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Category Archives: Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari

Sep 01 2019
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The Sounds, Sights, Drama, Fear, Excitement of a Crossing! …

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Brendon Reports from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

We set out to check a central area of the Masai Mara to see what action we could come across. The morning light was beautiful, with clouds scudding across an azure sky. When we spotted two lions we hurried to them and as we arrived a lioness climbed onto a termite mound. There she sat, relaxed and peering around and looking for all the world like a still from The Lion King, as she gave us all the time we needed to compose different shots.

The second lioness moved away, and although we followed her for a while she started to walk through a very rocky area where the vehicle could no longer follow.

We spotted some action in the distance – it was two male lions with a lioness. The female was about to come into oestrus but was not quite ready for any advances from her male companions. One of the males was very persistent, but she rebuffed him again and again with menacing growls and a swat across any area that she could reach. The interaction and photography were fabulous.

We remained with the lions until they went to sleep in a shady spot.

After we checked all the potential wildebeest river crossing points to the north of the camp without seeing any real action or gatherings we decided to check the southern area of the reserve. There we found a number of herds of wildebeest and zebra. One of the herds was fairly close to a river, but not close enough to start a crossing. We retreated to a lovely shady tree for lunch. From there we kept a constant eye on the herd to see if there was any movement.

Then another herd arrived to join the first group, swelling the numbers considerably. Together they approached the water’s edge, and the wait began for the first brave animal to leap in for the swim. But no! They stood around, and then slowly started to move. They moved to a different very quiet spot. And within moments the first wildebeest was in the water. The others followed immediately, and the turmoil, bleating, splashing, dust, spraying water, mud, jostling, – all created an unforgettable scene. The sounds! The sights! The drama! The terror! And the sigh of relief when they reached the far bank singly or in groups … wow! This simply has to be experienced by anyone interested in wildlife, and especially wildlife photography! A must! Put it on your bucket list!

As the original animals started their crossing, other herds saw and heard the commotion and immediately rushed to the scene to join in! It was incredible, and the action unfolded in front of us minute by exciting, dramatic minute! More than incredible. It was breathtaking – chaos, drama.

And of course the crocodiles moved in for a feast! Bellows joined the cacophony as wildebeest and zebra fell victim to those ever ready jaws. Red blood joined the reddish ochre dust in the river, and was swept away in moments – taking a message downstream for more crocodiles to join the banquet!

We sat there, photographing every dramatic, exciting, terrifying, horrific, wonderful moment! Nature at its most raw! We only realised afterward that we had scarcely breathed, and huge sighs could be heard as people filled their lungs.

After all that adrenaline we needed to wind down and we moved on to more peaceful scenes like some giraffe on an open plain in lovely afternoon light. Of course there were Plains animals everywhere.

Having been told that some lions were not far away we started to move towards them. We found a cheetah along the way, but she was very lethargic, having eaten just hours before, as manifested by her very fat, very full stomach. But as she was our first cheetah sighting, even though she wasn’t doing much, we stopped for photographs.

When we reached the pride of lions we found ions, lionesses and about five little Cubs. As it was very late afternoon we couldn’t remain with the lions for longer than a few minutes. Besides, a huge thunderstorm gathered and started to head in our direction, pursued by Armageddon-like sounds of the thunder!

 

Tomorrow we would like to check the rivers quickly and then to catch up with that pride of lions again …

 

Aug 31 2019
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Skittish Wildebeest Dispel a Few Myths about Crossings! …

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Brendon Reports from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

When we left the Lodge in the early dawn our priority was to photograph the animals as they undertook the hazardous river crossings. Shortly after we left the Lodge we spotted a lioness. She lay there with the first shards of golden light full on her – a beautiful picture to start the day.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast out in the bush … and later our lunch was also served out there, under a spreading tree. During the day we saw plenty of wildebeest again, plus zebra, giraffe, Topi, elephants, buffalo, Thomson’s Gazelle, Dik-diks, jackals – there are animals everywhere here!

We could hear male lions calling very close by. We followed the sound that led us to two large male lions. They walked around, sniffed, called, and examined the area. They were most impressive specimens and we collected some great images. Then one of the lions spotted the lioness and started to make his way toward her. But when the duo rather settled in the shade of a bush we left them.

