Cindy in Kili: THE WILDLIFE SAFARI & MAASAI VILLAGE

We arranged a six day wildlife safari, also through Tusker Travel Adventures that included game drives throughout the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater regions in Tanzania.   Our guide, Daniel, picked us up at the Bristol Cottages in a safari truck and off we went on another adventure! Our group included Fridtjof, Nives, Vince, Randy and me.

Daniel is very knowledgeable about the areas that we are visiting, as he was a game warden in the past. He gave up the job to work as a guide with a private company in order to avoid being transferred and uprooting his family. His origin is Maasai.  Apparently his father left the tribe so Daniel was raised and educated in a western culture. He shared a lot of information with us about the tribe and arranged for us to visit one of their villages.

It's difficult to describe how thrilling it was to see so many exotic animals in their own habitat.....the pictures tell the story and were taken over our six day adventure. We saw all of the BIG FIVE (lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants and rhinos), but unfortunately did not get pictures of the rhinos. We stayed at tented lodges along the way - very luxurious with all amenities including delectable meals, good wines, laundry service and sing songs in the evening, accompanied by Daniel's guitar playing.......the experience was right out of a movie....right "Out of Africa"!

                                          OUR TRANSPORTATION AWAITS US

SUPPLIES FOR THE TRIP

OUR FIRST SIGHTING AS WE DRIVE TOWARD THE FIRST GAME RESERVE - LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

                                                     AAAAW - SO CUTE, BUT PESKY.....
                          WHILE TRAVELLING, WE NEEDED TO EAT OUR BOXED LUNCHES
                       IN THE TRUCK, AS THEY WILL AGGRESSIVELY HELP THEMSELVES!

THIS GUY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.....THEY TRAVEL 10 OR MORE KM IN A DAY, RARELY LIE DOWN AND SPEND MOST OF THEIR LIVES EATING......THEY FLAP THEIR EARS TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE AND COOL OFF. LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

ELEPHANTS ARE ONE OF THE "BIG FIVE". THEY LIVE IN GROUPS DOMINATED BY AN ADULT FEMALE. THEY'RE NORMALLY EXTREMELY PASSIVE AND CAN PEACEFULLY PASS WITHIN INCHES OF A VEHICLE....BUT IF INJURED OR THREATENED THEY CAN BE AGGRESSIVE AND DANGEROUS.

I LOVE ZEBRAS...NO TWO ARE MARKED ALIKE. THEY'RE GRAZERS, TIMID & SHY AND NOT TERRITORIAL. LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

CHECK OUT THIS LITTLE GUY

A RIVER FULL OF HIPPOS....NOT THE GREATEST SHOT, BUT THEY ARE THERE IF YOU LOOK CLOSE. THEY CAN WEIGHT UP TO 2 TONS AND IN SOME PARTS OF AFRICA ARE SAID TO ACCOUNT FOR MORE HUMAN DEATHS THAN OTHER MAMMALS.....GLAD WE'RE NOT TOO CLOSE!

OUR FIRST CAMP AND PROBABLY THE MOST RUSTIC OF THEM ALL - ALTHOUGH VERY VERY COMFORTABLE

A CHARMING VERANDA

COMFORTABLE BEDS

THE CAMP'S RESTAURANT AFTER A LONG DAY IN THE TRUCK - RANDY, VINCE, FRIDTJOF & NIVES....THE TANZANIANS MAKE KILIMANJARO BEER....

"IF YOU CAN'T CLIMB IT, YOU CAN DRINK IT!"

BUFFALOS - THEY'RE INQUISITIVE, BUT AGGRESSIVE. WHEN WOUNDED, THEY'RE HIGHLY DANGEROUS - MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ME??? ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ME???

WHO YOU LOOKIN' AT??

ROADSIDE FLOCK...EGRETS, I THINK!

RANDY & CINDY IN THE WILD

SO GRACEFUL......THEY'RE THE TALLEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD. THE SERENGETI SPECIES ARE CALLED THE "MAASAI GIRAFFE".

