Steppes In Africa; A Disney-inspired Safari-V is for: View to a Kill (10/4)

[Steppesister]

Exactly what I was thinking. That's how I threw out my back, originally.

The worst!! I can't even imagine that on a vacation.

Katy did lie?

She did! Sounds like an episode of Family Court to me.

Looking at the camps... you'd need a lot of money to invest!

They are pretty posh to be sure.

 

[Steppesister]

Simply perfect for the setting.
Reminded me of my wedding day. It was our second song and we both wished it had been our first.
We had a dj not a band ( we were on a budget) and busy so left the choice of music up to him . I know, I know- people plan their wedding to the enth degree but we were young and carefree and tbh ridiculously busy, I, as a newly qualified RN who had to work 17 days straight to get a week off to get married and have a 5 night trip to London ( which was meant to be Greece but that’s another story) for our honeymoon so choosing music was something I left to the dj.
Anyway it all worked out and every time I hear that song I am brought back to that day and a shared moment so thank you for that

Awww, I love this story! It sounds like your DJ did a wonderful job at making this part of your special day even more so.
How perfect!

I found this information fascinating. Nature really does know best.

She truly does!

Your day sounded perfect from start to finish. So many birds and animals alongside beautifully crafted meals and picnic.
Perfection indeed.

Most definitely. Exquisitely picturesque in such a beautiful, natural way!

 

[Steppesister]

That song is perfect. It would have made me remember what is really important.

Exactly! A very slow-down, enjoy the moment memory and reminder.

That is very interesting. I love learning stuff like that.

It was fascinating!! I'll share another one shortly!

Your camp tent looks very comfortable. I love the view you have.

It was endless savannah and so, SO peaceful!

I am amazed at how much variety there is in the meals they serve. Do they receive daily shipments of supplies?

You know, Sue, I did ask about the camp logistics because I too was super curious about how they pull this all off! The locations are so incredibly remote and to cater to Westerner's tastes with the limited ingredients they have is nothing short of a miracle. I was told they get a big truck shipment about twice a week depending on if it's low or high season. I'd imagine they'd need deliveries a bit more often if the camp is at full capacity? What was absolutely FREAKISHLY amazing is that Usawa, being a MOBILE camp actually gets MOVED every few weeks so they follow the Migration and other Game Conditions. This is a perfect link that specifically talks about Usawa and their "circuit" and footprint. Can you imagine moving all of that, all of the fully solar-powered, generated camp with all that furniture, tents, beds, etc... every few weeks?!! Crazy!!!

https://www.wildernessdestinations.com/africa/tanzania/serengeti-national-park/usawa-campKirawira

was the nearest village/town to this camp on this particular day (you could see the lights off in the distance and I asked what town it was) so I'd imagine supplies came from there mostly.

 

[Steppesister]

Glad I waited until I had some time then!

I just felt like doing that whole day in one chapter made a lot more sense. I'll bust the next day up into 2.

I think you were about due for a bit of a sleep in!

I needed it. But Zanzibar is coming where I do a little more true relaxing.

Sounds like the perfect start to any day!

I sure think so!

THIS!!!!! It's so accurate how it's presented in the movie!

Were the others that joined you also enamoured by the birds, or were they a bit disappointed to not see more big game?

Probably not quite as much, but tbh there wasn't a lot of other game anyway, so you enjoy what you come across knowing that every safari is going to be very different.

Oh, please, not another hippo pool...

Looks like having lunch in a postcard!

That's exactly what I thought of!

Never heard of hibiscus juice before! What does it taste like?

It was very delicious; kind of tangy but sweet enough I guess like OJ sort of.? Very refreshing for sure!

It all looks beautiful!

It truly was for sure!

Glad you had a nice time at the wedding. Darn life getting in the way again...

LOL!!! It was a really nice time. And yes, wish life was all vacation and less work!

 

[Steppesister]

V is for: View to a Kill
May 12, 2025, Pt 1

***Warning: Pt. 2 contains a few graphic photos of a savannah kill site with animals feeding on a carcass***
(This chapter is safe)​

Today would be my last day of Game Driving, my last day on the beautiful Serengeti. There is no doubt in my mind that, given the chance, I will go back to Africa, East or South, for another safari. I loved it that much.

The sun was casting a rosy glow at the front of the Main Tent and made a lovely backdrop for the waiting truck. While the sun continued her skyward journey, I enjoyed a delicious feast of coffee and delectables served on a tiered tray and all laid out at a perfectly set table facing the morning view. How could this scene be described as anything but Heaven on Earth?!

​

With a blush still lingering we loaded up and headed out to see what the day had in store for us.

