Northern Circuit November 2021

[Zubbie15]

I was planning to post how jealous I was of your aardwolf sighting, and then I got to your day in the Crater and seeing both a serval kitten and a hunting caracal.   We did a night game drive when staying at Mpingo in 2019, and I was really impressed with their professionalism, but we definitely weren’t as lucky as you.  Thanks for sharing, looking forward to more.

[Treepol]

Tarangire really delivered for you, what a successful night drive you experienced. The serval and  caracal photos are amazing, what a special sighting in the crater

[Caracal]

1 hour ago, campsafari2015 said:

And he labeled us his luckiest clients ever. First, we'd had plenty of lions and already had leopards. We'd also had aardwolf, serval, python, and wildcats.

And then that superb caracal sighting. Am much enjoying following your safari but I confess to a touch of jealousy!

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 8 (Nov 7) - Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Nanyukie, Serengeti NP

 

Flushed with triumph from the sightings we'd already had on the first week on safari, we set out from the Crater's rim to drive down into the Serengeti. I'd structured our itinerary with the idea that we'd have a diverse safari experience that built over time towards the Serengeti, which I expected to bring the best action of the trip. Now, we half-jokingly worried we'd run out our luck in the first half and how ever would the Serengeti deliver? 

 

We set out at around 8:30am from camp and took our time around the rim, looking for high altitude rainforest bird varieties we'd lose all future opportunity to enjoy upon departure. I didn't get to add as many as I had hoped, as they steered clear of the truck and quickly dropped out of sight. Had I been physically more confident in myself booking the trip, I would have signed up for the highlands walk. I have heard that the level of exertion takes many guests by surprise, though. 

 

We entered the western NCA and I felt my mood dropping with every mile. I'm a lush landscape type of person and at that point in the short rainy season, the rains hadn't arrived yet and the landscape was brutally desolate and dusty. The one highlight of that experience of the drive to the gates of the Serengeti was sighting hundreds of giraffe congregated in a tiny area of whistling thorn acacias. Many more giraffe than we'd seen combined the whole trip so far. I couldn't get a photo on the busy road as so many trucks were coming and going to the local Maasai tribes for cultural experiences. I did get the below photo later on, where a group of giraffe had picked the oddest place (to me) to rest in a circle, but it probably was a nice safe place in their estimation. You can see just how dry and hazy the area was at the time. 

 

 

We entered the Serengeti and soon turned off the main road to go north through the easternmost plains. There were thousands of gazelle in several areas, but no cheetah (or other larger cats) that we could see. But we wouldn't be out of the cats entirely, and the Serengeti would find a way to compete with our previous experiences in its own unique manner. 

 

We were about 1.5 hours into the park, and it was about 3:00pm. We were still far out east, but working back northwest towards Lemala Nanyukie generally. My spouse had taken it upon himself to "Sight The Things", as it had been a quiet and dispiriting transit for both of us through the tan, dormant plains. 

 

Sight the things he did! First, it was another caracal. Not so great on the views or pictures, but we will take it happily! It was in a half-crouch, which allowed us to see it in the first place. But, after a moment of regarding us, it felt it had given us a sufficient show and it merely laid down and disappeared from sight. No wonder so few sightings are to be had.

 

 

We moved along, still working the area and feeling rejuvenated when my spouse spotted this African Wildcat about a half-hour later. 

 

 

Further on, about 45 minutes from Lemala Nanyukie, our guide spotted this handsome and healthy male serval, thus perfecting our small cat day. As you can see through the sequence, the grass also became progressively greener, evidencing the recent rains that had fallen in the area. 

 

 

 

My spouse, wanting the small cat trifecta for himself, managed a serval right near Lemala Nanyukie's driveway, but I didn't get a picture because of the low light  

 

A caracal, a wildcat, and two serval as the Serengeti welcoming committee!

