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!”

The Nyamalumbwa Hills

To the east from Lamai Serengeti lies yet another beautiful place. Know as the Nyamalumbwa hills, these ancient green mountains offer a superb and stunning 2,5 hr drive from Lamai Serengeti. As you drive out, you meander through huge granite outcrops, sandy creek beds and small patches of forest. All littered with animals. Coming out of the last patch of green trees and bushes suddenly endless grassy plains appear. Hugging the foot of the hills in front of you, it's a scenery that is hauntingly beautiful. Only a handful of trees break the endless vistas on the horizon. God... do we really need to go back?

Let’s have lunch here!

The sounds of the Serengeti

Early morning is a truly fantastic time. The very best if you ask me. Waking up with the sounds of the Serengeti plains is a privilege we really enjoy. But some mornings, the concerts are more spectacular than others. Hence this morning was next to incredible!

Though wildebeests were around yesterday evening when we went to sleep – the masses that woke us up this morning were unbelievable.  Just awake we knew we needed to grab our camera and run to front to just simply enjoy life in the bush. And that we do.

Life is like a lizard

As these two Agama lizards must have cooled down considerably during the past rains, they soaked themselves in warm rays of the African sun this morning. With a strong preference for the rocks right in front of our office window, they have become remarkably approachable over time. As we catch up with some of the admin, behind our computers these two guys keep showing how relaxed life is at Lamai Serengeti.

A Lamai bouquet

Now for a moment, let’s take a brief break from the drama of river crossings.

At Lamai Serengeti no day passes without realizing that it’s only few places on earth that offer skies so big and horizons so far. Spectacular rainstorms have cleared our dusty skies and provide views that are mind blowing. Afternoon rays of sunshine play with thunderous clouds and create skies so stunning, you actually start looking forward to rain! Rainbows seem to drop their colors in the plains and flowers bloom in the endless greens.

Bright hibiscus, twin commelina’s and aloe vera’s are fighting for beauty.

We wonder what more’s to come!

Raging river or hungry lion?

Raging river or hungry lion?

The northern Serengeti honestly is at its very best right now. Continuous heavy rainfall has turned the whole northern Serengeti into a bright green haven for game. Although food is plentiful for all animals, the rainfall poses other challenges. The Mara river is so swollen that many wildebeests face huge challenges crossing it, many of them not making it to the other side.

Maria and Nestor Gallione shot these great pictures on the Mara river banks yesterday. The green back ground, the massive amounts of water in the river and wildebeests trying to cross all adds up to a great sight. And what about the lion waiting at the river bank, ready to welcome the wildebeest? Hiding behind a far too small bush the lion didn’t attack in the end, but the scene looks amazing.

Can’t wait to get out there again!

Pictures courtesy of Maria and Nestor Gallione

Seen at the Mara River

Petra, our safari operations manager at our Arusha HQ, headed up to Lamai Serengeti yesterday for some R&R. Within 30 minutes of her arrival, this is what she saw...