A face that tells stories

We were on the way to Kleins gate in the north eastern Serengeti yesterday. A great drive with beautiful landscapes. Just as we turned onto the road that leads along the Nyamalumbwa hills, we found two enormous male lions laying on either side of the road.

Resting in the tall greens within meters of our car, these two lions weren’t impressed even for a little bit.

As we took time to enjoy the encounter we had a real good look at these magnificent cats.

And wow - can faces speak!

These lions had been out there for a while. Full of scratches, cuts and small wounds – these are the type of lions that rule their part of the Serengeti.

No matter how many times you have run into them, they command a sense of humbleness!

Pimbi Tales

Can we tell you a little more about these incredible interesting Rock Hyraxes? Active and social, these fascinating creatures really can make your day!

Known as ‘Pimbi’ in Kiswahili, our office and surrounding rocks are ‘home’ to an interesting Hyrax family. Being so close to them now, it almost seems as we have become part of their daily dynamics too.

As our day starts, usually we find the dominant Hyrax male chasing other peripheral males around the office veranda - jumping, running and screaming. 

Normal routine in Pimbi life it seems, other family members appear on different rocks and branches around us and join us as spectators of the scene. Usually after a few successful chases the male is happy and a calm falls back over the group, resting to further notice.

By the afternoon it’s feeding time! Hyrax forage communal although a number of family members are used as sentries, keeping others safe by looking out for potential danger. 

To the family’s advantage, the new grasses around the office are ideally close to shelter and are ever green and lush. Hyrax feeding times are kept really short as possible to keep exposure to predators to a minimum.

After a long day it’s time for some more resting. As family members digest their meals, they tend to come and rest at the office veranda. 

Stretching, resting and sun bathing in relative safety, young ones are running under office building!

Really – there is something to these little ones. Lamai Serengeti seems a good place to catch Pimbi Fever!

Season Greetings

From everyone of us at Lamai Serengeti to all of our beloved guests, friends, family and other loved ones a very...

Thanks to everyone out there that made 2011 such a special year for this truly beautiful place! 

We hope we see you at Lamai Serengeti in 2012!!

Team Lamai Serengeti

A nice surprise

Some rocks harbour great little things. Yet unnoticeable from a distance - up close a fantastic scene. As with this kopje, the next down from Lamai towards the Mara river, a mother lion left her cubs in the safety the rocky boulders provide.

As Elza Blankenburgs drove back to Lamai Serengeti after a fun filled game drive together with her family, they stumbled across these four amazing lion cubs.

Carefull to keep their shelter, curiosity made them just raise enough to perfectly see them. And what a great site that is !

Pictures courtesy of Elza Blankenburgs

Hey!

Hey  - where are you going?

As we were just about to take a leisurely game drive in the afternoon somebody came to check out why we would be leaving Lamai Serengeti for a game drive?

Taken from the car just before we started this cool giraffe actually had a point, why leave beautiful Lamai if the animals are already all around you!

Songs from the rocks

If Lamai Serengeti would be famous for sharing its koppie with one particular animal, it would be the Rock Hyrax. This super interesting and little furry mammal (+/-4 kg) is seen so much around camp, you really can’t miss it. And as our relationship with the Rock Hyrax around camp grew, both them and us seem to benefit from our company.

How?

Well, the presence of us keeps other predators away – at least that is during the day when we are around. Seeking that safety, they seem to understand that it is actually quite practical to have a small number of Homo Sapien around the rocks.

So interestingly, mutual interest and respect seems to have grown. This great and funny little guinea pig meets rabbit look-a-like is really so cool to observe. And if you can’t find them – they’ll tell you where they are.

The Rock Hyrax really are VERY vocal. The noise they make is known as songs (read: screams!). Not beautiful in the way that it’s a pleasure to the ears, it certainly is very identifying for the Hyrax. High thrilling screeching sounds are not mistaken for any other animal. Better even, seeing them sing is completely funny!

Sociable as they are, they live in groups of up to 80 individuals, spread out over a number of smaller flocks. The amount of songs they have on their repertoire is impressive. Living here at Lamai Serengeti, we learned to listen to a slice of the variety they sing. As we researched on meanings of different songs, it seems that certain songs even contain biological information such as age, status, size and hormonal state of the singer! Isn’t that just totally incredible!?

Oophw!  –  that is a lot on the rock hyrax’s hey? But they really deserve it!

Come and listen too!

Our first harvest

On the way down to our mess, just right next to the path is this beautiful shrub called sour plum. As you might have come across in a previous blog, the sour plum and the fruit it bears is known to the Maasai as ‘Lama’ or ‘Lamai’. That can’t be a coincidence right?

