Serengeti National Park, the largest national park in the Republic of Tanzania, covers about 14,763 square kilometers (approximately 5,600 square miles) and has the largest concentration of migratory game animals in the world. The Park lies on a high plateau varying between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in elevation, with Ngorongoro Crater lying to the southeast, Kenya to the north and Lake Victoria to the west. The principal features of the Park are the open grass plains in the southeast, the acacia savanna in the central area, the hilly, more densely wooded northern section and the extensive woodland and black clay plains dominated by the central ranges of mountains in the western corridor. There are two shallow soda or saline lakes in the Serengeti National Park, Lake Lagaja or Ndutu and Lake Magadi. These shallow lakes rarely reach a depth of more than six feet at the height of the rainy season, and they often dry up completely by the end of the dry season. They are formed in natural depressions in the land from which there are very limited outlets. The surface water which fills them carries in various mineral elements, chief of which are calcium, potassium and sodium, which leave a very white dust as the waters recede.

On our first safari, we drove from Tarangire National Park to the Serengeti National Park. I do not know the actual distance we covered, but we had allotted most of the day for traveling. The route takes you to and up the great rift escarpment, into the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, past Ngorongoro Crater and down into the southern portion of the Serengeti National Park. The escarpment is a huge trough in the Earth’s surface in excess of 3,000 miles long, lying between Turkey and the mouth of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. It is a magnificent sight, rising several thousand feet straight up at many points and around a thousand feet at this point, stretching as far as you can see in both directions. The terrain before that is flat and grassy, but the cliffs are covered in trees, bushes and other vegetation. In this area, the Masai plains give way to the cultivated uplands of Mbululand.

On the return trip with our children, we flew to the Serengeti from Arusha. Prior to landing on the dirt strip near Seronera, the pilot had to buzz the airstrip to clear it of animals.

Prior to reaching the escarpment on our initial safari, we enjoyed our first exposure to dukas at Mto wa Mbu (which I believe means “Mosquito Creek”), a small village through which the road traverses. It was immediately evident that the people there were geared for the tourists. Off on the side of the road stood an area covered by row upon row of dukas, or shops. The dukas were nothing more than small huts comprised of three sides and a roof, all of which are made of corrugated tin. Inside each duka were hundreds of wood carvings. I could not distinguish one duka from the other, but each proprietor promised better prices than the previous one. By the time we returned in 2003, a concrete highway had been constructed to replace the old road. However, it ran down the middle of the town, splitting it in two. It appeared that duka land was also gone. Clearly progress had been made in the form of a good road to the Crater and Serengeti, but there was a cost to Mto wa Mbu.

Our first stay in the Serengeti was a private camp near Lake Ndutu in the southern part of the Park. The terrain was endless miles of grassy plains. As we approached the Park, we began to pass massive herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles. Jackals, hyena and bat-eared fox, as well as numerous other animals, mingled amongst these herds. The Serengeti is well known for its wildebeest and zebra migrations, and the migrations were in full swing in this part of the Park. Everywhere we looked we were surrounded by these animals. As we approached Lake Ndutu, we could see clumps of acacia trees and other bushes. The foliage became thicker the closer we neared the Lake. In this part of the Park no roads exist, and I could detect no sign of our camp. However, our drivers seemed to know where they were going, pausing only occasionally to reconnoiter. We soon drove out of the thicker vegetation and into an area of sparse trees. In the middle of this area sat our private tented camp waiting for us.

These tents were similar to those at Tarangire, although not of the permanent type. There was no thatched roof nor concrete floor, nor any running water. The floor was canvas, with a covered canvas veranda out front on which to lounge and watch the day pass. Mosquito mesh covered the windows and the door flaps zipped together and to the floor, again effectively barring the entry of unwanted animals or insects to the tent. Each tent contained two cots and a small table, with a twelve volt light run by a car battery hooked up inside. Unlike Tarangire, we had access to light twenty-four hours a day if we so desired. Outside on the veranda stood two canvas wash basins, two lounging chairs and a metal table covered with a plastic table cloth. A small mirror hung over each wash basin, allowing us to shave and the like.

Behind each tent stood a combination shower/choo. The shower/choo was nothing more than a floorless tent which had been separated into two compartments. On one side was a shower, which consisted of a canvas bucket and shower spigot connected by a rubber hose. The bucket would be filled with hot water from the fire and hoisted up a pole on a pulley. Gravity would then do the rest. The routine was to step into the shower, wet down, lather up and then rinse off. One bucket of water was usually enough, but if someone needed more, he only had to call to one of the camp staff and the bucket would be refilled. Water was available for showers any time of the day or evening. The choo was nothing more than a hole dug in the ground on which was placed a plastic tub, the top of which resembled a Western style toilet seat. Each choo was supplied with its own dirt scoop and toilet paper.

In addition to our tents and shower facilities, our camp contained a dining tent nestled between two large acacia trees, behind which stood a tent for cooking and cleaning dishes. The camp staff, whom we found to be a most congenial group, also had tents. The view from the porch of our tent was spectacular. We looked past the dining tent and into the acacia trees in the distance. The sky seemed to go on forever and it was not uncommon to sight giraffes and other animals strolling through the trees. I could not have imagined a nicer setting. We were isolated from everyone else who happened to be in the Park at that time, surrounded by acacia trees and in the middle of whatever wildlife wanted to stroll through. To me, this was very reminiscent of an “Out of Africa” setting.

In 2003, we opted to stay at the Serengeti Serena Lodge, situated closer to the northwest section of the Park at about 4,850 feet above sea level. The facilities were modern and well kept. However, the road into the Lodge from the south was infested with tsetse flies. My recommendation is to avoid that road if possible.

Our first camp was situated near Lake Ndutu. The Lake was still fairly full, although a substantial amount of the Lake’s bed was dry and exposed with the exposed portion being covered with a white dusty film. It was surrounded by areas of short grass, long grass, acacia trees and other shrubs and trees. All around the Lake were wildebeests, either walking in single file or running or just standing around grazing, although rarely did we see them merely standing around.

The wildebeest, or gnu, is a strange looking animal. Its face is long and narrow, with whiskers hanging from its chin and underneath its neck. The animal has a long dark mane, while its horns sit close together on the top of its head and curl inward. It is generally a light brown/grayish color, with darker forequarters and a dark face. It is much larger than a gazelle, but smaller than a buffalo, more approximating the size of a zebra who always seemed to be mixed in with them while grazing. One of my more vivid memories of the Serengeti is of the wildebeest running across the dry lake bed, dust flying everywhere

Their gait was ungainly, as they ran with their heads down, whiskers close to the ground and back legs flying into the air. I was surprised that I did not see them kicking each other accidentally as they ran. After watching them for a considerable period of time, I decided this was more luck than design, although I am sure there was more purpose to their style of running than I could detect. Calves could be seen running next to their mother, straining to keep up. I was never sure why the wildebeests ran, or to where they were running. It seemed that one of the creatures had started and the rest merely followed, not an uncommon occurrence. There were thousands of these wildebeests on the plains, grunting to each other as they continuously grazed or ran around.

On our last trip to the Serengeti, we came upon the wildebeest migration in the northwest section of the Park. Two days later, the herds had passed out of the Park and into Kenya. Again, being in the right place at the right time was the difference between seeing hundreds of thousands of animals and only seeing a few.

We returned to camp our first evening in the Serengeti, impressed by the large number of animals we had seen in such a close proximity to our camp. The experience was quite exciting and I could not help but imagine that this is what it was like when man first appeared on Earth. We showered, changed into warmer clothes and headed over to the campfire for a sun downer. The campfire, ringed by canvas chairs, blazed not far from the dining tent. A decent bar was maintained in the camp and I was able to enjoy several vodka tonics on ice each evening. Although allotted only two or three small cubes per drink, it was still amazing that we had ice at all given our location. Besides drinks, we were served popcorn or fresh roasted cashews at our sun downers. This, coupled with an hour or so of prime bull sessions, made for an excellent way to relax before dinner.

After dinner we returned to our campfire, with everyone huddled around the fire for warmth. Looking over, I noticed that the camp crew had placed lanterns in front of each tent. The lanterns were our source of light, in addition to flashlights, for walking around after the sun had set. The only other lights which I could see at that time besides the campfire were the stars. The sky was expansive and filled with the twinkling lights. Since we were in the southern hemisphere, the stars visible to us were substantially different than those which could be seen at night back home. After a half hour or so at the campfire, Irene told me that she needed to visit the choo. I told her to go ahead but to take the lantern with her. She told me that I had failed to get the point: it was too dark and she wanted me to accompany her. So the two of us strolled over to our tent, grabbed our lantern and went out to the choo. I had also brought along my torch, which I used to scan the vicinity. Both Irene and I were surprised to see the beam of the flashlight bounce off of two sets of eyes watching us some fifty feet away behind a tree. The eyes were low to the ground and I could tell that the animals had the shape of a fox. A pair of jackals were looking over our camp. They appeared to be more afraid of us than we were of them. After a few minutes, they sauntered off, leaving us to the dark.

The next morning’s sunrise, which was also our first morning on the Serengeti, was beautiful. Our tents faced the east and the sun rose over the trees in the distance around 6 a.m. The colorful display occurred every morning while we were in the Serengeti and I made sure that I was awake early so as not to miss it.

Game drives in the Serengeti produced numerous and varied animal sightings. Spotted hyenas, zebra, wildebeest, gazelles, ostrich, golden jackals, bat eared fox, rattels and much more, too numerous to describe. However, some were more memorable than others, like spotting a leopard in a tree shortly after arrival on our second trip.

On our first morning, we left the Lake behind and drove out onto the grassy plains. The grasses were still very green, some short and some long. Rain had fallen not long before we arrived as puddles of water lay about. Wildebeests and zebras stretched to the horizon, grazing on the grasses. Gazelles mingled throughout. Occasionally a tree would sprout up out of nowhere, but this was very seldom. Parts of the ground were still very wet, almost marsh-like, and colorful wild flowers sprouted in these wet areas. As our vehicle drove out and away from the other two land rovers, our driver told us to keep an eye out for lions in that they probably had made an early morning kill and may still be feeding. We were driving along, scanning for the large cats, when suddenly our driver pointed to the distance and said that he thought he saw a few lions running off away from us. He immediately sped after them. I looked intently in the direction we were headed, but I never saw anything that remotely resembled a lion. After a few minutes, our driver stopped and scanned the horizon for a sign of the lions. As he stopped, I glanced over to the left and saw a fresh carcass, most of which was still intact. I pointed this out to our driver and he drove over to the remains. It was a wildebeest, or at least what was left of one. As we approached, we noticed a vulture ripping out shreds of meat. In a matter of moments, other vultures began to arrive seemingly out of nowhere. It was almost as if some alarm or bell had gone off and everyone was joining the party.

Our driver again spotted the group of lions and we sped off in pursuit, although, once again, I still could not make out any lions. Nor do I think could any of the other passengers. All we could do was trust our driver. In a few minutes, we caught up with the culprits, two female adult lions and five cubs trotting at a quick pace across the plains, all of their bellies gorged from the wildebeest we had just left.

The other animals grazing on the plains could see them coming and parted to let them through. However, they made no frantic dashes to avoid the advancing lions. Gary’s theory about prey knowing when predators are on the prowl held up, at least in this instance. While we were watching the seven animals, slowly following after them, our driver speculated that the females had merely taken the cubs out to teach them to hunt, especially since there were no other adult lions around and since the lions had left so much of the carcass behind for other scavengers. He told us this was not an unusual occurrence, especially at this time of year when prey was plentiful here in the Serengeti as a result of the wildebeest and zebra migration. The ground over which we were driving in pursuit of the lion group was very wet, with small purple flowers sporadically popping out, and we had to be careful so as not to cause a tire to become mired in the mud. The adult lions were not anxious to pose for us and kept traveling in the direction in which they were headed when we first approached. However, the cubs would continuously sit down and stare at us, very curious as to what we were. Unfortunately the adults kept prodding them forwards.

Lion sightings on our first trip to the Serengeti were numerous, including one pride of twenty-two. However, prior to our second visit to the Park, there had been an outbreak of rabies and one-half of the population had been lost and, as such, lions were not as plentiful as during our earlier trip. The pride of twenty-two was encountered on the northern road out of Naabi Hill, which is the southern gate to the Serengeti National Park. It is not a hill as such but more correctly is a kopje (pronounced “copy”), a granite outcrop usually covered with shrubs, trees and other vegetation. We passed many of these while touring, and Gary was sure to point out that we should watch for lions, leopards or other cats on the kopjes since this would be one of their natural places to rest and watch for prey. And of course if we did see one, it would be a “kopje cat”.

Not far from Naabi Hill we noticed a gathering of other land rovers and minibuses off on the west side of the road some hundred feet away who had spotted a group of animals. All three of our vehicles left the road to join them, and we soon found ourselves in the middle of a very large pride of lions. I counted twenty, but Gary said the pride numbered twenty-two. This pride consisted of two large adult males, several young males who had not yet grown a mane, and many females. The dominant male rested with a female by themselves away from the other lions. The other adult male slept behind a small hill, also by himself. The others merely drank and lounged about. This was truly a spectacular sighting. Gone was the nervousness that I had experienced in Tarangire on approaching so near to a lion pride, replaced with a fascination for these wondrous animals.

The lions were covered in flies which clung to their faces unmercifully. The animals laid there and endured their plight stoically. Also, a closer scrutiny revealed that parts of the tips of the ears of many of the animals were missing. I do not know if this resulted from the flies or some other misfortunes such as fights during eating. Each of the animals was different. If you studied one long enough, you could find certain traits that would distinguish it from the other lions, for example, the tear in their ears, the spots on their faces and the like. The lions ignored our presence, and continued to drink from the small pools of water standing about or just laid around. Some scoured the country side. Others played with each other, grabbing a tail or whatever. But mostly the lions slept, which is what they did most of the time that we observed them, not only here but at all of the Parks which we visited in Africa.

Another thing I noticed about some of the lions added credence to the warning that we should be careful where we exited our land rovers. Much of the grass around this particular area was two feet tall or taller. Looking around, I could see the tips of ears or the tops of heads sticking out above the top of the grass. This was from the vantage point of standing up in the back of a land rover. If I was on the ground, I doubt that I would have noticed anything. These animals could become well hidden in the grass, only to spring out on an unsuspecting prey. The ground upon which the pride was gathered was higher in elevation than most of the surrounding topography. In addition, several of the lions laid on small outcrops. Gary called this to our attention and told us that lions congregated in areas higher in elevation than their surroundings. This enhanced their ability to see what was around them, especially prey or other lions.

As I mentioned, the presence of the other tourist vehicles had attracted us to this particular pride. We experienced this more than once through out our trips, especially in Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara where there were many more tourists. Once one safari vehicle found something worth stopping for, other vehicles would see it and converge upon the spot. It was not uncommon at one sighting for there to be five or ten or more vehicles, all full of tourists taking pictures. This detracted substantially from the overall experience of seeing animals in their natural surroundings. However, as the number of tourists to these National Parks increases, I do not know how this is to be avoided. I believe it is a problem that the Parks will have to confront even more in the future. The more tourists which visit the Parks each year, the more money that the Parks bring in and have available for Tanzania’s general use and its conservation efforts. But the more tourists which visit the Parks, the greater the damage to the Parks and the wildlife themselves. This is a balancing act not dissimilar to the balancing acts with which the National Parks in the United States have to contend each year.

After the lions, my favorite sightings were of cheetahs. On my first trip to the Park, we came upon a mother cheetah and her four cubs as they settled into some tall grass in the shade of a small acacia tree. We stopped our land rover some fifty feet away, turned off the motor and settled in. We stayed there for more than thirty minutes just watching them play. We could see the long hair on the back of the youngsters, and their spots were not as prominent as those of their mother. The four cubs frolicked with each other and jumped on their mother, as if they did not have a care at all. Occasionally they would lick her or be licked by her. The cubs seemed oblivious to our presence (although every once in awhile they would all stop and stare at us, only to again resume their play), but the mother kept a wary eye on our land rover. However, she continued to lay there and allowed her cubs to play, apparently assured that we would cause them no harm.

This was one of the more enjoyable game viewing sessions that I had experienced on this trip. Reluctantly we left the five cheetahs behind and drove out further onto the plains. On our next trip, a cheetah walked right past the front of our vehicle, close enough to reach out and touch (although everyone resisted the temptation).

Earlier I made the observation that game viewing was a matter of luck and being in the right place at the right time. However, it also has a lot to do with the eyesight of the driver, and his knowledge both about the area in which he is driving and about the behavioral aspects of the various animals which could be found in that area. In other words, if you knew what you were looking for, you had a better chance of finding it

The landscape in the Serengeti is best described as vast. At midday, heat can be seen in the distance rising from the ground. Adding to the discomfort of the heat is the complete absence of a breeze. Not many animals can be seen at this time of day as most are “laying up” in whatever shade or burrow can be found to escape the heat and dust. As we scoured the horizons for signs of wildlife, I was very much impressed by the immenseness of what lay around us. As far as I could see were grassy plains and enormous skies. This was one of the wonderful aspects of the Serengeti that I could not adequately capture on film, nor adequately describe. This immenseness also added to a great sense of insignificance that I felt as we traveled about the Serengeti. It seemed to me that the expanses went on forever, which, in a sense, they did. The frustrations of daily life back home were forgotten as we drove around

Birds of all sizes abound in the Park, much to the delight of Irene. Vultures, eagles and other birds of prey, together with bee-eaters, plovers, coursers, storks, hornbills, rollers, barbets, ostriches and starlings, are plentiful and more than willing to pose for pictures. Because birds can often be found when other larger animals are nowhere in sight, I recommend that you develop an interest in these feathered creatures, even if only limited.

The Serengeti is not just wildebeests, predators and birds, but it also is home to a myriad of other wildlife, including reptiles and insects.

It is amazing how quickly you are able to identify the various animals, even though you may have never seen most of them before.

My favorite are the cape buffalo (not to be confused with water buffalo which are found in India). Their massive, heavily bossed horns and deserved fierce reputation provide an allure that some of the other hoofed animals lack. I have heard that a buffalo is considered one of the more dangerous animals to hunt since it sometimes becomes the hunter in the thick bush.

Although buffalo are grazers, I do not recall seeing them in open grass lands. Rather, we usually encountered them in bush country and not too far from water. In many cases, tick birds and cattle egrets could be found intermingled with the herds. Older bulls, locally referred to as old dagga boys, often are found away from the herds. Although massive in size, their solitary existence probably makes them easier prey since they are away from the protection that several buffalo can provide.

As far as photography, the buffalo is a phenomenal subject. If the sun was low and behind the animal, we were treated to a wonderful picture of the fringe on their ears.

On many occasions, we came across hippos, usually in streams or lakes. Rarely did we see these massive creatures outside of their water, although on occasion we have seen them resting on a bank. A hippo pod (as a group of hippos is called) is an amalgamation of sights, sounds and smells. Rarely are the animals still for any long period of time as they shuffle for position, and quite often skirmishes break out between the bulls. Snorting and barking are common occurrences.

On our last trip to the Serengeti, we were surprised that many of the hippos were out of the water during the day feeding. I perceived this to be an uncommon occurrence since hippos usually feed at night. Nor did our guides have an explanation. One thought the water may have been polluted with something, but we later saw the animals in the water. And this occurred at more than one body of water. However, this did allow us to observe the hippos from an advantage not usually experienced. In the sun, the scars on their bodies were evident, the result of being gouged by other tusks. Some of these scars were recent and still bloody, while others were older and healed. Given their size and apparent awkwardness on land, it is a wonder that they are able to maneuver in water as easily and gracefully as they do.

The Serengeti has a sizable population of hoofed animals, including roan antelope, eland, duikers, oribi, klipspringers, dikdik and waterbuck. They are generally found in distinctive ecosystems. For example, topi, an antelope similar to a kongoni (also known as a Coke’s hartebeest), graze in the longer grasslands generally away from competition with wildebeest and zebra. They often are seen standing on top of a termite mound, the purpose for which I do not know, although it may give them a better sight of their surroundings and of approaching predators. The topi are not truly migratory, but wet and dry seasons will require them to move sizable distances within their ranges.

Impala, on the other hand, are both grazers and browsers and usually are seen in and around trees and small shrubs. A male will generally have a group of females (a harem) ranging in various sizes. At one location, we counted 88 females with one male. Bachelor herds can also be found, usually not too far from a harem. Unlike many of the other antelope, only a male impala has horns.

The Serengeti is home to both Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles. The population of Thomson’s gazelles (also known as Tommies) is estimated at around one-quarter of a million animals, with the Grant’s population being substantially smaller. Both animals have horns, but the Grant’s horns are usually in a wider v-shape. In addition, the Grant’s gazelle is larger than the Thompson’s. The animals feed on the same short grasses as the wildebeest and can often be seen mingled with the herds of wildebeest and zebra. However, they also feed on other grasses. The Tommy appears to be the favorite prey of cheetahs, although lions and other predators feed on them.

An animal that can be found in abundance at the old Seronera Lodge and in and around other kopje rocks is the rock hyrax. The hyrax, which at first blush appears to be a large rodent, is purportedly the nearest living relative of the elephant, at least anatomically speaking. Besides rock hyrax, the Park is home to bush hyrax, a smaller species of the animal which usually live in trees.

A description of an African safari would not be complete without mentioning the crocodile. Although we have found crocodiles in greater abundance in other Parks, the Serengeti has its share of them as well. I am confident that most readers have seen the movies chronicling the migration of the wildebeest and zebra. Those movies invariably involve the crossing of a river, probably the Grumeti, in which large crocodiles lie in wait. Although I have seen the huge number of wildebeests, I have never seen them crossing a crocodile-infested river. However, we did come across the crocodile pictured above near a pool which remained of the Grumeti River. I am sure that, when the river rises from seasonal rains and the wildebeest return, this crocodile will be lying in wait.

The other hoofed animal which migrates with the wildebeest is the zebra. In the Serengeti, the common or Burchell’s zebra is the species that is found. Although migratory, I suspect that some reside in the Park year round.

During our last trip to the Serengeti, we came upon a herd of zebra (or possibly a gathering of several herds) as they approached a water hole late in the afternoon to drink. The sun was low and the resulting light was perfect. We parked a short distance from the water hole to watch and were treated to an interesting experience.

These animals were very skittish and they approached the water warily. Invariably, they would drink for just a few moments before one became spooked and ran away, followed by the others. This went on for almost a half hour, as each time the animals approached the water to drink, only to be spooked and come running out again. After awhile, they ultimately gave up and left, their thirst apparently unsatisfied. We never did see anything which could have been the cause of the commotion. However, I remembered my first trip to the Serengeti where we came upon a pride of lions feeding on the remains of a young zebra, evidence that their existence is precarious at best.

Lest I leave you with the wrong impression, I assure you that a safari is not just predators, or wildlife for that matter. It is the whole experience, including the land and sky surrounding you, the insects beneath your vehicle, the bones bleaching in the sun, smells wafting through the breeze around you and animal sounds heard in the distance. In the Serengeti, all of this abounded, creating a unique place on Earth.

The above, together with the accompanying photographs, are what I believe to be the high points of seven full days of game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. However, they are just a sample of what you too will experience should you travel to this Park. Unmentioned was the lioness hiding in the brush near a water hole, waiting for animals to approach, only to be undone because the wind was blowing towards her intended prey. Also unmentioned were the carcasses of antelope hanging in trees, the remains of a leopard kill, as well as scores of marabou storks and vultures surrounding recent kills. And the lone bull elephant walking across an open grassland towards one of our vehicles, only to half-heartedly charge it when it got close, giving the occupants of the vehicle an adrenalin rush.

And we cannot leave the Serengeti without commenting on the scenery which can be found there. Although well known for its vast plains, the Serengeti offers much more, such as the kopjes, Lake Ndutu, marsh lands, small lakes and rolling hills. Some areas were lush green, others were brown, while others were green but fading to brown, indicative of the rainfall in a particular area. When we arrived the second time, evidence of fires could be seen all around, some of which were still smoking. At night, grass fires could be seen in the distance. I found all of this to be beautiful and unlike any other place I had seen before. It was very easy to feel quite insignificant when standing in the middle of this vast area of land.

One of my last memories of our most recent trip to the Park is of the herd of zebras thundering past us, in a rush to somewhere, raising a cloud of dust and disappearing into it in the setting sun.