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Part 2: The
Serengeti via Olduvai Gorge
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"Days 4 and 5: Today we will drive to Serengeti National Park via Olduvai Gorge. Here Mary Leakey discovered the earliest known man-made footprints, which were solidified in volcanic ash 3.6 million years ago. Together with remains of early humans found in the region, the evidence suggests that human evolution may have began in this area. The Serengeti, Tanzania’s most famous park, has the largest concentration of migratory game animals in the world. The name "Serengeti" means "endless plains" in the Masai language. Over 350 species of birds and 35 species of plains animals can be found here. . .We will have the unforgettable experience of sleeping "under canvas" at our private classic campsite."
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Panorama from video of our Serengeti campsite, Jim SwanTuesday, June 13 7:15 p.m.
I write this with our tour "family" sitting around our first campfire on the Serengeti. This memorable moment was preceded by lessons on how to use the chemical toilets and the showers behind our tents.
We left the lodge on the Ngorongoro rim at 8 this morning to drive to what we thought was "Olduvai" Gorge. However, we learned that the correct name is "Oldupai" Gorge - with a "p" rather than a "v." The gorge apparently was discovered by a German professor looking for butterflies. At some point the Germans mis-spelled the name and it became "Olduvai" for posterity.
We stopped for our box lunch (yet another culinary puzzle) just past the Serengeti gate. There were many suberb starlings which were both beautiful and aggressive.
Ruth gave a brief presentation on the Black Rhinos we saw yesterday. There are 18 in Ngorongoro. Poaching has reduced their total numbers to an alarmingly low number. Ruth’s words gave us all much to think about - but the seriousness of the moment was broken by her first public performance of the "they
go to the river to drink" dance. By informal consensus, the "family" decided to make it our official dance for the trip.
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After lunch we drive to a Serengeti air strip to pick up the missing member of our family, Pat (seen at left, photo by Terry Hansen). We were afraid she would turn around and get back on the plane when she saw how grubby we were after our dusty morning drive. However, she joined us with enthusiasm. |
Many animals and birds came out to observe our arrival on the Serengeti. We saw lions, a cheetah, a leopard, a spitting cobra, secretary birds, hippos, a crocodile, buffalo, zebras, gazelles, topi, eland, Kori bustard, giraffe, wart hog, hyena, jackal, suberb starlings, red-billed buffalo weavers, a large lizard (Monitor lizard), elephant. We passed some migration stragglers following the long and winding road to Kenya - wildebeest, zebras & "tommies" (Thompson’s gazelles).
At camp we were greeted by a wonderful staff and assigned our tents. From the time I have started writing this, we have moved into the dining tent where we are enjoying a candlelight dinner.
One of the camp owners has told us that there are lions nearby - oh well, what would camping be without some scary stories?
Lalasalama (Sleep well)
Respectfully,
Sherry Sybesma
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Left: Lion pride seen on our morning game drive, by Lloryn Swan |
Early morning game drive. I believe most of us saw a pride of 15-17 lions, they know how to relax. Serengeti is quite expansive and diverse in its terrain, rolling bushland with interesting outcroppings. Most of us got some good up close shots of the kings ‘n queens. Another delicious lunch. Then an interesting talk from a researcher with the Serengeti Lion Project. So many variables and analysis. I hope she yields some solid results. There seems to be an inter-connection between all living things that even a hundred lifetimes of research couldn’t gather. However Lynn and I may have come close, given the clues seen so far. Ea
t, shit, and mate. (Simplify.) Gotta go, game drivin’ time.Kris Pendleton
"Days 6 and 7: Each of these days will feature a number of different game drives, exploring various areas. Although it is impossible to predict the exact time that it will
occur, we hope to witness the migration of thousands upon thousands of animals as they move north and west toward water and greener pastures. This migration is a dynamic event, with herds following the rains and the grasses. The skill and experience of our driver guides will be obvious as they look for animal interaction off the beaten tourist path.") |
Game drive to museum - Saw lions at hippo pond. Gift shopping at lodge. Wonderful opportunity to see leopard. Great surprise lunch under acacia tree on plains. Cool and very windy at bedtime. Wonderful museum & story of migration. Museum was built on a kopje ("copi"). Terry Hansen
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| Above: Leopard seen in the
Seronera Valley, Sherry Sybesma Below - Clockwise from Upper Left: A cheetah seen lying beneath an acacia just before (our) lunch, by Ed Shelley; Our lunch on the edge of the Serengeti Plain in the Seronera area, by Ed Shelley; A visit to the Seronera Serengeti Museum, by Lloryn Swan; The Management of the Serengeti, Lloryn Swan . |
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Thanks to Ruth’s great lecture last night we found out many things about wildebeests - including they are also called gnus.
I think that is a more interesting name.Today was most notible because we finally saw much evidence of the carnivores’ prey. Near the end of the early morning game drive we came upon a pride of lions finishing a feast of two old gnus. In addition--nearby--the vultures were cleaning up the remains of some other unknown animal. The remains of one of the old gnus [Ed. note: He loves saying that doesn't he] was being guarded by the lions while one of the others was providing some snacks for one of the female lions.
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Above: Lions at the site of a wildebeest kill, by John Murdock.
After a quick stop at the lodge we went out looking for the gnu-zebra migration. We saw many of them bleating their way to greener pastures.
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| Above: The wildebeest migration, panorama from video clips, by Jim Swan |
We then came to a new (young) gnu that a leopard had carefully hung about 20 ft in the air to preserve his dinner. Carefully moving down the treeline we came upon the leopard himself. He departed quickly, not wishing to keep our company.
Just before lunch we came upon a very long line of migrating gnus that looked from the distance to be similar to a line of ants. All of a sudden this line halted in a large disorganized ball. Careful "glassing" showed the gnu line had been headed off by 2 lions. The gnus retreated--and interestingly so did the lions.
After a nice lunch under a large tree, we headed back to camp for showers and Ruth’s birthday dinner.
*We chased away the giraffe who was having his lunch on our shade tree.
John Murdock
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