And it isn’t!

During the six months that we’re open now the sourplum has grown bigger and greener. But for the first time now, it carries fruits too. Bright green at first, they slowly turn yellow and orange. And although a bit sour, they’re pretty good too...

Grey but yet so colorful!

The grey crowned crane is an absolute stunning bird to observe. A non migratory species and therefore present throughout the year, it seems to love this part of the Serengeti. And that makes us lucky enough to actually spot this bird quite regularly. Beautiful in its appearance, the real thing is to observe its breeding habits. Then the crested cranes display vivid dancing, bowing and jumping - all added with a booming sounds that it produces by inflating it red gular sac.

Patient as we are, we haven't been that lucky yet! But we'll keep you posted as we continue to observe!

Night beauty

I am sure that after seeing this picture you will agree that the emperor moth is a beautiful creature. As we found it sitting on our desk this morning, we gently moved it over to our stack of printing paper and took a picture.

It’s amazing how a relatively small creature can look so good! The level of detail is really rewarding to have a look at. The wings, the antennas, the hairs and colours are so cool. It’s said that the wing eyes are suppose to resemble the eyes of an owl. How interesting! We hope the beauty sticks around for a while.

Let’s see if it jumps papers when we push the print button J 

The spotted ones

We have to admit that writing our blog over the past weeks has been really easy. A little unexpected though, considering that a million wildebeests have moved south. Now animals such as elephants (in large herds!) and cats like leopard, lion and cheetah are looking for attention.

So when Tim and Clarissa returned from their morning game drive last week, talking about these amazing cheetahs close to camp, we didn't expect the evidence to be so outright gorgeous. Resting on an old termite mount three beautiful cats posed in front of our rooms.

We may hope that green season really is that good over here!

 Pictures courtesy of Tim and Clarissa Lodge

A lucky couple

During the 4 days that Peter and Jo York spent with us in the Serengeti, they just seem to come across it all.  First this amazing African Rock Python and now an equally stunning sighting of a leopard and her cub, less then half a mile away from Lamai Serengeti!

As we said at the fireplace in the evening it was only when they showed their pictures of the morning when we all realized how lucky they were. Two beautiful and majestic cats, a mother and her cub, eating a freshly killed reedbuck in a tree. And if that wasn't enough, perfect morning light and not a single other soul in sight.


What a place to be. We actually can't wait until they decide to stay with us again - thanks for these great contributions!!

Pictures courtesy of Peter and Jo York

A moving stick

As Peter and Jo York were driving towards Lamai Serengeti coming from the Nyamalumbwa Hills, they initially thought they were looking at a stick in the grassy plain. A very thick and muscled stick that is...

Not long from that moment their guide Cornelius realized that all three of them were close to a very exotic siting. A massive African Rock Python was now in front of them. The previous days in Lamai had been cloudy and rainy and the big snake struggled with its body heat. Sluggish and slow, this was the chance for all of them to get out of the vehicle and get some real up close pics from this 50 – 60 kgs weighing pure muscle.

Wow! What about that!

Pictures courtesy of Peter and Jo York

Hurry seems to be a good thing in the Serengeti

Isn’t it always like that? As you rush your way down to somewhere you run in to something special? It’s on these moments that you decide that a 10 minute delay might be not that bad right? As we drove down to Kogatende airstrip to be in time for a resupply flight, all of a sudden we come across this beauty of a leopard. 

Sitting on a rock in a koppie just down the road from camp, this cat was digesting a delicious topi. Not that you can tell that by his position, but as we observed the cat for a while it came down and started playing around with the only part of his meal that was still left: the topi leg. Picking it up and throwing it into the distance the cat ran after it over again and obviously enjoyed the triumph he made.

That’s why we always advise to leave well in time. And it’s those moments you usually don’t spot a thing right... Ironic?

A place so diverse

As it is brilliant to be back in Lamai, we did pick up camp rhythm again. It’s definitely true that some time away from home makes you realize with fresh eyes what a superb spot it really is. Waking up to the bush, being with all camp colleagues again – so good!

And as good as it is to be back, we have to admit that at least a few times a day holiday memories kick in. As we said earlier, this country is so incredibly diverse. What a place to take a holiday, should there be any doubts if Tanzania has the right ingredients for a holiday – stop thinking! This is a place that makes your wish list grow ever longer. So many corners are yet to be discovered. So many different people welcome you with heart warming customs, this is a destination that makes you come back.

So as a glimpse of a many beautiful things we came across have a look at these amazing people and places.

In top to bottom order; driving along the vast north east Serengeti boundary, visiting Masai village in the Loliondo area, sunrise over Mount Meru (4652mts!) summit, a dive trip to Mnemba Island Atoll and fly camping at Lake Tagalala in the superb northern Selous GR. 

