On the drive from the Ngorongoro Crater to the Serengeti National Park we passed a Masai village. In the distance a woman was driving four mules with a herd of cattle in the background. The vastness of the landscape started to prepare us for the wide open Serengti plains.

We stayed in the park at the Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge which is the most gorgeous accommodation I have ever enjoyed. The view, the facilities, the outdoor shower 🙂 were an unexpected treat. Once again, because it is located within the park, animals can wander around the lodge. We needed Masai warriors to take us to and from our tents after dark.

The Serengeti National Park is a huge area of plains and grasslands with wildlife everywhere I looked. We went on six drives which is why I am breaking the Serengeti tale into two parts. I have so many photos I want to share with you!

You can tell a cheetah from a leopard by the black lines from the eyes of the cheetah to the chin.

When our guide received the call about a leopard siting in a rock pile, we headed on over. So did everyone else. This photo of the leopard paparazzi was taken by one of my group who was in another vehicle. I found it shocking and felt badly for the leopard. Nevertheless I took my photos 😦 but note that the leopard seemed unfazed.  🙂

We found the leopard in a tree with her kill safely stowed away for future consumption. If you look carefully on the right of this photo you’ll see a gazelle. The leopard must be amazingly strong to drag her kill up into that tree.

I was happy to see giraffes again. They were absent at the Ngorongoro Crater as there was no food supply there for them.

Baboons seem to wander all over the park. Here they are, early morning, in a tree.

Here are my friend Dianne and our leader, Paul Renner, watching for wildlife. Carroll can be seen in the background. We drove around in Toyota Land Cruisers which seemed to be the preferred vehicle by most safari companies.

I found many birds to photograph. If birds aren’t your thing, skip these and go to the photo of the day at the bottom of this post.  🙂

I warned you a couple of posts ago that some of the birds are … interesting (not gorgeous!). Here are a few.

I will leave you with my favourite photo from the first couple of days in the Serengeti.

Zaidi kesho!