Jan 22, 2013 - Awesome balloon ride!!

From start to finish this this was a great experience and worth every penny. Once we arrived at the launch site Captain Dan gave a briefing, telling us exactly what to expect, how to get in, safety precautions etc. It was amazing to float over the Serengeti as the sun came up. As we skimmed the tree tops we saw a herd of Cape buffalo with one newly born calf, a pride of about 12 lions including a few cubs, hippos, elephants and more. We even brushed the shrubs at times. It was wonderful to get the perspective from the air, allowing us to...

Jan 22, 2013 - The Serengeti

There are an estimated 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebra and hundreds of fierce predators on the wide, open plains of the Serengeti right now. They move here from the Masai Mara since grazing is better and they breed and bear their young here. They head back north in July / August where there will be lots of food by then. The carnivores have keen sense of sight& smell whereas the herbivores have better sense of hearing. The main part of the migrating herd is further south right now so we do not see the really massive herds but there are...

Dec 20, 2012 - Serengeti

Heute waren alle total früh wach - einerseit weil die ersten Trucks um 4.00 Uhr morgens angefangen haben zu packen, andererseits weil wir uns fast alle an das frühe Aufstehen gewöhnt haben. Wir waren aus diesem Grund nicht wie geplant um kurz vor acht mit dem Frühstück fertig sondern schon um viertel nach sieben. Bis es um 8.00 in Safarifahrzeugen los ging, haben wir dann halt den Truck sauber gemacht. Wir sind in zwei Wagen a sieben Personen gefahren. Die ersten Stunden der Fahrt waren eher langweilig. Die Straße war eine der huggeligsten...

Oct 26, 2012 - It's Almost Over

On the way back to our tents after dinner we saw a giraffe on the grounds. This morning on the way to leave we saw it again. Headed out early to explore the Silale Swamp area. Before we even got to the park we saw a Waterbuck, a Marabou Stork, Spotted Hyena and Zebra. There were more Zebra herds than we have seen in any one place. The literature says you can see 100-400 Elephants in a day. We have seen at least that many. Gary actually counted 56 in one spot. There must have been 200 lined up in the distance drinking. We saw the young baby...

Oct 25, 2012 - African Pigs

Back to camping today. Lovely breakfast we ordered off a menu. Headed out to Manyara Lake. On our trip down the hill to the main road we passed through native village. There were cattle barns and then we saw pigs, there were 4 cute little piggies. All the bacon that is being served at breakfast and these are the first pigs we've seen. We are actually back on a paved road again. Passing through many Maasi villages. Lake Manyara Park was a bit disappointing. It was very dry and there were no animals. Very close to the gate are were Vervet...

Oct 24, 2012 - Home on the Range where the Impala and Antelope Play

Up early to try to be the first in the Crater, a car passed us so I guess we were second! There was much activity in the Crater. Young gazelle were running around leaping in the air (guess that is why they are antelope!). Saw a pack of hyena (14 + 3 pups). This is the most we have seen at one time. Mom hid the babies in their den. Watched 2 Black Rhino (male and female) crossing the crater, possibly heading off to mate. They passed in front of us. We had our picnic breakfast in the vehicle while watching them. Saw ostrich running. Came...

Oct 24, 2012 - Law of the Savannah and Big Cats

October 18 Law of the Jungle Up in time for a great sunrise shot across the field outside our tent. Left camp by 6:15 a.m. to see early morning animal activity. Someone spotted a giraffe to the east of us and we had Wilfred position the car so we could get a great shot of the giraffe back lit by the sunrise—and of course there was a flat-topped African tree in the setting. Just wish the giraffe had turned toward the sun; it kind of messed up the composition of the picture. Oh well. The great event was a true wildebeest crossing of a...

Oct 23, 2012 - The Long and Bumpy Road

Again we heard the hyenas during the nights. Left camp today and the Serengeti to go to Ngorongoro Crater. We stopped at Moru kopjes and climbed up to a former meeting place for the Maasi. Here we found a "gong" rock. A rock with indentations in that make a musical sound when hit by a small rock. It was used to announce meetings. This area is now part of the Serengeti Park and the government moved the Maasi out towards the Crater. We spotted many animals this morning, but no new ones. We saw a leopard stalking who went up a tree and started...

Oct 22, 2012 - Cat Day

We were awakened during the night by a loud animal noise. They told us in the morning it was a hyena and that it was very close. Because we are the only ones at camp we are able to have a hot breakfast before heading out. Our first sighting this morning was a leopard in a tree with its kill, a gazelle. A hyena was hanging around below waiting for some crumbs. Once the hyena left, the leopard came down and started eating. It then climbed into another tree taking its catch with it. Again the hyena was back looking for something to drop. Saw a...

Oct 21, 2012 - Where are the elephants

night wind was not as constant, but it sounded like a hurricane blowing through our tent. Today was a long trek to Seronera Valley. We explored the western area and Makoma Hill. The valley is the border area between the plains and woodlands. We had lunch at Retima Hipppo Pool. This area is a murky pond filled with some 200 hippos. It was filthy, but is clean during the rainy season. The hippos were practically on top of each other, flipping their tails to cool themselves off. Sometimes they would be biting at each other if someone moved to...

Oct 20, 2012 - And you thought Chicago was the Windy City?

is a day or relaxation. Terrible winds last night. Tent flaps blew all night long, sounded like someone was living in the attic. Bush walk with Gilbert, a Maasi but not a warrior. He chose to go to school in Kenya and learn English instead. Our leader was a Maasi Warrior who had killed a lion. He carried the spear that is used. Our security Guard was also Maasi. We saw Impala and learned about some of the uses for the plants and trees. The leaves of he morning glory are used as toilet paper, leaves of the sandpaper tree are used for yes,...

Oct 19, 2012 - Central Serengeti

Today we slept in and had breakfast at camp. We were off at 8:30 to head to our new camp, a 4 hour drive if we go straight through without stopping. That's not happening with our group. We need time to look at the animals and take many photos. As, I watched sunrise from my be a giraffe meandered by in the distance. Within 30 minutes of camp we came across 4 lionesses. Wilfred said 1 could take down a zebra and all 4 could take down a water buffalo. We continued on where we caught a rare sight 2 Black Rhino, a mother and juvenile male. We...