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 9 (8 Nov) - Serengeti NP

 

Cheetah were the primary reason I chose Tanzania and specifically Lemala Nanyukie as our primary base in the Serengeti. However, our rule of thumb was to not try for anything to the exclusion of others, so we went with whatever our guide had in mind for the trip. The first day, he had the mind to stay closer in to Lemala Nanyukie, working over the Maasai and Research Kopjes primarily. 

 

The morning started off well, another serval sighting, and it started to feel like they were our lucky omen. We carried on into the plains and shortly came upon our first cheetah, far away and carrying itself further, we watched for some moments until it was lost to distance. It looked either pregnant, well-fed, or both. If it were due to eating, that would be something that would become somewhat of a rarity for our cheetah sightings.

 

 

We carried along on the plains, and came across two more cheetah. Unfortunately, it was also our first exposure to the abhorrent behavior of people that would mar our experience in the Serengeti and ultimately detract from our fond memories of our time there. 

 

A mother cheetah had managed a kill for her and her approximately year-old cub. It was only about 40 yards off the road, but the two trucks that had discovered them had decided that 40 yards wasn't close enough to catch the gory and beautiful details of the pair having breakfast, and that headed off road. They didn't just go off road, but they went within 5 yards of the pair! I'm going to name and shame here, one of the vehicles was a driver and truck out of Asilia Namiri Plains, I couldn't ID the other.

 

The trucks were so close and intrusive that the mother decided the situation was no longer secure, and decided to depart. The youngster was clearly reluctant to leave the kill, and dragged along behind its mother with a half-full stomach. It was also apparent that the trucks did not have off-road permissions, as when we came along they quickly left the area. But their damage had been done, and vultures quickly claimed the cheetah mother's hard work. We watched them as they disappeared into longer and safer grass. 

 

After moving along for a bit, we came across two more cheetah and unfortunately, it was like déjà vu. This time, a mother cheetah and her nearly-grown offspring were attempting to get the hunt started by scouting from some termite mounds. Two more vehicles had decided that they needed to be closer to them, and had driven off and right up to them. Again, making them nervous and distracted from the hunting task. The trucks again left the scene of their misbehavior immediately upon witness arrival. We waited on the road and happily for us, shortly after the trucks departed, the pair decided to walk right behind our vehicle. 

 

 

 

You can see the youngster suffered a wound to his leg, which we heard through the guide grapevine was a result of it jumping onto a vehicle. Fortunately, it looked like a superficial wound, and hopefully no serious infection sets in.

 

More and more vehicles showed up, but with us setting the standard of staying on the road, the rest of the vehicles arriving literally fell in line. However, the whole thing was becoming quite congested and the cheetah were moving further away from our accessible areas. We decided that the whole thing had become oversaturated, and moved along ourselves. Hoping that we'd help give the pair some breathing room to hunt without harassment. 

 

Presently, we came upon two more cheetah, this time in a more advanced stage of hunting - the purposeful stalk. There were a few vehicles present, and word had already been put out over the radio a hunt was developing. This also brought us another unfortunate experience of our safari - the Film Crew. Not too long after our arrival, an open-door truck came actually barreling across the savanna. They didn't stop to note the lay of the hunt, the dispersal of gazelle in relation to the actively hunting cheetah and therefore scattered the herd and spoiled the hunt. We left the scene frustrated and angry, given what we'd already experienced that morning. 

 

We moved further south and came across two healthy looking female lions moving out with purpose and intensity. It became apparent what had caught their attention- a young male, alone and apparently trespassing on the females' pride territory. The females disappeared over the crest of the hill in pursuit of the male, who had altered direction in light of the developments.

 

 

We started off towards the females' origination - some kopjes (I think Research Kopjes, but don't quote me). There were two females assigned to cub-care duty as their sisters saw off the intruder. 

