Up close and personal

Thursday 4th July

After our really rough drive in yesterday with the flood damaged roads, we are staying in a lodge that also suffered badly in the floods. So bad in fact, that they razed the lodge to the ground and rebuilt it. That is in TWO MONTHS!! Can you imagine that? We were really happy with the accommodation, and like all our previous accommodations, the service was outstanding.

The Masai Mara did not disappoint. We were simply blown away by the sightings in the park. Our guide Antony was so careful in placing our vehicle so we could get some great shots.

Firstly the morning game drive - lots of animals but the highlights were a pride of lions where we were up really close, a herd of elephants which we were able to get in amongst, 3 lionesses with 5 cubs, crocodiles and hippos at the Mara River crossing and eland (which we hadn't seen before).

Hot air balloons over the Masai Mara.
We did consider doing this
but it would have taken time away from
the up close and personal game drives.

Secretary bird - named for the quill like feathers on his head.

Lions - just relaxing at this stage
though Antony said they were displaying behaviour
indicating they may move on. He was right.

The king of the jungle.

On the move.

Large herd of elephant.

Gorgeous cute babies - this one probably about 1.

They are so protective of their young,
keeping them in the middle of the herd.

Two young ones - about 2 or 3.

Elephants and egret.

Smoke is the fires in the Serengeti  - about 10k away.

Hello.

Crocodile in the Mara River  -
this is one of the crossings the wildebeest use.

Mums and their cubs.

Eland

After our early morning game drive we returned to the lodge for lunch and a rest until our afternoon game drive, and the piece de resistance - a cheetah and her 4 cubs with their kill - impala for dinner.

The ranger was at the cheetah site making sure vehicles kept moving
so everyone got a good look - it was like we were circling the wagons.

Mother and cubs.

Mum

The cubs were really enjoying their dinner.

The ranger keeping an eye on things.
We circled 3 times.

Girls walking home with the water from the stream.
They have great posture and are able to balance these buckets
from a young age.

Hyena - just chilling in the middle of the road.
It was late afternoon and we saw about a dozen hyenas in the area.
The guide said they were probably just starting to think about dinner.

Southern ground hornbill.