Safari - Serengeti

---

We are up at 6.00am for an early morning game drive. We haven't gone far when we spot a Hippo wandering back to his waterhole after his night's exertions. Then almost immediately afterward we find a super-pride of around 27 lions stalking a lone Buffalo that has separated from the herd. The Buffalo wanders slowly out of range of the Lions who don't seem too keen on taking on the Buffalo. Further on a smaller pride of lions with a Wildebeest they have killed overnight. Later, we are watching a Leopard hanging in a tree when we notice a family of Cheetah, a mother with 4 grown cubs, circling slowly in the tall grass. As we watch a herd of Thompson's Gazelle take fright, but it's too late for one of them as there is a flash of colour as the mother Cheetah breaks cover then it's all over and the rest of family gather for the feast. Yet another pride of Lions is seen feeding on a zebra this time. This pride has two groups of cubs, around 8 or 9 in all. Then as a final 'treat' for the morinig's drive we watch a pair of Lions mating, quite an achievement given its all over in about 20 seconds.

Then it's back to pack up the camp and grab some lunch before the 6 hours drive to the Ngorongoro Crater camp. We are camping on the rim and it's freezing. No sooner have we got the tents up than a big bull Elephant wanders past our tents. The camp is packed with people and there is no room in the dining hall so we set up our table under the stars for dinner and are treated to a show as the big Bull Elephant and a couple of others come to drink at the camp water tank. They tried covering the tank to disuade them but they just broke the tank so now it is left open and the bull apparently considers this his watering hole.

---