The Great Migration Safari: Day 4

We landed in the Masai Mara and were welcomed by thousands of wildebeest!  There was a section of the massive herd all around the airstrip dotted with zebra, gazelle and elephants, so we got straight into this leg of the safari.  The day’s sightings only improved as it went on, and there were so many animals to photograph, the only challenge was deciding where to point the cameras.  Two lionesses were finishing off a wildebeest kill they had made earlier in the day and stole our attention for a good while, before we found the den site of a clan of spotted hyena.  There were around twenty hyenas active around the den site, with loads of young cubs, ranging from a few weeks old to a few years.  What a start to the Masai Mara.

Major sightings of the day:

Many buffalo

Many elephants

2 female lions on a wildebeest kill

Many different hyenas

Hyena den site with ±20 hyenas and 9 cubs

To join us on safari, click here!

The Great Migration Safari: Day 2 Samburu extension

We set out nice and early looking specifically for the Samburu ‘special five’, and were rewarded with a lion sighting!  We did manage to find the animals we were looking for and got some pretty cool photographs of them, most notably the gerenuk standing on its hind legs and feeding (the only antelope known to do this), and a journey of reticulated giraffe that very kindly posed underneath a near full moon for us.  There was a lot on offer for us to photograph, and our bird lists rocketed – another great day in Africa!

Major sightings of the day:

2 herds of elephants

1 female lion

5 female lions

To join us in safari, click here!

The South African Predators Safari: Day 10

Unfortunately, every great safari has to come to an end, but luckily, no great safari need stop end in disappointment!  What a final day to end off with!  A pride of 8 lions were out and about early in the morning, moving around and playing with each other. The beautiful morning light didn’t hurt one bit, as the cameras started off on the right note.  Shortly after these lions, we found a female leopard and her 2 young cubs, around 12 weeks old.  She was moving them from the site of her last kill, to a new, safe den site.  We were lucky enough to catch them on the move, and got plenty of opportunities to photograph them out in the open.  What a privilege to see these little balls of fluff and spots running around, trying to keep up with mom.  We then decided to stop for a civilised cup of tea and coffee, and a couple big male elephants came down tot he river for a drink. It is awesome when it all comes together.  It really was an amazing safari, with a great group of guests!

Major sightings of the day:

Pride of 8 lions

Male rhino

Female leopard and 2 cubs

2 male elephants

To join us on safari, click here!

The South African Predators Safari: Day 7

The day was dotted with elephant herds throughout, so we had plenty opportunities to photograph them, which is always great fun.  There were several big moments between the elephants though; a leopard and her young cub feeding on an impala high in a tree, a pride of lions lying all around us and a very quick look at the very difficult to find honey badger!  It was a great day on safari.

Major sightings of the day:

Several herds of elephants

Spotted hyenas at their den

Honey badger

Leopard and cub feeding in a tree

Pride of 7 lions

To join us on safari, click here!

The Tanzania Safari: Day 9

We went out in search of some big cats, and were well rewarded for making the effort. A very graceful and relaxed leopard started us off, sitting in her tree hideout surveying the land, and a pride of lions, with 4 2-month old cubs closed out the day for us. We found these lions resting up in a tree, looking surprisingly relaxed for a lion in a tree (although not quite as relaxed as leopards in trees). The little cubs had been hiding in the grass on the floor, and when the mother came down, they all rushed out to greet her. It is always special to see such young lions, so when they came out into the open, the cameras were put to work! The day was punctuated throughout by the always-present elephants and buffalo, and topped off with some great bird sightings. Getting back to a cold drink on the banks of the Grumeti River that is filled with hippos is a magic way to end yet another wonderful day on safari!

Major sightings of the day:

2 elephant herds

Female leopard

2 male buffalo

5 lionesses, 1 male lion and 4 small cubs

To join us on safari, click here!