 

 

 

Happily for us, their charges decided to move about in the open. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clearly two different litters, and there was a real need for more food for the whole lot of cubs, even though the females looked fit and healthy. At least we knew the lean season was almost at an end. Once the cubs had settled down out of sight, we moved along to find what else we could see. Which turned out to be more lions a few hours later and happily unmolested by vehicles. We settled down to watch quietly, and had them to ourselves for a good chunk of time. As our guide liked to say, they were "just reeeeeeaaaalllllyyy relaxing". The older male had absolutely no interest in protection duty, and let the younger male keep his eye on us people as more trucks discovered the sighting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We moved off of this sighting after the fifth truck showed up and things got pushy. Besides, it was time to start to make our way towards Lemala Nanyukie anyway. We worked our way slowly back through the plains and came across this cheetah pair, not 10 feet from the road. They made good use of the scrubby wild hibiscus to rest for a bit, then as the light faded, mom made the decision to try for the nearby gazelle. As you can see from the sequence, she was all about the business and junior was not. Unsurprisingly, the hunt was spoiled before it had even begun in earnest, and we and the cheetah went separate ways. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost back to Lemala's driveway, we found a gaggle of trucks around a tree and could guess what had brought them - two leopards lounging. We weren't able to stay given the time, and just noted their position and carried along back home. 

 

Overall, the first full day of the Serengeti brought us: 

21 Lions as one lone young male, four lionesses with four cubs, and the pride of twelve (two males, four adult females, youngsters of varying ages, no cubs)

10 Cheetah as two lone adults (one of the lone adults was so far, not worth picturing) and four pairs 

1 serval

2 leopards (mother and older offspring)

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 10 (9 Nov) - Serengeti NP

 

This day, we started out heading west towards the Seronera area, as the night before we'd decided to do a half-day out and take advantage of a hot lunch and Lemala's amenities for the afternoon. Almost immediately, we found a serval. We watched her with interest for several minutes until she headed off into the underbrush. I didn't take pictures, just preferring in that moment to appreciate her with binoculars, even though she was close in.

 

We made it out to the main road and a few minutes later, found this cheetah family being observed by some other 6:00am starters. I'll apologize for the video quality, I don't take video really. 

 

 

Trucks were rapidly lining up, and the family wasn't particularly close. We decided to move along and try our luck in quieter areas the family drew the trucks from the immediate vicinity. We watched some Thomson's gazelles feeling feisty in the early morning. 

 

 

After enjoying their antics for a bit, we carried on in a westerly direction and our guide spotted a tan stump in the distance that upon further inspection turned out to be another cheetah. As we worked our way towards her on a north-going offshoot, we discovered she had three older cubs. They were absolutely breathtaking in the rising sun, and I wish I had done them justice in my photos. Oh well, still learning. They stayed with us for a good long time and then started to head off towards the gazelle and impala herd across a small brushy creek that ran parallel to our road.

 

 

 

 

Suddenly, a secretary bird that had been patrolling nearby, located just out of frame on the left in the picture above, started kicking and attacking a reedbuck it had come across, for reasons known only to the secretary bird. The commotion stopped the four cheetah in their tracks, and the mother sensed a perfect opportunity. You'll notice a jump in the middle, the reedbuck froze for over five minutes as it tried to determine what was hiding in the grass, but I didn't think you all needed to wait through that given the video quality.

 

 

Mom wasn't fully gassed, but we were! We decided there was no better spot than where we were (still alone) to settle down and eat breakfast in the truck. A few trucks came to investigate what we were up to, and we let them know our recent excitement; they decided to wait with us. We kept an eye out on the family during the process, and so saw her when she decided she was sufficiently rested to carry on with Plan A - Gazelle Hunt. She and the youngsters crossed the creek and shrub area and started making their way up the hill towards the herd and we could feel the potential of a chase building, but the herd exploded! And not from the direction of threat that we were aware of...instead a cat comes streaking towards the ravine, running flat out. 

 

It was pandemonium. I'm asking "wait, what? Which cat is that?" the guide and my spouse are saying "that's mom". I'm telling them "no way, there's no cubs following, that's not her! And that's no cheetah". And it wasn't. 

