Serengeti~Mahale May-June 2014 Days 7-10 June 1-4, 2014

Serengeti~Mahale May-June 2014  

Days 7-10 June 1-4, 2014

4 nights in a private tented camp, Moru Kopjes, 

set up by Colin and Laura of Ndutu Safari Lodge fame.

Of the two ways to get from the Crater to the Central Serengeti, we always choose, weather permitting, the road through Endulen; rolling hills and valleys of Maasai villages.

Jo arranged the great honor of stopping at the boma of Jo's good friends, Sangoyan Ole Dorup and his son Soningo Ole Sangoyan, of the village of Misigyo, region of Endulen, who first guided Jo on walking safaris in this region. Imagine our surprise when Soningo announced that he was attending college in New Jersey. 

We always make time to stop for trees & flowers...

... and babies.

Up and out of Endulen, the road takes us through Ndutu and Kusini, with a quick stop at Ndutu Safari Lodge for refreshments. 

Jo's meetings are always well attended, but apparently no one pays attention.

A Bat-eared Fox watches us drive by...

...while an Eland is mobbed - something you don't see every day!

Just north of Kusini. 

Bev had been wishing so much for a Caracal she finally spotted one...NOT!

It was a Serval Cat...

...for Betsy

We watched this lion ~ elephant standoff for hours.

Colin and Laura's camp was great!

Fires burn during the dry season, sometimes by nature, sometimes by local Maasai or park rangers.

"Oh boy, avocados again!"

"Wait, no, I think it's a tree." ~ "Maybe I should get a photo." 

"What do you think Jo?" ~ "I'm not sure...copy Paul?"

Where's Waldo?, I mean Paul.

These elephants were way up on top of a Kopje.

There's always time for picnic breakfast...

...and more lions.

A Long-crested Eagle

A word about the weather. We plan our trips according to predicted weather patterns. It's supposed to rain through April, making May lush and green in Moru. This year it was dry, and we missed the Wildebeest Migration by about two weeks. Then, by the time we headed off to Mahale, the rains started again, and there was talk of the herds returning. Go figure.

Both trips this year were the "Year of Lions in Trees"

It's usually females ~ males are too big & heavy ~ except this one.

I've never been happy with my Lilac-breasted roller shots. 

This comes close, but still fuzzy.

A male Impala and his harem hung out near camp.

Jombi did a great job, coming in at the last minute to drive for Jo, who fell off his tricycle two days before the trip, broke two toes and dislocated five. Probably didn't even hurt!

When Jambi's not guiding for us, he guides for National Geographic Safaris.

Hey, a kill is a kill, even if it's a Dwarf Mongoose and a Dormouse.

Just when you wonder what you'll see next...

Tomorrow, we look forward to a sloppy (meaning "exciting adventure") drive up to the airport in Seronera for our flight to Mahale Mountains National Park.