Greeting from Tanzania again. This is Russell Temu, a professional driver-guide with ADS. I would like to provide a bush report for my most recent safari that I had the pleasure of guiding.

This time I was with a wonderful family of four who were very excited to be in the Serengeti and very much appreciated their safari experience in Tanzania. The safari dates were December 21, 2014 to January 1, 2015. We enjoyed a very well designed itinerary with 3 nights in the South Serengeti at Lake Masek Camp, 3 nights in the Central Serengeti at Seronera Sametu Camp, 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater at Lion’s Paw Camp and a final 2 nights in the beautiful Tarangire National Park at Kikoti Camp.

The safari was well planned from where we started on the Southern Plains of the Serengeti where the mega herds of migratory wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are located at the moment. It was an amazing experience for our first three days with the great migration and also good opportunities for predator viewing including cheetah. Then, we headed off to the Central Serengeti where we saw the resident animals including elephants, giraffes and hippos and good concentration of predators, especially lions. While staying at Sametu Camp, we were able to game drive the very remote and wild Eastern Serengeti. This is one of my most favorite areas in the Serengeti. Then we spent the other two nights in the Serengeti Ecosystem to explore the Ngorongoro Crater/Caldera and finally we ended our safari at the adjacent Tarangire National Park with a game drive through Lake Manyara National Park.

I would like to submit some few pictures below which I managed to take during the safari.

Elephant herd with Makoma Hill in the background on the beautiful Makoma Plain, Central Serengeti.

A single male Impala (circled) with his harem around Moru kopjes, Central Serengeti.

Mother cheetah with her 2 cubs near Sametu Kopjes in the East Serengeti.

Bat-eared fox close to its den around Ndutu, South Serengeti.

Cheetahs killing a Thompson gazelle in the Southern plains of the Serengeti around Ndutu, South Serengeti.

Olive baboons sitting on a termite mound in Lake Manyara National Park.

A mother Cheetah with her cubs in Ndutu, South Serengeti.

Another mother cheetah with 4 cubs leaves a baby Thompson gazelle for the cubs practice their hunting skills around Ndutu, South Serengeti.

Regards,
Russell Temu
ADS Driver-Guide

Hi everyone again! I’m here with the another bush report after completing an 11 day safari (February 23, 2014 to March 5, 2014) with my three guests named Annette, Scott and Judy. We started in the southern plains of the Serengeti National Park and stayed at Ndutu Safari Lodge for 4 nights. We did our game drives around the Ndutu area, hidden valley, marsh area, along Lake Masek and in the short grass plains for the first two days of our stay. Also we managed to drive to Nasera Rock for a nature walk with a Maasai warrior named ‘’Esupet’’ and also game viewing around Gol Kopjes.

We had another 4 nights at Sametu Camp located in the far Eastern side of the Serengeti National Park which is away from the crowded Central Serengeti Seronera area. In this area we had a chance to game drive around Moru Kopjes, Makoma plains, Retima hippo pool, and Sametu Kopjes.

And finally on the last two nights at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, we visited Olduvai Gorge Museum, and Ngorongoro Crater/Caldera. But also we had a day excursion in Lake Manyara National Park before driving to Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha. The following pictures below shows some of the highlights we encoutered in the bush.

– My guests Annette, Judy and Scott having a bush breakfast in the Ndutu plains, South Serengeti.

– Mother cheetah and her cub preying on a baby wildebeest around Ndutu plains.

– Vultures feeding on Eland close to Nasera Rock in the short grass plains.

– Giant Monolith Nasera Rock.

– A Male lion along Sametu Kopjes sniffing the ground.

– Lionesses with their cubs in the Ngorongoro caldera floor at Seneto springs.

– Uncommon Crested Guinea fowl in the Lake Manyara forest.

Thanks,
Russell Temu

Hello from Arusha, Tanzania. My name is Russell Thomas Temu, a senior guide with ADS, and I am submitting my August bush report after 9 days on safari with a wonderful family of six by name of Leonard W. Family and Friends.

