By Russel Temu – Wildebeest Crossing the Mara River

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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Posted on by Russel Temu

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

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The Serengeti Is Not A Petting Zoo!

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Posted on by Michael

Day 4 – June 15, 2013, Serengeti National Park

Heather and I were standing on the very back seats of the Land Cruiser sticking out of the roof hatch from the waist up. The big bull elephant that was slowly walking up from behind was just about close enough for a pat on the trunk. Just one more step. Mom began offering cautionary driving tips to our guide, “Francis, you might want to pull ahead just a bit!” Her concern met an instantaneous and derisive chorus of, “No Mom! Come On! Let’s see how close he gets!”

Suddenly, the radio crackled in Swahili, the engine erupted and the Land Cruiser bucketed to a safe distance, much to the dismay of elephant and would-be elephant petters alike. Our poor mother was paying for her over-caution with a severe tongue lashing until Francis set us straight. The radio call had come from Ally, another ADS driver some 50 yards up the road advising a look in the side-view mirror. There, Francis had seen the elephant for the first time (objects in mirror are closer than they appear). Hence the speedy retreat. “Elephants are very dangerous”, he scolded. “This car weighs two tons and they can weigh six. They can easily flip us over. The Serengeti is not a petting zoo!”

Oh, but it almost had been. Disappointed, but safe and sound, we drove on. That night we were heading to new accommodations. We were seasoned enough by now to know that where you stay at night is every bit as fun and intriguing as what you do and see during the day. So when we came upon a quasi-military-looking cluster of tents at sunset, we figured it was another utilitarian, ranger outpost that we would pass by on our way to lodgings more distant and more in keeping with the luxury to which we were already accustomed. But the Land Cruiser pulled up and stopped.

“Oh, is this it? Really? What, we’re staying here?” Reluctantly we disembarked at the Seronera Sametu Camp. Our spirits lifted a bit when our host, Jonas greeted us with the customary hot towels and fruit juice. We found more encouragement in the comfortable lounge and fully stocked bar where Jonas delivered the welcome briefing. He cautioned us against any unaccompanied sorties after dark, and it began to hit home how in the wild our little tented camp was.

Our individual tents, despite their inauspicious exteriors, were quite inviting on the inside with carpeted floors, sinks, toilets, hot showers and queen-size beds complete with mosquito netting. But the best part of staying in a tented lodge happened after nightfall. During our two evenings at the Seronera Sametu, separated from the African night by nothing but a zipper, the camp was visited by running zebras, some very vocal hyenas and baboons, various other unidentified rustlers and squawkers and who knows what sort of silent stalkers and slinkers that we never even heard. It turned out that this most spartan of our overnight lodgings became our favorite, because it put us smack in the middle of wild Africa with precious little protective insulation.

Next, we moved on to the Ngorongoro Crater where many theretofore unseen animals awaited us as well as our last two nights in Africa at the luxurious Serena Lodge. If the near elephant petting episode was the most exciting moment of our safari, there were at least a dozen close seconds. We saw cheetahs successfully hunting gazelles, lions successfully hunting zebras and baboons squabbling over troop leadership. We saw a wildebeest spot a lurking crocodile and decide against drinking from that spot in the river. And there was the thrill of each first-time sighting of each new animal.

Robert M. and Family
Wellington, Florida
Safari Dates: June 12, 2013 to June 19, 2013

A word about Francis:  Our ADS driver guide spoke five languages, knew every animal and plant species that we encountered, and knew every twist and turn in the impossible tangle of roads that crisscross the Serengeti National Park.  He also seemed to have the respect and admiration of his peers, because nearly every driver guide passing from the opposite direction would flash his lights – the signal to stop and have a chat.  While the stateside team at ADS did a wonderful job of putting our trip together, here where the rubber met the dusty, bumpy road, Francis made it obvious that we had chosen the right safari outfitter.

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By Anglebert Mrema – A Delightful Experience

AFRICAN WILDLIFE

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Posted on by Anglebert Mrema

I have just completed my trip with Marla and Lauren and we had such an exciting experience in the Serengeti ecosystem.  The year looks to be unusual due to the lack of rains and the rivers have no visible water supply, but unforgettable safari experience are still to be had in the dry season. The cats, ungulates, birds, and great migration crossings are among the life time experiences one may never forget.

One of the highlights of this trip was spotting a mama cheetah with two cubs of about 16 months old feasting on a gazelle. We watched them for a while having our breakfast and later one of the cubs jumped on top of the car and spent over 30 minutes.  We also had a lot of lion sightings at Seronera valley and Sametu Kopjes in the Central Serengeti. At Seronera valley we had over 12 lions crossing the road during sunset and we had a beautiful backlight for pictures.

Other highlights were two baby leopards of about 4 months old at the Loliondo Kopjes. The babies were very playful and were wandering around learning about their environment. At one point they even tried to hunt a dik-dik antelope which was moving around the area with no mama’s presence. We also had a very intelligent baboon nearby our vehicle. This baboon got surprised with the ADS logo that has a lion picture on it. The baboon was gazing at the logo and thinking it is probably a real lion. Later after realizing that it was just some sort of imagination, he walked carefully up to the vehicle to touch the logo.

I have few pictures taken from the trip and it’s again my honor to keep posting them for all the ADS family to see. I hope you enjoy them.

Regards,
Anglebert Pantaleo Mrema

Lions at Seronera Valley.
Cheetah on the hood of the car.
Marla and Lauren with cheetah.
Cheetah on top of the car.
Great light.
Mama cheetah with two cubs at Boma Kopjes near Sametu.

 

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Small Wonders

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Posted on by Michael

Our safari turned out to be a different experience for everyone of our family members. For me; personally, our safari was a collection of small wonders and a big finale. I found wonder in being surprised by animals that had become almost too familiar to us as the days went by.

Antelopes were a plentiful sight. Just when I thought I had seen enough of them they turned up at the center of a wonderful moment. I was under their spell as they hesitated before jumping over a small creek; puzzled over another group as they surrounded our moving vehicle in a sudden stampede; and surprised at the sound they make (a loud hiss/growl) when they warned each other about the close presence of a predator.

I heard baboons “barking” to warn a heard of wildebeests and zebras about coming near the watering hole where three lions awaited. I saw hippos doing 360 turns; their bellies and stumpy feet floating above water as they rolled over. I locked eyes with a servile cat for a long time as he confused my moving swatter with perhaps a tasty bird. We played hide and seek with a bush baby during our night game drive.

The big finale was a close encounter with a black rhino. Unbeknownst to us, Claude (our wonderful guide) had dreamt about the black rhino the night before our encounter. It was our last day on safari and we descended the crater at 6 am. Claude kept saying that if we were going to see it, the area we were driving around was the spot. We had looked for a while and I was feeling my eyes were going to pop out as I pressed them against the binoculars to “see better”. Then I spotted it amongst a close herd of buffalos and zebras. We were the only vehicle around. The rhino crossed the road twice right in front and behind our vehicle, strutted in circles and stopped several times to look right into our camera. This was our moment. Only ours!

Did we see the big five? The ugly ones and the small ones? Of course we did. For me; however, it was the small wonders like the ones I described above that stayed with me the most.

I savored every minute of our 12 hour drives with Claude. He was our wild life teacher and our window into Tanzania’s people, economic aspirations, and culture. I came back to the tented camps every day with my face covered in dust and with a feeling of having conquered the world. Every animal sighting felt like an accomplishment. Every little one of their movements filled me with joy.

Here are a few pictures. Erick reminds me they are not our best pictures. I say he is right but they are the best reminders of my small wonders.

Thank you Lynn, Claude and ADS for making possible my collection of small wonders!

Ana and Erick C.
Alec and Adrian C.
McLean, Virginia
Safari Dates: June 27, 2013 to July 4, 2013

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A Fantastic Family Safari

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Posted on by Michael

Sharon, the animal encounters were amazing. We started seeing zebras before our entrance into Tarangire National Park. The pictures that we took do not do the safari justice. We experienced a lion and lioness mating and saw a deep cut on the lion’s hind leg from a former battle as he walked away from his mate. A lioness was resting at the side of the road to where we thought she was full from breakfast, but in fact was pregnant and ready to deliver any day. The ostriches were flapping their wings across the Serengeti to call their mate we then experienced them mating as well. Baby lion and cheetah cubs were playing at the side of the road while towers of giraffes were munching on the treetops.

One of the highlights of the trip was on an early morning game drive. We observed a cheetah surveying 3 gazelles for her tasty snack. The cheetah bolted like lightning speed and conquered the gazelle in a matter of minutes. We were fortunate to stumble upon this great feat along with the vultures picking up the pieces once the cheetah left the area.

