Jump to content

A Belated Report From Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater & Northern Serengeti


Steven NY

Recommended Posts

I went on my trip of a lifetime Safari in late September.  I apologize for taking so long to post any sort of a review; in particular, because people on this board were so helpful in my preparations and answered so many questions.

 

I will not post a day by day account.  Rather, I'll summarize my trip and let some of my photos speak for themselves.  My guide at Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater was Steven.  A man with 31 years experience.  He was awesome.  I stayed in a Lemala Camp throughout.  The camp was great.  The people warm and attentive.  Food and accommodations just right.  The other guests were all interesting and in the Lemala Mara where I shared a game vehicle they were all fun to travel with.  My two cameras and 3 lenses were spot on.  Extra batteries and all the stuff I fretted about in advance worked perfectly.  I took over 2000 photos and a fair amount of video.  I intend to make a multi media presentation of my trip and I will come here when it is done and post it or a link to it.

I saw every animal I had hoped to, except Cheetah, which was a big disappointment.  No Rhino, but I was not counting on that.  No animal kills - only the aftermaths of it.  I did see a failed attempt by a lioness.  She was stalking Zebra, but they saw her before she could charge.  No Great Migration.  It came early this year and was essentially over in late September.  I did see some Wildebeests and Zebras crossing, but not in the numbers I had hoped and without the crocs laying in wait.  I know the migration came through before I got there because the river smelled like Hell and the vultures were feeding on carcasses.  I am not a birder, but Steven and Zobdi, my guide in the North, took pride in pointing them out.  I got some really nice shots of the birds. A leopard and her two cubs was a highlight.  

All in all it was a fantastic experience and well worth the time and effort and expense it took for me to prepare for it.  I have posted over 100 photos on my facebook page in the first month after I returned.  As I looked through my shots I posted some of the best.  If you go to Facebook and look for me (Steven Fromewick)  you can look back through my posts which started when I got home and continued until a few weeks ago.  Rather than post 100 shots here, I will post some of my favorites.  Although, it is hard to choose one over the others.  I hope you like them.5a0facf22b04c_WildebeastsPainting.thumb.jpg.2377622df06748bafefc30b826111243.jpg5a0fad095425d_Rolleror.thumb.jpg.6337e0fe104af300e66d445f2960a59d.jpg5a0fad3f8430a_2ZebrasIntertwined.thumb.jpg.579e1cbe2de133a5baf7ed992294a1c1.jpg5a0fae01520e3_ImpalaatGoldenHour2.thumb.JPG.eea0847c0ad92525c0250149a8746827.JPG5a0fad1b1e0a1_MonkeysinTree.thumb.jpg.9cc57abc1756e1898d770a493409a029.jpg5a0fadcd25ab7_ZodbeMe.thumb.JPG.431b5aa2b843e7e3383d6d010869ffd9.JPG5a0fae38ce0aa_StevenMe.thumb.JPG.98bb0391523792eecc8c0319cb0757c0.JPG5a0fada7f29e8_Crane1-2.thumb.jpg.38daa54c989fc4de008c760b7ae91ab1.jpg5a0fae660e4e3_SmallRiverCrossing.thumb.jpg.04495efddcc0a768f340c9983ff6c59a.jpg5a0fae827c3d8_OstrichCoupleW-Chicks.thumb.jpg.e77fe44bbe0d6863feadf7c29992f933.jpg5a0fae9edde2c_NgorongoroCrater3.thumb.jpg.bbe52f7ef5834ddf11fac560b10b1695.jpg5a0fadf7b0ba4_ZebraRollingOver.thumb.jpg.9fcf6783aa4e098353bd220f81b5f69d.jpg5a0faf1b5ac19_LandscapeNgorongoro.thumb.jpg.5727bc2e50fcbc284e02eb46d9da18b6.jpg5a0faf04c8655_LeopardCubs.thumb.jpg.4935ecc3c416d174c689d04f8e2b2b81.jpg5a0faec3bd4ab_LionW-TongueOut2.thumb.jpg.52b5bcd0369e865935ae985b1a25ff28.jpg5a0faf875b459_GiraffesinField-2.thumb.jpg.ee15dd7410a7e27e85732ec3b75535fa.jpg5a0faf9b76fc4_GiraffeTopi.thumb.jpg.b8138cbf29ff10e1447c4e5b653b8805.jpg5a0fb001d076b_All3Leopards.thumb.jpg.5c400680dc0a149930ec40e59938ea4e.jpg5a0faff08d353_BabboonMarching.thumb.jpg.fe62692eb5648b3dc8296ea0900feea5.jpg5a0fafe3747f0_BuffaloStaring.thumb.jpg.70dcf7e9f91dc1ad6a5c2b75abe0b822.jpg5a0fafa507bfb_ElephantsBW.thumb.jpg.ea28f55feab46d4fe0feebcad7d228ae.jpg5a0fafbbe5639_ElephantFamily.thumb.jpg.8251801a5e520a17cd1ee86619921ca3.jpg

Lions in Trees.jpg

Impala Serengeti.jpg

Hippo.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elsa Hoffmann

What a wonderful series of images. The last one - hippos - is my favorite - probably because I have been dying to shoot them. Mine in Tanzania was very far away. I have fond memories of my trip - thanks for reminding me again. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your nice comments.  The hippos were a fair distance away - distance is a good thing between man and hippo.  I was very grateful that I took the trouble to take a long lens.  All the fretting over weight requirements and storage, etc. was worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Steven NY  great photos.....loved the "smiling" lion and the photo bombing eland with the giraffe...made me smile. Glad you enjoyed your? trip.