We safari our started in the Northern Serengeti along the Mara River after my guests landed at the Kogatende airstrip. We really focused on seeing wildebeest crossings along the Mara river and luckily we found three amazing crossings. During two of the crossings we watched a Nile Crocodile killing wildebeests.

Below are the highlights of the 9 day safari starting on August 6, 2013 and ending on August 14, 2013.

One of the big herds of wildebeest crossing the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti.

Wildebeest Crossing in a massive herd viciously.

Right side wildebeest caught by a Nile Crocodile.

A nile crocodile behind a line of wildebeest drowned and swimming off with a wildebeest tail.

A black backed Jackal preying on a helpless live baby wildebeest.

Some wildebeest crossing while big herd keep coming.

Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture drying up its wing feathers.

Spitting Cobra escaped to be killed by Brown Snake Eagle.

Long tusked bull elephant in the Ngorongoro Crater.

598: Tree Agama Lizard male advertising its territory.

601: Mother and her calf black Rhinos in the crater.

Regards,

Russel Thomas Temu.
ADS Guide.

My name is Russell Thomas Temu, a professional guide based in Tanzania employed with Africa Dream Safaris. This time I had a safari for 10 nights (July 20th to July 30th) with our great guests by the names of Donna and John L. and Faye and Jeff G. We started from the Northern Serengeti around the Mara river on July 20th where the wildebeest migration is currently located. We continued exploring the Central Serengeti (Seronera Valley area) and the Western Serengeti (Western Corridor) before we ended our safari in Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.

I am pleased to share with you the following pictures taken on this safari documenting the predatory behaviors of the three big cats of the Serengeti.

Picture No.
006 – Lioness preying on a Zebra close to Mara river.
011 – A leopard walking across the grass toward the granite rock kopjes.
016 – A male Cheetah (one of the two brothers) preying on a grant gazelle.
005 – A mother Cheetah with her cub around Lamai triangle in the Northern Serengeti.

Thank you very much.
Russell Thomas Temu
ADS Guide

This is Russell Temu, a professional guide with Africa Dream Safaris. I have some very exciting news to share with the readers of the ADS blog having just returned from the Serengeti National Park. I started my latest safari with a group of 6 persons from the USA with the last name of Bertini on July 5th when I picked the guests up from the Kogatende Airstrip. This airstrip is located just south of the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti. We spent our first 2 nights of the safari at Lemala Camp and were able to watch large herds of wildebeest crossing the Mara River. These was among the first large crossings of the year and it was very exciting to watch.

I hope it will another good year for crossings as it has been especially spectacular the last several years. We should see frequent crossings all through the remainder of the dry season from now through August, September, October and even November as the wildebeest chase the thunder showers and cross and recross the Mara River.

After our time in the North Serengeti watching two different sightings of the wildebeest cross the Mara River, we headed to our next 2-night stop at Buffalo Lodge in Loliondo Game Controlled Area. Here at Buffalo Lodge we conducted a nature walk learning about animal spoors, droppings, insects, flowers and various medicinal plants used by Maasai people that inhabit this area. We had an opportunity to conduct a night game drive and saw several bushbabies, white-tail mongoose. On our last morning we visited a Maasai Village called a Boma and my guests go to learn about their traditional way of life. We also enjoyed some excellent wildlife viewing on our regular game drives.

Our last two nights in the Serengeti were spent in the Central Serengeti at Seronera Sametu Camp. This is my favorite camp in the Serengeti and it is usually the highlight for most of my guests. The Central Serengeti is starting to get dry and it is a very good time to watch the behavior of the big cats (lions, cheetahs and leopards) as during this time we can have the opportunity to watch hunting behaviors.

Our last two nights of the safari were spend Lion’s Paw Tented Camp on the rim of the Crater in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In the Ngorongoro Crater we were lucky to see two black rhinos. Below are some pictures I would like to share with you including pictures of the Mara River crossings and also a few bird shots as I have been noticing that birds are not show very frequently on on our blog.