Another highlight was the buffalo confrontation. While on a walking tour, a buffalo came out of the bushes unexpectedly. Our guide threw his walking stick at his head to steer him in another direction while the African warrior shot 3-4 rifle shots at the buffalo to scare him away. The buffalo was literally 30-40 feet away from our group and we could clearly see the magnitude of this animal up close and personal.

While we watched the elephant parade, an enormous elephant blocked our path in the road. We waiting patiently, but the big guy wasn’t going to let us drive down “his” road. Our guide drove around the elephant as we weren’t going to tangle with this huge elephant. But to see that large beast up front was incredible as you can see the wrinkles in his hoofs and eyelashes on his eyes.

The birds and trees were truly something that you have to experience firsthand. The colors and shapes are pictures of artwork. We purchased a large African mask from the Cultural Heritage Center in Arusha and had it shipped back to USA. It arrived safely in North Carolina about 3 weeks after our departure and it hangs beautifully on our wall to treasure for years to come.

The visit to the Maasai tribe was an experience like no other. The African people are so very genuine and we felt welcomed at every place that we explored. Sharon, & Africa Dream Safaris did a fantastic job with our animal observations and our experiences were very memorable and will be treasured for many years to come!

David and Mary D. and children
Cecilia (age 13) and Henry (age 6)
Burgew, North Carolina
Safari start date: July 7, 2013

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Spectacular, Serene, Superb, Magical!

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Posted on by Michael

Lynn: My wife and I just got back from our safari last night. Your company made our safari adventure, truly a trip of a life time. And although we never return to the same place twice in our travels, we are already considering returning. Everything met or exceeded our expectations.

And I cannot say enough about the professionalism shown by your guide Russell (who actually became “our guide” for the 7 days of safari). Although there is definitely danger out in the bush, we never once felt unsafe. He also made the other challenges of the bush enjoyable and inspiring. And while the number of animals and their environment presented all kinds of questions from our group, Russell knew the answers and provided additional insights that were not only educational and informative, but also pleasurable. He made our safari an adventure that we already cherish.

We asked out group to describe the safari in one word and here are the words suggested: Spectacular, Serene, Superb, Magical. Thank you again for putting us in such good hands while we were in Africa.

Patrick and Nancy S.
Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Safari Dates: June 25, 2013 to July 1, 2013

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My 50th Birthday Celebration

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Posted on by Michael

When I decided to go on safari for my 50th birthday celebration, I chose African Dream Safari because they are ranked in the top 3 with the National Geographic. After I landed in Arusha, I knew I made the best decision to let Lynne with African Dream Safari handle everything for this trip.

Our tour guide, Wilford, was second to none. His ability to spot the animals from huge distances is very impressive, as well as his vast knowledge of the biology of the animals that we were able to see. Our pictures speak for themselves…I highly recommend ADS and if given the chance would definitely choose ADS again. JAMBO!!

Jerry and Gina S.
Arnaudville, Louisiana
Safari Dates: May 25, 2013 to June 1, 2013

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The Wonders Of Tanzania

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Posted on by Michael

We cant say enough good things about our experience with ADS and the wonders of Tanzania and we are more than happy to share some of experiences.

An upclose safari has been a dream since watching David Attenborough on TV as a child and the experience with ADS more than lived up to our wildest expectations. We wanted to do something special to celebrate our 50th birthdays this year and it seemed time to fulfill those childhood dreams. I did feel a certain skepticism about the other testimonial pictures as they did seem almost too good to be true. But now look back at our pictures this is not definitely not the case.

Our guide Ally picked us up from the airport and the adventure began! Ally took great care of us for the entire stay and the welcome at the hotel has now set new standards for all of us. Peter gave us a wonderful introduction to Arusha and the experience of driving through a Sunday afternoon market, watching women cook maize at the side of the road and drooling over some enormous tanzanite stones at the cultural heritage center set the stage for the most amazing trip.

On our flight out to Seronera, we all wondered whether we would really see animals within a few hours of starting our safari. It must have been less than 15 minutes before we saw the first family of elephants and it was a completely jaw dropping sight. From family groups, to a lone elephant having a good scratch on a tree that first 30 minutes set the stage.

We all came with a list of what we would like to see and we were all delighted. From watching baboons coming down from the rocks at sunrise at Mbuzi Mawe to the sounds of migrating zebra and wildebeest, lions enjoying a siesta under an acacia tree every day was full of surprises. Watching a pack of hyenas nursing, playing and “laughing” with a couple of cheetahs off in the distance while the sun came up was magical. Some of the smaller animals were also fascinating: bat eared foxes running around was always a source of amusement and the antics of a serval cat were completely out of the ordinary and we all laughed at the many warthog families running through the grass with their tails held high.

