Posted By Claudia Hodkinson On September 26, 2013 @ 8:42 am In Game parks
Not only do you get to see the great wildebeest migration, you get to
hear them too. I heard the migration before I saw it. The air was abuzz
with bleating and grunting so thick it was almost palpable (read: swarms are not just for bugs and birds [4]).
The cacophony reached a crescendo as the herd came into sight. As far
as I could see wildebeest dotted the plains. I had seen large herds of
wildebeest and buffalo in the Kruger National Park before, but nothing
on this scale. The sheer volume of wildebeest is thrilling to see and
also hear.
The Masai have a name for it ‘Siringet’ or ‘the land that goes on
forever’. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia
trees give the Serengeti a moving sense of space. Everyday I would watch
the sky turn a palette of pinks, purples and oranges before
disappearing over the horizon. The dust that had been kicked up from the
migrating wildebeest and the threatening rain clouds added drama and
magic to the whole scene. It will ignite your soul and give you that
‘Out of Africa’ goose bump feel.
The herd was moving up the western corridor of the Serengeti when I
arrived. Calves were already a few months old and males were starting to
lock horns and strut their stuff for the rutting season. Each stage of
the annual migration is unique. Depending on what time of year you go
depends on what you’ll see. You may be lucky enough to watch wildebeest
make the death-defying jumps across the crocodile infested Grumeti and
Mara rivers or witness around 500 000 calves born during calving season.
Whatever stage of the migration you experience it promises to deliver a
healthy dose of drama and magic.
Even though one can get fully mesmerized by watching wildebeest, it’s
good to know that the Serengeti has a prolific array of other wildlife;
and big game at that. A herd of elephant with calves, a mother leopard
and her cubs playing in a tree, an impressive herd of buffalo, a mating
pair of lions and a bulging pod of hippo were some of the other wildlife
I ticked off my list. Wild dog, lion, cheetah, jackal and hyena are
often seem tailing the herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s
gazelle. With so much on the go, it’s not hard to see a full spectrum of
African wildlife whilst on safari.
The diversity of birdlife is impressive and makes for a refreshing
addition to the trip. Being a bit of a bird-a-holic, there were over 500
species to jumpstart my addiction. Highlights included watching marabou
storks searching for juicy morsels in freshly burnt grass, a male
ostrich displaying for his female and a pair of crowned cranes calling
to each other. Birds such as the blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu (no it is not a
lunch special), raptors flying the thermals and pink flamingoes at Lake
Manyara are common sightings.
The Serengeti is surrounded by a number of terrific bolt-on
destinations that will compliment your east African safari. I was not
disappointed that my tour included a jaunt to the nearby Ngorongoro
Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. They were both special in their
own right. The Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera, is a
stronghold for an impressive variety of game such as black rhino,
elephant and buffalo. The diversity of habitats and wildlife inside the
crater made it a worthwhile visit and I would highly recommend extending
your trip to include a few different locations if time and budget
allow.
The Masai tribesmen, with their brilliant red dress accompanied by
their tinkling cowbells, are as much a part of the Tanzania landscape as
the many wild animals that are found there. Taking a walk through one
of the local villages dotted with cattle-dung huts, watching their
ceremonial ‘jumping dance’ and learning about their culture was a great
way to get a snapshot of the Masai way of life. Tanzanians are very
friendly people with big smiles. Make sure you buy a bunch of red
bananas from a local vendor, stock up on colourful Masai blankets and
bring books and pens to hand out to excited village children.
There’s a variety of accommodation options available in the
Serengeti. I stayed in the luxury Serena group of hotels, which
delivered not only comfortable rooms but also incredible views over Lake
Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater (our lodge was located on the rim) and
over the Serengeti plains. Each lodge had a different theme and I
particularly loved the ‘bushman paintings’ on the room walls, the
full-length windows and warm fires at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge.
Waking up with the sun rising over the Tanzania landscape was a real
treat. It was great to return to warm face towels, turndowns at night
and friendly staff after an exciting day on safari.
How to camp in the Serengeti National Park [5]
Catching a leopard’s coat in the honeyed light of the fading sun,
freezing the motion of wildebeest on the run or capturing the confusion
of black and white stripes of zebra en masse. There are loads of
photography opportunities in the Serengeti, made easier with safari
vehicles with pop-up roofs. This was a super convenient feature when we
were out on game drives. Not only did this allow a 360 degree view of
your surroundings, it was a great vantage point to shoot pictures from.
If you’re not admiring the scenery, you’ll be clicking away to share
your experience back home.
Article by Claudia Hodkinson taken from http://blog.getaway.co.za
Witnessing millions of migrating wildebeest on the flat-topped Acacia plains of the Serengeti [1] had been on my bucket list for as long as I could remember (read: top eight travel packages for 2013 [2]),
until a recent trip to this iconic destination changed that. My
criteria in order to tick this one off my list had to be that I saw
enough drama, rolling plains and of course…wildebeest. With over 1.5
million wildebeest and zebra trekking over 3 000 kilometers on their
epic journey from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, I was pretty
confident that I was going to see enough to check the box. It goes
without saying that most people that travel to east Africa want to see
the migration at least once. What I didn’t expect was what comes with
the migration. It turns out that there’s a lot more to this Tanzanian
attraction than galloping gnus. Here are nine reasons why you should put the Serengeti on your bucket list (check out the October issue of Getaway magazine [3] for the full story).
1. Hear over a million grunts
The Serengeti delivers big herds of wildebeest with surround sound.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
2. Magical sunsets over the plains
Watching the sun set over the Serengeti plains is magical.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
3. Experience a different stage
Already a few months old, youngest were very much a part of the landscape.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
4. There aren’t just wildebeest
A lucky sighting of two young leopard cubs with their mother up a tree.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
5. Birding
One the many colourful birds I saw in the Serengeti: the Blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
6. Great bolt-on destinations
An impressive buffalo in the Ngorongoro Crater staring straight into the lens.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
7. Meet the Masai
One of the highlights was watching the 'jumping dance' of the
Masai men with their colourful dress.
Masai men with their colourful dress.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
8. Rooms with views
The views over Lake Manyara from the lodge were worth waking up early for.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
How to camp in the Serengeti National Park [5]
9. Loads of photo opportunities
Vehicles with pop-up roofs were a winner especially when Big 5 game came close.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.
BOOK YOUR SERENGETI SAFARI NOW.
CLICK HERE>
Article by Claudia Hodkinson taken from http://blog.getaway.co.za
[1] Serengeti: http://guide.getaway.co.za/tanzania/serengeti/
[2] top eight travel packages for 2013: http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-blog/getaways-top-8-travel-packages-2013/
[3] October issue of Getaway magazine: http://magazine.getaway.co.za/
[4] swarms are not just for bugs and birds: http://blog.getaway.co.za/wildlife/swarms-bugs-birds/
[5] How to camp in the Serengeti National Park: http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-ideas/destinations/camping-serengeti-national-park-tanzania/
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