Back on the koppie that rocks!

Finally we made it back to our little hill at Lamai Serengeti, a place we truly missed for nearly six weeks. A place that feels like home now and that is shared with roaring lions, laughing hyenas and loud zebras. Not to speak of the stunning views – it’s great to be back!!

Our holiday took us through other beautiful parts of Tanzania and made us love this great country even more. From the endless game packed plains to alpine mountains and powdery white sand beaches, we need to update you on a few of these other magical places here.

But for now back to work and more soon!

Antelopes battle it out at Lamai

The area around Kogakuria kopje is well known for its fierce cats, but even the most gentle-looking animals in this corner of the Serengeti have to be prepared to battle. The recent rains have brought fresh grass and the grazers are beginning to regain condition. Not very long from now, the rutting season will begin and male antelopes will clash for breeding rights. The struggles have already begun, some for practice and some for glory, and they’re adding their own touch of action to Lamai. Credit goes to Dirk for all the pictures.

Good times at Lamai

Guests at Lamai saw a crossing yesterday. Heavy rain the last few days seems to have brought the wildebeest back and they have been around in force with herds visible in front of the lodge almost all the time. We’ve also had some nice morning visits from a herd of ellies one day, a herd of buffalo the next and a herd of eland the day after. We watched a hyena chase some wildebeest two mornings ago. Last night, we watched a leopard and hyena walk in front of the rooms. Lions pulled down two wildebeest just off the kopje a couple of days ago.
 

 
 


















Picture by Kennedy John

The highlight for me so far was when I went out on a game drive. We came across a pride of lions with a leopard in a tree about 200 meters away and a fresh zebra carcass fifty meters after the leopard at the bottom of a korongo. A lioness came over and was about to chase the leopard up the tree when a buffalo decided to join the party and chased the lion away (who then went and started eating the zebra). 

Guest post from Matt, our Kiba Point manager enjoying a change of scene  

Leopard stand-off at Lamai

Some recent guests to Lamai, the Pleusses from Switzerland, witnessed a standoff between a female leopard and a lioness.

The leopard finally gave in but not before putting on a good display... Many thanks to them for these amazing pictures.

Crossings at Lamai Serengeti

Crossings are happening once or twice a day and there are still plenty more to come. 

Images with thanks to the Boyd/Hodgson family

The Boyd/Hodgson family recently came to stay at Lamai for 3 days and had some extraordinary sightings in the area. Their first day they watched a forty minute wilderbeest river crossing over the Mara River. As their guide, Festo Msofe, said, “They completely blocked the river, there were about 3,000 wilderbeest creating four or five lines of nearly 20 metres wide. We saw a lioness take down two wilderbeest in the space of fifteen minutes, right under our noses.  Their photographs speak for themselves...”

We asked Nomad guide Festo what he liked about working in Lamai Serengeti...

“The location of the camp has the best view in the area, good game is never far from here. You can see the migration approaching the Mara River if you know where to look.  It is also a great area for cats, beautiful flowers, Topi, Eland, Oribi...”

Updates from Lamai Serengeti

In camp last night we had a pair of mating leopards about 500metres from the dining room, giving us a noisy show on top of a kopje. Each night this week we have had a symphony of lion, leopard, hyena and jackal.

Doctors from England, Jeanne and Andrew Dott have come back for their second safari with Nomad and were happy to find themselves back with their guide from last year, Ole Masaa, who honoured them with a wilderbeest crossing  of around 10,000 across the Mara River, about 7km from Lamai Camp. The crossing lasted about half an hour without any casualties.

Wildees preparing to cross, picture with thanks to Jeanne Dott

Jeanne and Andy also saw the big five during their stay at Lamai, it is their first time to see a Black Rhino.

Our other guests, Irene and Rolf Pleuss, again returning to Nomad for their second safari with us, on their first day driving to camp from the airstrip, saw what their guide, Fadhili, described as one of the biggest he’s ever seen, a group of around 100,0000 wildebeest.

They also watched an unusual sighting of a lioness and leopard fighting over their territory on the Wogakuria kopjes near camp. The leopard finally surrendered her kopje to the lioness.

About 2km from camp they saw the Black Rhino marking his territory and chasing away the noisy wilderbeests.

We asked one of our Northern guides, Fadhili “Fazo” Msanga, what he particularly liked about working in the Northern Serengeti...

“It is not so crowded and there is an amazing variety of game and landscape. The rooms at Lamai are well camouflaged and all of them face right out into the wilderness, each room gives you the feeling of being in your own private world.”

“If you want to shake hands with a lion, this is the place to come!”