Ally was a fantastic guide, his passion and knowledge covered interests of both adults and children. The drive almost up to the border with Kenya was amazing, remote yet beautiful and we really got to see what the great migration looks and sounds like! The accommodations were fabulous. The intimacy of Mbuzi Mawe and their wonderful staff (and the elephant, giraffe, buffalo and sounds of lions roaring around the camp) made this a very special place. The food at all the lodges was delicious both for adults and children and we all loved the Tanzanian hospitality. Mbalageti lodge was amazing and we loved the views from the dining room, the luxury of a post game drive and watching the sun go down from the deck.

We all found the 6 am drives magical, watching the sun rise while cheetahs wander through the grass or lions showing cubs how to hunt zebra were amazing experiences. The drive across the Serengeti, through Nabi gate and down to Ngorongoro reinforced the scale of the Serengeti and there and then we started planning a return trip during the rainy season. The thought of those incredible plains covered with animals seems incredible.

By the time we left Ngorongoro we had seen everything on our pre-trip lists (including the reclusive rhino) and so many unexpected delights and Ally made sure we had time to absorb as much as we wanted. Including on our return trip back to the airport during a lovely clear view of Kilimanjaro and he stopped so that we could collect some final pictures. He seemed to find the most secluded and interesting spots: enjoying a breakfast picnic one morning while watching a family of baboons play and groom beside a river, while crocs and hippos swam past and the occasional group of impala stopped by was magical.

Many thanks also to ADS for the after dinner surprise during our final dinner at Ngorongoro Sopa lodge. The staff were fabulous but then when the lights went down and they came over to our table carrying torches and singing we couldn’t believe it was for us. The children still talk about this and hearing the phrase “hakuna matata” was a highlight for them too!

This was a completely fabulous experience from the first info package with DVD and sample itineraries, through the pre-departure planning with Dawn through to kindness of everyone we met in Tanzania. ADS and Ally took great care of us and we cant wait until the next time.

Karen, Alan, Alexander (age 13) and Isobel (age 9) S.
East Lyme, Connecticut
Safaris Dates: June 23, 2013 to July 1, 2013

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By Emmanuel and Ellson – Maasai Wedding Ceremony

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Posted on by Emmanuel

Greetings from Tanzania. My name is Emmanuel and I am a driver-guide with ADS. We just came back from this trip with a family of 14 including several children, which we started in the Serengeti National Park on June 25th and ended in the Ngorongoro Crater on July 2nd. There were three of us driver-guides on this safari including myself (Emmanuel) and also my colleagues Rafael and Ellson.

We had a wonderful time with this family from Iowa, USA and we got the chance to see the wildebeest migration which was heading towards Nyamalumbwa Hills together with some amazing cheetah and lion sightings.

One of the highlights of the safari was being invited to a Maasai wedding ceremony, which was located at a village just outside of the Northern Serengeti very close to the camp we were staying at called Buffalo Luxury Lodge.

We have included some pictures here of the Maasai warriors slaughtering a big cow for the wedding ceremony and the arrival of the bride and groom. The wedding ceremony concluded with dancing, eating and plenty of local drinks. My guests had a chance to meet the bride and groom as they arrived from the brides village and the best man is also pictured explaining to the guests how the whole wedding ritual is performed.

Below are a couple wildlife pictures we took while on safari. The picture of the cheetah resting on the termite mound (shown immediately below) is one of my favorites for the year. Also, the large male lion pictured next to the ADS vehicle and guests demonstrates just how closely you can get to some of the animals.

Best wishes from your guides Emmanuel, Rafael and Ellson. We hope to see you in the bush out on safari soon!

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We Were In Awe Of The Beauty Of Pure Africa!

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Posted on by Michael

Hi Sharon we just wanted to thank you for the wonderful safari you planned for us. Bill and I had a super time; we have so many great memories. The animals and the experiences went way beyond what we could have imagined. Not sure if you heard but we did have an encounter with a Cape Buffalo, pretty scary at the time but what a story. The lodges were all so beautiful and the service at each one; 5 star!

From our first 15 minutes into the park we were in awe of the beauty of pure Africa! We saw so many animals, to the smallest little turtle to the most amazing elephants. We had so many experiences that we never thought could never happen to us. A lion and a lioness mating, a cheetah kill, a encounter with a cape buffalo and dinner in the middle of the Serengeti as a spotted hyena walked up to us to get a better smell.