​

The camp was very near the Grumeti River, which is one of the two you’ll hear about in being central to the Great Migration (the other is the Mara. Recognize that from the AKL?!). The million+ wildebeest make this perilous crossing year after year and, “It is estimated that more than 240,000 Wildebeests and 40,000 Zebras, gazelles and impalas die each year during the migration cycle. The major causes of death include being killed by predators, fatigue, starvation, and drowning.”

https://www.regalafricansafaris.com/16-interesting-facts-about-wildebeest-migration/

(I'm not sure what more frightening, the crocs below, or the bridge ahead...)​

The river was the first goal of the day as I’d mentioned to Hashim and Sawaum that I was very interested in trying for a black and white Colobus Monkey sighting. Specifically, after researching in more depth for writing this chapter, the colobus that live in that area are the sub-species- Guereza Colobus. As I’ll find out, they are VERY tough to spot, but I should never have feared. Hashim and Sawaum are verifiable experts at what they do, so we’ll start this chapter off with a bang and blurry photos of a little family of colobus we found hiding (well) in their arboreal habitat.

​

What I failed to find in Arusha, I was finally blessed with finding here, in the tallest treetops along the Grumeti River. They very rarely ever leave their lofty home and stay well concealed, so this was truly an extra magical finding. Should you want to read more about them, here’s the Wiki article for your convenience:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantled_guereza

(We were first parked on the RIGHT side of the river and spotted those monkeys on the far side of those tallest trees.)​

Along the way, you KNOW we saw some more birds. Let’s just take our customary bird break and present a few that we enjoyed. As always, the bird book was getting a strong workout!

(Black Coucal)


(White-browed Coucal)


(Tawny Eagle)


(Harlequin Quail)


(Yellow-throated Longclaw)
​

Sadly, just after spotting the Colobus, Hashim spotted a Purple-crested Turaco, a rare and exquisitely beautiful bird, but it was fleeting, and no one could get a photo. Here’s one I snagged from the internet to give you an idea.

(Side note: You can see the GREAT BLUE TURACO on the Gorilla Falls Trail at Animal Kingdom)​

Here’s a list of the remainder of the birds we saw, but were too quick to get photos of:

Fan-tailed Widowbird, Martial Eagle (photographed in prior chapters), African Grey Hornbill, Southern Ground Hornbill (photographed in prior chapters), Crowned Lapwing, Usambiro’s Barbet, Lilac-breasted Roller, and Francolin

Hashim was such an excellent teacher of the fauna as well. We came across a bright orange flower that really stood out in the green fields we were driving through. He pulled over and plucked one so he could give a little botany lesson on the fly. Locally, this is called “Lion’s Paw”, more widely known as Lions Tail or Dagga. It has a psychoactive component and is used medicinally by locals, but he wanted to point out that it was called this because cleverly hidden inside the flower is a sharp thorn like the retracted claw of a lions foot. Effective mechanism to keep from being eaten!!!

​

I’d forgotten to write about another plant lesson Hashim had given us the day before. This time, we had been driving through an area with predominantly short, stubby acacia trees rather than the tall, flat-topped ones more iconic of the savannah. Again, he’d pulled over and plucked a small piece off and brought it to show us. He explained that this one is called “The Whistling Thorn Acacia” and is so for the high-pitched whistling sound they make when the wind blows through them. You might be asking, “why do that do that?”. I was. This is a perfect example of another symbiotic relationship between plants and animals. The branches naturally form a bulbous hollow at the base of their thorns and ants make this their home inside. In exchange for shelter and nectar, they defend the tree from herbivory from elephants and giraffes. Again, here is the Wiki article for your further reading. It really is pretty fascinating!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vachellia_drepanolobium

(The little holes make it so the trees "whistle" when the wind blows, like a flute.)​

Another morning treat was this mother and baby giraffe pair appearing to “play”. No, I’m serious, they were trotting around doing something that looked very much like chase, and they’d pause to snuggle in between bursts of play. I desperately wish now that I had some video. Try as I did, I only ended up with one photo “keeper”. I do wonder if it was a brand-new baby and mommy was teaching it to get moving. It was quite small compared to any I’d seen to this point.

​

Further on, a little crop of mushrooms caught my eye that I wanted a photo of. Hashim offered to jump out and take a few photos for me, and I gotta say, he rocks photography too.

​

Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

May 12, Pt. 1 continued...

Soon it was time for a little snack break. We found a nice little spot to enjoy stretching our legs and the goodies that were packed along with a nice hot cup of coffee.

And that’s when I nearly died.

I was just drinking from my mug of warm delicousness, minding my own, when all of a sudden, I decided to nearly drown myself with a sip. It was one of those fantastic, explosive chokings in which the entire contents of your mouth come vomiting out in a volcano of spray. I then proceeded to sputter for a full 3 or 4 minutes before I could even say “excuse me!”. It was so embarrassing and I’m sure the next camp over was about to send a rescue squad it was so loud. I did recover, but that was a close one!

(See?! I survived The Great Drowning of 2025)​

Remember I’d written about the treats and goodies that they welcomed me with when they picked me up at the airport? Now you can see a photo as it was the same set up as this.

(YUM!)

(Those smiles!!)​

None worse for the wear, we loaded back up and bounced off again. We came across a couple of lions doing what lions do best.

(You're about to find out what else they are good at...)​

We then saw a few hyenas seeming to have caught scent of something off in the distance. Hashim also noticed that a few birds of prey were circling high above and off to our right. He started to put two and two together and knew "something was up” on the savannah not far away.