We checked a few possible crossing points at the Mara River, and caught up with a herd of wildebeest that kept us there for a while. They approached the river, dashed back again, returned to the river, ran back, went to the river’s edge, dashed back again – and again! Each time we thought that they would risk the crossing, but not yet! This never-ending story continues until one brave animal takes the plunge. Each time something or other spooked the skittish wildebeest and they fled. Although some people believe that the animals arrive at the river and simply swim across, no!  The actual facts are very different. It is quite a process. The cautious animals do eventually make the crossing but not before they have approached the water countless times. This is not surprising as the crush of animals when they make the crossing, the steep banks, and the predators that lurk both in and around the water present an ever-present and very real danger. Lives are lost regularly!

When something frightened the wildebeest yet again they moved quite a distance back from the river and we left them to check another crossing point.

As we arrived at that point we caught the tail end of a fairly large herd of wildebeest and zebra as they braved the river. We managed some great photographs as the animals leaped in, swam across and then scrambled up the far bank of the river.

When the last wildebeest disappeared over the ridge we moved on and found a large herd as it arrived at a crossing point. Almost six thousand wildebeest gathered there, trying to pluck up the courage to be the first to jump into the water. They approached the river’s edge, and then moved to a  different spot, and then another and another. So it went, with the timid mass not daring to leap in into the river. After all, what awaited them beneath the surface.

Eventually they arrived at a promising spot, but once again they were spooked. Each time they dashed back they created a lot of dust and the hectic, frantic action created perfect scenes for dramatic photography. We included panning shots, dusty shots with light penetrating through in a golden haze, close-up shots – you name it, we probably did it!

We thought they were spooked by lions when they dashed away from some bushes. We checked, and found nothing there. The rustling leaves had been enough to frighten the timid wildebeest and the sound of a distant thunderstorm warned them to stay well away from the river.

Soon they all moved far from the water, and as night approached, we returned to the lodge, determined to catch up with the huge herd at first light …

 

Aug 27 2019
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Our Masai Mara Migration Safari Starts – and It Is Fabulous! …

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Brendon Reports from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

(Photos from Brendon’s Phone)

We arrived at our magnificent destination in time for lunch. Clouds bundled in a cobalt blue sky, and created a backdrop for our photography.

The half hour drive from the airport to the camp was amazing and we saw not only Plains animals but also many of the Big Five. We photographed Buffalo, Elephants and Lions and this was in addition to giraffe, hippos, hartebeest, plenty of wildebeest and zebra. That was just between the airstrip and the Lodge and gave us an inkling of what hopefully awaits us.

Our first actual game drive started after we checked in and had lunch and a quick briefing.

We saw plenty of wildebeest and zebra again, and when we checked the Mara River to see if there was any sign of a buildup of animals before they attempted a crossing, we did see a few clusters of wildebeest and zebra. However, as they approached the water, aware of the dangers lurking and waiting, they would put one hoof into the water and then bolt away as a ripple or disturbance in or out of the water spooked them. This pattern repeated itself again and again – with no actual crossings.

But we did photograph plenty of other animals. Zebras, giraffes, two large lions, a pride of lions with lionesses, young males and Cubs kept our cameras really busy. And when we found a Tawny Eagle eating a young Thomson’s Gazelle, you can imagine the photography! A herd of elephants on the open Plains looked wonderful in the afternoon light and at times we found it difficult to decide whether to concentrate on panning shots as wildebeest skittered around, or gazelles as they chased each other – or maybe we could concentrate on the scenery. The choices were endless and we all took full advantage of each moment.

In the morning we would like to check on the pride of lions before we check the river for crossings …

Sep 04 2018
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Lions! More Lions, and a Hunt …

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Ben Reports from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

On Monday morning we set out in search of young lion cubs that we heard about on the grapevine. On the way we came across a young male lion with a lioness. We thought they were a mating pair and although we waited for a while, they simply rested in the predawn rapidly brightening morning.

We continued our search for the cubs and to our delight we found the little three month old adorable bundles as they tumbled through grass with their mother. There was plenty of interaction between the mother and her ultra cute cubs, with ongoing vocalising as she encouraged the little ones along. The cubs played, nuzzled, groomed, licked and fell over each other while the mother nudged, groomed and cared for them as they made their slow way across the veld.

She led her little family to a thicket where they all settled down snuggled together and fell asleep within moments.

Then we heard about even younger cubs nearby. A lioness from the same pride had three week old cubs. We found them at their den in a gully under a fallen tree trunk. The little cubs were tiny, and they played, suckled, climbed all over their mother, chased small leaves and twigs, and then suckled again. One of the cubs ventured onto the tree trunk, and bravely walked unsteadily across, accompanied by plentiful oohs and aahs from our group. They are still so tiny, with blue eyes, and spots still very visible on their foreheads.