Thank you,

Russel

African fish eagle eating another bird

Augur Buzzard

Augur Buzzard flying to catch prey

I have just concluded my first safari for June and am preparing to head back out for hopefully another great adventure in the Serengeti. My most recent safari was a big success in both the West and Central Serengeti. The wildlife viewing was good along the Grumeti River as well as the surrounding plains where we saw a pride of lions with cubs and some big groups of giraffe.

In the Central Serengeti the game viewing was also great where we saw big herd of zebras, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions and cheetahs hunting. The East Serengeti which is usually more dry this time of year was also surprisingly good and at a special place named Gol Kopjes we saw lions and cheetahs. In Tarangire National Park, game viewing was good in the Silalei Swamp where many big herds of elephants were grazing and also long the Tarangire River where we came across a leopard with a kill.

I hope you enjoy a few of my pictures. I have tried to take some more unusual pictures a little different then the ones traditionally posted on the ADS blog.

My name is Russell Temu, driver-guide with ADS.  I just concluded a 9-day safari (07th April to 15th April) with my two guests named Dave and Lynnette from Texas. We spent 8 nights on safari with 3-nights at Mbuzi Mawe, 3 nights at Ndutu Lodge and 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.

The green season in the Serengeti is the best time to get off the beaten path. During this time we can drive to the most secluded areas of the Serengeti where few tourists ever visit.  In particular, the eastern Serengeti and Ngorongoro plains offer the best off the beaten track experience as during the green season these plains are green and full of wildlife while the rest of the year they are dry and desolate. ADS is one of the only companies in Tanzania to game drive these remote areas and it is always enjoyable taking guests on these explorations.

One of my favorite spots are the plains to the east of the Serengeti border in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area around the Nasera Rock Monolith (a sacred place for the Maasai) and Angata Kiti (a beautiful valley that cuts through the Gol Mountains and connects the Serengeti Plains to the Salei Plains). I don’t think there is a more beautiful place in the Serengeti! I would like to share with you some photos of this area and some other highlights from the trip.

 

 

 

Cheetahs on another ADS vehicle in the Ndutu Area, South Serengeti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Russell for ADS.

Greetings from Tanzania! My name is Russel Temu and I am a professional guide with Africa Dream Safaris. This is my 3rd posting since we instituted our new company program of having us guides post to the ADS blog with pictures and highlights when we return from safari. Click here to see my other postings.

My most recent safari took place from February 8, 2013 to February 18, 2013. We spent 6 nights in the Serengeti, 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater and 2 nights in Tarangire National Park. We saw a tremendous amount of wildlife with many special highlights and my guests and I really enjoyed our time together. Follows are a few pictures I took while on safari.

Warm Regards,

Russel Temu
ADS Driver-Guide
February 22, 2013

A pride of twenty lions preying on two wildebeests kills in Kusini, South Serengeti:

A male lion in the southern Serengeti plains.

 

 

 

Jambo from Tanzania! My name is Russell and I am a professional guide employed with Africa Dream Safaris. I have just returned from a 8-night safari to the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater beginning January 19, 2013 and ending January 27, 2013. We enjoyed 3 nights at Sametu Camp, which is my personal favorite, in the Central Serengeti, 3 nights at Lake Masek Camp in the South Serengeti and our last 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

The safari was a lot of fun and the wildlife viewing was amazing. There are so many different species of animals this time of year that all coexist together in the bottom half of the Serengeti park. It is spectacular and I really enjoy watching my guests see this for the first time.

I would like to share with you some photos I managed to take on the safari with my very nice guests named Judy and Bobby. The best picture I took was of this cheetah with her cubs (shown above). They were using a termite mound as a vantage point to scan for prey and danger on the eastern plains of the Serengeti National Park near one of my favorite spots called zebra kopjes.

Asante Sana!

Russel Temu
January 28, 2013

A mother Cheetah with four cubs in the southern tip of the Serengeti park around Ndutu area finally killed a Steenbok [an antelope] after several attempts. She stalked this Steenbok and then sprinted in full speed towards the prey and quickly caught it. Her cubs followed close behind. She then released the Steenbok still alive and her cubs started practicing their hunting skills before they killed it for an evening meal.

By ADS Driver Guide Russel Temu on January 10, 2013