(<sniff, sniff>)​

He asked if I was up for an adventure, because he had a suspicion that everyone was headed to a meal nearby. It probably took another good half hour of driving before we finally found the source of the animals’ attention. On arriving, we first spotted a pair of female lions resting in separate trees, awake and watching.

​

Clearly, they’d been busy earlier with what we’d find next…

Not one, but TWO fairly recent kills. This is where you should scroll if you’re squeamish, but honestly, the whole scene was not terribly gruesome. There IS a food chain; everyone’s gotta eat. The lions had taken their share and now it was up the scavengers to find their fill.

(Cinereous Vulture)

(Lappet-faced Vulture- the largest vulture in Africa)​

This was absolutely hands-down one of the most fascinating scenarios I’ve ever seen and definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The coolest thing, by far, was the fact that there were 4!!!!!! species of vultures all in one place as well as the Marabou stork and a Martial Eagle.

(White-backed Vulture on the right, Marabou Stork on the left)




(Ruppell's Vulture)]​

A morbid fascination kept us there for almost an hour between the two kill sites. The animals’ displays of posturing, aggression, advance, retreat, and at times resigned patience was thrilling to watch but the day was marching along and we needed to move along ourselves in search of other wildlife.

(A HUGE score for this one)​

The Great Migration was just beginning in this part of the Western Corridor, and the first species were tricking in. A huge herd of Topi, followed by zebra, crossed in front of us at one point which excited Hashim. The season of “Migration Tourists” would soon be in full swing and this was his sign that things were ramping up in numbers.

https://youtu.be/MPezCUk68jo?si=axAWh2iLpkwW3iQK​

Once again there was a lone wildebeest; I wondered if it might be the next meal for dozens of other animals. Sad, but that’s the circle of life on the savannah.

​

This particular herd of zebra offered some great photo opps. I’m not sure why, but they just seemed more picturesque and easier to get some decent photos of. One wasn’t so fortunate, and I had to wonder how long it’d be around. From the looks of it, it had narrowly escaped a run-in with a predator, and I was astonished it hadn’t already succumbed to infection. Yikes! (The last photo is a bit gory, scroll if squeamish.)

(YO! 'Sup, Bro?)


​

I’m going to leave off here as I’m already WAY over in photos. But, to be sure, this was another truly amazing day full of incredible wildlife sightings. I was learning so much and more was yet to come!!

 

[zanzibar138]

Today would be my last day of Game Driving, my last day on the beautiful Serengeti.

Sad to see this part of the journey coming to an end, but I'm so excited to see what's coming next!

It is estimated that more than 240,000 Wildebeests and 40,000 Zebras, gazelles and impalas die each year during the migration cycle.

OMG so many!

Hashim and Sawaum are verifiable experts at what they do, so we’ll start this chapter off with a bang and blurry photos of a little family of colobus we found hiding (well) in their arboreal habitat.

And your luck with animal sightings continues

Another morning treat was this mother and baby giraffe pair appearing to “play”.

Super cute! That really is a tiny giraffe, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was very new.

This was absolutely hands-down one of the most fascinating scenarios I’ve ever seen and definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

I thought you were going to say you saw the lions make the kill. As sad as it would be to watch, it would also be fascinating. But what you did see was also fascinating. I just love how all the animals work together like that.

This particular herd of zebra offered some great photo opps.

They sure did! Although I see what you mean about that poor final zebra. It doesn't even look that phased by it!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Great updates!
Fabulous photos as always.
From the very cute giraffes to the injured zebra and everything in between I have been fascinated by it all.

 

[Wood Nymph]

What I failed to find in Arusha, I was finally blessed with finding here, in the tallest treetops along the Grumeti River. They very rarely ever leave their lofty home and stay well concealed, so this was truly an extra magical finding.

The Colobus monkey is doing a little sightseeing, too.

This is a perfect example of another symbiotic relationship between plants and animals. The branches naturally form a bulbous hollow at the base of their thorns and ants make this their home inside. In exchange for shelter and nectar, they defend the tree from herbivory from elephants and giraffes.

I'm not surprised at the thorns, but the ants living inside the stem is really interesting.

It was so embarrassing and I’m sure the next camp over was about to send a rescue squad it was so loud.

I've had this kind of an episode far too many times. So embarrassing!

This was absolutely hands-down one of the most fascinating scenarios I’ve ever seen and definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The coolest thing, by far, was the fact that there were 4!!!!!! species of vultures all in one place as well as the Marabou stork and a Martial Eagle.

I would be fascinated, too. There must be some sort of a hierarchy there.

This particular herd of zebra offered some great photo opps. I’m not sure why, but they just seemed more picturesque and easier to get some decent photos of. One wasn’t so fortunate, and I had to wonder how long it’d be around. From the looks of it, it had narrowly escaped a run-in with a predator, and I was astonished it hadn’t already succumbed to infection. Yikes!

That is a very gruesome wound.