Tanzania, Africa - 1

Hi, Ruthe and I returned Saturday from an outstanding safari to Tanzania. We traveled with friends Cathy and Jim Kleeman. Between Ruthe and me we produced almost 5,000 images. I will be posting a selection of these photos over the coming days. I apologize for the large number of images posted in advance but I hope you will agree the experience justifies this.

Photographically our day started a little before 9:00 AM when we spotted a monkey outside the window of the restaurant in our hotel while we were eating breakfast.

After the monkey disappeared a pair of Silver Cheeked Hornbills flew in and proceeded to eat in the tree the monkey had left.

At about 9:00 AM we boarded our Toyota Land Cruiser and headed for Tarangire National Park where we arrived about 1:00 PM.  The above photo was taken in front of our Land Cruiser at the end of our trip with our guide, Mkenda, in the middle.  Good photo opportunities on a safari result from having a highly skilled and knowledgeable guide combined with a good bit of luck.  Fortunately, we had both.

 We checked into our lodge, had lunch and left for a game drive about 3:00 PM.  Our first encounter was a herd of Impala, including this doe and her fawn.

Next up was a troop of Baboons.  Mothers frequently carry their babies.

Male Impalas either have a harem or they gather in bachelor groups.

Many animals enjoy a mud bath.  Here a Warthog sow is partaking of this pleasure while two hoglets wait their turn.

We saw hundreds of Elephants of all ages.

Waterbucks were not quite as common as some other antelope.

Mama kept a wary eye on us.

Birds accompany many of the larger animals picking insects off them.

Cape Buffalo also enjoy a mud wallow (above and below).

A Waterbuck male watches over his harem.

This is typical of some of the open savannah landscape we encountered.  These are a variety of Acacia Trees.

These beautiful Superb Starlings were quite common.

Storks in trees were also common.  Here we have an African Openbill Stork.

Cape Buffalo proved to be as curious as domestic cows.  This herd move toward us and then stopped to look us over (above and below).

Big Eared Fox are quite rare and this was our only sighting.

A large Acacia dominates the scene.

This was our first encounter with Jackals.  They were just relaxing by the side of the road.

We saw numerous Giraffes.

Sun sets and sun rises were quite beautiful.

The Elephants have finished drinking and now it is the turn of these Cape Buffalo.

A group of Yellow Billed Storks are roosting in a dead tree.

These are Southern Ground Hornbills.

Moonrise over Tarangire.

A pair of juvenile Elephants test their strength at dusk.

Thanks for looking.