Day #6 (Jan. 23rd, 2014): Game Driving on the Serengeti

Click here to view a web gallery with 36 captioned photos from the day.
Click here to view a YouTube video from this day.

We awoke at the Lake Masek Tent Camp and had our usual Western-style breakfast (omelets cooked to order, bacon, fruit, yogurt, fresh juice, coffee/tea, etc.) and then packed our lunch boxes for the day. We agreed to take one long game drive today instead of two shorter ones, giving us more time to drive farther afield into the wide open Serengeti. Nickson prepared our truck as he did every day, by cleaning and organizing it inside and out:

We settled into the routine of game driving. We would careen down dirt paths, splash through puddles, struggle through muddy patches, seeking out interesting wildlife:

Once spotted, Nickson would drive off road to get us close, giving us enough time to observe and discuss and take photos, leaving only once we said "We're good, thank you!". Look! A giraffe!

I know how that giraffe feels! We also spotted a pride of lions feasting on a fresh kill. They all had full, swollen bellies, as they took turns eating within the protective shade of some bushes:

On this day, we ventured far into the "never-ending plain" of the Serengeti, a wide open expanse of scrubby grassland with few trees. The landscape was dotted with (in order of popularity) wildebeest, gazelles, zebras, and many other species. Their numbers were staggering, covering vast areas all the way to the horizon in every direction. And yet in every small patch, unique stories unfolded.

Sight we saw that day included a flock of ostriches, which look so funny when they run:

A lion lounging beneath a tree, sporting the only radio collar I saw during the trip:

A large pride of lions resting after a meal, including the only full-maned male I saw on the trip, and the only lion cubs I saw on the trip:

 We stopped for lunch beneath some acacia trees:

After lunch, we spotted a cheetah eating a recent kill (a pregnant gazelle). Cheetas are usually fairly weak after the spring, so they gorge on their meals, knowing that they will not be able to defend them from other predators. As we watched, a group of vultures slowly gathered about 50 feet away. As their numbers increased, they crept slowly closer to the meal. We left before the final confrontation.

Death is everything on the Serengeti. We would see at least five kills a day, usually with vultures and other birds picking apart the fallen animal. There were bones and skulls everywhere. Once you started to notice them, their bleached-white appearance became easy to spot:

We headed back toward the Tent Camp, stopping to see some lions along the way. This photo gives a good sense of how close we were able to get:

Just as we were returning to camp, Nickson spotted a family of elephants bathing. This was a highlight of the trip, seeing two babies, several adolescents, and several parents frolicking in the mud and water. They were clearly enjoying themselves, bleating and running around. This was a real treat to see:

Click here to view a YouTube video of these elephants.

We returned to our Tent Camp around 4PM, very satisfied with our day on the Serengeti. We spent the afternoon relaxing, playing games, wandering the grounds, and working on our trip journal. We enjoyed drinks on the back patio, where we could see hippos rising out of the lake to feed, in front of a fire. We had our usual buffet dinner, which always included dishes both familiar and local. Once darkness settled, we were required to always walk with a Maasai warrior escort in case we ran into any animals. We settled down for our final night on the Serengeti and were treated to a loud thunderstorm. That was a real highlight for me: hearing the wind and the claps of thunder just a few inches beyond where I was sleeping. Thanks for the great send off, Serengeti!

Thanks for reading.

Tomorrow: We depart the Serengeti and head into Maasai territory.