Michaeleen T. We started our safari on 02nd December 2013 in the Central Serengeti when I picked up the guests at the Seronera Airstrip at approximately 10.00am.

We did a game drive around the Seronera valley on the way to our accommodations at Sametu Camp. In the Seronera Valley we came across two leopards and a lioness and also a large herds of migratory zebras. During the afternoon near the famous Maasai Kopjes we found three lions with a zebra kill which was great to watch. We continued on our way to Sametu Camp arriving before sunset.

The following day we decided to explore the Western Corridor of the Serengeti in hopes of seeing the wildebeest migration. Thankfully, we were rewarded for our long drive as we got to see the migration around the Grumeti River. It was a beautiful day with the migration and many other species of animals including giraffes, elephants and gazelles.

On our 3rd day on safari, we departed Sametu Camp and headed for our Private Camp at Naabi Hill. We drove through Sametu Kopjes en route and we found a big pride of 17 lions there. Later in the day, we drove through the Makoma Hill area and we were lucky to see many highlights including two cheetahs, elephants, lions, topis and giraffes. We then headed to our Private Camp and Naabi Hill.

The area immediately around Naabi Hill was unusually dry for this time of year so the following day we decided to drive about 1-hour to the northwest to Moru Kopjes and Lake Magadi. The Moru Kopjes area is absolutely beautiful. It is one of my favorite areas of the Serengeti and it was nice because we found some large family groups of elephants and buffaloes.

We then departed our Camp and Naabi Hill for 2 final nights in the South Serengeti at Lake Masek Tented Lodge. The highlight here in the Masek / Ndutu area was watching a mother cheetah with two cubs hunting. Her first and second attempt to hunt a Thomson gazelle were unsuccessful but she didn’t give up. Her third attempt proved successful and she was able to chase down and kill a Thomson gazelle. Surely this was great to witness!

The last day in the South Serengeti we went around the big swamp where we saw a pride of lions before departing to the Ngorongoro Crater which was also very nice. After two nights on the Crater rim, we proceeded to Lake Manyara National Park and then finally Tarangire National Park and Kikoti Camp.

We were very lucky in Tarangire to have so many exciting wildlife encounters. We saw a leopard cub, several lions and a large pack of wild dogs. There were 23 wild dogs total and it was the highlight of the safari and perhaps the year! Wild dogs are critically endangered in Northern Tanzania and sightings of them are extremely rare.

The following are photos to share with you.

– Cheetah with a kill around Central Serengeti.

– Three lionesses with a zebra kill near Sametu camp.

– Wildebeest Migration – Western Serengeti.

– Zebra with a new born baby.

– Male lion on the rock – Maasai Kopjes.

– Two cheetah cubs playing around ndutu area.

– Cheetah killed a Thomson gazelle in the ndutu area.

– Lion cubs playing around the marsh at ndutu. They were about 4 to 5 months old.

– A leopard cub on the tree around Silale Swamp.

– My clients having a great time at the Moru Maasai painting – Central Serengeti.

– Hunting dogs at Tarangire near Silale Swamp.

Thanks,
Peter Huka.
ADS Guide.