Steppes In Africa; A Disney-inspired Safari-W is for: What a Wonderful Last Game Drive! Updated (10/11)

[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.

 

[pkondz]

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

Was not fun

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

feeding on a carcass

On a car’s what???

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.

High praise indeed.

delectables served on a tiered tray and all laid out at a perfectly set table facing the morning view.

Wow!!

the other is the Mara. Recognize that from the AKL?!

No way! I had no idea! Huh!

“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.”

Tough life.

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

The crocs. You might survive the bridge collapsing…

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.

Cute little guys.

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

Was wondering how close you got.

Along the way, you KNOW we saw some more birds.

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.

Huh. Nature is cool.

In exchange for shelter and nectar, they defend the tree from herbivory

See previous comment.

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

Ohhh!

[][/]

Awwww

Hashim offered to jump out and take a few photos for me, and I gotta say, he rocks photography too.

Not bad!

Soon it was time for a little snack break.

Because you didn’t have enough food back at camp???

And that’s when I nearly died.

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!”

Okay… so not eaten by a lion or falling into crocodile infested waters.

See?! I survived The Great Drowning of 2025

But… very nice picture of you.

Those smiles!!

Especially the young lady.

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.

Dinner is served

On arriving, we first spotted a pair of female lions resting in separate trees, awake and watching.

I’m no expert, but they look full. Or pregnant.

now it was up the scavengers to find their fill.

Bird’s gotta eat.
Great shots! So cool you saw this. Circle of life indeed.

This particular herd of zebra offered some great photo opps.

They sure did! Great shots.

One wasn’t so fortunate, and I had to wonder how long it’d be around.

Wonder if croc or lion?

 

[missjackiemcg]

They very rarely ever leave their lofty home and stay well concealed, so this was truly an extra magical finding.

I knew exactly what you were looking for when you mentioned the name! We have a family of Colobus Monkeys at our local zoo, and Jimmy was fascinated by their long white furry tails when he was little. He liked watching how they pick at each other's fur, and when there are babies, they're just the cutest little things! How incredible to have found them on your trip.

Circle of life right up close! I almost scrolled ahead from the warning, but glad I didn't. That really was something! Did they think it was a wildebeest that they were scavenging off of?

 

[Steppesister]

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

Spoiler... one of the best meals of the trip and some very authentic exploring.

OMG so many!

Almost 1 in 4!

And your luck with animal sightings continues

Another half a day to explore!

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

It sure did look like it was getting it's Land Legs worked out.

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.

That would have been fantastic too, hard, but fantastic. I've seen other Vlogs by folks who were in the right place at the right time, but you're right, what we did find was amazing! It's such a cool orchestration Nature, this Circle of Life.

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

I know! Crazy how it even survived at all, let alone for this long.

 

[Steppesister]

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.

Lots of action paced adventure on this particular drive. I was kinda hoping I'd see a kill, as gruesome as that sounds, but I wanted a very real, raw glimpse into life on the savannah and sometimes that includes tough stuff.

 

[Steppesister]

The Colobus monkey is doing a little sightseeing, too.

He/It/She was!!! I wished we could have gotten closer... but, ummm, just wait.

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

Very!!! Crazy how it's all so perfectly orchestrated.

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

OY! We laughed after I could breathe again, but the way I just sprayed my coffee in a colossal fountain was impressive. LOL!

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

I'm sure there must be! I'd love to do some research and extended observation. I'm sure there is info out there, but for now I'm content thinking that lions get the.... well... lion's share. Then maybe the hyenas after that. Then come the vultures and marabou stork. Eagle swoop in and grab what they can. And when only bones are left, and the stomach contents, the bugs take over. Just a guess.

That is a very gruesome wound.

It really was. I was so shocked he was able to have survived to this point. Yikes!!!

 

[Steppesister]

Was not fun

Scary, I'm sure.

On a car’s what???

LOL!!! I was in the backside of a car.

Tough life.

Nearly 1 in 4. Terrible odds!

The crocs. You might survive the bridge collapsing…

...and then die by crocs.

Was wondering how close you got.

Not nearly close enough... BUT! Stay tuned. I have a surprise up my sleeve.

Huh. Nature is cool.

Very.

Awwww

So teensy!

Okay… so not eaten by a lion or falling into crocodile infested waters.

No, Near Death by Self-Induced Drowning.

I’m no expert, but they look full. Or pregnant.

I'm sure gorged to the brim. l

Bird’s gotta eat.
Great shots! So cool you saw this. Circle of life indeed.

Gruesome but incredibly fascinating. Such a powerful, raw scene of Nature.