THEIR DIET IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ACACIA, THEY'RE NOT OFTEN FOUND OUTSIDE AREAS WHERE THESE TREES EXIST.

THE OLDUVAI GORGE, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE "CRADLE OF MANKIND" BECAUSE AMONG MANY ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS, A SKULL WAS DISCOVERED AND NICKNAMED THE "NUTCRACKER MAN" . IT GOT THE NICKNAME BECAUSE OF IT'S LARGE BACK TEETH. IT'S BELIEVED TO BE THE MISSING LINK IN EVOLUTION AND IS SOME TWO MILLION YEARS OLD...........WOW!

WE STOP FOR A BOXED LUNCH BEFORE ENTERING THE SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK . RANDY: "BUT WHERE'S THE SHRIMP COCKTAIL??

"WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE SERENGETI, WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE SERENGETI!!

SERENGETI - THE OSTRICH IS HUGE - THEY'RE FLIGHTLESS. WHEN BREEDING, THE MALES SIT ON THE EGGS AT NIGHT AND THE FEMALES DURING THE DAY.....SORT OF LIKE CO-PARENTING. THEY'RE VERY FAST RUNNERS AND CAN REACH 70 KM/H

SERENGETI - THE JACKAL....WE SAW THIS GUY TRY TO HUNT DOWN AN AFRICAN HARE - BUT IT WAS A MISS AND THE HARE GOT AWAY WITH HIS LIFE!!

MALE AND FEMALE JACKALS REMAIN PARTNERS FOR LIFE - AAAWW!

SERENGETI - HERE'S A SERIES OF LION SHOTS.....ANOTHER ONE OF THE "BIG FIVE". BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS AND THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN. THEY HUNT MAINLY AT NIGHT AND WE COULD ACTUALLY HEAR THEM ROARING WHILE SLEEPING IN OUR TENTS. THEY'RE RELATIVELY LETHARGIC ANIMALS AND DON'T EXERT THEMSELVES EXCEPT WHEN INTENT ON A KILL.

THEY LIVE AND HUNT IN PRIDES, WHICH CONSIST MOSTLY OF FEMALES. THE FEMALES DO THE HUNTING AND ALLOW THE MALES TO EAT FIRST, THEN THEMSELVES, THEN THEIR CUBS.

THIS SHOT WAS TAKEN FROM OUR TRUCK, CAPTURING ANOTHER SAFARI WITH A DIFFERENT TOURING COMPANY. THE LIONS COULD CARE LESS ABOUT US BEING THERE AND ARE QUITE HAPPY LAZING AROUND

THE SIMILARITIES ARE UNCANNY, DON'T YOU THINK?

I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP MR. DEMILLE!

HAKUNA MATATA - NO WORRIES!

HERE KITTY KITTY!!

OUR CAMP LODGING IN THE SERENGETI.....WE STAYED HERE FOR THREE NIGHTS

OUR LUXURY KING SIZE BED WAS FANTASTIC AFTER SO MANY DAYS ON THE FLOOR IN A SLEEPING BAG - MOSQUITO NETS ARE A MUST - MALARIA IS A REAL PROBLEM

RANDY, DANIEL AND ME IN FRONT OF THE MESS TENT

GOOD MORNING!! WE HAD WONDERFUL COFFEE WAITING FOR US EVERY MORNING ON OUR LITTLE OUTSIDE TABLE.

SING SONGS WITH DANIEL IN THE EVENINGS IN THE "COMMON TENT", WHICH WAS FILLED WITH COMFORTABLE COUCHES, BOOKS AND A FULL BAR

THE MESS TENT - ALL SET UP FOR BREAKFAST

SITTING AROUND THE CAMP FIRE ENJOYING DANIEL'S MUSIC WHILE WE WAIT FOR DINNER. HE PLAYS MOSTLY WESTERN SONGS, COUNTRY IN PARTICULAR. HE HAS A SWEET VOICE!

