Tanzania mid-March. 70% Serengeti, 100% Sensational. Includes Daily Weather

[Atravelynn]

WEATHER REPORT ACCOMPANYING ITINERARY

Cheetahs playing in Ndutu

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

Insect Report to Go with the Weather Report

Arusha—I saw about 6 mosquitoes. One (or two) that I did not see bit me on the hand and on the ankle when I wore sandals out and about at the lodge but no repellent.

 

Crater—a few houseflies and lots of tiny flying insects that kept their distance from humans but could mess up a photo when swarms appeared momentarily.

Flies in the crater

 

Serengeti, Seronera—3 tse tses and a few houseflies.

 

Serengeti, Ndutu—Especially around hoofed species and their dung, the houseflies were numerous. They liked to land on the moist corners of my mouth and eyes. If the herds had been in Seronera, then the flies would have been there too. When herds of zebra or wildes approached we could immediately detect the increase in flies.

 

The flies that landed on my face in Ndutu did not rise to this level of annoyance and were limited to one or two at a time. But then I was not gnawing on raw meat.

 

In Ndutu I was thinking that serious photographers might prefer a private vehicle to avoid the shake when others in the vehicle smacked flies or inadvertently jerked when flies landed on their faces. I had a mosquito headnet with me that I would have used if the flies had been intolerable. I did not put it on and I didn’t see anybody else wearing one. I never had to fight off a swarm of flies, just the one or two real pesky buggers that always seemed to linger in the vehicle.

 

Easy sightings of dung beetles is a bonus of the green season but I prefer them on the ground rolling their dung balls around as opposed to buzzing in my undergarments--alluding to a future incident.

Male and Female Dung beetles working together

 

Several people I met recounted their tse tse woes but they referred to every flying insects as “tse tse flies.” In fact they had encountered few true tse tses. My trip tse tse count was 3. But I was not in Tarangire.

[Atravelynn]

Ngorongoro Crater Grant's Gazelles & Zebra in Seronera

Ndutu One of 2 males in coalition in Ndutu

When and Where

When (March 5-19): The last week of Feb, prime migration time, contains my wedding anniversary, so that’s out since I travel sans DH. There are advantages to March, after peak migration time. Odds are there will be baby wildes by then, even if calving is late. Fewer people in March than Feb. We were alone in the crater for all noteworthy sightings during two visits and in Ndutu we had lots of quality cheetah time, often with no other vehicles. Even in parts of Central Serengeti, we’d see two cars sometimes the whole day out.

 

The last two years the migration and birthing were atypical, concerning me for 2013, so I wanted to wait until well into the calving season. As it turned out, 2013 was dry at the start but then proceeded fairly normally.

 

The person I had planned to travel with had a conflict with the first days in March, otherwise the trip would have started about 5 days earlier.

 

Ndutu

 

Where: The unusual migration pattern the last two years had me covering much of the Serengeti, instead of concentrating just in Ndutu, in hopes of meeting up someplace with potentially unusually elusive wilde herds. The Serengeti part of the trip had 2 nights along the Seronera River at Seronera Wildlife Lodge, 3 nights at Nasikia Central Camp to reach Southern Serengeti, and 5 nights Ndutu (near the marsh) at Nasikia Mobile Camp.

 

Everything turned out great and exciting stuff materialized wherever I happened to be, as is usually the case on any safari.

 

I wanted a couple of buffer days up front before the Serengeti, where I had planned to share a vehicle and tent for 10 days with another. Coming from a cold, snowy climate in early March, I knew there could be delays and did not want those delays spilling into our shared time, causing uncertainty. Two days of activities in Arusha and a night at the crater was ample pre-Serengeti time. Arusha and Ngorongoro also provided nice variety, and as it turned out, some highlights of the entire trip. Had I departed from home 5 days earlier or just 1 day later, there would have been a delay of at least 24 hours out of Chicago, so my spare days were wise additions that almost were put to use.

Colobus Monkey in Arusha National Park

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[michael-ibk]

Great start, I had been looking forward to you report. Wonderful shots, especially love the Grant´s/Zebra one.

[Guest kuduuu]

Woo hoo! Excited to read the rest, great start!

[Atravelynn]

Thank you Kudu and Michael.

 

By George I think he’s spotted it!