 

[Steppesister]

I knew exactly what you were looking for when you mentioned the name! We have a family of Colobus Monkeys at our local zoo, and Jimmy was fascinated by their long white furry tails when he was little. He liked watching how they pick at each other's fur, and when there are babies, they're just the cutest little things! How incredible to have found them on your trip.

They are the sweetest things. So elegant and pretty in the monkey world. They aren't as endangered as I thought, just a super tough spotting.

Circle of life right up close! I almost scrolled ahead from the warning, but glad I didn't. That really was something! Did they think it was a wildebeest that they were scavenging off of?

No, Hashim pointed out the big horn of the water buffalo. Might have been sick, left behind, who knows... whatever it was, it was too slow.

 

[pkondz]

Scary, I'm sure.

Very

LOL!!! I was in the backside of a car.

Not nearly close enough... BUT! Stay tuned. I have a surprise up my sleeve.

 

[Steppesister]

W is for: What a Wonderful Last Game Drive!
May 12, 2025- Pt. 2

​

The morning was behind us and already we’d seen Colobus Monkey, an incredible kill site with quite a menagerie of scavenger birds, and a smattering of other animals large and small. But it was time now to head back to camp for some rest and repast.

Pulling up to the Main Tent I was greeted with a warm, refreshing towel and a small decorative glass filled with a nice cool, fresh-squeezed juice. I set my things down on one of the comfy chairs in the camp’s “living room” and used the community potty tent.

Rather than being shown to a table under the big tent, the staff had set up a little table under the shade of a nearby tree facing the savannah beyond and led me there. I chose a white wine to start with and soon a large, tiered tray of lunch fare was brought out. It was just as delicious as it was colorful and was the perfect meal for me. I wonder if the giraffes grazing nearby enjoyed their afternoon goodies as much as I did.

(Mixed grilled vegetables, Gazpacho, Caesar salad, Halloumi cheese, Fruit skewers, Focaccia, Pavlova)




(Mini Pavlova with mango and passion fruit sauce)

(
(An unidentified species of Bulbul above my lunch table)

The view:


(Dreamy, no?)
​

All this bouncing around in a truck and hard-core adventuring requires a nap now and then. I seized the day and took a little shut eye which was so, so refreshing. The gentle breeze gave me the fresh air that clears the mind and relieves life’s stress. Even an hour is enough to recharge and that’s about all I had.

Our last journey into the savannah started about 4:30 and there were still a few treats up Nature’s sleeve. Once again, this was a very bird-heavy drive. I wasn’t sad by any means! Sawaume was an exceptional birder, and nothing escaped her sharp eyes! Let’s see a few examples of what she found that afternoon…

(Black Coucal)


(Temminck's Courser)


(The Great Crowned Cranes NEVER got old!)



(RED-BILLED HORNBILL!! I FOUND ZAZU!!!)



(Senegal Lapwing)


(Hamerkop- the dinosaur of birds)​

I was lucky enough to also spot not one, but two, more reptiles this trip. The first was a sweet little skink. Wouldn’t you like to take him home as a pet?

(Greater Plated Skink, I think)​

How about this lizard? Not so little!

(Nile Monitor, easily 6 feet long stem to stern)​

And not so dangerous, either. Sadly, this one had been unalived by something sometime earlier. Bird of prey? Lion? Leopard? Such a shame to see such a formidable specimen of its kind now subject to a menagerie of scavengers ready for a meal.

As the day started to wane, Hashim wanted to visit a hippo pool where he thought he remembered a family of mongoose living. He remembered rightly. A couple of curious family members took a timid peek out of their tunneled home wary of potential predators eager for an unsuspecting meal.

(Banded Mongoose)​

It probably comes as no surprise that this hippo pool had a few hippos. They must have sensed that rain was not far off and as we watched their poo-flinging shenanigans; indeed it started to rain and the last game drive was coming to an end.

​

Before revealing the last wonderful treats of the day, I’ll share the last lot of birds we were able to spot:

(Von der Decken's Hornbill)


(Spur-winged Lapwing)


(Meyer's Parrot)


(My 3rd species of Hornbill! The African GREY Hornbill)


(African Wattled Lapwing)


(Because I love them)


This was quite a find! The African Jacana!


(African Wattled Lapwing)


(White-bellied Bustard)
​

Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

Continued from last post...

It was now squarely dusk, a time when other, rarer, animals exchange slumber for prowling. Tanzania has 10 species of feline, but the African Wildcat is perhaps the most difficult to spot. But not for Hashim and Sawaume!!! It was an incredibly fleeting view of this amazing spotting, but a spotting, nonetheless. Obviously, a photo was next to completely impossible given a speedy subject and the waning light. Notice I said, “next to”; I mean I was able to get something.