 

Unobserved to all, there had been a leopard stalking the same herd that the cheetah were going for, but lucky for the herd members, the cats played the spoiler for each others' efforts. The leopard climbed a tree to observe the scene it had just fled, perhaps hoping the cheetah might fell breakfast for it. The watching cars, including us, all moved along to the main road to get a better view. She and her cubs worked their way around the remaining members of the herd, and tried for a full-frontal assault, no guile. 

 

 

Ah well, better luck next time for them, I hope. We didn't see this family again during the remainder of our time in the Nanyukie area, so I couldn't say for sure. We checked the leopard tree, but if you were sharp-eyed in the video and knew where to look, you would have noted that the leopard had already made itself scarce. No matter, we'll just...go find another! Admittedly, it did take an hour or so to find another. 

 

 

We didn't spend too much time before saying "goodbye" to this individual as it had attracted quite a crowd. We were back on the road for a bit before we encountered an almighty jam. Turns out, the lions (three mature males with one being quite a bit older, two females) that had made a kill quite close to the road had retreated to the shade of the nearby vehicles to cool down. We cycled through, got some photos, and headed on our way.

 

 

 

We moved on towards the West a bit, and came across another jam. This one was arrayed curiously, with one truck in the middle of the road, another pulled off to the side about 25 feet, and another parked in the road about 25 feet beyond the opposite side of the truck in the middle of the road. Surveying the scene, I declared "there's a cat under that vehicle in the middle". And so we pulled up slowly, leaving space to allow whatever was under the vehicle to come out. So fortunately for us, she chose our space to egress into and slip away.

 

 

 

 

She wasn't alone either. We were able to spot her brother and mother nearby as well. With that, we happily headed back to Lemala. Very respectable for a half-day, indeed!

 

Cat Count for the Day: 

1 Serval

7 Cheetah (1 mom + 2 younger cubs, 1 mom + 3 older cubs)

5 Leopards (2 singleton adults, 1 mom with two older cubs)

5 Lions (3 males, 2 females all adults)

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 11 (Nov 10) - Serengeti NP

 

We started our heading towards Namiri Plains with the idea to try for the melanistic serval. Unfortunately, we missed any type of serval that day. In full honesty, it was a grueling and slow day for the most part, as the territory to the East and South in the park was dry, brown, and hot. The cats also chose to be elsewhere or go unnoticed that day. This account is correspondingly light on pictures and details. 

 

In fact, our sightings for the morning were restricted to a lazy pride of five lions (three adult females and two adolescents) and two separate single cheetah that were so far away, I didn't photograph them.

 

 

We had lunch at the main Seronera Picnic site, where I enjoyed the hyrax. There was also a wet area nearby where we found this heron consuming an unfortunate frog. 

 

 

 

Then, we started making our way on the side roads north and south of the road between Nanyuki and Seronera. There, things started to pick up again. We had four more lions (not pictured). Then came across the mother leopard and her two cubs we'd seen the day before. Nobody else was around, so we could enjoy their company quietly. As we paralleled their progress beside the brushy wash, we happened to spot an African Wildcat hiding in the grass, hoping to go unnoticed by both leopard and people. No good pictures, but we hope it made it out of the pickle of deciding to flee into the wash the leopards went into. The mother and daughter leopards were sticking close together still, but the male had already started to spend more time alone and we found him further along down the road. He happened to be facing the road, so even though we were a little far away, we could get a cute shot.

 

 

 

Further along the road, we found a few vehicles crowded around a beautiful mature male leopard who had cached his kill in the tree right beside the road. Unfortunately, the bad behavior of people reared its head again. There was a photography trip/workshop that had special dispensation to offroad (I assume; it was conducted by Unique Safaris). However, they took it so far beyond acceptable bounds of using their privilege and crossed firmly into harassment of the animal.

 

The leopard was barely ten feet above the height of a safari truck, yet these people with $20,000+ rigs drove IMMEDIATELY underneath him. I presume to get pictures of his face as he was resting with it hanging down pointing away from the road. He became so disturbed by their commotion, he climbed down the tree and attempted to hide in the brushy ravine. The cars then drove down into the ravine to get a clear view. He socked himself completely out of sight of any person, unless they wanted to run him over. So, by their need to get the "perfect shot", they had ruined the sighting for everyone.

 

 

We carried on angry and dispirited, as many of the people showed no remorse or introspection for their actions. Close to Lemala's driveway, we spotted the film crew vehicle parked in a field, and we noted a gazelle frozen with fear near to the film vehicle. Additionally, there was a small gaggle of trucks on the road, as the cheetah mom with two younger cubs had chosen to rest very close to the road. We parked to enjoy the cheetahs with the other vehicles. Shortly thereafter, the mother cheetah noticed the gazelle frozen about 30 yards from the film vehicle, and about 90 yards from her. She got up and started the stalk. We all waited with baited breath, knowing that she hadn't eaten a significant meal for days by the look of her. 

 

After mom had traversed about 15 yards, a truck next to ours fired up the engine and came towards us. They stopped and told our guide "the film guy is on the radio, screaming for everyone to get out of his frame!". Meanwhile, the film vehicle also decided to move to a better angle. Unfortunately, their actions caused the gazelle to unfreeze and start trekking with pace away from the incoming cheetah, but it wasn't clear it had seen the cheetah. The trucks on the road all fired up their engines and started to reposition at the film guy's demand. This caused the cheetah mom to become very concerned with what was occurring behind her with her cubs and started she looking behind her. Torn between the desire to take the rapidly dwindling chance at a hunt, and fear for her cubs, maternal instincts won out and she never made an attempt. Instead, returning to her cubs and settling for the night. 

 

 

 

Now, all vehicles were pressing perilously close to the 6:30pm return time, and we made our way hastily back. We were worried and heartsick for the mama cheetah and her babies. But the frustration didn't end there. The film guy directed his driver to make haste back to Lemala Nanyukie (where he happened to be staying as well) and directed his driver to berate our guide for "getting in the way". Our guide, not one to be pushed around, simply told him that we and the rest of the clients on the road has as much right to be there as he had, and he had no business treating people like that. 

 

Cat Count: 

1 African Wildcat

4 Leopards

9 Lions

5 Cheetah

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 12 (Nov 11) - Serengeti NP

 

For our last day launching from and returning to Lemala Nanyukie, our guide decided to take us more to the central and western areas of the park. The first sighting of the day was the mom cheetah and her two babies from the night before. Their bad luck seemed to persist, as this time they were being harassed by vehicles from the Unique Safaris photography workshop (you might remember them from their behavior with the leopard the day before). The mom was attempting to walk along to some destination, and they continually cut in front of her (probably in the attempt to get shots of their faces). This forced her to change direction in confusion and agitation. We left feeling horrible, hoping they'd leave her be and she'd be far enough from roads to not be rediscovered for some time.

 

The first good, close sighting of the day for us was our fifth species of owl - an African Barn Owl! But a few vehicles of the photo tour were on him as well, and their energy was just too much, so we moved on quickly for some peace. 

 

 

Not pictured, but we came across two vehicles that had driven off road. They had decided to get close to four lionesses and five cubs, who were eating a kill. They didn't seem to note that the kill was originally a mature male cheetah's. For when they left, they drove away without seeming to notice him at all. But his belly was fat, so it was nice to see both happy lions and a fed cheetah.

 

We carried on in our search, and soon came to a very unexpected sighting for our location - a Black Rhino - in the Seronera, no less. We saw a long line of twelve vehicles lined up on the road, and a further six arrayed in the bush to stop the rhino's progress to the northeast. The rangers had decided to attempt to herd it back to the southwest area of the park, but the activity was not going well. First, the twelve cars that had already arrived had lined up so as to block the rhino's route back to the southwest. I directed our driver not to pull up to the end of the line, instead leaving about 120 yards between us and the last car in line. My thought was the rhino might see the gap and go through it. Unfortunately, too many vehicles in the first line started moving again, and others tried pulling around to see the action. The rhino grew frustrated and started running, and the whole operation fell apart. We left shortly after the video was shot, as it was clear the vehicle spectators were of no help to the situation. 

 

 

We moved on further to the East and having lunch at a picnic site on a hill. With some of the local common birdlife and mice. 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we found this old kill cache. 

 

 

Then, we found a solitary lioness who'd made a kill, but it was mired in mud and she was so far unsuccessful in pulling it free. She disappeared into the adjacent reeds to recover herself and we moved on to the lake.

 

 

We ended up behind a few cars, who conveyed to us that there was a rhino in the distance. We were able to see it, but it was a few kilometers away and making a good impression of a boulder, so we moved along. I did manage to get good looks at flamingos, finally! 

 

 

 

Our mission to the southwest accomplished (inadvertently early with the first rhino, and doubly with the second), we started the long road back to Lemala Nanyukie. We found two more cheetah (singletons) and this serval who had caught something, and like a true cat was playing with it before eating. 

 

 

On our way, we saw a pair of lions and then a trio of lions, all adults and all lazing in the shade of trees and mostly obscured from view. Then, we drove the road that hosts the mama leopard and her male and female cubs. We only found the male cub, who was lounging in his preferred tree. But a herd of elephants was making their way directly towards him, and he decided to come down and disappear. We dropped by the owl's roost to see if it remained after its celebrity status earlier in the day. 

 

 

We also managed to catch a final serval of the day on our way in, but the low light made for terrible pictures. 

 

Cat Count: 

5 Cheetah

15 Lions

2 Serval

1 Leopard

Edited January 4, 2022 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Day 13 (Nov 12) - Serengeti National Park

Drive from Nanyukie to Kuria Hills 

 

As I have mentioned before, my spouse and I realized we're more of the 7-9 days of safari people. So, by this time we were feeling quite tired, but also satisfied with the work we'd done so far to see what the area had to offer. So, from this point we decided to throttle back...much to our guide's chagrin. He was a true professional, spending our down time in camp studying or out with his binoculars learning the flora and fauna in the immediate area. I think he was also enjoying having clients that were very involved in spotting and was thus benefitting from our involvement with unusual sightings. We did feel a bit bad about letting him down, but we needed a break. We decided to sleep in and pack slowly after eating a hot breakfast in. Once we got underway (one final tire patch stop), we left both the need to press hard and the masses of trucks behind after a spotting of five lions (not pictured). 

 

 

 

We didn't see anything more than the grazers on our way to Lemala Kuria Hills, but we took our time appreciating the masses of grazers that were making their way southward. Wildebeest were much more in evidence, as well impala. We did come across this lone male cheetah, as well as two lounging male lions. 

 

 

Cat Count: 

7 Lions

1 Cheetah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 14 (Nov 13) - Serengeti National Park

 

This would turn out to be our last full day out on the drive. We left at 6:00am, and soon came across this beautiful female leopard resting on a large boulder. There was a vehicle that had left the road and drove right up to her rock to get photos of her face, but we didn't follow suit and this is the best photo we managed.

 

 

We carried on towards the Mara River in order to see the crocodiles, and while there managed to see a herd of zebra crossing. Neither resulted in any good photos, but they were fun for us anyway. 

 

 

We did see this impressive impala, the largest I've ever seen! 

 

 

This cute little few day old giraffe was hanging around the airport when we went for our COVID screening. 

 

 

 

 

 

We did see lots of lions, but none were really in a great location for good pictures, most were just relaxing. But there were 16 lions that day in a group of two, a pride of two adults and six year-old cubs, and a pride of two females, three males, and three small cubs. 