Edited by lmonmm
?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your nice comments.  An interesting note about the Eland, which of course I was not aware of when i took the shot.  I entered 1/2 dozen of my photos in the Rhino Africa Photographer of the Year contest.  I don't think my shots are spectacular, as I have seen lion shots and others which are quite stunning.  They have rejected everyone of my shots in the preliminary stages, except the two intertwined zebras, which means they do not go into the online gallery and  the judges do not get to see them.  One of the rejected was the Giraffe/Eland shot.  They claim either it is not well composed, not focused, not meeting technical requirements, or not within the Wild Africa theme. I wrote back to them and they have not relented.  If you go to the gallery you will see quite a few very mundane and ordinary shots.  I think my 3 Impala in the Golden Hour light is one of the best shots I've ever taken.  I think they're nuts.  

Edited by Steven NY
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Steven NY

Lovely photos! Judging photo competitions is all about opinions - I think you can be proud of the images you have taken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some great photos there Steven. No need to apologise for taking a while to do a report, I havent started mine yet - was in Northen Tanzania in Late October- hope to start it shortly and it will  probably take quite a long time to complete.

it would be nice if you could post some more of your photos on here, we all really enjoy seeing  others photos from their safaris.

Edited by Julian
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Julian said:

Some great photos there Steven. No need to apologise for taking a while to do a report, I havent started mine yet - was in Northen Tanzania in Late October- hope to start it shortly and it will  probably take quite a long time to complete.

it would be nice if you could post some more of your photos on here, we all really enjoy seeing  others photos from their safaris.

I am trying to put together a multi-media production of my safari.  When I finish it I will post the production itself or a link to it.  Thanks for your compliment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

offshorebirder

Good stuff @Steven NY.    Thanks for sharing photos and impressions from your safari.

 

I tried googling " Steven Fromewick "  Facebook but only came up with a couple of your posts on Michael Moore's FB page.

 

Would you mind posting the URL (web link) of your FB page so we can look at the complete set of photos?   Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, offshorebirder said:

Good stuff @Steven NY.    Thanks for sharing photos and impressions from your safari.

 

I tried googling " Steven Fromewick "  Facebook but only came up with a couple of your posts on Michael Moore's FB page.

 

Would you mind posting the URL (web link) of your FB page so we can look at the complete set of photos?   Thanks in advance.

I don't know the url.  It was actually a series of 20 to 30 posts.  What I was suggesting is that if you go to facebook and then search on that platform, you'd find me.  Eventually I'll have something prepared which willl incorporate all of those shots as well as some video.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As per request from AmyT - Here are a couple of leaping Vervet Monkeys.5a15f9a1a3d29_MonkeyLeaping.thumb.jpg.3f2f5a304c2a704d00784e60e410b97d.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your lovely shots. You did not see Cheetah which is a shame but you got to see THREE leopards walking? Wow that must have been a great moment. I saw once three in a tree by Seronera, and that was my best ever leopard sighting. But, I’m seriously jealous of the three of them walking. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the compliment on my photos.  The best thing about the Leopards was that it was a mother and her 2 cubs.  I was a bit disappointed about the Cheetahs.  I fantasized before the trip about a Cheetah jumping up on the game vehicle and maybe even climbing in to the seat next to me, like the famous shots of the guy from Ireland.  It was probably part of an insidious plot to make sure I go back to Africa one day.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

offshorebirder
On 11/22/2017 at 3:02 AM, AmyT said:

 

Thanks @AmyT - I loathe Facebook and will never, ever sign up or log in, so all I could do were external searches...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

offshorebirder

Oh well - the link didn't work after all - page not found.   I give up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sure that ST is several cuts above FB in terms of discerning and knowledgeable members. Hence the normally in depth Trip Reports we share. I don' t think you are alone in avoiding it @offshorebirder. I am on FB but use it in a completely different way compared to ST. Pics of lions cubs seem to appeal,  but a Honey Badger  or something less common and most would not know what it was........

Edited by wilddog
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember the planning questions way back.  You did good!  Especially like the ostrich chicks and two young leopards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

I remember the planning questions way back.  You did good!  Especially like the ostrich chicks and two young leopards.

Thanks for the compliment on the photos and thanks for the help back when I was planning the trip.  I hadn't realized I got the ostrich chicks until I got home and looked at it on the computer.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/28/2017 at 11:13 AM, Steven NY said:

Thanks for the compliment on the photos and thanks for the help back when I was planning the trip.  I hadn't realized I got the ostrich chicks until I got home and looked at it on the computer.  

 

 

Those are some of the most fun shots, when you don't know what all is in the photo until you see it on a larger screen!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Atravelynn said:

 

Those are some of the most fun shots, when you don't know what all is in the photo until you see it on a larger screen!

It is for exactly that reason I always tell people starting out in photography to NEVER delete anything directly from their camera.  Some of my favorite shots, wildlife or even street photography, have been revealed to me when i looked at it enlarged on the computer.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
gatoratlarge

What were the monkeys pictured in the first tranche of photos?  Great pics! :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't remember the name of those monkeys.  It was in Lake Manyara.  I'm sure someone here can name them.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Steven NY & @gatoratlarge - they're Blue Monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis)

 

Thanks for this TR @Steven NY - really enjoyed your photos - particularly like the dancing vervets and that beautiful photo looking down into the crater brought a wave of nostalgia as I recalled that awe-inspiring sight on my first visit to Africa in June 1973.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy