Awesome African Adventure. Day 27 – May 5, 2025

Full day Serengeti Game Drive. Elephants and more.

Our accommodation is made from thick canvas and midgee mesh, so not soundproof allowing us to hear the noises of the African night.
We can clearly hear hyena- they have an owl like ooo ooooo sound. The hippos are grunting – hopefully from the river! Though they do wander. Then there are other grunts and growls – must ask JB – he reported lions roaring and leopards also grunting. Reckon I heard distant lions overnight. There are frogs and insects and in the morning the birds start chirping. Just more amazing experiences on a daily basis.
Slight pink in the sunrise this am.

Breakfasted at 6:45 for a 7:15 full day out and about before returning for sunset at Serenity Camp (hopefully)

7:30 departure and straight up a huge:
Martial Eagle parked on a tree top.
Egyptian Geese and goslings
Three banded Plover
Red rumped swallow
Giraffe in the morning glory. Their favourite plant it the acacia and they have a 45cm tongue to get in and around the thorns. If they get spiked their saliva is an antiseptic and helps the healing.
JB explained that the trees talk. The giraffe was grazing from tree to tree. Evidently to protect itself the tree sends tannins to the leaves that taste bitter so the giraffe moves to the next tree. And the trees send messages to other trees by the wind so they can produce the tannin protection
Striped Kingfisher. (Mini Kookaburra with a blue tail. Splendid when it flew)
Yellow Throated Sand grouse.
Magpie shrike and red bird obscured.
Coke’s Hartebeest
Rosy crested long claw (rare to see, shite photos)
Coqui Francolin
Lilac Breasted Roller in flight (suzie needs a shot).
Lioness on a rock Kopje.
Time on these Serengeti endless plains is a privilege, they stretch forever and not another truck or human in sight. There is a truck behind us but we left them at the lion.
Black shouldered kite.
Beguiling Superb and Hildebrandt’s starlings in a tree.
Black necked spitting cobra.
Dark Chanting Goshawk
Bat Eared Fox a group of about five. They burrow and can move into other critters holes.
Coke’s Hartebeest.
Grant’s Gazelle herd
Topi’s marking their territory by rubbing those glands and digging horns in the mud.
The Serengeti plains are like grassy, with wildflowers throughout. The taller grasses bend in the breeze, tiny birds cling to the taller grasses and sway with reed. There are occasional trees, but thinning out as we drive through the day. Every so often JB pulls up and scans the horizon with his binoculars
We saw plenty that we didn’t photograph-warthogs, zebras, gazelles, hartebeest, Cape buffalo, ostriches,
Another honeymoon couple – we arrived and soon after she awoke and gave the green light. A little more aggressive than our previous matings. JB explained that his ‘dipstick’ has a barb on it, which is painful for the female. JB also suggested that he is younger and not an experienced lothario.

The next big things was many big things, in fact 5-7 families of elephants moving behind a kopje, then they moved into the marsh and it has us (and several other vehicles) enthralled with their antics. Walking, eating, playing, swatting with reeds, throwing water, drinking, pooping, lying down and oh so struggling to get up again, scratching their legs, dust bathing, and so much more. Mesmerising. I’d hate to think how many megabytes we’ve burnt between us. So close we had to use the iPhone for wider shots.
Rosey Breasted Longclaw.
Collared Pratincole.
MGM lion (Rastus) resting by a waterhole.
Cape teal on the waterhole.
The lion was stretched out, dead to the world to the point we thought he might be dead, but we could see the rise and fall of the chest. He rolled over and that was all he did – good shot of his goolies.
Pied Avocet
2 more lions lazing around a tree, a brother to the waterhole lion. So close again
Black winged Stilt at our loo stop.
All used the bush loo (Also an interesting beetle) before we pulled up beside the two sleeping lions for lunch in the vehicle. Then rains were threatening so we began making a run for home or at least out of this part of the Serengeti- easy bogging country.
An interesting bug at lunch time looked like he was carrying his shield on his back. We stopped to say hello to our first brother (Rastus according to Aunty Sue). Then continued to bolt.
We came upon our Elephant pack and spent some more quality time. The sun has reappeared and clouds are not as threatening so JB was happy to sit and let us watch and take another few hundred shots and minutes between us.
Then onwards once more. Got some flowers and some milkweed shots along the way (milkweed is the food of the Monarch Butterflies)
We tootled along scanning for wildlife. The tracks had dried considerably since the morning drive after rains yesterday and probably overnight.
Cape Rook x2 – basically a crow.
Another much darker Serval cat.
Black shouldered Kite.
Lioness on top of a kopje under the shade of a bush.
Wattled Starling.
Secretary bird.
Northern White Crowned Shrike.
Grey breasted Spurfowl.
Speckled Mousebird
Leopard (Lizzie) on a tree and in the grass.
Secretary Bird
Grey breasted spurfowl and babies.
Secretary birds again
Two more Black Backed Jackal
Dark Chanting Goshawk in the rain unfortunately.
With the rain and no wipers JB occasionally wipes his windscreen and we’ve had the viewing up and down like the proverbial!

We arrived home early, and had time to figure out our tips for JB and Serenity Camp staff and to begin the pack for tomorrow’s departure.

We had our pre-dinner drinks in front of the Safari TV (a fire pit was lit) and we sat with Alphonce and Francis keeping guard around the fire with warm ground nuts and our drinks. The accompaniment was the sounds of Lions grumbling and other critters as night fell.
Dinner tonight was all delicious again. Cream of vegetable soup, grilled pork with vegies, basil potato mash, guacamole, steamed beans and dessert was a banana tart.
Then as we sat with our cuppas we heard drums and singing. Paolo, Sarly, Robert, Alphonce and the Chef came in with small jembai type drums and singing to us. Then Francis ran in from his guard duty to join in. The only bits I could understand were Hakuna Matata and Serenity, and Serengeti. It was a farewell and thanks for coming song. Then Paolo spoke and thanked us for coming and wishing us well. Really nice touch. These fellas have looked after us so well. Highly Recommend Serenity Camp for a few nights if you are ever in the Serengeti.