THESE BIRDS ARE "EVERYWHERE" AND THEIR COLOURS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT

ON THE ROAD AGAIN..........THIS IS A FULL GROWN "DIKDIK" (A VARIETY OF ANTELOPE). THEY WEIGH ABOUT FOUR KG. ONLY MALES HAVE HORNS AND THEY MAKE A NASAL WHISTLING SOUND. VERY DAINTY CREATURES INDEED!

WILD THING.....YOU MAKE MY HEART SING!

OUTCROPS, DESCRIBED AS "ROCKY ISLANDS" IN A SEA OF GRASS IN THE SERENGETI

THE INCREDIBLE WILDEBEEST, AFFECTIONATELY KNOW AS "THE CLOWN OF THE PLAINS" BECAUSE OF THEIR COMIC BEHAVIOUR. THEY TRAVEL IN HERDS DURING MIGRATION NUMBERING IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.

A HERD OF WILDEBEEST AND ZEBRAS GRAZING IN HARMONY....THIS IS A VERY SMALL EXAMPLE OF THE ANNUAL MIGRATION .....WHEN THEY BEGIN TO MOVE THEY FALL INTO A SINGLE FILE FORMATION

THERE ARE 20 SPECIES OF ANTELOPE IN THE SERENGETI - THESE LITTLE FELLAS ARE THE TOPI.

THE DEVIL TREE - ALL BY ITSELF IN A BEAUTIFUL SAVANNAH!

WAKE ME UP WHEN YOU SPOT SOMETHING INTERESTING!

OK NIVES, WILL THIS WAKE YOU UP??? ONE OF THE BIG FIVE - A LEOPARD IN A TREE!! LEOPARDS ARE AFRICA'S LARGEST CAT. THEY ARE SECRETIVE AND LARGELY NOCTURNAL. THEY LIKE TO CARRY THEIR PREY UP INTO THE BRANCHES OF TREES WHERE THEY MAY KEEP SEVERAL CARCASSES. THEY'RE EFFICIENT HUNTERS, STEALTHILY STALKING THEIR PREY KEEPING THEIR BODIES CROUCHED CLOSE TO THE GROUND. THEY ARE SOLITARY, RARELY ASSOCIATING WITH OTHERS EXCEPT WHEN MATING.

HAVING FUN - IN THE GAME, LOOKING FOR GAME!

WE SPOTTED QUITE A FEW HYENAS......THEY'RE PREDATORS AND NOCTURNAL. WE OFTEN SAW THEM WALLOWING IN MUD HOLES ALONG THE ROAD. THEY'RE REMARKABLY AFFECTIONATE AND SOCIAL, LIVING IN CLANS DOMINATED BY FEMALES. THEY WILL VIGOROUSLY DEFEND THEIR TERRITORY AND CAN SMELL CARRION 4 KM AWAY.

A SLEEPING CROCODILE

I'M NOT SURE WHAT SPECIE OF BIRDS THESE ARE, BUT I LOVED THE SCENE. IT WAS DUSK AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK TO CAMP AFTER A LONG DAY OF TOURING.

THE AUGAR BUZZARD IS A BIRD OF PREY, HUNTING MOSTLY SMALL GROUND CREATURES. WHEN IT HAS SPOTTED A MEAL, IT DROPS SHARPLY, AS IF IT HAS FALLEN FROM THE SKY. IT IS VERY TALENTED AT FLYING AND OFTEN USES WARM AIR CURRENTS TO STAY ALOFT

MY FAVOURITE SIGHTING......THE CHEETAH!

THEY ARE THE FASTEST ANIMAL ON EARTH, ACCELERATING TO SPEEDS OF UP TO 110 KM/H OVER SHORT DISTANCES. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO OBSERVE THIS "MOM" WITH HER 3 CUBS OVER A PERIOD OF TWO DAYS.

