The Serengeti National Park

Here is the entrance to the Serengeti Park from the south. The map to the left illustrates the various regions of the park. The yellow region to the southeast is the Southern Grass Plains where we entered. It is very flat and dry in this time of the year. The migrating herd comes here after the rains start in November. The blue area in the west is the Western Corridor. The herd generally goes here in June or July after it dries up in the south. The herd might have been there when we were there. The blue area in the north is the Northern Woodland, and the herd is here from June through December. We found out that the week after we left Kenya, the herd was in the Masa Mari which is the extension of the Serengeti in Kenya just north of the Northern Woodlands. Most of the game drives in our safari took place in the pink region in the middle, which is the Seronera. We saw no herd, but lots of resident animals.

We drove a bit over a flat and dusty landscape and eventually stopped on a hill for lunch.

And all around us were superb starlings begging for food.

We walked to the top of the hill and this picture shows the flatness of this part of the Serengeti. See the dust?

This is the aloe cactus blooming on the hill. I think aloe is used in treating certain skin conditions.

After lunch, more animal sighting. Here is a Hartebeest

But this very similar animal is a Topi. We thought they were the same until Katau told us the difference.

And here is a herd of topi - not hartebeests.

We came across a pride of lions, but they were very lazy.

A Cheetah Kill

We bumped along on a terrible road when, all of a sudden, Katau shouted, "Cheetah!"

The female cheetah was on a rock. Look at the length of that tail. What is she looking at?

Her cub, chewing away on a gazelle she had just killed.

Actually, there were two cubs chewing away. Look at the blood all over his face!

And this is what mom was looking at in the first picture.

Two of the cheetahs see the hyena and know what's coming.

The hyena rushes forward, and with a snarl, the cheetah gives it up.

"Scat, cats. It's mine now."

"Aw, Shucks!"

"Too many trucks here. I'll eat it elsewhere."

"I guess we'll have to find another one." This entire episode took place within 10 feet of our van. We were the first on the scene, but within minutes there was a crescent of vans surrounding the entire drama. It turned out that we were pretty close to our lodge at this point. We did see two more animals of interest shown below, but after all this, it was something of an letdown. Are we getting spoiled or what!

After two more hyenas fed, what was left was for the vultures.

Lion on a rock.

A Kori Bustard

NEXT: The Serengeti Serena Lodge and game drives.

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