Whether an owl perched on an inner leafy tree branch or three cheetahs dotting a distant hillside, George spotted them all. From 6:10 am to after 6 pm every day, we were out there on the prowl, fueled by two boxed meals. Some of our more impressive sightings were during that customary downtime of noonish to 3 pm, such as one of the cheetah kills, nursing cheetah cubs, a newly born Thomson, leopard cubs, kopje dwelling lions, an albino baboon, and an albino/leucistic Lappet faced Vulture. Having a full day also allowed us to cover more ground, which was helpful in Seronera, for example, when the hubbub of activity was centered around Moru Kopjes and the Retima Hippo Pool, in opposite, distant directions.

 

For anyone thinking that 12 hours each day in a vehicle eating 2 of 3 meals from a box is more like prison than a holiday, such a schedule is certainly not mandatory. George is completely flexible to your needs. In fact, he told me about a tree safari he had recently completely with South Africans. Not for the “Big 5” but the “Twig 5.”

Mother and 3 cubs in Ndutu. Mother took down a wildebeest calf. Left, newborn Thomson's Gazelle in Gol Kopjes

Lions in Moru Kopjes, Seronera Nursing cheetah cubs, Ndutu

Nursing cheetah cubs, Ndutu

Albino baboon, Arusha Retima Hippo Pool, Seronera

Albino/leucistic Lappet faced Vulture, Ndutu Retima Hippo Pool, Seronera

For my previous trip when George was my guide I had stated, “At the end of our time together I think no one saw more than we did during our time in Tarangire. I’d bet money on it!” Same sentiments this trip but I have some proof for my wager. After watching a leopard in a tree along the Seronera River, the cars all departed as the leopard descended and disappeared into the grass. But not George. He directed my attention to the remaining cub, well camouflaged on a limb. Out of 20+ vehicles (a lot, I know, but all were well behaved) only one other vehicle remained with us to observe the elusive leopard cub.

Seronera

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[africapurohit]

@Atravelynn Loving the report so far. My brain has to pause as it tries to unscramble the multiple images that hit you when you scroll down - but many treats always await. The lions on the Kopje - wonderful - all you need is George Adamson standing there with a stick.

Edited June 6, 2013 by africapurohit

[Atravelynn]

Seronera

 

Unlimited Mileage

Not every safari company offers unlimited mileage. The fact that Kiliwarriors / Eben Schoeman Signature Safaris does, contributed greatly to the success of my trip, especially with the uncertain nature of the migration and my shotgun approach that sometimes had me overnighting where animals were scarce. No problem, we just headed to where there was more activity, even if it meant not taking the shortest distance between two points or returning a second time to out-of-the-way hot spots.

Ndutu

 

Ingredients of 100% Sensational

George’s talents, work ethic, patience, and flexibility; plus unlimited mileage; and Eben’s willingness to use economical accommodations combined to create this “100% Sensational Safari” and make it affordable for a solo. The bean bag provided and the vehicle’s big roll-down windows, along with George’s maneuvering skills, contributed to many quality photos to remember it by.

 

This window rolls all the way down. Not a slide-to-the-side window.

 

 

\

Ndutu

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

@Atravelynn Loving the report so far. My brain has to pause as it tries to unscramble the multiple images that hit you when you scroll down - but many treats always await. The lions on the Kopje - wonderful - all you need is George Adamson standing there with a stick.

 

Thanks @@africapurohit. That brings up a question. For example in post #6, I see this:

 

 

Is this what other people see?

[Csaba]

It's what I see on my 1366 X 768 laptop screen

[Atravelynn]

LOGIC BEHIND MY LODGING

Arumeru in Arusha:

 

For just one night, arriving late and leaving early the next day, something very basic without expansive grounds would suffice in Arusha. But I was in Aursha 3 nights and had a half dozen hours of daylight during those days to wander around, so Arumeru and its lovely grounds fit the bill. The property is inhabited by the small antelope, the dik dik. In fact a pair greeted me the night I arrived.

 

I think the collective name for dik diks should be “diminutage,” a more descriptive term than the generic “herd,” as in: There is a diminutage of dik diks browsing in the acaia.

 

Grazing dik dik at Arumeru Lodge and other creatures on the grounds

 

Not far from Arumeru is Dik Dik Lodge, but I understand it is dik dik-less. In contrast, at Arumeru there is a “diminutage” of dik diks in every direction.

 

How fortunate a baby dik dik was born on Arumeru grounds about three days before my arrival. Even more fortunate, out of 11 acres that comprise this former coffee plantation, the baby liked to hang out in the wood pile in front of my Cottage #11.

Arumeru Lodge in Arusha

 

I appointed myself the Dik Dik Hostess and kept tabs on the baby so I could share this phenomenal sighting with other guests. I especially sought out guests with very long lenses, given the dik dik was so small and I was cautioned by the management to keep my distance when viewing it so as not to upset the little guy. Apparently baby dik diks are prone to heart attacks if they become frightened. A most disturbing thought, indeed!

 

Since the other Arumeru guests I encountered were English-as-second-language speakers, my invitation to them to view the baby dik dik, spoken with a US Midwestern accent, was not always correctly understood.

 

Me, approaching the guests as the Dik Dik Hostess: “Hello. There is a baby dik dik here. Would you like to see it?”

 

Setting: Beautiful grounds with numerous dik diks in plain view for all to see.

 

Them: With a sweeping gesture pointing to the dik diks all about, in a dismissive tone, “Yes, madam, we can see the dik diks.”

 

What ‘Them’ were likely thinking: “I have been approached by an oddball, obsessed with pointing out the obvious to strangers. Best to steer clear of this one.”

 

Me, persevering as Dik Dik Hostess: “But have you seen the baby dik dik?” I demonstrated with cupped hands, as if I had scooped up the little fawn.

 

Them: “Oh, a baby! Where is it?”

 

And off we’d go together to marvel at the little creature. I even got some of them to take a picture with my camera of the fawn and me, at a respectful distance of course.

 

 

Me with the several day old dik dik fawn

 

Arumeru is 20 minutes from Arusha National Park and not too far from Maasai Joy School and George’s lovely home, both places I visited.

 

Continuing my duties as official Dik Dik Hostess, the next post is a page of them, mostly the baby, who I found to be absolutely enchanting.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

My first sighting of this young dik dik fawn, early in the morning

[Atravelynn]

Sopa at Ngorongoro Crater:

 

I like the access road from Sopa into the crater. Just a few places share this access road: Sopa, an A&K camp, Lemala, and Explorean, of which Sopa is the most reasonable. And Sopa is very comfortable and warm enough when night temps drop. Views are great. Sopa’s food has gotten way fancier since I was there last, most of it served at the table as opposed to buffet.

 

The rockers in the rooms are an attractive and inviting touch. I think Sopa is an ideal choice of lodging at the crater. A bonus, though, for the other lodges without their own access road, is that their shared road is being redone and should be completed by July 2013 I think. That will make it more efficient and safe. The road Sopa uses is fine as is.

Sopa Lodge Room View from Sopa Lodge Veranda

Entrance to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Edited June 6, 2013 by Atravelynn

[twaffle]

How wonderful to finally share your safari. Things I would love to see, lions on kopjes and baby dik diks, part of a diminutage of dik diks, or solo. George sounds like a gem and I agree wholeheartedly on the value of the Sopa at the crater.

[penolva]

That little creature is divine, lucky you. Pen

[AKR1]

Another superb @@Atravelynn report. The details on all your logistics, planning and game watching are always what makes your reports special. They are very valuable to others planning a Tanzanian safari at the same time of the year as yours. The pictures are great but my single favorite so far are the three leopards in a tree. Thanks for your report.

Edited June 7, 2013 by AKR1

[Atravelynn]

Thanks @@AKR1, @Penlova, @@twaffle. I caught that word "finally," Twaffle.

 

Wildlife Lodge in Seronera:

For Central Serengeti this offers a superb location and it is one of the least expensive places in the Serengeti. The lodge was minutes away from the Seronera River which attracts many creatures in the dry season. Even in the wet/green season, leopards make their homes in the trees that line the river and are out and about. This was my northern-most accommodation in case the wildebeest really delayed their southern journey and were still hanging out at the river.

Seronera, along the river Seronera River Look at the size of those paws!

 

The newly refurbished lodge (with extensive exercise room and computer/Internet stations in place and probably ready for use by now) was sprawling. I got lost once going to dinner. I’m glad I eventually found the dining room, not only for the meal but for the melodic 3-person percussion ensemble that entertained us.

Quote of the Trip, Censored and Rejected Before it got dark at about 7 pm, I wandered the grounds of Seronera Wildlife Lodge. I was intrigued by a rock hyrax nibbling around the thorns of an Acacia, hanging tight to a branch which bowed under its weight. A young man appeared next to me. “What do you know about the hyrax?” he asked. I mentioned the ancestral relationship with the elephant to which he replied, “Internal testicles.” I was slightly taken aback. We hadn’t even been introduced.

