Serengeti has to be one of the most famous (if not the the most famous) wildlife preserves in the world. And with good reason — what you can see within just a couple of days is hard to believe and be matched. From the wildebeest migration with its staggering 1.5 million animals to the King of the plains himself; from giraffes and hippos to crocodiles and hyenas; from tiny birds to massive elephants; from the roars of lions at night near your camp to the eerie quiet and stillness of the plains; it’s a spectacle of life and you should explore it.

A little after passing through the Ngorongoro convervation area (we came back later and actually went into the crater, but more on that later), we found ourselves in the plains of Serengeti.

 
In case someone wasn’t sure where they were, there is a big sign 😉 Fun fact, this is what it used to look like apparently.

 
When we started the safari, our guides told us that it will be unlikely that we see the incredible wildebeest migration as we were a couple of weeks late and it would have passed already. But luck was on our side that day! The photos can’t do it justice, but believe me when I tell you that the mental image of seeing thousands upon thousands of animals (1.5 million in total apparently) in every direction you turn until the edge of sight is one that will be with me forever.

 
Plenty of zebras to keep the wildebeest company 🙂

 
Thomson’s gazelle I believe. So many variations, hard to keep track sometimes.

 
We didn’t get the clear blue skies one hopes for, but not a bad day at all.

 
It’s a shame we didn’t see these guys in running action 😉

 
Hyenas live up to their reputation.

 
We stood for probably a good 30 minutes waiting for this guy to jump out and start running and chasing something… no such luck, he wasn’t in the mood 🙂

 
Naabi hill is a good vantage point to the endless plains around you. That’s the road that took us here.

 
A small part of the migration, most of the animals had already passed through this area our guides told us.

 
We couldn’t resist the opportunity 😉

 
When searching for lions, kopjes (little hills like this one) are the place to start.

 
After the 4th or 5th kopje, we finally see some cubs. So cute.

 
Mommy’s around the corner though, gotta be careful 😉

 
Although not as many as in Tarangire, elephants can be seen in Serengeti as well.

 
I don’t even know which type of cat that is, but I love the ears!

 
A night in Serengeti. It’s a little unnerving to hear lions roar at night around you or be told stories of hyenas who have ravaged the camp trash, but in general animals keep their distance. Still, quite the adventure 🙂

 
This is a little off topic, but at dinner I saw the true meaning of team work — a good 20 or 30 ants were trying to lift that popcorn piece off the ground and across the concrete wall, where I imagine their grip wouldn’t have been that great given the vertical nature of it 😉 In any case, these guys tried 3-4 times and kept on dropping it until I think they finally made it. Yay team ants!

 
We had an early start the following morning. Others did as well, though they chose a balloon which I imagine gives you a different perspective on the whole thing.

 
Looking sharp.

 
A cheetah in action — well, not full on running, but it’s gracious even just walking around.

 
The King! It took us quite some time to find these guys and even then it’s hard to spot them — if they lie down in the tall grass, they are near impossible to see from as close as a few meters. It’s interesting how they don’t really pay attention to the cars, guess they’re just used to it.

 
Seeing this, I’m reminded of that phrase “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with with a mosquito” 😉 Face off!

 
Spotting this guy was difficult. Not that many of them in Serengeti apparently.

 
The bumpy dirt roads we took.

 
Not an uncommon sight in Serengeti — in this case, there was a leopard in the tree and they were staking him out.

 
A gigantic croc! Easily over 2.5m in length.

 
I think he fancied himself the king of the herd 🙂

 
Hearing these guys roar is something hard to forget. Also, you really feel like you don’t want to see the jaws in action from up close 😉

 
Reflections.

 
Meto contemplating life?

 
Marabou storks are strange looking birds.

 
The colors on this guy!

 
He was checking me out 😉

 
Looking back at the photos, I think it almost appears as a random collection of images without necessarily a coherent and overarching story that connects them. But nevertheless, hope they’ve been entertaining enough to get you out the door and on a plane to Tanzania 😉

A few more stories coming soon…