Sensational Serengeti: Great Migration Adventure in Tanzania
A UNESCO world heritage site, Serengeti National Park is famous for the “greatest show on earth”, a phenomenon where millions of white-bearded wildebeest move inexorably through the African savannah, to cross the Mara River. Mingling with this mass of gnu - on the open grasslands - are lively gatherings of Grant’s Zebra, where stallions shepherd their harems toward the dangerous crossings, where fat Nile crocodiles skulk. Antelope like Common eland, topi and Thompson’s gazelle join in the melee.
Image by Jay Roode
Following the aggregations of herbivores, on the plains of this unspoiled ecosystem, are hundreds of predators, satiated by regular meals with easy hunting. The lion and leopard population are impressive, hyena clans thrive, African wild dog, East African cheetah and python have their fill. All in all, the migration is a miracle of nature, guaranteeing adrenaline-fuelled adventure for safari goers.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
Spectacular birding includes specials like Fishcher’s lovebird, rufous-tailed weaver, grey-breasted spurfowl, yellow-necked spurfowl and yellow-throated sandgrouse, a few of over 500 avian species. The image below is a white-headed buffalo weaver.
Image by Jay Roode
Offering guests one of the best positions to witness crossings - which occur spontaneously at unpredictable times and are frequently aborted when the migrants sense danger - is Osero Exclusive-Use Mobile Camp. Pitched in the heart of the Northern region of Serengeti National Park, 3km from the Mara River, means that my private 4x4 game vehicle reaches the crossing points earlier in the day, when fewer vehicles are queuing up in anticipation of action. My game guide, has decades of experience, so frequently intuits how the surging throng of animals may behave. Osero is sited in the Lamai area from June till November, close to a stream dotted with Lala palms. We serendipitously see a lioness slip below a croton bush to nurse three new-born cubs, hidden in the thicket. From December to April, the camp is located in Ndutu NCAA (Ngorogoro Conservation Area Authority), below the Ngorogoro short grass plains, where guests can best watch the massing of herds and birth of wildebeest calves.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Osero comprises eight custom-built tents, with pared down simplicity, yet fresh elegance. Floor to ceiling gauze, with internal flaps to use if needed, ensure that my tent is bright, with maximized area to revel in the panoramas. A king-sized bed - with 100% cotton sheets and two Maasai-red scatter cushions - is flanked by side tables with a raised rim, to easily store my bedside necessities. A wooden desk has ample charging sockets, with a chair facing vistas of the Maasai Mara, plus the grassy plains and raised rock kopjes in the distance. My canvas-covered verandah looks towards the ongoing spectacle of gathering wildebeest and herds of elephant. Lowing and mooing these throng past my tent, adding to the night music of grunting lion, baying black-back jackals and the chirrup of dueting Scops Owls.
Image by Gillian McLaren
The en-suite bathroom provides a hot shower that can be ordered anytime - where staff fill up a bucket hoisted above the tent - a flush toilet, twin handbasin and an illuminated mirror. A simple wooden frame with rail and shelves serves for hanging or folding clothing. Laundry is included, a luxury after the warm and dusty drives. Osero - the Maasai word for ‘wild bush’- is plastic free. 90% of all furnishings and fixtures were made in Tanzania, to support the local economy and East African people.
Image by Gillian McLaren
I choose to eat all my meals al fresco, at a wooden table, despite the delightfully unfussy and unadorned dining tent being a pleasing space. Each meal is carefully prepared and presented, using fresh produce. My favorite is the tender beef fillet with sweet potato mash and green beans. One of the lunchtime salads includes a creative mix of mango, avocado and red peppers, with a light mustard dressing. The shared lounge area has a well-stocked bar, with carefully selected South African wine and artisanal gins, couches and an array of coffee table books.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
A highlight for me is sitting next to a wood-fire each evening, gazing at the fast fading light. My Maasai guard, a polite young man - who has killed a leopard that was causing problems near his village - stands behind me clad in his red blankets and carrying a spear.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Chasing morning light, we leave Osero before sunrise in an open Land Rover with me hugging a hot-water bottle and robed in a Maasai blanket. My reward is a delicate sunrise, crisply fresh air and watching two lion males devouring a wildebeest. When the sated lions abandon the carcass to collapse and doze, vultures - that had been lurking behind a termite mound - begin to fight for scraps in a querulous, feisty fracas. Maribou storks join Lappet-faced vulture, white-backed vulture, Rüppell’s griffin and hooded vulture in their feeding frenzy. A pair of Bateleur eagles wait in a nearby tree.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
In a picturesque spot, my guide sets up a bush breakfast for us. Muffins, fruit kebabs, sausages, crispy bacon on morning-baked bread go down well with freshly brewed Tanzanian coffee. We are fortified for the excitement of witnessing the hazardous crossing over the Mara River. En route, Simon spots a leopard male on a rock, surveying the Serengeti like a sentinel. A bare-faced go away bird calls repetitively. Grey spurfowls forage nearby.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Jay Roode
This Northern Serengeti biome is nature nirvana. The migration is indeed a phenomenon not to be missed, a priority on the travel wish list of many a wildlife lover. For its prime position near the Mara River, the exclusivity and privacy afforded to guests, the simplicity of the airy tents, the exemplary service and kindness of the staff, staying at Osero Exclusive-Use Mobile Camp is an enriching experience.
Maasai Giraffe Image by Jay Roode
http://www.topguidesbushcamps.com
Getting There
Air Excel is an owner-run charter company based in Arusha, offering both scheduled and charter services, to the major tourist hubs of Tanzania. After a pleasant meet and greet from an Air Excel hostess at Arusha Airport, I was flown, via Lake Manyara Airport, to Kogatende Airstrip, in a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B. Captain Mehl kindly pointed out iconic sights like the Ngorogoro Crater, Lake mantra and we flew low over the Mara River to land. In an Osero Exclusive-Use Mobile Camp vehicle, I was motored to the camp on a short, scenic game drive.
https://www.airexcelonline.com
Taken from: https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/sensational-serengeti-great-migration-adventure
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