 

 

 

We went back to the lodge and decided to leave for a half-day out first thing in the morning. But we wouldn't get out the next day, as my back and sides couldn't take more bouncing in the truck. 

Edited November 22, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Safari Day 15 (15 Nov) - Serengeti National Park

 

We got going at 6:00am and did a drive on the way to Kogatende Airstrip. We managed a pride of five lions, but no more other cats for our safari. So with that, my trip report is pretty much concluded! I hope you enjoyed it because we sure did!

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Parting tallies of sightings for species of note:

Leopards - 16 (at least 9 separate individuals) 3 Tarangire individuals, 5 Seronera/Nanyukie areas, 1 Kogatende

Lions - 109 (probably overlap in individuals, but not much given how far ranging we were)

Cheetah - 28 (15 individuals at least)

Caracal - 2 individuals

Serval - 8 (6 individuals at least)

African Wildcat - 2 individuals

 

Rhino - 2

Aardwolf - 4

Python - 1

 

Birds: 291 species and counting

Edited November 28, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

On 11/20/2021 at 6:34 AM, Julian said:

Superb sightings on the night drive. Seeing one aardwolf is really good, but to see four must be very rare. 

Thank you! Hassan stated that he rarely saw even one, and he does almost every night drive for Lemala. He’d never seen four in a night 🤩

 

They were amazing to see, but it made it so much better that they didn’t run off immediately. 

Edited November 22, 2021 by campsafari2015

[Zubbie15]

Wow, what a great list of sightings you had, I’m very jealous.

 

The actions of the guides is really unfortunate and concerning. I remember in 2016 there was a leopard in the Seronera area with a kill in a tree, but about 100 meters off the road.  You could see in the grass that vehicles had driven up to it, and at our camp that night we heard people at the table beside us talking in French (not knowing we speak French) to their guide about how great it was to get close but promising not to tell anybody.  Ugh.  Did you or your guide consider telling the rangers at all?  And it seems, from your report and others coming along here, that film crews are getting to be quite a problem.  
 

Thanks for sharing, all in all you had a great trip!

[campsafari2015]

On 11/20/2021 at 8:40 AM, janzin said:

OMG Aardwolf! And four of them!  What I'd give to see that! I didn't even know you could do night drives in Tarangire. Fantastic!

 

I told my tour operator that we wanted to do at least one night drive wherever they were allowed. Thankfully Lemala's operation is fantastic! They had something good each night they went out when we talked to guests. The night after had an aardvark!

[campsafari2015]

On 11/20/2021 at 5:29 PM, Treepol said:

Tarangire really delivered for you, what a successful night drive you experienced. The serval and  caracal photos are amazing, what a special sighting in the crater

Yes, Tarangire really showed off! We loved it very much for wildlife and terrain, a beautiful place that we just happened to hit with impeccable timing this year. And I am loving looking at those photo of the caracal especially, so unexpected to just see her, but to have about 25 minutes of her nearby and in the open was 🤯😍. Hard to pick one, but she may have been the favorite experience the whole trip.

[campsafari2015]

On 11/20/2021 at 5:35 PM, Caracal said:

And then that superb caracal sighting. Am much enjoying following your safari but I confess to a touch of jealousy!

It really was such a moving sighting. I hope that her kittens are thriving. 

Our guide emphasized how he'd never had clients with such varied, rare experiences and it is nice to get validation by such safari experts that it really was exceptional. 

[Caracal]

On 11/22/2021 at 3:50 AM, campsafari2015 said:

However, our rule of thumb was to not try for anything to the exclusion of others,

Well @campsafari2015this report with so many great and varied sightings goes to prove that's an excellent rule of thumb.

Loved that photo of the klipspringer giving such a clear view of their specially adapted hooves. I would give it a promotion to species of note.

Many thanks - enjoyed it all.