The photos can only remind us of the wonderful time we had and then bring our memories back to the most real moments. I loved every minute of our experience from the dust on my face to the picnics under the acacia trees to the many remarkable, stunning and truly inspiring natural wonders of Tanzania. We truly appreciated the knowledge, professionalism and patience our driver Petro gave us each day with a smile. ADS made our trip of a lifetime a most enjoyable one meeting every expectation and beyond.

Asante Sana!

Bill and Cindy B.
Wilmington, North Carolina
Safari Dates: July 8, 2013 to July 19, 2013

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By Claude Shitindi – Multi-Generational Safari

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Posted on by Claude Shitindi

Hello I am Claude, one of the Africa Dream Safari guides, and have just got back from a safari. We started in the Northern Serengeti (Kogatende Airstrip) where I met and picked up my guests including Bill and Jane (grandparents) along with their two granddaughters named Haley and Morgan. It was great to be on safari with this family and it was nice to see the whole family participating in such an adventure together.

The trip started off with a bang so to speak as just on our first day we spotted three cheetah brothers on the Lamai plains, a pride of lions and dozens of hippos and giraffes. To top things off, there were huge herds of the wildebeest migration around Nyamalumbwa. What a way to begin a safari!

Afterwards,  we went to Buffalo Luxury Camp where we had chance to visit the local people who are the Maasai tribe. We also did a night game drive which was a different experience for the guests. Since Buffalo Camp is in a game concession, we can can conduct night game drives which are prohibited inside the Serengeti National Park.

Our next place was Mbalageti Tented Camp in the Western Serengeti where we had one night and then moved on to Seronera Sametu Camp in the Central Serengeti. Here the camp was nice plus the wildlife viewing was exceptional and close by. We had three good sightings of leopards, saw lions in a tree and also lions hunting and killing right in front of us, about ten feet away. We could watched them feed for some time. The following day we departed the Serengeti and drove to Ngorongoro to visit the famous Crater for one night and then we finished in Tarangire National Park at Tarangire Tree Tops Camp. It was a very nice itinerary. The elephant sightings in Tarangire were fantastic especially the huge bull elephants we call the big tuskers!

The whole trip was fantastic and areas visited were stunning and worthy, to combine in such a way. The following are the pictures I would like to share with you including:

– A cute lion cub less than one month old at Samtu Kopjes in the Central Serengeti
– At Seronera Valley in the Serengeti, I captured a lioness jumping off a tree
– Giraffes under the umbrella acacia tree getting some shade from the warm mid-day sun
– Lionesses in the sausage tree looking up for Zebras passing in the distance

With best regards,
Claude Shitindi


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By Peter Huka – Safari Report July 4, 2013

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Posted on by Francis Peter

This is Peter Huka, a driver guide with Africa Dream Safari. My latest safari started in the Central Serengeti at 09:30am on June 27th as I drove to pick up my new guests named David and Ronale from the Seronera Airstrip. We did a game drive along the Seronera river where we saw a pride of lions (about twenty in total including cubs). While we were watching this pride, a lioness moved and began stalking a zebra. The hunt was unsuccessful but it was exciting to watch. After that we continued with a game drive around Maasai Kopjes where we saw elephants, giraffes and hyenas before heading to our first camp on the safari called Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp. During the night lions came near the camp and I could heard them roaring not too far away.

The following day we started the game drive early in the morning from Mbuzi Mawe and were able to watch a sunrise which was nice. Afterwards, we headed towards the retima hippo pool. We had breakfast on the picnic site with hippos which is one of my favorite picnic areas. Afterwards, we went around Makoma hill, Maasai Kopjes where we saw the lions and a herd of buffalos.

On our last day before departing the Central Serengeti for the Western Serengeti we were able to see three cheetahs (a mother with two cubs). Along the way to the western corridor of the Serengeti we saw herds of migration scattered throughout. On our full day game drive in the West Serengeti in the Grumeti plains we saw a pride of fourteen lions with cubs and along the Grumeti river we also saw colobus monkey, crocodiles and hippos.

After spending two nights in the West Serengeti, we headed for the Ngorongoro Crater. We passed through Seronera Valley enroute and were able to see a leopard in a tree watching for prey. We concluded our safari with two nights in the Ngorongoro Crater area with one night at Crater Lode and one night at the Manor. It was a great way to finish the safari!