Rock Hyrax in an Acacia tree on Seronera Wildlife Lodge grounds

 

I soon discovered how sincere this guide-in-training was, how wholeheartedly he embraced his guiding profession, and how delighted he was to explain to visitors the unique characteristics of the wildlife around us. After discussing the hyrax in detail, he pointed out a few giraffes that had silently glided into view behind us. He described the trials and tribulations of being a new employee in a competitive field and asked my opinion on various guiding situations he had encountered. His current job was writing down the license plate numbers of vehicles coming and going from the lodge. But I’m sure he he’ll advance quickly from that task, given his zeal for the profession and his extensive knowledge of zoology.

 

Though it had the hallmarks of “Quote of the Trip,” being succinct and attention grabbing, I reluctantly disqualified internal testicles from the running in order to uphold the integrity of safaritalk as a reliable and intellectual resource “for those passionate about Africa” and not a forum for snickering juvenile nonsense and middle school humor. Surely a more suitable quote would materialize at some point in the trip that I could bold in purple font without hesitation.

Giraffe on Seronera Wildlife Lodge grounds

 

[Atravelynn]

Thanks @@AKR1, @Penlova, @@twaffle. I caught that word "finally," Twaffle.

 

Wildlife Lodge in Seronera:

For Central Serengeti this offers a superb location and it is one of the least expensive places in the Serengeti. The lodge was minutes away from the Seronera River which attracts many creatures in the dry season. Even in the wet/green season, leopards make their homes in the trees that line the river and are out and about. This was my northern-most accommodation in case the wildebeest really delayed their southern journey and were still hanging out at the river.

Seronera, along the river Seronera River Look at the size of those paws!

 

The newly refurbished lodge (with extensive exercise room and computer/Internet stations in place and probably ready for use by now) was sprawling. I got lost once going to dinner. I’m glad I eventually found the dining room, not only for the meal but for the melodic 3-person percussion ensemble that entertained us.

Quote of the Trip, Censored and Rejected Before it got dark at about 7 pm, I wandered the grounds of Seronera Wildlife Lodge. I was intrigued by a rock hyrax nibbling around the thorns of an Acacia, hanging tight to a branch which bowed under its weight. A young man appeared next to me. “What do you know about the hyrax?” he asked. I mentioned the ancestral relationship with the elephant to which he replied, “Internal testicles.” I was slightly taken aback. We hadn’t even been introduced.

Rock Hyrax in an Acacia tree on Seronera Wildlife Lodge grounds

 

I soon discovered how sincere this guide-in-training was, how wholeheartedly he embraced his guiding profession, and how delighted he was to explain to visitors the unique characteristics of the wildlife around us. After discussing the hyrax in detail, he pointed out a few giraffes that had silently glided into view behind us. He described the trials and tribulations of being a new employee in a competitive field and asked my opinion on various guiding situations he had encountered. His current job was writing down the license plate numbers of vehicles coming and going from the lodge. But I’m sure he he’ll advance quickly from that task, given his zeal for the profession and his extensive knowledge of zoology.

 

Though it had the hallmarks of “Quote of the Trip,” being succinct and attention grabbing, I reluctantly disqualified internal testicles from the running in order to uphold the integrity of safaritalk as a reliable and intellectual resource “for those passionate about Africa” and not a forum for snickering juvenile nonsense and middle school humor. Surely a more suitable quote would materialize at some point in the trip that I could bold in purple font without hesitation.

Giraffe on Seronera Wildlife Lodge grounds

 

[Atravelynn]

Mystery of the Salami – Part I

After settling into my second floor (better than first floor IMO) Seronera Wildlife Lodge room, I looked out the window to see three slices of salami sausage on the cement ledge at the base of my window. Although it appeared the windows did not open, I assumed the previous occupant had managed to open the window somehow and toss out the unwanted lunch meat. After supper, I noted the salami was gone.

 

The next day there was a single slice of salami in the same spot. It disappeared, only to be replaced by a few more slices. When I awoke in the night and looked out at the cement ledge, I saw a half eaten slice in the moonlight. Adding to the intrigue, I never noticed salami on the menu or in my lunch box.