​

Here's a link to Wiki in case you are interested in learning more about these cute little kitty cats.

https://footslopestours.com/blog/feline-species-of-the-world-found-in-tanzania-safari​

We turned towards camp under the thick of dusk when Hashim negotiated the truck to give a glorious view the full moon hung beautifully in the sky amongst wispy clouds. He and Sawaume were very patient as I fiddled with my camera settings for many minutes. More importantly, we took time to admire this exquisite display of Creation, content to call this a most successful day!

​

And yet, it wasn’t quite over; the day still had a perfect ending.

And a delicious one at that!

As it had been raining since the hippo pool, and sometimes quite hard, Hashim told me that he had some bad news: “Because of the rain, the staff couldn’t set up a nice Sundowner for us.”

But, Hashim is a jokester at heart! Just as we pulled into the little drop off area, he said, “JUST KIDDING!! There’s a very special event tonight for you all!”

To back up… when I’d first arrived at camp, the staff had asked me if I had any special requests or food preferences. I told them that up to now, I’d really not had the pleasure of trying any real local food and that I’d like to try at least one meal that was “authentic to Tanzania.” They said, they would see what they could do…

I unloaded my things from the truck, careful to grab everything as I wasn’t sure if this would be the truck for my final journey the next morning. As I took my armload to my tent to put away, I saw an amazing scene all arranged and aglow with a warm fire and laughter. Not wanting to waste one single minute of this glorious experience, I hurried back to my last Sundowner gathering. The camp was fairly full this night (maybe 8 or so guests?) and I was shown to a perfect seat with a little side table for my drink where some popcorn was served as I got settled. A final gin and tonic was exactly what I wanted to enhance this cozy, beautiful setting. The fire danced casting a warm glow on the semi-circle of set tables that we’d have dinner at soon.

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Next to me was a family of 3- a husband and wife with the husband’s aunt, all of Korean decent and living in Vancouver and Toronto. They were such lovely people, and we talked about travel and adventures we’d had. This is where I learned all about gorilla trekking in Rwanda and from their descriptions of the tours and itineraries, I’d LOVE to head that way someday. There are many variations and levels of difficulty from easy trekking to strenuous hiking, but they said Rwanda has recovered nicely from the war and is really quite modernized and comfortable now. With my knee in such crap condition right now I can’t even consider it, but maybe after I get the surgery I’ll inevitably need at some point.

There were other guests as well, and the happy chatter made for such a cheerful Sundowner. Eventually, the Head Chef, Margaret, came out to invite us to dinner. We found our seats and then she took some time to explain that tonight we’d be enjoying a very authentic meal of traditional Tanzanian fare. It’s super hard to hear her in this little video, but she was so humble and gracious in her delivery and her food was truly as amazing as I’d hoped.

https://youtube.com/shorts/N2lSSsQsH18?si=mSJKhg5SX-0p7XV-​

The menu:

Banana Soup (plantains, really)
Grilled chicken kebabs
Potato and Cassava with Cashew Sauce
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ugali (obviously )
Peas with Curry Sauce
Chapati Bread
Cabbage Salad
Braised Beef Stew
Rice Pudding with Mango and Passion Fruit Sauce

Holy cow!!!

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This was all served buffet style and had been cooked the traditional way over the fire or in clay pots. Everything was soooooo good! There was literally nothing I didn’t love. And yes, I ate the Ugali and Stew with my hands as you are supposed to. It tastes better that way.

Conversation flowed easily and everyone had a marvelous time. I didn’t ever meet the other guests further down from me, but it was nice I think that Margaret had enough people to cook for to make the work worth it! The fire eventually started to die down and everyone was ready to head to their tents for a peaceful sleep in the wild.

I’d asked for a shower that evening so I could start the next phase of my travels fresh and clean. While my tent steward prepared that for me, I packed all of my things and got as ready as could to be set for a VERY early start the next day. As I got organized, I noticed I had a cute new little friend who wanted to give me some packing advice. As comfortable as he seemed to be, he had to be relocated to where he belonged. Another animal to add to the list for the day.

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Speaking of animal and bird counts, the totals are:

Animals other than birds: 18

Birds: 37 (about half or so of which I’d seen before)

Sadly, in my packing I noticed I'd lost an earring that I’d bought in the little market near Lake Manyara. It was only $5, but now I’m left with a single earring. I’ll use it in my little trip display somehow. Which probably will take as long as all of the other “trip displays” to get actually put up.

My shower was ready and felt great as did the nice, crisp sheets that I climbed into for my last sleep on the Serengeti Savannah. The next day brings a day of transition into the next and last phase of this glorious, East African Adventure!