Day 9 Serengeti National Park

Last night we ended up having a heavy rain early in the evening. It was kind of thrilling to be tucked away in our hard sided large scale huts with an amazing porch to sit on and watch the rain move in. The downside was the huts have thatched roofs - grass as Neil would say - and most people got water inside their hut to varying degrees. We got water in the perfect place - the bathroom!!  Others were not so lucky like Cornell and Tom - their mattresses got wet, but they were able to get replacement beds!

At dinner last night, we were treated to Maasai song, dance and jumping ritual. By 9 pm we were tired and headed to bed to enjoy the cool temperatures and a good night of sleep. 

This morning it is very comfortable in our room and my handy phone tells me it is 15 degrees outside with a high of 25 expected. 

Today we left the fabulous Maasai Boma Lodge, entered Serengeti National Park through the north gate and travelled to Nyikani Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp. We left at 9 am and arrived at 5 pm having travelled - wait for it - eighty-five kilometres!!!  Because there was SO much to see, the drive took us nine hours!

There were just SO many animals we saw - and so few photos that I can successfully upload onto the blog with the speed of internet we have at these amazingly remote locations!!

Before we entered the park we spotted baboons, jackals, warthogs and impalas. We then entered Serengeti National Park at the Kleins Gate entrance - the official entrance at the north end. Chris had told us last night that Yellowstone Park in the US was the first National Park established, followed by Banff in Canada and then the Serengeti in the 1920’s.

Once we were inside the park, our driver Thom spotted a cell phone on the roads d he knew immediately it belonged to some locals who were riding in the back of a big truck moving domestic animals. Being the Good Samaritan, Neil Zeller was determined to chase down the truck and return the phone to the owner. So we went on a car chase to catch up to the big truck. After 10 or 15 minutes of high speeds (for the Serengeti) we caught up to the vehicle and returned the phone. The owner was very appreciative. 

The lost cell phone being returned above. They even offered Neil a tip, which he politely declined. 

After the car chase we spotted our first (of many) Topi, pictured above. 

We saw Hartebeest (African antelope), malachite kingfisher and plover (birds), and a rock igama (which Jenna calls the Spider-Man lizard!), and ostrich. 

And then our truck built up a whole lot of good karma and waited for the birding truck to join us to go find an amazing lion pride!!  We counted 15 lions in the pride. 

This little guy was having a yawn and showed his teeth!  It was mostly sleeping lions we watched for about 30 minutes. 

This was how amazingly close we were to the lions!  Photo taken with my iPhone!!

And then we drove away and found two different males (well Cornel and Thom found them!!)

The males had clearly eaten recently!

We saw a herd of about 200 Cape buffalo, striped mongoose, Grant Gazelle and crocodile. 

So now we have arrived at our stunning Central Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp. The camp is positioned halfway up a Tanzanian mountain.  Each new safari tent (built 5 months ago) allows us to look over the whole Serengeti below us! 

Just spectacular!!

Dinner was delicious. We have a 6 am breakfast call tomorrow so I better get to bed!  What an amazing day!!