Celebrating Ivan's Birthday in the morning - a day late.
(He was too sick the previous day to enjoy the cake).
Elephants spotted outside the lodge.
We were very excited, and I felt like a child. My first time seeing a wild elephant in its natural habitat. Prior to this encounter, the lodge manager (a German dude) told us that the water supply in the lodge was disrupted by the elephants looking for water sources and damaged the water pipes. Obviously, we did not believe him, but I guess he was being truthful.
Maasai Tribe herding.
"The Maasai (sometimes spelled "Masai" or "Masaai") are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai are among the best known of African ethnic groups, due to their residence near the many game parks of East Africa, and their distinctive customs and dress.[2] They speak Maa (ɔl Maa),[2] a member of the Nilo-Saharanlanguage family that is related to Dinka and Nuer, and are also educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania: Swahiliand English. The Maasai population has been reported as numbering 841,622 in Kenya in the 2009 census,[3] compared to 377,089 in the 1989 census"
Maasai People
(On the way from Arusha to Serengeti National Park)
Baboon
Wild Ostrich =)
It is a great experience seeing the animals roaming freely in their natural habitat. The last time I saw an ostrich was in a farm in Malaysia, where the ostriches looked really sad in the enclosure and furthers were dropping.
Ostriches roaming in the plain.
Beautiful!
Serengeti Plain
Sunset
CY is happy.
After 8 days of trekking, we were all really happy to chill - sitting comfortably in the jeep, enjoying the scenery, snacking junk food, listening to music...
SM is happy too!!
Sunset
Beautiful sunset in the Africa Plain.
Love it the sunset.
Giraffe crossing the road
Hyena is normally more active in the evening.
More Giraffe
*Prior to the trip, SM was saying that she looked forward to see the silhouette of a giraffe during the sunset. I guess this was the closest we could get.
Sunset in the Serengeti Plain
"The Serengeti (/ˌsɛrənˈɡɛti/) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa. It is located in north Tanzania and extends to south-westernKenya between latitudes 1 and 3 degrees south latitude and 34 and 36 degrees east longitude. It spans some 30,000 km2(12,000 sq mi). The Kenyan part of the Serengeti is known as Maasai (Masai) Mara.
The Serengeti hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa,[1] and one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world.[2] The Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment.[3] The region contains the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and severalgame reserves.
Approximately 70 larger mammal and some 500 avifauna species are found there. This high diversity in terms of species is a function of diverse habitats ranging from riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands and woodlands.[4] Blue wildebeests, gazelles, zebras andbuffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region.
Currently there is controversy surrounding a proposed road that is to be built through the Serengeti.
Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language, Maa; specifically, "Serengit" meaning "Endless Plains""
SM enjoying the moment.
Feeling the Cold makes us ALIVE
Feeling the Breeze makes us FREE.
Love it!!
Life is about collecting memorable moments.
I would remember the vastness of the African Plain, the cool breeze across my face, the beautiful sunset, and this moment when I felt free and peaceful. =)
Sunset in the horizon.
(something I don't see in the city)
Water point
Controlled forest fire.
"Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or swailing, is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gasabatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for foresters. Hazard reduction or controlled burning is conducted during the cooler months to reduce fuel buildup and decrease the likelihood of serious hotter fires"
Luxury Lodge with open-air showering facilities.
Since there was no fencing in this lodge, the security guards would accompany the guest from the tent to the restaurant & vice-versa. I woke up at 5am to wake up my friend in the next tent, and to my surprise, the security guard escorted me to and fro. It is such a boring job to keep awake throughout the night to accompany the guests.
Sunrise in Serengeti Plain
Taking photo
Good morning!
Open-top Jeep
Zebra-Crossing.
=)
Breakfast in the Lodge.
After the breakfast, we took a last group photo and bid farewell to our friends from US.
It has been a great!! =)
(Taken by Chandy)
As usual, I felt a bit emotional bidding farewell to friends. It is a reminder of the Impermanence of Life - eventually, we need to say bye to everything.
Life is never about things, it is about experiences and relationships.
Wilde-beast
The elusive Cheetah
Everybody is keen to catch a glimpse of the cheetah
Crocodile
First sighting of the Lion
Hippos.... lotsa of them.
Chilling in the river on a hot day.
"A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera. The genus Procapra has also been considered a subgenus ofGazella, and its members are also referred to as gazelles, though they are not dealt with in this article.
Gazelles are known as swift animals – some are able to run at bursts as high as 60 mph (97 km/h), or run at a sustained speed of 30 mph (48 km/h).[1] Gazelles are mostly found in the deserts, grasslands, and savannas of Africa, but they are also found in southwestand central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. They tend to live in herds and will eat less coarse, easily digestible plants and leaves.
Gazelles are rather small antelopes, most standing 2–3.5 ft (61–110 cm) high at the shoulder, and are generally fawn-colored."
Water point
Herd of Elephants
The African Elephants (the biggest land mammal) that I saw in Serengeti was smaller than I thought. I sat on Asian Elephant in the jungle of Northern Thailand, and those elephants are much bigger than its counterparts in Africa.
Juvenile elephant
Giraffe
It was also shorter than the ones I saw in zoo, nevertheless, I still prefer to see wild giraffe anytime.
Companionship
More Giraffe
Hyena
Elephants
"Kigelia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. The genus comprises only one species, Kigelia africana, which occurs throughout tropical Africa from Eritrea and Chad south to northern South Africa, and west to Senegal and Namibia."
Herd of Gazelles
Maasai Tribe
Maasai Cultural Performance
Jumping dudes
Hut
Children
Well, I don't like the idea of making their kids looking dirty and miserable, and asking for donation.
Dinner place in Rhino Lodge
No comments:
Post a Comment