THEY HUNT MOSTLY IN DAYLIGHT HOURS, AROUND SUNRISE AND SUNSET AND REST DURING THE HOTTER HOURS OF THE DAY. THEY PREFER TO ATTACK STRAGGLERS IN PREY GROUPS, RUNNING THE VICTIM DOWN WITH AN ELECTRIFYING BURST OF SPEED.

THEY HAVE DISTINCTIVE "TEAR MARKS" THAT ALMOST JOIN THE EYES AND MOUTH. THEIR CUBS ARE HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO PREDATORS.....A LION WILL KILL A CHEETAH CUB TO REDUCE FUTURE COMPETITION. THE CHEETAH MOTHER OFTEN MOVES HER CUBS ONE BY ONE BY THE SCRUFF OF THE NECK TO A NEW HIDING PLACES TO KEEP THEM SAFE. UNLIKE LEOPARDS, THEY ARE NOT TREE CLIMBERS. UNLIKE LIONS THEY DO NOT HAVE STRONG "KILLING JAWS". CHEETAHS ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE OF THE BIG CATS OF AFRICA!!

OUR LAST LODGING AS WE LEAVE THE GAME RESERVES. IT OVERLOOKS THE NGORONGORO CRATER. QUITE UPSCALE AND A NICE ENDING TO OUR SAFARI ADVENTURE. EVERYONE IS FEELING REALLY REALLY REALLY TIRED..................

SO VERY VERY TIRED.....................

ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED...............

TOTALLY DIMINISHED IN ENERGY...................

COMPLETELY DEPLETED..............

SPENT!!!!

************************************************************************************

A VISIT TO A MAASAI VILLAGE

Midway through the safari we had an opportunity to visit a traditional Maasai village. We were completely welcomed into their homes and were invited to ask questions about their culture. We even participated in their traditional dance. They live a very primitive existence and it was hard to reconcile their lifestyle with how the rest of the world lives.

There are many books written about the Maasai and I've taken the liberty of extracting some information to highlight some of their cultural behaviours.

The Maasai are a nomadic tribe, moving from village to village in search of fresh grazing land for their herds. The Tanzanian and Kenyan governments have developed programs to encourage the Maasai to abandon their traditional nomadic lifestyle, but the people have resisted western culture and for the most part, continue their age-old customs. Over the years, projects have been put into place to help the Maasai find ways to preserve their traditions, while balancing the educational needs of their children for the modern world.

Maasai society is strongly patriarchal in nature and are traditionally polygamous. A woman marries not just her husband, but the entire age group. Men are expected to give up their bed to a visiting age-mate guest however, the woman decides on her own if she will join the visiting male.

The Maasai lifestyle centres around their cattle and other livestock, which constitute their primary source of food. Cattle also plays a key negotiating factor in marriages and is considered a bride price. When we met with one of the Maasai men, he asked Randy how many cattle he received for my hand in marriage - honest! The measure of a man's wealth is in terms of cattle and children. The more, the better.

The Maasai continue to practise both male and female circumcision. For boys, a right of passage to the status of junior warrior is a painful circumcision ceremony which is performed without anaesthetic by the elders. The boy must endure the operation in silence, as expressions of pain will bring dishonour.

About 38% of the female population is circumcised, which has drawn a great deal of criticism by the rest of the world. The practise however remains deeply ingrained in the culture. Some women feel it is necessary because Maasai men may reject a woman who has not undergone it, as either not marriageable or worthy of a much-reduced bride price.

As nomadic people, their houses (small huts actually) are designed for people on the move and are impermanent in nature. They are constructed by able-bodied women. The framework is formed by timber poles and interwoven with a lattice of small branches. It is then plastered with a mix of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and human urine. Within this space, the family cooks, eats, sleeps, socialises and stores food.

The Maasai are known for their intricate jewellery . Piercing and stretching of earlobes is common. Women and men wear various forms of beaded ornaments.

Their diet consists mostly of meat (lots of goat), milk and blood (mixed into a smoothie type drink)from cattle. The findings from a number of physical tests given to 400 young male Maasai confirmed a fitness level of "Olympic standard"

A GROUP OF MAASAI MEN