DAY 3:

Serengeti: Wildlife on platter

On the breakfast table we could see multiple hot air balloons rising over Serengeti. This is another luxury offering where one can take a ride in one of those balloons which lasts for 2 hours from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and cost is USD 500.

The packed luggage was loaded into our vehicle and we started the last half day game drive in Serengeti with multiple sightings of herbivores, Topias, hippopotamus, hyrax, lizards, swallow birds and Vervet monkey sightings about 2 km from the lodge. The rock hyrax is a calm animal and keeps nibbling on visible green bushes. They were plenty in number within the lodge area but none of them entered the room at any time. A drive further away exposed couple of hidden wild buffaloes. The oldest buffalo of a group leaves the group after some duration and becomes a Bachula head.

We had been driving for almost 2 hours and it was 10:00 am when we spotted a big full grown female lion walking in parallel to our vehicle. This got many other vehicles to follow and all of them started moving in reverse gear along with us. The lioness was closing in and probably looking at right place to cross the road. It chose the road section just ahead of our vehicle and we were literally following her for few minutes watching it walk with utmost pride and honor at its home. We started looking for other lions of its group and saw 3 more lionesses in the bushes who were constantly popping through the bushes. This was an indication that they were on a look out for any dangers for their young ones. Once we were told that there were young cubs around, we started looking around for them also. We were able to spot around 10 young ones which were playing with the older ones. It was the best view of see these young animals getting prepared to become fearless hunters one day. All of them seemed less than 1 year old and more like big balls of cotton. We tracked them for around 30 minutes before leaving them alone in their training.

On way back to the main gate we saw a Saddle bill stork and Crested Crane, Uganda national bird. We stopped at an information center which gives an idea of how the migration happens and what is the need for pregnant animals to undertake such a long arduous journey. It is an extremely beautifully portrayed life cycle which lets you understand this amazing wonder of wild world. The centre is very well made with distinct characteristics as one goes from one stage to the other of the migration. I would recommend you to visit this place if you are in Serengeti.

In the vast grasslands around exit area we saw granite rock formations which were estimated to millions of years old. Their formation is distinct as they stand alone in patches in vast open fields. At around 1:50 pm we were out of Serengeti Park and started for Ngorongoro conservation Area after a quick halt for our packed lunch. It takes about 30minutes of driving to reach the park exit/entrance gate from the border areas. It had been 3 days now and we had not seen an inch of tarred roads for driving.

The 3 days trip to Serengeti was completely breathtaking satisfying all my wishes of seeing the different species of animals in wild natural form.

Serengeti ecosystem is almost the size of Holland of which the Serengeti national park forms the largest part.

Animal sightings:

1. Topias
2. Impala
3. Crested crane
4. Saddle bill stork
5. Agama Lizard
6. Grant gazelle
7. Thompson gazelle
8. Vervet monkey
9. Leopard
10. Lion with cubs
11. Zebra
12. Ostrich
13. Wildbeast
14. Wild buffalo
15. Oxpecker bird
16. Rock hyrax
17. Hippopotamus
18. Gray heron
19. Kanga bird
20. Vulture
21. Sparrow
22. Hyena
23. Elephant
24. Plover
25. Yellow sparrow
26. Crocodile
27. Dove

Swahili tutorial

1. Bird : Ndege
2. Cheetah : Duma
3. Leopard : Chui