In the Serengeti - Day 2

Our 2nd day in the Serengeti begins with promise: The rising sun bathes the savannah in a warm light! Colorful hot air balloons rise around the campsite, floating by silently…

A balloon safari must be breathtaking, but we already have enough scheduled, and it's really not cheap…

We set off early for a game drive!

Before long, we experience an absolutely iconic moment and feel as if we are in “The Lion King” 🦁 High up on a rocky outcrop (called kopjes), Simba truly reigns in the morning sun, enjoying the panoramic view!

Male lions have a tough life. They are driven out of their pride at around 2-3 years old and must fight to establish their own pride and compete against rivals. Their life expectancy is around 12 years, shorter than that of lionesses, who can live up to 15 years.

A bit further, we spot a cheetah! From a distance, it is well camouflaged, with its coat blending in with the grass blades.

A lion is lying by the roadside, yawning at first. But soon it gets up and walks right past our vehicle. It comes incredibly close to us! Breathtaking to see a full-grown lion so near 😮

 

Even more lions are staying in the vicinity: By a waterhole, we see a lioness, and in the tall grass, we can make out several more animals!

 

The interplay of the blue sky and water, green meadows, and straw-yellow grass is simply unique!

We notice a red hue that doesn’t fit with the yellow and green of the savannah; it's an animal carcass (bottom right in the dry grass)! The completely scoured bones of a zebra indicate that the lion pride was last successful in hunting…

A new discovery captures our attention! Along the river, a herd of elephants is approaching…

We follow the river’s path and stop by a large tree! The elephants are coming closer, there are countless animals… 

An elephant herd mainly consists of females and calves. An experienced matriarch leads the herd! Male elephants leave the herd as they grow larger. 

In the wild, elephants can live up to 70 years.

Our day has been amazing already and couldn’t be better! The Serengeti with its savannah truly has something magical! The landscape is constantly changing as well. Dry grasses, sparse bushes, and green patches alternate…

 

By chance, a hyena runs out of the tall grass towards us and crosses the road – a rare sight, as these animals are shy and nocturnal!

And once again, an iconic moment awaits us: In the distance, we see the silhouette of a full-grown leopard, high up in a tree! Wow!

Through our binoculars, we can see the fine markings of the leopard – a very fascinating and elegant animal!

Leopards are solitary and very patient hunters. They silently sneak up on their prey and wait patiently for the right moment. After catching their prey, they often drag it up into trees to keep it for themselves.

Thus, we have indeed already seen all the “Big 5” on our safari: elephants, lions, buffaloes, now a leopard, and from a distance, a rhino…

We briefly stop at a waterhole full of hippos…

Incredible what we could see on this day! On the next, third day, we will traverse the Serengeti all the way to the west…