 

My inquiries led me to rule out hyraxes or vervets as the parties responsible for the salami deposits because whatever it was dined in the middle of the night. “Probably a mouse stealing from the kitchen and stashing outside my window,” I surmised and felt rather privileged that out of 60 rooms, my room’s window ledge had been chosen. I snapped a photo which highlighted the grease stains on the cement, indicating a long standing practice of salami stashing. And then I forgot about it—until my first night in Nasikia Tented Camp. See Mystery of the Salami—Part II.

 

Taken through the window, near and far salami, stains from previous salamis

[Atravelynn]

Seronera

 

Zebra and White Stork Reedbuck

One of the few elephant sightings of the trip, though I was not searching for eles. This was the first major sighting upon entering the Serengeti.

[Atravelynn]

Nasikia Camps, owned by Maasai Wanderings:

 

Both the Central and the Ndutu mobile camps were as very reasonably priced. The beds were comfortable; the showers were hot; the boxed meals were adequate; the meals in camp were fine; the mobile camp even had terrycloth bathrobes; the tents kept out any trace of moisture despite heavy rainfall; the laundry was done promptly and returned to the correct tent; and very importantly, the staff was delightful. The herd of buffalo that ran past my tent in Ndutu, knocking over my canvas chair outside the front of my tent, seemed at home.

Nasikia Central camp, outside, inside, and view

 

The Central Nasikia camp was far enough south to reach the herds if they had remained in the southern part of the Serengeti and not advanced to Ndutu.

 

Nasikia (Nah See KEY ah) means “to hear/to see.” Probably similar to the verb to experience. I hope I can nasikia Nasikia again.

 

One nice option Eben offered me since I was using Nasikia camps in two locations was if it turned out my 3 nights Central and 5 nights Ndutu was all wrong, I could have made a change once I got to Tanzania, provided there was room available. I did consider leaving Central one day earlier and heading to Ndutu for an extra day, but we rearranged the Gol Kopje visits which meant I left the itinerary I had booked in place and was very satisfied with that.

 

Nasikia mobile inside and view

Edited June 7, 2013 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

Mystery of the Salami – Part II

I entered the ensuite bathroom of the Serengeti Nasikia tent shortly after arriving in the late afternoon to find a slice of salami on the canvas floor. A chill went up my spine. This was too odd for a coincidence! The cosmos had conspired to haunt and to taunt me with disappearing and reappearing lunch meat. I flicked on the solar bulb above my head, which cast a weak glow, for a closer inspection of what was laying on the floor in the dark corner of the tent.

 

Cautiously bending over for a better look, I saw the round brown shape was…a canvas patch sewn onto the tent floor. No salami. Thank goodness the Serengeti is not haunted with sausage ghosts. I snapped some photos for memories of this odd set of circumstances and to show George.

 

 

 

The Buzz Around the Campfire

The Nasikia Central Serengeti camp was full the day I arrived with enthusiastic guests of many nationalities, all gathered around the campfire before sundown. Right after introductions something flew down the neck of my loosely fitting t-shirt. A quick flap of the shirt’s bottom hem did nothing to free the sizeable winged insect that was now buzzing madly, wedged between my bra and my cleavage. I’m sure the poor thing was as confused and startled as I was. Not certain how sting-happy of a species I was harboring, I acted on instinct and shrieked, lifting up my shirt to give the intruder a wide berth of an escape route, thereby exposing for all my winter-white Comfort Devotion by Maidenform. Out flew what I think was a harmless dung beetle. I immediately apologized for flashing citizens from around the globe, who all fortunately found the incident to be funny. All except the dung beetle.

[pault]

Lynn, this is brilliant. I know the flashing the other guests at teh camp fire and the salami mystery are "just what happened" but you tell the stories with beautiful timing. I can imagine half of this page will now be speculation about the salami. May I open the bidding with "bored and lonely askari leaving food for his friend the genet"?

 

The dik dik pictures are amazing. Very rare to see one so young and defintiely a very serious find. (actually I just want to point and shout at Mummy that I want one, but that would be undignified ).

 

There are a number of intriguing pictures in teh introduction so I am really looking forward to the rest!

[madaboutcheetah]

What a lovely trip report, Lynn. Pity we missed seeing you in Ndutu ...... If you had scheduled to go a few days earlier on your trip as originally intended, I'm certain we would have shared a cheetah sighting or two!!!!

[Geoff]

A fun report. What a little cutie that baby dik dik is.