Today we have a full day planned to explore Serengeti. If we ever escape the rain that is, the forecast is not that promising. Leaving our accomodation we are already stopping time after time for birds and of course the resident herd of giraffes that we really enjoy. They even have a few young ones that we keep an eye on just to ensure they don’t jump in front of the car.
Now we start towards Retima Picnic Area and the Hippo Pools, the first part is on the main road through the park which we past also yesterday. However yesterday we were in a hurry to find the lodge and now we have time to stop and look for birds.
And there are lots of birds, including a beautiful cardinal woodpecker and our first Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, a bird that we looked for quite some time as it is very common but this is the first time we finally see it.
And on we go on the main road which is quite empty in this section as most accomodations are further south. So the animals are both more plentiful and more skittish and each observation is ours only to enjoy. Like the wildebeest lost in a herd of impalas.
Now we cross the Nyabogati River via a different route than when we arrived. We came via a rickety bridge so crossing shallow water seems better now. And we can look for wildlife in the water and even find a huge crocodile nearby. Likely dreaming about the migration coming through the area.
And then we reach the turnoff to the Hippo Pools. And the road becomes a muddy, puddle to pond level covered road and we stop and evaluate our choices. They do not seem that deep now but how is it in the future, there are a few kilometers to go? We decide to try it and pray that it does not become worse.
It is very helpful that we see other cars coming the other way. They are similar cars so if they can do it we assume we can do it also if we take the same route. And slowly but surely we make our way to the Hippo Pools looking for birds and mammals on the way and seeing dik diks and leopard tortoises.
And then we arrive at the Retima Picnic Site which is more busy than we expected but of course it is the premier site to see hippos here for organized tours. We have already seen some on the way the previous day but still seeing them in large concentration is always fun.
And there are lots and lots of hippos here. It is not the dry season, not really, when the majority of hippos are forced in small pools but here there are still lots of them even though there is enough water in the Orangi river for them to spread out.
Some even seem to invite us to jump over them but luckily we can hold ourselves back given how dangerous hippos can be.
Before leaving we also look for birds and see some beautiful Lesser Striped Swallows resting, something rare, and a African Fish Eagle watching them from afar.
Initially we planned to continue from here on the road and reach the main road to the west from Seronera. However it looks much worse than the road to here and not really travelled so in the end we decide to return via the same section we arrived in and take the long way around.
And this is a great decision actually as on the way back we see a lot of cars stopped at one spot. As we stop also ourselves we try to check out what they are watching and it is a cheetah, our first one ever. And one quite used to the cars as it doesn’t seem to care about them not one bit.
And then just as we reach the main road again we get another bonus. A serval, our second one for the trip but still a special cat and one that this time actually passes right next to our car, beautiful! And then it is time to get to west road again and then to Seronera before the flood gates of heaven open.
