Safari Updates

Ndutu: Home of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the WorldFrom Hilton:A visit to Ndutu has to be a major highlight for any wildlife photographer, and it features on many bucket lists. Our ODP Safari to the area again this year reminded us again why this is so. It is a special place with fantastic photographic opportunities.March in the South-Eastern plains of the Serengeti is the site of one of the most spectacular events in the wildlife calendar. The activity is concentrated in the Ndutu area where about one and a half million wildebeest gather annually for calving.                             During this time many hundred thousand calves are born.                                               The open grasslands create an ideal place for...

Hilton's Bush News:Our final day on this amazing safari dawned bright and clear, giving us the chance to capture some more spectacular African Sunrises with a variety of game in our increasing number of shots.   Over breakfast, and even here at Jomo Kenyatta Airport we still are still all astonished at what we have managed to see on this safari. Five cheetah kills in 4 days, lions with their cubs posing and interacting with each other, lion and cheetah interactions, a wildebeest birth and introduction to its family, hyenas stealing kills from other predators, diverse game as far as the eye could see ...Not a day gave a moments disappointment, and our collections of photographs will be treasured as we look back on this time crammed with events!We are all so looking forward to booking the next trip ... ...

Hilton's Report:Today was another phenomenal day .. outstanding in all the ways one could imagine.We left camp as usual before sunrise and were in a magnificent area just as the sun began to peep over the horizon. We stopped in awe and took a multitude of photographs of the brightening colourful spectacle.  We had heard that there were lions in an area and headed in that direction, stopping frequently as more breathtaking sunrise vistas opened up on the way.Then we saw them ... the lion cubs were hiding in and on a rocky outcrop.   The setting was so lovely that we stopped and simply enjoyed (and of course photographed) the scene. There are 24 lions in that pride and watching them with the rising sun casting that golden glow over everything proved to be most special. The plethora of game was evident everywhere and we saw a variety of animals...

Hilton's news: As we left our isolated camp in the beautiful Serengeti one if the first sightings was a pride of about twenty lions with four or five cubs. It was still predawn so seeing them in the almost eerie light was quite awesome. We noticed that one of the lionesses was behaving really strangely. She never really settled down, although the remainder of the pride were relaxing contentedly before sunrise. The lioness seemed unable to relax and kept looking around and nervously pacing about. Then the members of the pride decided to shoo her away and we realised that she was not a member of this pride. She must have encountered them in the poor light and was deciding whether to remain with them or not when they made up her mind for her and chased her away. After this interesting interaction the world was brightening and we moved on....

Hilton reports: If it is at all possible each day on this safari  has been getting better and better - and better again. Today was touching on the unbelievable. Let me start with the morning. After yesterday's thunderstorm the morning was clear but still a little overcast. We wanted to return to the cheetah family who had made the two kills that were stolen from them by hyenas to see if they had managed to get any of their spoils back. We found the cheetahs walking together as a family on the wide open plains and had a magnificent sighting and photographic opportunities. Then an unexpected sight occurred - a lone lioness appeared and started marching along straight towards the cheetahs. A confrontation! As she drew closer the cheetahs warily hung back, keeping a respectful distance from the big cat. She strode on and as she passed the cheetahs we saw...

Hilton reports: Today was yet another one of those days that one dreams about experiencing ... the kind that you think back on - and look forward to when planning a safari. In between everything I am relating here there is game everywhere, and photographic opportunities at every bend, but I am mentioning the highlights only for now. So shortly after we left camp we again came across the mother cheetah with the three cubs. They were very interested and keeping close to a large adult wildebeest lying still on the ground. The wildebeest was either injured or not well, and created a huge amount of interest for the cheetahs. Because if its adult size, it was too large for the cheetahs to attack, but because of its vulnerable position they were very interested.  We remained to watch the outcome of the situation for about two hours. Repeatedly the cheetahs would...

Hilton in the Bush:After such an amazing day yesterday we almost expected today to be somewhat less exciting. Wrong!We went straight to the Hidden Valley area and arrived there as dawn was breaking. We found the pride of 18 lions with almost no effort - it was as though they had positioned themselves to wait for us to arrive with our cameras.The lions had an Eland kill close by, and had eaten their fill. It was great to have the luxury of time to photograph them lolling around, enjoying family time and stretching out in the early morning light. They were in a lovely open area and we had a clear view of the whole clan lazing around.The lions showed only a passing interest in the remains of their kill, even when two Black-backed Jackals arrived to help themselves to the leftovers.We were photographing the jackals  with the lions  in the...

Hilton's News:What a fantastic day we have just experienced! No-one could ask for better ...We headed South as planned to the Makau area to try and see the journeying wildebeest. Although we were prepared to see hundreds upon hundreds of these animals nothing really prepared us for the vista of rolling hills for miles around covered - yes, covered - with hundreds of thousands (I even think millions!) of wildebeest. The steady march northward is a spectacle in itself and witnessing this event leaves one standing in stunned awe. We gathered ourselves eventually to start taking hundreds of photos.We had taken a packed breakfast with us and were therefore able to relax and enjoy the entire scene without the thought of rushing back to camp for a meal.We travelled on and came across a new cheetah kill where we again stopped for images.And not far away from that we were puzzled...

Hilton reports:After traveling for most of the morning we suddenly found ourselves in the air and directly over the beautiful iridescent lake below us. Dotted quite thickly in the sparkling azure water we could see thousands of pink flamingoes, shifting, flying and creating a kaleidoscope of changing colours. What a beautiful start to our safari! Cameras already worked overtime ... (My apologies that there are no photos with this and possibly the following posts - there is no internet here but I plan to catch up soon ... so imagine!)Our camp is situated in a special area - it is remote and is erected for only three months each year - for the birthing of the wildebeest. Everything has to be specially brought in, and the logistics that ensure our comfort are simply mind boggling.After offloading and settling in we started out on our first drive. Apart from numerous giraffe, zebra...

Hilton Reports ...The early predawn found us focused on reaching the edge of Paradise Island to see if the buffalo have returned yet. They are still on the island but on the way there we first encountered the pride of lions with the two cubs - the pride that finished the remains of the buffalo on Thursday. They are still feeling full, well- fed and very relaxed. They were lying around under the bushes and trees and showed no intention of action within the coming hours. They made such a peaceful scene, lolling around and barely twitching.The second pride of lions are very close to the buffalo and getting closer and closer. They are still surrounded by lechwe.We had a very exciting morning with this pride as we photographed them creeping up, stalking the lechwe. We held our breath as they crept closer, closer,  closer.Then a bound ... a lion leapt...