The leopard moved silently through dense thickets, with eyes locked on his prey. He slunk low to the ground and waited, then circles behind a baboon troop with tremendous patience. He had time on his side and watched as they settled down.
The baboon patriarch lifted his nose to the wind and smelled the leopard. He intently scanned the bush and tilted his head to listen. The leopard’s eyes never left two young baboons whose play took them further from the baobab’s safety. A sharp bark from the patriarch brought the young scampering back.
The leopard watched as the youngsters raced up the rocky ledge. When they neared the top, he lunged upward with a giant leap and sank his claws into a baboon’s back. Landing smoothly on the ground with the baboon still in his grip, he lashed down with back claws…
You wake to the thunderous sound of hooves in full gallop and sit up with a start, then cock your head to listen. It sounds like a whole lot of something is going on outside. The morning has a chill as you grab a jacket, unlace the tent fly and peek out.
The water hole is loaded with lions asleep on rock outcroppings above the ground fog to receive the sun’s first rays. A movement in the distance catches your eye. You glass the area as the lions instinctively wake up.
A dust cloud rises behind a herd of elephants trekking toward your water hole. The stragglers at the end are blinded by dust and trumpet to communicate in the poor visibility. The herd quickly approaches the water. They are safe for the moment as the lions focus on a small bull with a limp.
Lightning flashes in quick succession in the gathering dusk and lights up the water hole as the air brims with trumpeting and electricity.
Ten lions warily circle the bull, ready to leap onto his back. The bull charges and with one swipe of his trunk, cuffs a lioness into the side of a tree with a sickening thud. She dies before her body slumps to the ground. The predators briefly scatter and regroup.
A herd of Thompson’s gazelles melts from the darkness into the early dawn light. They walk a short distance, then stop. A big buck lifts his nose to the wind as his ears rotate to listen. He looks at every bush intently for predators and cautiously walks towards the water with the females and young following. The Tommies repeat this procedure many times and get closer to the water each time.
A tawny movement catches the corner of your eye. A lion crouches in the grass and moves when the herd moves, mirroring its starts and stops. He is a magnificent black-maned lion, around four hundred pounds. He disappears into the brush, and a minute later, two lionesses approach in the same manner. Thirty seconds later, three more lionesses materialize from the grass.
The wind carries the rotten stench of lion your way. You will know the moment they charge; watch and wait. The sunrise paints low clouds an intense pink and orange before fading into pastels.
Caught up in the cycle of life, you will be riveted…
A lone Cape buffalo stands in a clearing, not twenty-five feet away. He raises his nose to catch your scent and stares at you with sullen, unblinking eyes. He watches your every move as his ears twitch to ward off the incessant flies.
Yellow-billed oxpeckers eat ticks and insects from his face, with another four pecking insects and seeds on the ground. The bull’s boss horns grow solidly together across the crown of his skull and curve forward to deadly, sharp points. They are massive and look to be forty inches from tip to tip.
The old bull’s enormous body is bald across the shoulders and rump, and his scarred, grey hide is covered with dried mud, caked to the stiff black hairs on his back and belly. You smell the hot, rank, bovine reek and hear his heavy breathing through a wet muzzle dripping with mucus.
Watching this dangerous nemesis, your heart pounds. The bull has been driven away by younger bulls and looks to be in a foul mood…
Your private Serengeti safari guide is top-notch and one of the most experienced in Tanzania. He will show you an insider’s view of Serengeti’s ecosystem. It’s a photographer’s paradise, from birds to elephants.
Stately coconut palms line the island’s edge, and when the tide recedes, it leaves behind smooth, white beaches. Your ultra-luxury lodge owns this island, and it can be all yours if you want exclusivity. Or, if you don’t mind a few other guests, there’s room for good conversations.
When the tide goes out, the waves crash on the outer coral reef, creating lagoons with exotic shells and marine life. World-class scuba diving is included, and the island’s only professional dive shop offers PADI certification from top dive instructors. On moonlit nights, walk around on iridescent beaches as the winds blow in the soft fragrance of cloves and tropical spices from Zanzibar and the Spice Islands.
