This is ADS Driver-Guide Godson with another safari report. My two guests named David and Eric H. arrived at Kogatende airstrip in northern Serengeti at 16th of August 2013 where we enjoyed two nights and two days in the Mara River circuit. On this day the weather was a little bit cool and the clouds were seen in a pattered sky travelling through low speed winds heading. This is the time of the short rainy season, which brings back home all the wildebeest that traveled to the Maasai Mara for a short visit.

Our game viewing took us straight to the crossing site called number seven along the Mara river’s bank. We enjoyed the wildebeest migration crossing the Mara River heading southward. Here my clients were surprised for their first time to see the big herds of wildebeest crossing. We were lucky to see two separate crossings.

The second day we went hunting for the big cats at my client’s suggestion and we were found some unbelievable action. We observed male and female leopards mating on a big rock, which was out in the open and close to where we were parking our vehicle. This was an unusual sighting for the normally very secretive and elusive leopard. With much surprise David said Oooh Waoooo!!!!

Afterwards we decided to conduct a cultural tour in the Loliondo Controlled Area where we observed Maasai dancing, milking their cows, and also we we enjoyed a night game drive. This was on August 18th and 19th. On August 20th we departed to the Central Serengeti and Sametu Camp for 2 nights and believe it or not we witnessed another mating of cats not 5 meters from my vehicle. This time it involved lions, the king and queen of the jungle.

On August 22nd we departed the Central Serengeti and headed for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, for 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. Here were saw a big pride of lions with lots of lion cubs of about 2 weeks oldplaying with their mom. Also we saw the Caracal, a VERY rare cat.

Our last National Park was Tarangire after completing what I call the Primate Park or Lake Manyara National Park. Here we had 2 nights and ended our adventure with huge herds of elephants among the mighty Baobab trees. On August 26th after having our breakfast we went back to Arusha Town and the Mount Meru Hotel for a day room. After an early dinner my guests David and Erick were driven to Kilimanjaro Airport for their flight back home.

I have wonderful photos to share with the ADS community as follow:

– Mating leopards in North Serengeti.
– First day – big herds of wildebeest migration crossing Mara river.
– Second day – pride of lions with 3 males and seven females seen hunting.
– Klipspringer on a big rock at Kogatende.
– A laped faced vulture posing, waiting to scavenge.
– Male Agama lizard at buffalo spring.
– Crossing again on the first day.
–  Wildebeest were hesitating to cross because of the crocodiles.
– The lion cubs of about 2 weeks old while on morning game drive
– 2 bulls buffalo brothers in Ngorongoro.
– Type of Comodo species of agama lizard at Oldupai gorge.
– Lake magadi, down the crater seen with crowend cranes and flamingos.
– Very rare small cat, called the Caracal at Ngorongoro crater.
– Martial Eagle on top of a balanite tree at central Serengeti.
– A baboon holding her young.
– King and Queen on their honeymoon in the central Serengeti at Utafiti rock.
– Male Ostrich in the Serengeti.
– Cheetah scanning for antelopes in the Serengeti.
– Hippos seen out of the water.
– A young girl Maasai under the Maasai Boma at Loliondo area.

Thanks,

Godson Mbonye.
ADS Guide.

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.

Jambo Everyone! This is Arnold Mushi, head guide with ADS, and I submitted my bush report for my most recent safari with 4 guests from Connecticut named Carol, Jane, Robert and Linda D. The safari dates were August 4th, 2013 to August 14th, 2013. We spent 6 nights in the Serengeti (Sametu, Lemala Mara and Buffalo Camps), 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater (Lion’s Paw Camp) and 2 nights in Tarangire (Kikoti Camp).

The trip was really very good and it was a very good time to start from the northern side of Serengeti and have the chance to see crossing of the Mara river. This was more than one time and the guests enjoy very much to see this.

Coming to Lobo valley we got the chance to see a very big pride of lions on the top of the one of the very big rock in Lobo and they had prey next to them. We didn’t have the chance to see them make the kill. They had almost finished have the carcass and they also killed a buffalo not far away.

Coming down to the Central Serengeti got the chance of seen three leopards including one female and two cubs very close from the road. They walked across the road and jumped up on a sausage tree.

The crater was also good as we saw three rhinos but not very close and more than ten lionesses with four male lions feeding on a buffalo, as well. This was very close to the Munge river in the crater. Lake Manyara was also very good site because we saw a big numbers of buffaloes, wildebeests, zebras, and baboons.

In Tarangire at Silale Swamp we spotted a female leopard with two cubs and also saw a very big python up on a black barked acacia tree. Also, a Serval cat around Silale Swamp and big numbers of zebras and wildebeests along Tarangire River.

Close to Lemala camp at the northern Serengeti we saw a lioness drag half of the body of a wildebeest but unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to see her make the kill.

The hyena chase of a very big herd of wildebeests and four hyenas took one them from the herd and made a kill. We stayed at the site for almost 3 hours to watch the whole action and the hyena starting to feed on it before the wildebeest died. We stayed their util the Vultures started to come along with Marabou Storks.

Thus, the pictures include: The hyena site when made the kill of a wildebeest, Lionesses with male lions at Simba Kopjes area, Lion pride at Ngorongoro Crater, Elephants at Silale Swamp, Elephant Site at the Tarangire river area, Serval cat at Tarangire, Warthog crossing the road, A python at black backed acacia tree at the Silale Swamp, An elephant at the northern Serengeti, After nesting cubs lioness drink water at the Nyamalumbwa area, Male lion rest up on the one of the Kopjes at lobo valley, A lioness drag the prey close to lemala camp – Mara river, Lions rest at the Kopjes at lobo valley, Two cubs have the view on the top of Kopjes at lobo valley, Crossing at Mara river takes about two hours, The pride rest under gardenia bush, Lioness with cubs relax and cubs nesting.

Thanks,

Arnold Y. Mushi,
ADS Guide.

Greetings from Tanzania. This is ADS Driver-Guide Francis and Emmanuel reporting in. We just finished our safari with a group of 11 people from Texas. The first destination was Ngorongoro Crater/towards Serengeti. We experienced an overwhelming amount of game viewing.

The climate was so welcoming as we found the animals all over the crater but the interesting sight for the first day was the resident pride of lions.  They were along Munge river and they were killing a full size of african cape buffalo. The incident  occurred down to the river which caused the lions to work hard to pull out the prey from the river. Not only that but also they were surrounded by a large group of hyenas.

We proceeded towards Serengeti as it was arranged. Weather was was dry, sunny, and dusty across the plains. We had a lot of different and unique sights. We came across a black rhinoceros which is unusual in the Central Serengeti, but it seemed that this was one which escaped from the rhino project area south of Seronera in the Moru Kopjes. As we were there we saw the rangers were coming and tried to chase him back to his original place.

We extended further north which is buffalo springs camp where by we shared cultural tourism with Maasai.  They organized traditional dancing and showing us how to milk the cows and drinking the blood from the cows.

Here with are some pictures to accompany the story above.

With Regards,

Emmanuel Kichao and Francis Peter,
ADS Guides