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Atravelynn

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Where the cheetah cubs romp is a take-off on the Namiri Plains slogan, “Where the Big Cats Roam.”

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Romping in Makao Plains, Ndutu. Mother and a pair of 3-ish month old cubs.

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Romping in Namiri Plains.

Three cubs about 8 weeks old. But the Namiri romps were often viewed at a great distance because off-roading has been suspended

in the Namiri Plains area and only one road through the middle of the area can be used. My visit was March 1-4, 2016.

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Sometimes they romped in trees. Ndutu.

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Sometimes the romped with Mom. Ndutu.

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Sometimes their romps included not only with, but on their food. Ndutu.

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After romping, the focus was on nyama nourishment. Ndutu.

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Then some nursing. Ndutu.

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And finally nap time. Ndutu.

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Awww what lovely pictures to pull the heartstrings. that second pic of the kittens with one of them sticking out its tongue is great. and so is the sleeping cub.

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I'm suffering a cuteness overload here Lynn, off to do something manly!

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post-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg Subtitle: Trip of the Traveling Trouserspost-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg

 

Back in 2014 as we headed back to the Kilimanjaro International Airport at the end of our safari, Guide George Mbwambo stopped briefly at a market and returned to surprise me with a bolt of material. We had been discussing significant dates and his wife’s birthday was the same day as my anniversary—which I was headed home to celebrate. The material was my anniversary gift!

 

Back home, I had the gift made into trousers, which have fetched compliments wherever I wear them.

 

For this trip, the trousers were tucked safely into my carry-on. Not only would George receive a small gift bag that included locally made organic cranberry granola bars (the state of Wisconsin produces enough cranberries to provide 26 to everyone in the world and the bars probably supplied George with his allotment). He would also get to see his gift of brightly colored material turned into a functional, attractive garment.

 

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George, the bearer of the anniversary gift of material, is on the right. The recipient (me) is on the left,

and the material that became the trousers is on the bottom half of the recipient (me).

The topic of trousers turns up again in the trip.

 

 

post-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg Sub-subtitle for Art Lovers: A Mary Cassatt Exhibition in Safari Form post-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg

Photos of mother cats and cubs, in American Impressionist Mary Cassatt’s style of intimate mother-infant bonding, will be strewn throughout the report.

 

 

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Lion Wing of the Mary Cassatt Exhibit. Big Marsh Pride Lions near Big Marsh Woodland, Ndutu.

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Cheetah Wing of the Mary Cassatt Exhibit. Makao Plains, Ndutu. Mother with 3-month old cubs.

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Thomson's Gallery of the Mary Cassatt Exhibit. Our last sighting of the trip. Ndutu.

post-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg Point of Interest post-108-0-35733200-1459993240_thumb.jpg

Safaritalk member Sverker and his friends met up with me on the Plain of the Big Marsh in Ndutu for a short and enjoyable little get together. More on that near the end of the report.

 

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Sverker and Lynn, Ndutu.

Itinerary dates are next.

Edited by Atravelynn
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michael-ibk

Great you started your report, was waiting for it! Cheetac cub heaven, oh my, really lovely photos. And a Sverker sighting - very cool. ;-) I hope your very pretty but colourful trousers did not scare away the wildlife? :P

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@@Atravelynn

So many cubs ... the opening part of your reprot is as colourful as your trousers!

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Game Warden

Great cheetah sightings but there haven't been many photos of a wild @@Sverker on ST...

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Gorgeous cubs and as for the trousers....... they are very special. Nice that you could meet up with Sverker.

 

What dates were you in Ndutu @@Atravelynn ?

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What a very bright and cheerful start to your trip report. I love the trousers! :)

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Great start - those cheetah cubs are just SUPER cute!! Can't wait to see the rest of this trip report!

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The second to last shot in the first post - napping cub - is so sweet it almost shouldn't be allowed. The Thomson's foal is great too.

 

The trousers are spectacular. I truly believe that nobody could resist commenting on that very cheering outfit Lynn. It's like you have your own sunshine.

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@@Atravelynn

Wow - wonderful start - great trousers - great story!

And the cats are a real treat - cheetah cubs are just so cute (but also the lions and the Thomson's baby!)

And a meeting with @Sverker an added bonus.

I look forward to the rest of your report

(To my shame I have never heard of Mary Cassat -so off to Google....)

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Lovely start @@Atravelynn, I'm looking forward to more. You definitely saw more cheetah cubs than we did!

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@@Atravelynn Nice start to what I'm sure will be another awesome trip report. George said you would be there in March, so I have been looking forward to this.

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Love the cheetah cubs and glad you had a great start. Looking forward to more.

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~ @@Atravelynn

 

Very, very NICE!

Tom K.

Yes, I was thrilled.

 

@@Atravelynn, gorgeous, both Cats and trousers.

Maybe I need some trousers with cats on them. Thanks.

 

Great you started your report, was waiting for it! Cheetac cub heaven, oh my, really lovely photos. And a Sverker sighting - very cool. ;-) I hope your very pretty but colourful trousers did not scare away the wildlife? :P

I was careful to wear the bright colors in the bush only on the Sverker meeting day. In fact bright colors came up as a discussion point on our Arusha walk and were discouraged for that very reason--scaring away the wildlife.

 

@@Atravelynn

So many cubs ... the opening part of your reprot is as colourful as your trousers!

And I met a colorful character, @@Sverker!

 

Great cheetah sightings but there haven't been many photos of a wild @@Sverker on ST...

@@Sverker was a lifer. And he mentioned seeing some real lifers to me on this trip, where birding was a focus.

 

What dates were you in Ndutu @@Atravelynn ?

4-10 March. The next installment discusses dates and trying to maximize what you want to see. Emphasis on try because nature decides.

 

What a very bright and cheerful start to your trip report. I love the trousers! :)

Thank you, I do believe I was the best dressed visitor to Ndutu that day. Apologies to Sverker and his crew.

 

The second to last shot in the first post - napping cub - is so sweet it almost shouldn't be allowed. The Thomson's foal is great too.

 

The trousers are spectacular. I truly believe that nobody could resist commenting on that very cheering outfit Lynn. It's like you have your own sunshine.

If not my own source of sunshine, I believe the trousers did an excellent job of reflecting it, so I only wore them out in the bush on GTG day.

 

@@Atravelynn

Wow - wonderful start - great trousers - great story!

And the cats are a real treat - cheetah cubs are just so cute (but also the lions and the Thomson's baby!)

And a meeting with @Sverker an added bonus.

I look forward to the rest of your report

(To my shame I have never heard of Mary Cassat -so off to Google....)

I saw her exhibit one time at The Art Institute in Chicago and that is where I became educated on her. I thought I'd throw in a little art history to the report this time.

 

Lovely start @@Atravelynn, I'm looking forward to more. You definitely saw more cheetah cubs than we did!

I think later in the season generally increases the odds of cubs. But it decreases the odds of wilde births. I saw no actual births this time, going 4-10 March. But there's always something happening in Ndutu.

 

@@Atravelynn Nice start to what I'm sure will be another awesome trip report. George said you would be there in March, so I have been looking forward to this.

But he did not tell me about the 14 lions in the tree, that rascal. He probably did not want to dampen my huge enthusiasm for the 4 that I saw. "This is my record!" I exclaimed.

 

Love the cheetah cubs and glad you had a great start. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, and fortunately the cheetah good fortune persisted throughout the trip.

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Great start - those cheetah cubs are just SUPER cute!! Can't wait to see the rest of this trip report!

Aren't they though? They just can't help themselves.

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Awww what lovely pictures to pull the heartstrings. that second pic of the kittens with one of them sticking out its tongue is great. and so is the sleeping cub.

I am hoping to yank the heartstrings by report end. The cubs were out in force during my visit.

 

I'm suffering a cuteness overload here Lynn, off to do something manly!

Just growing your beard (or shaving the stubble) can suffice.

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Great cheetah sightings but there haven't been many photos of a wild @@Sverker on ST...

He was actually quite civilized!

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post-108-0-71056900-1460087111_thumb.jpg Itinerary post-108-0-71056900-1460087111_thumb.jpg

 

Feb 27 Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport on KLM, scheduled to land at 9 pm. Drive 1 hour to Arusha and o/nt Tulip Hotel, arriving after midnight, due airline delays and an hour in customs, obtaining my visa upon arrival. Sosy, the Njozi Ndutu Camp biologist was my transport driver. He was on other assignment, unfortunately, while I was at the camp, his normal base of operations.

 

Feb 28 Day in Arusha National Park, including ranger-escorted hike. O/nt Tulip Hotel

 

Feb 29 Drive about an hour to Nanja Maasai Cattle and Goat Market, then 35 minutes to Kisonga Maasai Cattle Market. O/nt Maramboi, about 70 minutes from Kisonga Maasai Cattle Market. O/nt Maramboi

 

Mar 01 From Maramboi To Namiri Plains Camp in Eastern Serengeti

7 am Leave Maramboi

9:40 Arrive Lodvari Gate at entrance to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

10:10 Depart Lodvari Gate

1:30 pm Arrive Naabi Hill in Serengenti

2:50 Depart Naabi Hill after picnic lunch

5:15 Reach the turnoff to Namiri Plains Camp, but we did not go directly to camp

6:30 Arrive Namiri Plains Camp

 

Mar 02, 03 Namiri Plains Camp with trips to the Seronera Valley, about one hour away.

 

Mar 04 Namiri Plains Camp to Njozi Ndutu Camp operated by The Wild Source, near Lake Ndutu #3

9:10 am Leave Namiri Plains after breakfast in camp

11:20 Leave Seronera

12:20 pm Simba Kopjes

12:50 Arrive Naabi Hill

1:50 Depart Naabi Hill after picnic lunch

3:25 Arrive at Lake Ndutu

6:20 After a game drive, arrive Njozi Ndutu Camp

 

Mar 05, 06, 07, 08, 09 Njozi Ndutu Camp in Ndutu, for all drives, out approximately 6:00 am to 6:00 pm or a little later most days.

 

Mar 10 Depart Ndutu to Kilimanjaro Airport

9:10 am Emerge from Makoa Woodland at Triangle, Ndutu

12:15 pm Arrive Lodvari Gate, entrance to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

12:30 Leave Lodvari Gate

4:05 Arrive Arusha post office

5:10 Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport, which opens at 5 pm, for KLM flight, departing 10 pm

 

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Makao Plains, Ndutu

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The only shade to be found in Seronera Valley

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Yellow necked Francolin, Vereaux's Eagle Owl Not quite adult Saddle billed Storks on a nest

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Hidden Valley, Ndutu

Next installment is weather and why Feb 27-March 10 was chosen

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infant overload. very cute. and very bright trousers.

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More wonderful photos! Great action shot at the Hidden Valley, and wonderful sighting of the Verreaux's Eagle Owl. Thanks for including such detailed info about driving times - very useful info while planning for my self drive trip in the Serengeti :)

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Love the picture at Hidden Valley

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