Our safari tents were situated perfectly so the sunrise would stream in. This was our view each morning after the butler delivered coffee and opened the flaps.
14 days, 5 different parks, an elephant orphange, giraffe center, 2 countries, and thousands of pictures later, we have come to the conclusion of our East African Safari. Each day has brought new experiences, from the excitement of seeing our first wild animal from the rooftop pool at the Hilton, to have mating lions a few feet from the vehicle. Everyone soaked up a ton of knowledge from James, Jackson, and Godliving. We were cared for, and led, so well throughout that it was easy to fall into the groove of morning and afternoon game drives, delicious meals, and chatting around the campfires. Yet we were still tired each night, as we lay down on our comfy beds out in the middle of the African wilderness. We listened to bird songs, zebra, elephants, hyrax, and hyena from our beds. After starting with very pleasant overcast weather, and some rain squalls in the Mara, we did catch some beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the African savanna.
Beyond all the wonderful animals, we also got to meet and talk to some amazing local people. Chief Joseph's village near Amboseli gave us an intimate look into the Maasai culture. It turns out all you really need is some dung for a house and a couple sticks to make the fire. Seeing the Maasai women walking miles to get water from the well, and carrying heavy loads of wood on their heads, reminded us of the difference in 'wants' verse 'needs' in life. And made us feel a little more grateful and humble to be born where we were born.
We shared so many laughs over the course of all of our meals. These will be memories that will stick with us for a lifetime. Africa is a place that is not easily forgotten, and an experience that is impossible to replicate anywhere else. The biodiversity of big animals, as well as birds, means that you can keep coming back for years and still witness new encounters. Even after all of my safaris, I had never seen a gang of banded mongoose in a standoff against a big Nile monitor lizard. Add on the tiniest, cutest baby lions ever, and some of the best leopard encounters which still shocks me that we were able to witness it.
Africa is just that kind of place. Until next time...
Spotted hyena with a mouthful of hippo meat. A single hyena would not be able to take down a hippo, so we theorized that this hippo had a fight with another hippo, then walked out of the water and died. That is an opportunity that would definitely not be wasted by a hyena.
Who doesn't like a nice soak after a long night of hunting and scavenging? This hyena was just relaxing in this little roadside waterhole.
The hyena were quite active and plentiful on our way to the airport. Even a transfer to the airstrip can be a wildlife filled safari here in the Serengeti.
I had to get a picture of our camp director, Mo. Seven years ago he was my driver in the southern Serengeti. It is always nice to see familiar faces when I come back to Africa.
We had been so busy with game drives here in the Serengeti, that is wasn't until our final morning that we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast prepared at camp. You better believe we sipped our coffee slowly this morning to really soak up this view.
Every night the camp staff would say 'Lala Salama' which translates to 'have a good rest.' It is hard not to when you have this kind of luxury comfort in the middle of the African bush. andBeyond always does it right.
Team Africa with the Under Canvas team.
Final goodbye from the Serengeti Under Canvas team. Thanks for a magical time with wonderful food, ultimate comfort, over-the-top sevice, and pure kindness.
Africa expedition leader Dai Mar, with Serengeti guide Godliving.
After one last bush plane ride from the Serengeti to Kilimanjaro airport, the team headed back to civilization. It'll take some getting used to.
Parks Visited: Nairobi National Park, Tsavo West National Park, Amboseli National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve, Serengeti National Park
Animal List
Mammals: black rhino, white rhino, elephant, cape buffalo, lion, leopard, serval, hyena, hippo, rothschilds giraffe, masai giraffe, plains zebra, olive baboon, yellow baboon, warthog, common waterbuck, defassa waterbuck, lesser kudu, dwarf mongoose, banded mongoose, slender mongoose, ground squirrel, dik dik, klipspringer, oribi, reedbuck, bushbuck, thompsons gazelle, grants gazelle, geranuk, fringe eared oryx, eland, cokes hartebeest, wildebeest, topi, rock hyrax, tree hyrax, bushbaby, black backed jackal, blue monkey, vervet (blue balled) monkey, scrub hare
Reptiles: Leopard tortoise, Nile crocodile, Nile monitor lizard, agama lizard, sun snake, gecko
Birds: sacred ibis, glossy ibis, hadada ibis, yellow billed stork, open billed stork, wooly necked stork, black stork, saddle billed stork, pygmy kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, grey headed kingfisher, woodland kingfisher, ostrich, secretary bird, ground hornbill, kori bustard, black bellied bustard, white bellied bustard, scarlet chested sunbird, african spoonbill, goliath heron, red billed oxpecker, little bee eater, Egyptian goose, African hoopoe, D'arnaits barbet, lilac-breasted roller, Rufus crowned roller, helmeted guinea fowl, vulturine guinea fowl, yellow throated francolin, red necked spurfowl, golden breasted starling, superb starling, ruppels long tail starling, tawny eagle, fish eagle, martial eagle, bateleur eagle, long crested eagle, chanting goshawk, black shouldered kite, augur buzzard, white backed vulture, ruppels griffon vulture, hooded vulture, lappet face vulture, pied crow, crowned plover, blacksmith plover, spurwing plover, avocet, lesser flamingo, greater flamingo, great white egret, crowned cranes, grey heron, hammerkop, bittern, African jacana, stilts, white pelican, pin tailed wydah, greenback heron, cordon blue, buffalo weaver, village weaver, pearl spotted owlet, African green pigeon, morning dove, Eurasian golden oriole