Please enjoy the following pictures.

Thank you,

Peter Huka
ADS Driver-Guide

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By Russell Temu – A Magical Experience

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Posted on by Russel Temu

Jambo again! My name is Russell Thomas Temu, a professional guide based in Tanzania employed with Africa Dream Safaris. This time I guided a group of 7 persons from the USA. The safari started on June 25th and ended on July 1st, 2013. We had four nights in the Serengeti and two nights in the Ngorongoro. We also visited Lake Manyara National Park for a day trip.

The adventure started in the western side of the Serengeti National Park after watching the wildebeest migration and the giant Nile Crocodiles along the Grumeti River.

Thereafter we had an amazing sighting of a lion pride hunting a wildebeest and preying on it, on our way to the Central Serengeti. In the Central Serengeti around Seronera valley we watched a Cheetah attempt to catch Thomson Gazelle and a mother cheetah with two yearling cubs.

In the Ngorongoro Crater the game viewing was incredible after watching two lionesses fight one lioness. It seems she intruded on their territory though she survived after showing submissive posture and running away. We were also looking for a Black Rhino and came across one lying down about 200 yards away in the plains.

Below are my two favorite pictures which I would like to share with you about this magical experience. The first is a mother cheetah in the Seronera plains of the Central Serengeti and the second is of a pride of lions preying on a wildebeest in the West Serengeti.

Thank you,

Russell T. Temu

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By Claude Shitindi – Beautiful Tanzania

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Posted on by Claude Shitindi

Hello, it’s me Claude here with my latest safari report for my trip that finished on 04th July 2013. I was with four lovely people that I took on safari i.e Erick, Anna, Alec and Adrian. It was wonderful up in the Northern Serengeti as we had thousands of wildebeests everywhere all over the Nyamalumbwa plains in the direction to the Mara River.

We had one night in Lobo Valley and then we were off to Mbalageti and the West Serengeti where we found more of the migration and also other species including the big cats. This area was very productive.

At the Central part of the Serengeti the wildlife was a little scattered. Seronera Valley, Moru Kopjes, Sametu Kopjes, and the Marshes of Maasai Kopjes were the best places in the Central Serengeti for wildlife viewing.

At Ngorongoro Crater on our early morning game drive we had a rhino crossing the road twice very close to our vehicle. It was just us alone and I heard that was the only sighting on the entire day making it even more special. Here are just few of my pics to share…

 

Black rhino crossing the road in the early morning – Ngorongoro Crater
A freezing dik dik antelope in  Seronera Valley 
Zebras resting in the middle of the day but still alert for predators
Vevert monkey in Lerai Forest at Ngorongoro.
Curious little lion cubs near Sametu Kopjes in the Central Serengeti
Black rhino in the early morning coming towards our vehicle – Ngorongoro Crater
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By Peter Meena – Safari Report July 3, 2013

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Posted on by Peter Meena

My name is Peter Meena the driver guide for ADS. This time I had a great group with the last name of Kedda where our trip started from 21st to 27th June. There were seven adults it total and it was nice to all be in one vehicle together. We started our safari by visiting the Western Serengeti (Mbalageti Lodge), Central Serengeti (Seronera Sametu Camp) and then we finished up with Ngorongoro (Crater Serena Lodge).

Here are a couple of interesting pictures to share with you. It seems everyone is sharing pictures of the big cats (lions, cheetahs and leopards) plus the other big 5 animals (elephant, rhino, buffalo). Here is something to mix it up at they say.

GIRAFFE: This solitary giraffe was quenching his thirst in the Grumeti River. It’s amazing to see this alpine animal spreading it’s fore limb’s and tossing it’s long neck into the water. It was very interesting to see how he was bringing his long neck up and down as if he was playing see – saw.

STUCK ZEBRA: The Zebra in the photo was deeply stuck in the mud of the Seronera River. To my experience he was trying to cross and make it through the water not knowing that sometimes mud can turn into quick sand.

MATING PUFF ADDERS: This couple of Puff Adders were seen mating. We stayed on to watch this exercise. It’s unbelievable to see how long these Serpents lasted in the affair because we left before they were done. It was awesome.

FLOCK OF BLACK HEADED HERON’S: We viewed this flock of Black Headed Herons perched on top of an acacia tree accompanied by young chicks, together with females and males. The entire flock was busy. Some were mating and some were nurturing the young one’s. What a great great scenario.

With appreciation,
Peter Meena.

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