We remained with the cubs until they fell asleep. We then moved on for breakfast and after our meal we did some low angle and high key photography of buffalo and topi.

The sun was high in the sky when we found that there was a gathering of zebra along the Mara River. The zebras stared fixedly at the river but there were no attempts to approach or to cross the water.

Meanwhile we noticed four lions that watched the zebras intently. One lioness lay a little apart from the others, while the zebras remained totally oblivious about any nearby predators. What would happen, we thought. Would there be a hunt?

Suddenly and inexplicably, the zebras started to walk directly towards the lone lioness. The lioness immediately crouched, ears flattened, and waited patiently for the zebras to approach. They were almost in striking distance when she lost her nerve or misjudged their distance – and she sprang! Too soon! The zebras scattered. Had the lioness been a little more patient and waited a few seconds more she would have had more luck. But her precipitous action meant that the zebras all escaped with nothing more than a bit of alarm.

We left the area as the likelihood of a crossing was zero.

After lunch we set out through the very wet reserve. Because of the early rains, the animals do not have to migrate urgently as there is plenty of water here and new grass is already showing everywhere.

Then we heard that there was another gathering of animals close to the river and we dashed there to find wildebeest and zebra milling around the banks of the river. It looked as though they would start to cross at any moment, but a gathering storm and plenty of clouds meant that the heavily overcast conditions made the light quite dim and the wildebeest and zebra did not seem keen to actually cross the river with limited visibility.

We photographed hippos in the river while waiting for the animals to decide whenever to cross or not. We enjoyed sundowners there and then headed back to our camp. Just then we heard that animals were beginning to mass along the Mara River. They could decide to attempt the crossing at first light and our plan is to visit that spot as soon as we leave the camp in the morning …

Sep 04 2018
0

A Dramatic Lion Hunt Chase Heads Directly Towards Us …

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Brendon’s Bulletin from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

On Sunday morning we woke up to two factors – lions roaring, as they had through most of the night, and a light drizzle.

We went in search of the roaring sounds and found a mating couple. This was right at the end of their lengthy ritual, and they were clearly about to separate. The male set off, and when he spotted a herd of zebras, his interest was focussed on his next meal.

The handsome lion headed towards the zebra herd with care and determination. He reached the herd at a clearing where they were gazing and relaxing, but then his interest seemed to wane and he lay down in a nearby bushy area.

We waited for a while to see if the lion would change his mind. While we waited a small herd of giraffe arrived and walked across a nearby plain where they were silhouetted beautifully against the early glowering sky. They looked wonderful and we filled our cameras with superb images.

When we heard that a large pride of lions were moving and possibly on the hunt, we immediately dashed there. We found about thirteen lions (lionesses with subadult females and males) that looked quite hungry and were very much out on an early morning hunt. We looped around them continuously to get photographs from all angles. Suddenly one of the lions broke away from the others and went into a full stalking mode. We made our way surreptitiously around the hunting lioness, and then saw what she was stalking. We could just identify a pair of warthog ears in the long grass. The lions closed in, creeping closer, closer, closer. Everything was quiet as we held our breath. For a moment the whole scene seemed to freeze, and within a split second chaos erupted when the lioness broke cover and dashed after the warthog, with other lionesses appearing as if from thin air. They chased the warthog down, but as always, one cannot predict the outcome of events with certainty. We knew that the lionesses had the warthog when suddenly it reached a small riverine and disappeared from sight, leaving the lions staring incredulously at each another and at the spot where their prey disappeared as if by magic. We could hardly believe that the warthog had been so lucky …

And we had been in the best possible position for photography, with the warthog and lions hurtling full-tilt towards us. It was an amazing chase and we could not ask for better excitement and circumstances.

After breakfast under the trees we found five cheetahs. The morning was warm, and the Five relaxed in the heat of the advancing day.

We traveled on towards the Talek River and saw that massive herds of zebra, wildebeest, and topi were massing everywhere. Because they were not actually beginning to gather and push towards the river, we spent a few hours using different photographic techniques for impactful shots. Panning, high-key, different lighting modes all produced the kind of different shots we really like to collect.

Clouds were building up, with light and heavy showers dotted around. The magenta sky looked so dramatic with the beautiful trees, Plains and animals in the foreground.

Tomorrow we think we may follow up on that hungry pride of lions – maybe they will hunt again as they certainly are hungry …

Sep 02 2018
0

Tranquility in the Mara …

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Ben’s Bulletin from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

Before our first group of guests departed on Friday we drove around to enjoy a peaceful, very tranquil morning. Very little stirred and nature appeared to be taking a quiet rest. It was beautiful, and we made our way slowly, very content to enjoy the magnificent sunrise painted across the heavens with lovely cloud formations that shimmered and changed as the glowing orb of the sun crept higher into to sky.

The animals appeared to be equally peaceful. A hyena slunk across the plain carrying a large femur, while a large herd of Topi welcomed the dawn.

After breakfast we said farewell to our reluctantly departing guests and then waited for the arrival of the incoming group.

The new guests arrived and after settling in and introductions we set out for the first game drive. As they unanimously wanted to photograph lions, this was our first objective. We found one of the prides that the large, dominant male is a part of. His brother posed obligingly for us and we were able to kick off with a really good collection of lion images. The lion moved lazily though grass and glanced at us occasionally. When he found a convenient termite mound he flopped down on the raised lookout, where he relaxed for the remainder of the afternoon. We photographed him there for ages as he groomed, roared, snoozed, looked across the plains, roared again, groomed some more – and so on, giving everyone plenty of opportunity to amass a really fine collection of images.

The next morning we returned to the lion. He was strolling along, roaring, and with a beautiful sunrise behind him, pierced with early sun rays, the scene was beyond description. Again, our cameras filled, this time with almost lyrical images.

Then we found the pride with young lionesses. It was the seven lionesses and youngsters that we have seen regularly during the past few days.

Then we noticed a herd of wildebeest gathering on the banks of the Mara River. We were really hopeful that they would decide to undertake a crossing and we placed ourselves in a strategic position for the best view.

The herd jostled and grouped closer and closer. Any minute now, we thought. But no! As wildebeest do, they suddenly dispersed quietly and we could see that they had no intention of returning for a while.

Lunch was served under a spreading tree. Then it was time to search for a cheetah that we were informed was out hunting. We arrived too late for the stalk but we found her sitting next to her kill. She lifted the gazelle’s head, and then dropped it again to gaze around, checking for scavengers.

We returned to the young lionesses and enjoyed the late afternoon photographing them in the rapidly fading golden evening light.

In the morning we would like to catch up with the lions again as it should be time for them to hunt again. We will keep an eye on the plains to detect any sigh of bunching animals that indicate a possible river crossing …

Aug 31 2018
0

A Giraffe Leads a Safe Passage Across the River …

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Brendon’s Bulletin from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

We left the camp at first light and headed along the Mara River. We found the four of the lions as they relaxed on a rock, waiting for the sunrise. At first they simply chilled in the early dawn, but as the sun crept above the horizon, they seemed to see this as a cue to get going. And wow! Were they ever active. They chased each other here and there, back and forth, tackled each other, crept up and stalked one another, they picked up twigs and dashed away with them while the others hurtled along behind. It was a joy to watch and to photograph. Eventually they climbed a koppie where the visibility was not great so we moved on.

We went from there to the open Plains where a male lion was finishing the remains of a wildebeest. A female was there at first, but having relinquished the carcass to the male she wandered away.

When the male lion finished eating he also wandered off, and we had the chance to do loops around him as we walked sedately through the soft grass.

While we were enjoying breakfast under a tree overlooking the plains we heard about a female cheetah with a cub not far away. We found her lying flat under bushes that really obscured her and the cub, so we opted to rather move towards the river to see if there was a chance of a crossing.

After not too long we saw a gathering of animals in the distance. They gathered along the bank of one of the Mara River tributaries, the Talek River. Zebra and Wildebeest were jostling and gathering.

We arrived at the ideal spot for photographs of the crossing. We didn’t need to wait for very long. It all started when a giraffe appeared and after a quick walk back and forth along the bank, it actually crossed the river, watched by the wildebeest and zebra. When it reached the far bank the giraffe crossing gave the other animals more courage and they approached, pushing and jostling. We could see the entrance and exit points clearly and were able to photograph the two thousand migrating animals (plus one giraffe) as they traversed the river safely and without any untoward incidents.

Later in the afternoon we heard that a female cheetah with a kill had been spotted. We found her feeding on a young impala. Although the kill was in long grass, the cheetah stood up regularly to check all 360 degrees around to see if there were any scavengers approaching.

We could see a few vehicles gathered close by and found that they were at a jackal den where four little pups played around. One of the adult jackals decided to try its luck with the cheetah kill but that was a very short encounter as the cheetah sent the jackal away with its tail between its legs. However, when the cheetah had her fill and moved away, the jackals had another chance to collect some scraps.

Finally, as the sun was setting we found the seven lions that we have seen frequently close to the camp. The large dominant male lay under a bush with a wildebeest kill while the remainder of the pride were a distance away. The sunset sky created a beautiful backdrop for our final evening photographs for the first group who depart in the morning.

With so much happening here, with kills, crossings, and brilliant sightings, we will have to decide where to start our first game drive with our incoming guests tomorrow …

Aug 30 2018
0

Sacrifices as Crossings Undertaken …

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Ben’s News from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

It rained heavily all through the night and we woke to a very muddy world. Shortly after leaving the camp we found the same pride of lions that we have seen every day. The seven lionesses and youngsters were accompanied by the large dominant male and his brother. They were not all together and rather chose scattered spots for their rest.

We positioned our vehicles to photograph the lions at eye level. This turned out really well as the big cats started to move around.

While we photographed the lions we noticed that a group of a few hundred wildebeest had formed and the column was walking steadily towards the Mara River. They progressed steadily, but without speed.

We decided to follow the group in case they decided to cross the river. We watched expectantly as they approached the river, grouped tightly, then retreated. We waited patiently, hoping that the group would finally pluck up the courage to brave the multiple hazards of those treacherous crossings. Steep banks, large rocks, lurking crocodiles, and the pressure from other animals together create a fearsome challenge for the crossing animals – and the risk of waiting predators as they emerge from the river is a added peril.

We waited, knowing that eventually the crossing would be attempted. And sure enough! The first animal to enter the water was a zebra, and as it entered the water, three or four crocodiles were onto it. The zebra tried valiantly to swim across the wide river, and the crocodiles seemed to approach like torpedoes. They swam rapidly and directly to their swimming prey, and unfortunately the plucky zebra was soon grabbed and disappeared from view.

Soon after, a couple of wildebeest entered the river with a small calf and small zebra foal. The foal and calf were grabbed by crocodiles almost immediately. The adult wildebeest saw what happened and turned around to swim back to the shore they came from rather that risk the long swim across to the far bank. There they stood for a while and stared at the river together.

Suddenly the two wildebeest dived into the river and actually led the way across the river, with the remainder of the group following right behind them. It was exciting, chaotic, filled with action. They leaped from a rock, created an arc through the air before they hit the water and started their frantic swim. Zebras and wildebeest leaped and swam, and the tension as each animal made the crossing was incredible. This really is a scene that needs to be experienced to be believed. Words simply cannot create that sense of awe, terror, wonder, and a marvelling at nature …

At one stage there was a long line of animals in the water and we were a little anxious that there could be a bottleneck at the exit from the river, but they had chosen an easy slope and there were no fatalities at the exit point.

After that excitement it was lunchtime, and we took a break to settle down and to enjoy a very welcome meal.

During lunch we received a message that a passing vehicle had noticed another bunching of wildebeest, so we jumped back onto our vehicles and went to find the group.

As we arrived at the river about a hundred wildebeest were already crossing. This crossing was right next to the road and it felt as though we were right there in the mayhem, just a few meters away.

As the last of the animals group completed its crossing another group arrived and bunched and nudged towards the river. We thought that they would attempt the crossing at any moment, but after many advances and tight bunches they stared at the river and suddenly dispersed.

It was late afternoon by now and we decided to return to the lions for those golden evening shots. What a good idea that was! The lions were restless, and moved about, roaring and interacting continually.

In the morning we may return to the river to check whether that group of wildebeest and zebras decide to make the crossing …

Aug 26 2018
0

We Meet A Well-known Male with His Pride …

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Brendon’s Update from the Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari:

After an easy journey and smooth flights from Wilson Airport, we drove past buffalo, wildebeest and zebra and arrived at Mara Ngenche Camp in time for lunch. The camp is beautifully situated at the confluence of two rivers and we looked around while oohing at the surroundings. Having settled in and after we sorted our photographic equipment, the afternoon was passing rapidly and it was time for our first game drive.

There has already been plenty of rain and the bush is looking lush and green.

Soon after leaving camp we found a large, well-known male lion. We were delighted to see that he was with his pride.

In fact we decided to spend the entire afternoon with the pride. The dominant male lion had a young impala kill, and we captured plenty of images especially when he occasionally picked up the carcass and moved around with it.

At sunset we were able to take some gratifying low-angle shots, with dark, heavy rain clouds as a backdrop.

The entire pride also proved to be very photogenic with a couple of females and youngsters that played and fussed around. The young subadults jumped around, on each other and on the lionesses, then went for a short stroll before they returned to worry the adults again.

On the way back to the camp the heavens opened and we arrived at the picturesque camp in good spirits and enjoying the welcome afternoon shower.

As it rains on most afternoons at this time of year, we intend to make an early start for our first morning safari …

Oct 13 2017
0

Masai Mara Predator Photo Safari: Wildebeest Taunt Cheetahs – But How Does That End? …

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Wim Reports from the Masai Mara Predator Photo Safari:
(Photos from Back of Wim’s Camera)

So it was with great anticipation that we left the camp before dawn, ready for anything the day would bring – and yes, it was another amazing day!

We started by visiting Black Rock where we previously saw the tiny cubs. We arrived as the most magnificent sunrise lit the world with a glorious golden glow. The three lionesses with the nine little Cubs were playing out in the open. The cubs were so much fun. Then the pride moved into a drainage line, but not for long. The emerged one by one and moved over to a nearby sausage tree that some of them tried to climb. One of the lionesses really struggled to get up, but she persevered, and eventually she managed to attain the loftier branches where she settled. We were parked in the perfect spot to watch the action. The lioness watched the cubs as they tried to climb up to her, but it was way beyond their capabilities. Eventually the mother descended from the tree, much to the joy of the cubs. The whole pride moved back into the drainage line – time for us to move on …

There were three large males and two female lions in close proximity. As I said, the concentration of predators here for the migration is incredible.

We heard that a leopard had been spotted close to the Sand River. We drove along the river and the Tanzanian border. It was very picturesque, but we could not see any signs of the leopard.

We started back to the camp, stopping for a delicious breakfast along the way. We spotted several lions again, and reached camp, in time for lunch and a very quick rest.

When we headed out again at 15:00, we drove through a massive thunderstorm. We pushed through because we wanted to reach the five cheetah brothers, knowing that they prefer to hunt during rain showers.

We found Malaika (a famous mother cheetah) with her two subadult cubs in the area we had seen the cheetah brothers yesterday. We followed them for not more than 20 meters or so when one of the cubs almost walked over a baby Thomson’s Gazelle that was sleeping. The little Tommy jumped up and ran away, with the cheetahs right behind. It didn’t take long before the cheetahs caught the little one and before we knew it the kill was over and the remains were eaten by the three cheetahs almost as quickly.

We left the cheetahs to try and find the five males, but our search was interrupted again. This time it was because we found a leopard. We didn’t spend too much time with him because he was not in an ideal spot for photography.

Then we found the cheetah brothers. All five were strolling along, keeping an eye on a herd of wildebeest. We thought that they would hunt, but they didn’t. The walked on, through a wide open area, about a kilometre long. When they reached the top they walked right past us.

6 Cheetahs IMG_2925

We could see some wildebeest strolling up behind us. They could see the cheetahs, and an exciting scene then developed right in front of us. The wildebeest ran up to the cheetahs, full of bravado, and trying to look very threatening. The wildebeest challenged the cheetahs again and again. Meanwhile the cheetahs concentrated on scent marking a tree. The wildebeest challenges became more and more daring. These cheetahs have shown themselves to be specialist wildebeest hunters, but the foolhardy challengers ignored the dangers inherent in taunting a predator. The light was beginning to fail while the wildebeest continued to put pressure on the cheetahs. They kept running up, challenging them from very close. It really was as though they were taunting the predators, daring them to respond.

Then the drama suddenly surged into frantic activity. One of the cheetahs seemed to have had enough. We could almost hear it thinking to itself ‘OK, you have pushed me far enough, and watch what happens now!’. The chase was on! It seemed to go on and on and on. A really long chase, but the cheetah was not prepared to give up. Then he had him! He took down one of the wildebeest and with the four brothers behind him they killed the wildebeest and started to feed. In the morning they will still be nice and fat, very full after their large meal.

So after another fantastic day with lions and their cubs in the morning, two cheetah kills in the afternoon, plus hundreds of thousands of animals everywhere. There are Eland, Lions, Reedbuck, Topi, Hyena, Coke’s Hartebeest, Giraffe, Elephants, animals everywhere!
I have experienced some of the most spectacular game viewing that I have enjoyed in my life! That is how good it is here at present.

In the morning we plan to leave the camp early again and see what transpires through the day …