A few minutes later, we saw a couple of other safari trucks stopped ahead, all binoculars trained on a small thorn tree. Pulling up, we spotted a leopard lounging on one of the branches. Medson explained that the leopard was the only one of the native big cats that hunts primarily at night; this leopard would likely be in the tree all day, until nightfall.
With a start like that, so many animals within half an hour of landing, my excitement had already built tremendously; and the safari had just begun. Medson drove us to our camp for the next few days: the &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas, a moving camp that follows the wildebeest migration from the south, up through the Serengeti and Maasai Mara into Kenya.
The next morning we started early, for a full day game drive on which we saw elephants, lions, gazelle, giraffe, impala, zebra, warthogs, flamingos, and one of the rarer sightings: a cheetah. Shortly after tracking down the wildebeest migration – a huge herd of more than a million animals moving in numerous long, long columns accompanied by zebra and gazelle – Medson spotted the cheetah off in the tall savannah grass, some dozens of yards away.
To our surprise, soon the cheetah got up and began ambling along – straight toward the road. He strolled boldly up to the edge of the road and sat down again, preening as if posing for our photographs. He rose again and crossed the road, right in between our Land Rover and the vehicle just in front of it. Then he began walking along the road in front of us, straight toward the endless column of migrating wildebeest and zebra some half a kilometer away.
For twenty minutes, we slowly followed the cheetah as he neared the herd. He was very close before the other animals caught wind of him; wildebeest began running, while zebras raised their heads suspiciously and kept their eyes frozen on the cheetah. We wondered if the cat, fastest land mammal on earth capable of reaching speeds up to 65 mpg, would try to pick off one of the babies. But eventually, he just crossed the path of potential prey as well, and continued moving.
This was just one of many heart-stopping moments we’ve had on safari; we have now made our way to the Ngorongoro Crater, an ancient volcanic caldera that is the only such crater on earth in which both animals and people – the Maasai – coexist. It is one of the richest, most biologically diverse areas on the planet, all within its own unique, perfect little ecosystem.
I have learned a number of interesting things on this safari experience.
#1 – Rainy Season is a Great Time to Visit
But in fact, this has proven to be an excellent time to be here, and if I came back I would come at the same time again. It has rained almost exclusively in the late afternoon and at night; most all our days have been very nice. There are far fewer other tourists here than in the high season of June-August, during which we’ve been told that you can be surrounded by dozens of other safari vehicles constantly. The migration is very active, and one of the best side benefits is that the animals give birth mostly just before rainy season, when the food supply is plentiful. The only thing better than plentiful sightings of elephant, lion, giraffe and zebra are seeing them with their babies. I saw a nursing baby giraffe, and a lioness with her six lion cubs. Simply amazing.
This experience has definitely been a dream come true for me, and the days on safari will certainly be some of the most memorable of my lifetime.
Awesome, thnx for sharing.. you finally made it to Tanzania…what a magic place, and i ❤ your blog…what an adventure. Plls keep us updated on fb. Regards Richard. 🙂
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Shelley, Your experience is so amazing, this is a dream come true. I’ve been living vicariously through your posts and photos. As I mentioned on FB, it is like you are LIVING in National Geographic. Savor every moment of this opportunity!!!! Thanks for sharing it with us all.
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Amazing!
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