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journal entries22 Oct 04: [TS] Etosha Nat Park
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the SerengetiA belated story from the Serengeti, Tanzania. We organized a 4 wheel drive, driver and cook to see the Serengeti. It was the surest way to see it well. Frank, Tom and myself. We first had to stock up on supplies and once the esky was full we left Arusha to get to the outskirts of the Serengeti by night fall where we made camp and the cook got to work. This is an extract from my journal of the next 3 days. 26 th March 2005 - Easter Saturday I got up about 7am and eventually found the shower in the ablution block at the camping ground we were staying. Was served breakfast then Peter our cook and Zuburi our driver, packed up the camp before we left around 9am . Bought some beer and ice before leaving town and drove towards the Ngorogoro crater stopping at the rim. There were some great views across the crater and around. We would be coming back to go into the crater on Monday but today we were moving into the Serengeti. Saw some elephants and baboons just as we left and saw a continuous amount of animals all through the day. The landscape had Flattened out to vast plains of grassland with herds of cattle tendered by the Masi tribes people in their colourful red robes. We passed a couple of their villages but didn't pay the $50 to go visit with them. Next were herds of Wilderbeast and Zebra along with the different types of deer like animals of Gemsbok, Topi, Impala. Stopped for lunch on a hill overlooking the plains and apart from the usual herds, we saw a Giraffe. After lunch we saw a pride of lions and 2 just near us. The two lions had isolated 4 Zebras from their herd and were stalking them. One of the lions lay low in a ditch while the other used our vehicle as cover. He was in patable distance but no one did. He was the one that sprang to early and gave the Zebras too much head start so the Zebras got away and back with their herd. We saw hyenas in the afternoon, ostriches and hippos. Such an array of animals in their natural state. There were other safari vehicles along the tracks and when we'd see them stopped, it meant that they had spotted something. We had driven through the Ngorogoro conservation area through the morning and as we entered the Serengeti in the early afternoon, it was pouring rain. We stopped at the gate for a bit (as Zuburi had to organize our passes) and climbed the hill there to see over the vast plains of the Serengeti. After more game driving towards Serenera, the centre of the Serengeti, we stopped at our campsite called Pimbi. There were about 20 tents set up here and we helped set ours up. There was a type of shed where everyone ate and we were the last to eat which has become a bit of a joke with our crew. Watched a red African Sunset and a full Moon rise. 27 th March 2005 - Easter Sunday..no Easter bunny around We were up early enough among the other 20 tents and people going about sorting their gear and having breakfast. Like most people we were having breakfast then going on a safari drive, back for lunch and to pack up the camp, then head off back through the Serengeti to a campsite on the Ngorogoro Crater rim. So after breakfast of fruit, toast and part of a fried egg, we headed off on a safari drive. Just out of our campsite Pimbi, in the Seronera area, we saw a pride of lions, mainly sleeping and not very active. Crossed a lagoon and saw lots of Hippos. Moved on and saw a family of Impala. One male looks after about 30 - 50 females until he looses battle to the next male who takes over the herd. Saw a large family of Giraffe which have a graceful elegant way about them and look almost prehistoric. Saw a single Wilderbeast on his own, lost from his herd looking frightened and running. Just grass plains around so an easy meal for a pride of lions. We came across a Cheater, Mother and cub, under a tree about 25 meters away. We are not allowed to get out of the car or the car leave the road so we couldn't pat this one either. Saw lots of Zebras, warthogs, Gazelles, hyenas, Wilderbeast, Hunting Dogs and a couple of Foxes. Called into Lobo wildlife lodge beautifully built in a Kopje, a rocky outcrop on the plain. It is a five star hotel and I bought 8 beers for $25. Zuberi had trouble getting us back into the truck but we eventually got back for lunch, mingling with the other travelers and talking about what we saw. Packed up our campsite after lunch and as we were leaving we saw an active pride of lions next to the road. My camera was getting charged at the lodge so we called in there again to pick it up. Got to the gate again about 4pm and entered the Ngorogoro conservation area. We stopped on the plain right next to a group of Wilderbeast where we got out of the truck and after spending some time there, realize there were animals for miles about right around us and all the different types grazing together. It was like the garden of Eden. Beautiful experience. Got to the top of the Ngorogoro crater and pitched our tents in the dark. Had a full moon and Buffalo and Zebras wandered through our camp. Was the last to be fed again. 28 th March 2005 - Easter Monday Up and ready for breakfast at 7 to get going by 7.30 but it was more than an hour after that before we got away. Dropped off our empty Serengeti bottles into a small town where we'd got them the night before and passed a couple of Masi villages, herding their cattle. The decent road into the Ngorogoro Crater was 610 meters to the floor. The crater was as far as the eye could see. It is a huge grass plain with a couple of lakes and a forest at one end (with Elephants, which we saw on the way out). This also is like the Garden of Eden with such an array of animals in their different herds and families, grazing beside each other. It has lush grass and beautiful lakes with Flamingos and lot of other bird life on them including lots of Hippos, submerged and moving around. Saw a couple of families of lions and some Hyenas lying right beside the road. Thousands upon thousands of wilderbeast and Zebras. Buffaloes galore and huge. Lots of Gazelle and we saw our first Rhino with a calf. We drove around lots of different roads throughout the morning, stopping at whatever took our fancy. Pulled up at a very beautiful spot on a lagoon for lunch where we fed pretty birds with our packed lunch. The lagoon was full of hippos. Climbing out of the crater in the early afternoon, a storm had caught up to us. We watched it move across the crater and it hammered down for a bit. We continued driving onto Arusha where a small dispute arose with credit card payment. They wanted 10% extra so we paid the difference in US$500. Then we negotiated a tip for the driver and cook. We gave them $60 when they suggested $100. Heard the Kenyan boarder was open 24hours so about 6pm we headed towards it and got there after dark. As its extremely hard to drive our vehicle at night, (1 poor light), we pulled into the first bar and got a room each for $2. It was very basic and had a bucket shower and a shave. Chicken and chips for dinner and a warm soda followed by an early night. Frank stayed up to drink with the locals. |
Check again soon for pictures. |
email us!tom@stuckintoafrica.com.au | damien@stuckintoafrica.com.au
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