As much as we enjoyed seeing all of the large animals in East Africa, we also saw an amazing assortment of birds. Whether the fascinating ostriches, different waterfowl like the flamingos, or other colorful birds, it was as interesting seeing all of the different birds as it was to see lions, rhinos, and giraffes. It wasn’t until we arrived back home and had time to go through all of our photographs that we realized how many different birds we were able to capture images of. We knew before we went to Tanzania and Kenya that we would see ostriches and flamingos, but the sheer number of colorful and interesting birds that we saw was almost overwhelming.
Large Pelican Relaxing in the WaterAfrican Fish EagleOstrich in the Late Afternoon SunHelmeted Guineafowl Lovebirds Flocking to a TreeColorful Saddle-Billed StorkFlamingos Walking in the Shallow WaterPair of Vultures Walking Towards UsEgret Standing on the Head of a Hippo
Just like all of the animals that we saw during our safari, the birds really didn’t care about the presence of humans as they went about their business. Whether it were the flocks of helmeted guineafowl, the grey crowned cranes, or even the vultures chasing away a hyena to get their fill of a fresh kill, seeing the birds in their natural environment was quite fascinating. Even seeing something as simple as the lovebirds as they flocked to a tree was amazing in the surroundings of the African grasslands.
Secretary Bird with Colorful FacePair of Grey Crowned Cranes Snuzzling African SpoonbillEgyptian Goose Staring at UsRed-and-Yellow Barbet Sitting on a BenchYellow-Billed StorkPair of African Fish Eagles in the Setting SunHeron Next to a Baby Crocodile Crowned Lapwing
Even though there is nothing like seeing the large cats and other large animals in the wild, seeing all of these different birds was special in their own way. Some of the birds were quirky, some traditional, and others down right scary, they are all part of the ecosystem that makes East Africa unique. Many of them actually ride on the backs of the larger animals like elephants and hippos as they wait for them to disrupt the insects and cause them to leap into the air for the birds to catch.
Giant Kingfisher with a CrabEgret Riding on an ElephantSuperb Starling on a RockBlack-Headed HeronAfrican Spoonbill FishingAggressive VultureHamerkopYellow-Billed Stork Catching a FishKori Bustard Walking in the GrassDucks Along the WaterPelicans Taking FlightAfrican Sacred Ibis
Although not all baby animals are cute and adorable, the majority of them are and we saw plenty of them during our time in Kenya and Tanzania. Knowing that the number of people going on safari during these times of COVID restrictions, it must be even more fascinating to these baby animals when they come across humans for the first time. Sometimes they were curious about our presence, but for the most part, they didn’t even seem to notice that we were there. We enjoyed not only seeing the baby animals, but also watching their interactions with the rest of their families.
Mother and Baby Elephant in the Grassy WaterPair of Young Giraffes Walking TogetherBaby White Rhino with a ParentYoung Cub About to Cause MishciefBaby Elephant Checking Us OutHippo Family Running Down the River Bed
One of our first encounters with a young animal was during our time in Amboseli National Park where we came across a baby elephant who approached our Land Cruiser and raised his trunk to check out our scent. We saw many different baby elephants in the park and they were never very far from their caring mothers. Despite their size, the baby elephants are quite playful and are more agile than people might think. Watching the baby elephants as they played in the shallow lake was certainly quite fascinating. Every time that we saw baby animals, we couldn’t help but take lots of photographs, so we have many more than what we are sharing here.
Baby Elephant Staying CloseElephant Family in the WaterElephant Herd Crossing the Road in Front of UsBaby Water BuffaloBaby BaboonYoung Giraffe in the Grasslands
We saw several lion prides with adorable cubs who were quite the handful for their parents. Just like typical children, they would be affectionate one moment and then playfully pounce on a sibling the next. It is all part of learning the skills necessary to survive in such a harsh environment. We spent quite a bit of time just watching the interactions between the various members of the pride and it is certainly one of our fondest memories of the trip. Even as young lions, they are strikingly beautiful and have such expressive faces. Although they look like kittens that you might want to take home with you, they will grow up to be fierce predators.
Lioness and Cub Snuggling – One of Our Favorite PhotographsGetting Close to a Lion CubYoung Cub Keeping an Eye on UsMore CuddlingAfrican Crowned Crane with ChicksRhino Family
Similar to the elephants, baby hippos are much more sprite than what you might imagine. In fact, hippos in general are very agile and we lucked into to opportunity to see a whole herd of them charge down a riverbed to the pool below, which was truly amazing to see. Even a baby hippo is quite large, so they quickly grow to be pretty massive in their own right. Seeing them out of the water is the only way to get a true sense of their size as it can be deceiving when only seeing their nose and eyes protruding from the water.
Mother and Baby Hippo on the Shore of the PondYoung Hippo in the GrassHippos Charging Down the River BankHippos on the Bank of the Mara RiverHerd of Elephants with BabiesYoung White Rhino Still Growing into It’s Horn
We saw many different baby giraffes as we drove through and between all of the national parks. They are usually as graceful as the adults, but with their long legs, sometimes they were still getting used to walking on them. They were as equally fascinated with us as we were with them and we enjoyed watching them as they moved amongst the trees and bushes. As the giraffes get older, their coloring becomes more intense, but it is easy to distinguish a young giraffe as opposed to its adult counterpart who towers over them.
Young Giraffe Having a SnackLooking at Us Looking at Him/HerGraceful Even in YouthLion Cubs Showing AffectionBaby Elephant in the WaterElephant and a Baby Zebra
We saw many other baby animals during our trip, including rhinos, water buffaloes, baboons, birds, and many different antelope. Whenever we came across a baby animal, it was always a treat to watch them as they explored their world. In a place where survival can be difficult for a variety of reasons, those early years are so important for them to learn what to do and how to protect themselves. But clearly, when not in danger, they were just enjoying their youth and having fun.
Another Young RhinoLion CubsFamily of ElephantsYoung ReedbuckCute Baby ElephantWater Buffalo Protecting the Baby
Needless to say, there are many different places to stay when going on a safari and those places are dependent on your guides and the price that you are willing to pay. We did what is considered a mid-tier safari, which is different than what you would expect from a luxury safari, but we found it to be more than adequate. The places that we stayed at varied as we traversed the migration path through the various national parks and reserves in Kenya and Tanzania. Some were in the parks themselves, some were just outside the parks, they included tents, lodges, and bungalows. They all had restaurants and a bar that served refreshments, but again the styles varied greatly.
Our Tent at Zebra Plains Amboseli CampThey Certainly Made Us Feel WelcomeFirepits Were Quite Common to Sit and Enjoy the ViewsThe Bar at Zebra PlainsRestaurant AreaWe Had the EssentialsTrail Through the Camp at Amboseli
Our trip started with a two night stay at the Zebra Plains Amboseli Camp. As with many of the places where we stayed, you weren’t allowed to be out at dark without having one of the guards at the camp escorting you. We certainly understood why after our first night at the camp as we heard a hyena on our front porch and heard elephants and other animals as they made their way through the camp to the watering hole that was located next to the camp. Although the camp is technically located outside of the Amboseli National Park, there are no fences and the wildlife can be found outside of the park as much as inside. It certainly made for an excellent start to our safari adventure.
Our Room at Pamoja Africa LodgeBar at the Pamoja Africa LodgeAn Actual Dining Room at PamojaHome Grown Herbs at the Pamoja Africa LodgeOur Bungalow at Bougainvillea Lodge Our Room at Bougainvillea LodgeCozy Fireplace and Sitting Area in Our Room at Bougainvillea LodgeBar at the Bougainvillea Lodge
From Amboseli National Park, we headed to Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater. Although both locations are accessible from the same small town, we stayed at two different locations for the two nights that we spent there. The first was at the Pamoja Africa Lodge, which was definitely a change of pace from the tent at Amboseli. Because we were in a town, there wasn’t any wildlife at the lodges and the accommodations were closer to a hotel than some of the other places where we stayed. The second night we stayed at the Bougainvillea Lodge where we had more of a bungalow and even had a fireplace in our room that the staff lit for us. It was a level of comfort that we wouldn’t get again for a few days.
Our Tent at Thorn Tree CampOur Covered Bed at Thorn TreeSitting by the Firepit at Thorn Tree CampSun Setting and the Restaurant Tent at Thorn TreeJust One of the Sunsets from the Camp in the Serengeti National ParkOur Friendly Bartender at Thorn Tree CampDinner at Thorn Tree Camp
Our next stop was to the heart of the Serengeti National Park where we would stay two nights at the Thorn Tree Camp. Located in the center of the park, this camp would definitely be more rustic than the previous two lodges. It didn’t mean that they didn’t try there best to make us comfortable and the staff were extremely nice. They set chairs up for us around the firepit where we could sit and watch the amazing sunsets. We saw several different animals wandering through the camp and could see herds of zebras and wildebeest from our tent. Being as secluded as we were, we were able to enjoy looking up at the night sky with all of the brilliant stars. We really felt like we were on safari while we stayed at Thorn Tree Camp.
Inside of Our Tent at Maasai MaraView from Our Porch at Zebra Plains Mara CampFirepit and Amazing Views of Maasai Mara from the CampMaasai Warriors Performing at the CampAreas to Relax at the Mara CampPath to Our Tent at Zebra Plains Mara CampDining Rooms at the Mara Camp
After leaving the Serengeti National Park, we headed north to the Maasai Mara where we would spend two nights at Zebra Plains Mara Camp, which is a sister property to the Zebra Plains Amboseli Camp. After the couple of days in the tents in the Serengeti, it was quite refreshing to stay at the camp in Maasai Mara. Not only was the staff extremely friendly, the Maasai warriors even gave us a demonstration of their traditional warrior dances and songs. We were still surrounded by wildlife and we had a water buffalo who decided to feed outside of our tent and just after we went to bed on the first night,and a leopard decided to wander through the restaurant. Although we weren’t required to have an escort after dark, there were warriors posted all around the camp to ensure that everyone was safe.
Front of the Lake Naivasha Country ClubAnimals on the Lawn of Lake NaivashaOur Room at Lake NakuruLounge and Bar at the Lake Nakuru LodgeThe Pool at Lake NakuruView from Our Porch at Lake NakuruRestaurant with an Amazing View at Lake NakuruInside Restaurant at the Lake Nakuru Lodge
On our last two nights, we were treated to a couple of locations that were more upscale than staying at the camps in the parks. First we stayed at the Lake Naivasha Country Club where we relaxed and simply enjoyed the beautiful scenery. There were views of the lake and antelopes and zebras wandered the grounds. There was a large buffet for both dinner and breakfast where you could find a wide variety of offerings. Our last night was spent at the Lake Nakuru Lodge, which was truly a wonderful way to end our safari. Not only does the lodge have everything that you could want, including a pool, but the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The views of the lake from our room and the wildlife wandering all around us made it one of our favorite places that we stayed at during the ten night safari trip.
