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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

2014 TANZANIA PHOTO SAFARI with Amboseli Extension

The first scheduled photo safari of the year has just ended. The 4 day pre-tour extension took place at AMBOSELI National Park in Kenya and the focus was the largest land mammal - the African Elephant.
It is a superb location for elephant photography and this extension will certainly be available on next years safari.

We then passed through the Namanga Border Post into Tanzania and headed for Arusha for an overnight stay and to meet up with the other members of the safari.

This was followed by three nights in the central Serengeti searching for Leopards around Seronera and Lions amongst the Granite Kopjes. We were very lucky to see both as well as a Lioness bringing down a wildebeest and a young male leopard jumping out of a tree but missing his zebra foal target below.

6 nights were spent in the Ndutu area where we saw lots of newly born wildebeest calves but were unlucky this time to see an actual birth.

The highlight was a cheetah count of 20 different individuals, this did include a mother with 5 small cubs. We were also very lucky to see a mother cheetah with 3 subadult cubs bring down an abandoned baby wildebeest, sad to see but perhaps a quicker and better ending for the poor wildebeest.

We had a good deal of lion sightings and on our final morning we stayed with a pride near the Big Marsh, who offered great reflection shots as they lay next to some water.

On to the final two nights at the Ngorongoro Crater in search of the Black Rhino, we were very lucky to see 4 different individuals. A mating pair of Lions was another highlight along with a good variety of birds and lots of zebra, cape buffalo and wildebeest.

Many thanks to our guides, Silas, Mamai, Ole and Wilfred for all their hard work, long hours and excellent driving skills in the tricky conditions.

Many thanks also to Barbara, Marian, Ralph, Winnie, PO and Katrine, it was a pleasure to have had you all on safari.

Here are a few photos from the tour.

Next years safari will run at the same time and there are only 2 spaces left so please contact us if you are interested in joining us in 2015.

Warm regards

Stu

Iremito Entrance Gate to Amboseli in Kenya

We had great weather clear days everyday, and good views of Kilimanjaro

The Elephants tend to make their way to the swamp in the morning and then head back to the foothills in the afternoon.

Grey Crowned Cranes were everywhere in Amboseli

Elephant at sunset in Amboseli

We spent some time with this big tusker in Amboseli

Male Elephant in Amboseli

Elephant herd running - Amboseli

Amboseli is one of the few places to watch and photograph elephants in a very open environment

This female was resting her trunk on her tusks - Amboseli

There are a good number of Secretary Birds in Amboseli

One of the vehicles showing the two common shooting positions all beanbags are provided

Cattle Egrets follow the elephants as they disturb insects in the grass. A common vantage point is on the elephants back

The Amber eye of a female Elephant - Amboseli

Thompsons Gazelle - Amboseli

Sunrise near Seronera in the central SERENGETI

This female Leopard walked with us down the main road for about 2 km and then turned off, picked up her zebra kill and dragged it off to a drainage line

5km from Naabi Hill Gate, we came across this male lion on top of the aptly named "SIMBA" Kopjes. "Simba" is the swahili word for Lion

Male Lion on Kopje. These perfectly crafted Rocky outcrops are one of the things that make the Serengeti distinctly unique

A young male Leopard surveys the landscape after finishing his buffalo calf meal. Serengeti

We managed to get a bit closer to the leopard as he crossed the road in the Serengeti

Lioness bringing down a wildebeest - central Serengeti

Spotted Hyaena in the Serengeti

A Brown Snake Eagle warming up in the cool morning. Serengeti

Two Yellow Billed Oxpeckers - Serengeti

A Male Southern Ground Hornbill with a snake at the family nest site - Serengeti

The Hippo Pools in the Serengeti

A Grey-Backed Fiscal Shrike - Serengeti

A tower of Giraffes in central Serengeti

The young Male Leopard who tried to jump onto a Zebra Foal - Serengeti

Lioness with two small cubs - Ndutu

Secretary Bird nest building - Ndutu

The Pride of Lions near the Big Marsh watching a herd of Zebra - Ndutu

The open plains south of Ndutu Lake were occupied by the migration herds - Ndutu

The female Cheetah that had two small cubs - Ndutu

Lions drinking - Ndutu

Jumping Lioness - Ndutu

Zebra dustbathing - Ndutu

Female Cheetah near hidden Valley - Ndutu

Cheetah Cubs playing - Ndutu

Cheetah Cub - Ndutu

Running Cheetah Cub - Ndutu

Spotted Thick Knee - Ndutu

Giraffe and Zebra near Lake Ndutu

Lioness - Ndutu

Two Male Lions - Ndutu

A Lioness stretches - Ndutu

Sunrise near Ndutu Lake

Lioness in early morning - Ndutu

Lioness - Ndutu

Lioness running - Ndutu

Lioness and cub - Ndutu

Blacksmith Lapwing - Ndutu

Long Crested Eagle

Wildebeest with calf - Ndutu

European Roller Take Off - Ndutu

Fischer's Lovebird - Ndutu

Zebra with dark sky - Ndutu

Giraffe drinking - Ndutu

Male Grant's Gazelle scratching himself with his horn - Ndutu

Coke's Haartebeest - Ndutu

Lioness grooming her small cub - Ndutu

Young Lion Cub - Ndutu

Wildebeest at sunrise near Lake Ndutu

Lappet Faced Vulture - Ndutu

Marabou Stork - Ndutu

Secretary Bird - Ndutu

Wildebeest running - Ndutu

Zebra running through Lake Ndutu

Sunset near Lake Ndutu

Three sub adult Cheetah - Ndutu

Female Cheetah with her eyes locked on the abandoned wildebeest

The female Cheetah at the end of her chase - Ndutu

Female Cheetah with her kill - Ndutu

Cheetahs drinking - Ndutu

The female cheetah with her 3 sub adult cubs - Ndutu

Abdim's Stork - Ngorongoro Crater

Black Rhino with Egret - Ngorongoro Crater

Mating Pair of Lions - Ngorongoro Crater

Two Black Rhino, a Wildebeest and a Golden Jackal - Ngorongoro Crater

Kori Bustard in mating display - Ngorongoro Crater

Ayre's Hawk Eagle with Cattle Egret - Ngorongoro Crater

Mating Lions - Ngorongoro Crater

Male Thompsons Gazelle marking territory - Ngorongoro Crater

Arrival at Seneto gate - Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater from the main view point

Many thanks to our guides - Wilfred, Silas and Ole

Also many thanks to Mamai who guided us in Amboseli !!