The Great Migration Safari 2013: Day 10 with Amboseli add-on

What a way to end such a great safari! Most of our morning was spent with a herd of around 100 elephants, going about their business and providing us with unbelievable photographic opportunities. Leaving the elephants and heading back to the camp, there was one last surprise waiting for us – a pride of 4 lionesses with 7 cubs had just killed a wildebeest at the edge of a waterhole, and were busy feeding.

Major sightings of the day:

A herd of ±100 elephants
Giraffe
3 verreauxs eagle owls
Lanner falcon
Fringe eared oryx
Good plains game
4 lionesses and 7 cubs on a wildebeest kill

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The Great Migration Safari 2013: Day 9 with Amboseli add-on

As expected, in Amboseli there were loads of elephants out and about. Many large herds were seen, most with young calves. We were also lucky enough to see some lions; 2 females with 2 cubs. They were sleeping close to a large male elephant who felt like showing his might, and eventually chased them off. Mount Kilimanjaro appeared both in the morning and again in the late afternoon, but the real highlight was an african wild cat walking around in the middle of the day.

Major sightings of the day:

Many herds of elephants
Elephants in the swamps
Mount Kilimanjaro
Good plains game
African wild cat
2 lionesses with 2 cubs next to male elephant

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The Great Migration Safari 2013: Day 8 with Amboseli add-on

Our final morning in the Masai Mara delivered photographic magic just as the rest of the safari had. We started off with 7 lions playing with each other in the most beautiful morning light – a truly great hour. When the lions had settled down, a hyaena was spotted in the distance carrying the remains of a thomson’s gazelle, so we followed for the better part of 30 minutes, which led us to 4 lionesses that were hunting wildebeest. They had got themselves into a good position, but a warthog came running straight through the middle of the carefully planned hunt, causing the lions to give chase. The warthog got away and the wildebeest moved off.

Transferring into Amboseli, we got started with our elephant viewing immediately, with a couple of herds swimming and feeding in the swamps. Our first incredible view of the great Mount Kilimanjaro did not disappoint, and with both sightings of giraffes and elephants in front of Africa’s highest mountain, it was a photographer’s dream. Some amazing bird life was also photographed today, including the rare lesser flamingo, and the grey crowned crane.

Major sightings of the day:

Large herd of buffalo
7 lions playing
Hyaena carrying a thomson’s gazelle
4 lionesses hunting wildebeest and chasing a warthog
Elephants
Mount Kilimanjaro
Elephants swimming in swamps as well as many other elephant herds
Spotted hyaena
Lesser flamingoes
Grey crowned crane

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The Great Migration Safari 2013: Day 7

Crossings, crossings and more crossings! Several thousand wildebeest and zebra made their river crossings today, giving us a spectacular front row seat to all the action – and there was a lot of action. The crocodiles were out in full force killing 4 zebra, one of which set off an unbelievable feeding frenzy involving 2 hippos and around 40 seriously large crocs. A wildebeest was also caught by a crocodile, but against all odds, managed to drag himself and the croc to shallow water, and wrestle himself free. Away from the crossings, a male lion, 3 cheetah, a female leopard with a baby impala kill and several hyaena were also seen.

Major sightings of the day:

2 hyaena
5 hyaena
Buffalo
Elephants
Several large river crossings of thousands of wildebeest and zebra
4 crocodile kills, 1 wildebeest escaped after being caught
2 hippos feeding on zebra and fighting with crocodiles
±40 large crocodiles feeding on zebra
1 male lion
3 cheetah
Female leopard with a baby impala kill

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The Great Migration Safari 2013: Day 6

After a magnificent sunrise, the day really took off when we came across 3 cheetah which were out hunting. We witnessed several chases providing us with lots of good photographic opportunities, but the trio were not in luck and will have to wait a little bit longer for a meal. Not far off from the cheetah, were 4 lions resting in the shade. The wildebeest were not keen to cross the river today, but we did see a few small crossings, mostly of youngsters that had been separated from their mothers. The afternoon provided some more cats, with a pride of 4 lionesses and 4 cubs out hunting zebra, but the day finished off very nicely with a good half an hour at a hyaena den site, where 8 little cubs kept our cameras clicking until the very last minute!

Major sightings of the day: