Dublin

 

African Elephants

Our first elephant sighting was absolutely thrilling!  From the top of our Landcruiser, we were practically eye-level with the adults.  They were massive yet graceful and it was moving to see them roaming free in the wild.  The young calves were so adorable and playful and were well protected and guarded by the adults.  We witnessed some fun interaction and watched the elephants play and spray themselves in the water.  What a life they live!

In the end, we had successfully spotted the “Big 5” which includes the Lion, Leopard, Cape Water Buffalo, African Elephant and the endangered Black Rhino.  A once in a lifetime experience!

 

Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest extinct intact volcanic caldera in Northern Tanzania.  It’s a wildlife paradise with Zebra, Cape Water Buffalo, Warthogs, Elephants, etc.  Lots of colorful birds, both big and small, were spotted including ostrich, flamingos, cranes and storks.  We even spotted the rare Black Rhino in the distance. 

The conservation area extends beyond the rim of the crater where we saw Giraffe and Zebra roaming freely. The Maasai tribes are settled in the area so we visited a local village to learn more about their culture.  They greeted us with a native dance. 

 

Serengeti

The Serengeti plains were beautiful and filled with endless herds of zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, impala and antelope.  We also saw elephants, hyenas, meerkats, warthogs, ostrich and more!  Hippos could be found in local watering holes and had a strong stench that alerted you to their presence well ahead of any sightings.  And of course the Serengeti is home to all the big cats - lions, leopards and cheetahs that put on a great show for us!

We stayed at the Mbugani tent camp in the heart of the Serengeti.  An unforgettable experience!