[campsafari2015]

On 11/22/2021 at 9:17 AM, Zubbie15 said:

Wow, what a great list of sightings you had, I’m very jealous.

 

The actions of the guides is really unfortunate and concerning. I remember in 2016 there was a leopard in the Seronera area with a kill in a tree, but about 100 meters off the road.  You could see in the grass that vehicles had driven up to it, and at our camp that night we heard people at the table beside us talking in French (not knowing we speak French) to their guide about how great it was to get close but promising not to tell anybody.  Ugh.  Did you or your guide consider telling the rangers at all?  And it seems, from your report and others coming along here, that film crews are getting to be quite a problem.  
 

Thanks for sharing, all in all you had a great trip!

I did ask about where the rangers were, because aside from the rhino sighting, we didn't see a ranger vehicle at all in the Serengeti. I didn't think to specifically ask him to report the other guides. My thought was more to identify the problematic tour companies and review them publicly and hope it dissuades customers from rewarding that behavior, or instructs people what to look for or tolerate/ask of their guides when they're out on their trips. 

Edited January 4, 2022 by campsafari2015

[Kitsafari]

Thank you for sharing your trip with us. what amazing sightings you had. I recall we had our first and only sightings of caracals in the crater as well so it seems to be a good location to see these beautiful small cats. 

Just reading all those crowds, unruly vehicles, selfish photography tour operators and film crews just make me mad. I would have seriously given that film crew a piece of my mind if they had wanted to tell the guide off. No one has a right to get in my way too! heck care a BBC film crew. here we all are, trying to give wildlife a good shot at surviving - isn't it ironical that these BBC documentaries show David Attenborough appeal to the governments and the public to help save and protect wildlife when the film crew doesn't? 

they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves to act as entitled people and I'd never see their documentaries in a good light anymore. we had a very badly behaved film crew in South Luangwa park as well - what is with these film crews?

 

ok, rant over. 

 

 

 

 

[KaliCA]

Greed and money!

[campsafari2015]

On 12/6/2021 at 9:05 PM, Kitsafari said:

Thank you for sharing your trip with us. what amazing sightings you had. I recall we had our first and only sightings of caracals in the crater as well so it seems to be a good location to see these beautiful small cats. 

Just reading all those crowds, unruly vehicles, selfish photography tour operators and film crews just make me mad. I would have seriously given that film crew a piece of my mind if they had wanted to tell the guide off. No one has a right to get in my way too! heck care a BBC film crew. here we all are, trying to give wildlife a good shot at surviving - isn't it ironical that these BBC documentaries show David Attenborough appeal to the governments and the public to help save and protect wildlife when the film crew doesn't? 

they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves to act as entitled people and I'd never see their documentaries in a good light anymore. we had a very badly behaved film crew in South Luangwa park as well - what is with these film crews?

 

ok, rant over. 

 

 

 

 

We seem to be very lucky, or maybe my husband is? Three caracal over two safaris! 

 

I sometime feel like the film/photo crowd are so concerned with the art of it and everything that comes with being recognized for producing a good shot, they fully forget the needs. It is very sad. 

[Towlersonsafari]

hurrah1 very jealous of your serval and caracal sightings, thanks for sharing! @campsafari2015

[gatoratlarge]

Ahhhh I remember you and your husband at the bar at Nanyukie!  I was very jealous then (and now) of the aardwolf sightings (I've never seen one) and of the serval and caracal sightings -- the smaller cats have been so random over the years for me with only one caracal sighting at Vumbura in Botswana (no photo due to poor lighting) and all my serval sightings in Zakouma!  You saw so many you'd think you could have spared one or two for the rest of us!   So cool to have crossed paths with you in the Serengeti!  At the final airstrip near Nanyukie I ran into a couple I had met years ago in the Pantanal as well --- it's a Small World indeed!  

[LarsS]

Wow! What an amazing and special sightings! A caracal is high on my list to see one day. But an aardwolf... I just found out of it's existence in this trip report. Amazing!