Ndutu - First Day

Felix, our guide for the next week, met us and we waited to be joined by our friends, Jim and Marcia Rinta who would be with us for the rest of our time in Africa. A short five minute drive took us to Ndutu camp in the Serengeti, where we would spend the next three nights. Ndutu is more of a hotel than most of the camps we have been to. With 30 cabins, there would be no meals with camp managers or other guests. Felix did take most of his meals with us, but he stayed in a special part of the camp set aside for guides. We definitely prefer the small camps.

Pygmy Falcon

The Serengeti and the Masai Mara are each part of the same international park, but they are very different in character. The Masai Mara was lush and green. While we did travel on some dirt tracks, we were also able to drive over the grass to get to some of the best viewing areas. In the Serengeti it was so dry that we spent all of our time driving on dirt enjoying a good deal of dust. Our drinking water is even trucked in here. Even so, the viewing was excellent and Felix did a great job of getting us to the good spots.

Bat-eared Fox Family

We had two hopes for our time here in the Serengeti. First, our big hope was to see some of the great wildebeest migration. Second, we hoped to see one of the large flocks of flamingoes that congregate here this time of year. Felix took us almost directly to see the beginnings of the migration. After a short drive, we could see a long line of several hundred wildebeest slowly walking across the dusty savannah. We couldn’t see the end of the line. Most were adults. Felix suggested that they were probably males leading the way for the rest of the herd. He said that the few youngsters we saw had probably lost their mothers. Otherwise they would not be among the first to leave for the Masai Mara.

On the drive back we saw a group of about 15 vultures and a few Maribou Storks working on a hyena corpse. It’s fun to watch the interaction of the birds. The most aggressive vultures spread their wings to ward off those who are less deserving. Their featherless heads and necks are quickly covered with blood. Meanwhile, storks hang back watching for any opportunity to sneak in, but mostly they patiently wait their turn.

As we approached camp, Felix took us by a small green hill. Sitting at the base was a serval, one of Africa’s smaller cats and one that we had not seen before in the wild. This cat was just enjoying resting in evening sun. At dinner we had another surprise visitor. Four genets live in the neighborhood and every evening one or more will make their way onto the rafters above the dining room. They are attracted by food left out specifically for them. Feeding the wild animals is strictly prohibited.