About 100km drive and we entered the Sarengeti National Park, 14,763 square kilometers in size. Over the next 120 km we began our game drive and were immediately treated to herds of wilderbeast, zebras, and impalas, grazing and barely looking up to notice us. Everyone got really excited when the first two giraffes appeared and then, only minutes later, a herd of elephants. It is indescribable to witness these majestic beasts in their natural habitat. The wide open plains of the Serengeti, green now because of the recent rain is home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, the quintessential image of Africa. Flat and rolling with long grasses and dotted with acacia trees, the plains get their name from the Massai word "Siringitu" which means "the place where the land moves on forever". There were so many amazing moments as we witnessed the solitude and reverence of the animals in the park over the next two days. It is not a given that you will see The Big Five on one trip but we have been abundantly blessed to see them all. Elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo and even the elusive leopard. So many more including giraffes, herds of wilderbeasts, warthogs, impalas, ostriches, gnus, dikdiks, hyenas, to name a few.
And the birds alone! With over 500 species in the Serengeti we were able to spot quite a few. My favourite was the red-billed oxpecker, magnificent in its irridescent bright shiny blue/green colours and closely related to the starling . Our guides were equipped with books and were themselves incredibly knowledgeable about a lot of the animals and birds. The only negative was that we got stuck in the mud and it took two hours to dig ourselves out, eventually being rescued by a truck with a pully that hauled while the rest of us pushed. It was actually kind of fun and just added to the "real life experience".
On our second day in the Serengeti, we woke up very early in order to be out at dawn when the animals are at their most active. Once again, we found ourselves stuck in the mud and another two hours to dig and push and finally free ourselves from the thick, wet mud. Back to the campsite for brunch and then relaxing, doing laundry by hand and hanging it in the sun to dry. We headed out again at dusk and were treated to the sight of the many animals that live there. I think my favourite is the elephants as they are just so majestic. It is mesmerising watching the animals. They seem oblivious to us as they regard the vehicles as part of the environment and do not feel the least bit frightened or spooked. At times they came right up to the vehicle, which was truly amazing. At one point there was a male elephant right beside the truck and he looked at us and then raised his trunk and roared! I also love the giraffes. Up close you can see their long eyelashes as they graze at the top branches of the thorny acacia trees. It amazes me how they can twist their long tongues around the thorny branch somehow managing to take the tiny leaves without getting pierced by the long thorns. I learned that they have a kind of natural defence in their tongues that prevent them from ingesting the poison from the thorns. Nature is so amazing!
Our campsite is right in the serengeti itself and as we sat around the campfire, we could hear the nocturnal sounds of the animals and were visited by a hyena, lurking nearby in the shadows, not menacing, but definitely hoping for something to scavenge.
There are many Massai villages near the Serengeti, and, while it is a fascinating culture, these villages now exist for the purpose of tourism and the Massai try to sell souvenirs, a disappointing aspect of the experience. I have begun to realise that as the world grows smaller, it is increasingly difficult to experience the remoteness and authenticity of these ancient and remote cultures. There are still some authentic Massai who live the true life of their culture, herding their animals, living on fresh blood and milk as their only food.
And the birds alone! With over 500 species in the Serengeti we were able to spot quite a few. My favourite was the red-billed oxpecker, magnificent in its irridescent bright shiny blue/green colours and closely related to the starling . Our guides were equipped with books and were themselves incredibly knowledgeable about a lot of the animals and birds. The only negative was that we got stuck in the mud and it took two hours to dig ourselves out, eventually being rescued by a truck with a pully that hauled while the rest of us pushed. It was actually kind of fun and just added to the "real life experience".
On our second day in the Serengeti, we woke up very early in order to be out at dawn when the animals are at their most active. Once again, we found ourselves stuck in the mud and another two hours to dig and push and finally free ourselves from the thick, wet mud. Back to the campsite for brunch and then relaxing, doing laundry by hand and hanging it in the sun to dry. We headed out again at dusk and were treated to the sight of the many animals that live there. I think my favourite is the elephants as they are just so majestic. It is mesmerising watching the animals. They seem oblivious to us as they regard the vehicles as part of the environment and do not feel the least bit frightened or spooked. At times they came right up to the vehicle, which was truly amazing. At one point there was a male elephant right beside the truck and he looked at us and then raised his trunk and roared! I also love the giraffes. Up close you can see their long eyelashes as they graze at the top branches of the thorny acacia trees. It amazes me how they can twist their long tongues around the thorny branch somehow managing to take the tiny leaves without getting pierced by the long thorns. I learned that they have a kind of natural defence in their tongues that prevent them from ingesting the poison from the thorns. Nature is so amazing!
Our campsite is right in the serengeti itself and as we sat around the campfire, we could hear the nocturnal sounds of the animals and were visited by a hyena, lurking nearby in the shadows, not menacing, but definitely hoping for something to scavenge.
There are many Massai villages near the Serengeti, and, while it is a fascinating culture, these villages now exist for the purpose of tourism and the Massai try to sell souvenirs, a disappointing aspect of the experience. I have begun to realise that as the world grows smaller, it is increasingly difficult to experience the remoteness and authenticity of these ancient and remote cultures. There are still some authentic Massai who live the true life of their culture, herding their animals, living on fresh blood and milk as their only food.
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