Reading Time: 5 minutes
Soumya takes us on a tour of Serengeti and a wildlife tour, revealing the adventure of his travels. An exclusive for Different Truths.
The lodge was a circle of cottages in a clearing in the Savannah, perfectly blending in with the surroundings, with rocky outcrops, trees, and grassland in between, a viewing platform with a spectacular view of the grasslands from where we could witness extraordinary sunsets and sunrises, which looked straight out of a Hollywood African drama.
The property was not fenced, and we were told not to venture out at night as animals strolled around, and a lion was seen relaxing in the gazebo just outside the bar.
The property was not fenced, and we were told not to venture out at night as animals strolled around, and a lion was seen relaxing in the gazebo just outside the bar. Perhaps it wanted a change of menu. As we had seen a kill just outside the gate, we were careful not to become part of the dietary options.
The place was overrun by Hyrax, Civet cats, Mongoose, and Meerkats so that the exotic wildlife of Africa was at our doorstep. As darkness descended, we were serenaded by the maniacal “woooah” laugh of the Hyenas, which continued all night, occasionally interspersed by the deep bass roar of the lion, presumably the family we encountered near the gate. But the interesting encounter was on the way back from dinner.
The Hyenas’ howls we disregarded as we were told that they would run off as we approached, but there was a loud grunt.
We usually cut across the lawn at the centre, saving time and enjoying the excitement of spotting animals in the torchlight. The Hyenas’ howls we disregarded as we were told that they would run off as we approached, but there was a loud grunt. The kids assumed that it was a warthog and were excited to meet Poomba now that Timon was all around. But the resort manager was frantically waving at us to stay off the lawns. As we made our way along the veranda, he explained that there was a hippo pool just outside, and at night the hippos come out to graze, which was what we heard, and though herbivorous, the multi-ton monster with teeth yards long is the last thing you want to bump into at night. We did see her early next morning, waddling back to the pool, and her skin was a surprising pink. Hippos sweat reddish sweat when out of the water, and when not caked in mud, has a light skin.
The next day, we spent gazing at the bathing beauties skinny dipping in the Hippo pool and witnessed some altercations between irate husbands jealously guarding their harem and sly Casanovas trying to make out with these substantial matrons. It was a fearsome display of gaping jaws and massive canines accompanied by grunts and splashes, but no actual violence. We also saw the crocodiles slinking past and keeping a safe distance from these mammoths.
A zebra was being devoured by eight hungry lionesses, and the pulling and tearing made the carcass jerk around as if alive.
On the way back, we came across a fresh kill, but this one had a large pride and emancipated lionesses. A zebra was being devoured by eight hungry lionesses, and the pulling and tearing made the carcass jerk around as if alive. The beasts had torn the belly and were immersing their entire heads inside to get at the juicy organs, and their faces and heads were covered with blood, which they then proceeded to lick off each other’s faces. It was a very gruesome sight. We noticed that the lord and master were missing and had been told that he gets dibs on the kill first, although the ladies do the actual hunting. We were told that this pride had been hungry for a while and did not want to wait for the boss, but eat up the best parts before papa arrives. Lionesses lib at work, I thought.
We also spotted herds of Buffalo and Elephants, thus four of the big five were ticked off, and the rhino was not around, so we spent a whole day looking for the elusive Cheetah, of whom very few survived.
Their territory was different, as were their prey, and they avoided territories of the larger predators.
Their territory was different, as were their prey, and they avoided territories of the larger predators. But a whole day of driving around the never-ending grasslands and peering at the sparse umbrella acacias yielded no results. But we did find another elusive creature, the tree lion, who is nothing but a standard lion with a penchant for climbing trees.
She was sleeping peacefully on a low tree, and our truck parked directly below did not disturb her equanimity. But seeing a lion, even a sleeping one, about six feet away and just above our head height from an open truck, especially after seeing her sisters at the feast, was quite eerie. She briefly opened her eyes, pricked up her ears, sniffed slightly, tilting her head on one side, as if inspecting some goods at a shop and finding them wanting, and went back to sleep.
After three days in Serengeti, the next day we moved on to NGorang Ngora, where we were staying for the next two days, and will tell the story in the concluding episode.
Visuals by Different Truths and the author
