Serengeti - the Endless Plain

Ah, the beautiful Serengeti.  If you only had the time or money to visit one place on Safari, I would choose the Serengeti in Tanzania.  Just be forewarned that these are extremely bumpy roads, to be rivaled only by the roads of Masai Mara.    

This was the first time that we have seen an animal skeleton hanging from a tree branch (a young wildebeest).  That's a sure sign of leopard nearby. We drove on.  This was the magic moment when we got to see a leopard!  She was sleeping up on the ledge of a rock formation in the middle of this Endless Plain of dried golden grass.  She woke up, stood, climbed to a higher ledge, looked out at her adoring fan club and went back to sleep.   

Although most of the wildebeest and zebra have crossed over the river and are in Kenya, we saw plenty.  We watched a group of over 200 zebras running somewhere.  

We also saw 50 Masai giraffe.  They are everywhere with many young ones.  What amazes me is that this branch is completely covered with big thorns.  Somehow, they are able to  enjoy the leaves while not getting injured.  

We visited 2 fabulous hippo pools.  There were at least 50 hippos.  They grunt, snort, and have skirmishes in the water.  But when they come on land they are perfectly quiet.  I was amazed at how big some of the females are.  

We also saw a 6 foot long black snake cross the road; our guide said it was either a black mamba or a black cobra.  My first snake siting in Africa.  Luckily I was in a vehicle!!  Almost all snakes in Africa are venomous.  Somehow, the rattlesnakes back home don't seen so threatening.  At least they give you some warning that they are there.


It was an amazing Safari.  I'm so glad we went.  Thank you Gregg.