April 18. Up at 5:30, breakfast, then boat across to our jeep with G. As the sun rises, we head out on our game drive—target cheetahs, and then, lions. As with the leopards on the mobile safari, we strike out on finding cheetahs, but do encounter other interesting game.
Kudus are not very unusual, but we found some in lovely early morning light, which made for good photo ops.
Sable are spectacular antelopes, and we find a large group that we stick with and drive around to photograph from various perspectives.
Jackals are quite rare, and we get great looks at a pair of them, as they set out to try to find some breakfast.
With the help of radio contacts, we are able to find a female lion and her cub, and follow them for more than half an hour, as they prepare to hunt. A saddle-billed stork also gets into the picture.
Finally, on our way back to the camp for lunch, we encounter two beautiful wattled cranes.
Back at the camp, we have a delicious buffet lunch, joined by G and Antoine, a South African, who along with his girlfriend, Laura, manage Little Vumbura. Back to the tent for siesta time, before our afternoon activity, mokoros.
Mokoros are dugout canoes and ours are poled along by local villagers employed by the camp for that purpose. It’s exceedingly quiet and peaceful. We see tiny frogs and little bee eaters at eye level. Phoebe and I share one mokoro and Carol is poled in the other. We stop at an island for drinks, then continue back to camp, completing our two-hour trip.
Back at the camp, Carol and I enjoy drinks by the fire under an incredible, starry sky, chatting with Laura and Antoine, We move to a delicious buffet dinner, talking with Bonnie and Ginny again, as well as their guide, Lettie. Phoebz learns how to make bracelets, which she makes for Maxi and friends.
We retire for showers, blogging, reading or whatever.
Wonderful animals!
Little Vumbura, a world we never knew of. Thanks for sharing this great adventure. Your animal close-ups are fabulous.