Day 3 – Safari (Moru Kopjes & Gong Rock)

Breakfast at the camp this morning before leaving at 7:30. We are heading South today in search of the Black Rhino. It was quite the drive so Ally drove with a purpose today so we could get there, search then begin the long drive back. Driving with a purpose here has a whole new meaning for me…lol!

There is a Black Rhino project here where the monitor the species to help from extension. Poaching here is still a huge problem so there are rangers in this area who live on top of the cliffs to help protect them. We learned that often poachers are just killed here because too many have been arrested but go back to poaching when they get out so it’s easier to just eliminate them. Something to be said for repeat offenders of violent crimes in the states. Visited the Rhino information center to learn about their history. A great guide full of knowledge and passion for these animals. You would have to love it to live way out here. You sure can’t just run down the street for milk if you forgot it on your way home.

No luck in spotting a Rhino today though. Since there are only 23 monitored animals on these planes, and they mostly graze alone, there was no telling where they were. The trip however gave us the opportunity to see the Kopjes, which are forms of rocks like none I have ever seen. There are many difference Kopjes, named for the tribe that lived there many centuries ago. This is Massai country. When in Arusha, we saw many of the Massai tribe which are easy to spot as the men still wear the red draped clothes as their daily attire. Would have been something to see these people still living upon on these rocks. There was one particular area where steps have been built so that you can climb to the top. Ally said he normally would not allow us to climb there unless there were other vehicles around because it has been known to have lions up there. But we all agreed we were game to try it. I know…wreckless right? Ally led the way making lots of noise to scare anything that might have been visiting the area. A few remnants of lions were present but no lions to be found. Let me say how glad we are we made that decision. What an amazing site from up there.

Back in the jeep and off to a lunch spot for a packed lunches. Arrived a favorite spot by many and were told we couldn’t be here because the President of Germany and the President of Tanzania would be visiting there soon. They were already setting up a huge spread for them by the Zebra refreshment company…lol! So we left in search of a new lunch spot.

Now for the excitement of the day. On our way to find a new spot we ran across a pride of lions laying in the shade of a huge tree not far from the road. It was an amazing site. 10 juvenile cubs in all and 7 lionesses (we never did see the males) however it was the same pride we saw yesterday, noted by one with a monitoring collar and one with a huge gash in her nose. Within a few minutes, one of the females raised her head and they all looked in one direction towards a herd of zebras who were making their way across the road into the area of the lions. In a split second 5 of the lionesses each rose and moved with grace to do their particular job. Can you believe this? A kill is just about to happen right in front of us. I didn’t think I wanted to see this at all until I watched how these amazing animals worked together with patience and purpose to feed their family. In a matter of maybe 15 minutes, they had completely formed a parameter around the herd and were waiting for their opportunity. In a split second one lioness made a move and the herd scattered, charged, ran…you name it. One of the lioness had to lay down in the road to keep from getting trampled. In that split second their opportunity was lost…they got away! We have a video of the whole thing and believe it or not it was sad. I hate to see the zebra loose it’s life but it was such an amazing thing to watch. Ally put it well, the lion laid down because no one wanted to die that day. They all made it back to the tree with the cubs to rest from their big chase.

We needed to make a trip back to the airstrip anyway (I’ll mention in a future post why) so decided to just have lunch at the airport. Now, keep in mind, without thinking, when were going to the same airstrip where both Presidents were expected in shortly. A guard at the entrance just let us on in, we parked and walked to the small building with our lunch boxes. We laughed because you can’t even get within 5 miles of the airports at home when our president is flying in. Tons of safari vehicles lined up to meet their arrival. A few armed guards and mostly people like us standing around with cameras. There was no concern to be standing along the strip for a photo op so I took it. Now, I have no idea who the president of Germany even is but figured it would be a great moment for Ally to have photos of “his” president. Planes landed and I snapped pictures of anyone coming off the plan. Ended up with great pictures of the German president but the Tanzania president was not there. Only the Interior ministers were there to meet him. Fun adventure to this trip, even though our original trip to the airstrip was not a success 🙁

Before heading back to camp we saw another Leopard in a tree. It’s so funny to see how they just chill and are so uninterested in us.

Back at camp at 4:30. Showers again at 6. Dinner at 7. Tonight we were joined by all the staff of the camp, except the chef. We had asked them all to join us when we first got there and they said they would on the last night. It was a great meal and a lot of fun. This crew has over exceeded our expectations. It will be hard to top it at the next camp. During our dinner, we were joined by a Hyena, just beside the tent. That just sort of cracks me up. I watched JJ leave the dining tent and walk to the kitchen tent, in the dark, with the Hyena sitting right there. He said, He knows me! They also shared that a few weeks ago a pride brought down a buffalo right in the camp area and stayed there for a solid week. JJ said they had approached him carrying the buckets of water to the tents to get a drink. He just dropped the buckets of water, walked away, let them get their drink and then picked up his buckets and carried on. OMG!!!! I guess there is something to be said for living in this country and feeling comfortable.

Back to the tent to be zipped in at 8:30. We packed, well Rich packed, played a few hands of gin and I caught up on my blog posts. Heard several lions throughout the night. I don’t think I will ever get tired of this. We leave for 2nd camp location tomorrow.
20150205_014827

20150205_072127

Posted on

5,515 thoughts on “Day 3 – Safari (Moru Kopjes & Gong Rock)”

  1. I am really enjoying the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any internet browser
    compatibility problems? A handful of my blog readers have complained about
    my site not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera.
    Do you have any ideas to help fix this problem?

  2. An intriguing discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you need to publish more on this
    subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people don’t speak about these subjects.
    To the next! Best wishes!!

  3. Greate pieces. Keep writing such kind of info on your page.

    Im really impressed by it.
    Hello there, You have done an excellent job. I will certainly digg it and individually suggest to my friends.
    I am sure they will be benefited from this site.

  7. Hi, I think your website might be having internet browser compatibility issues.
    When I look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in Internet Explorer,
    it’s got some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to give you a quick
    heads up! Other than that, wonderful website!

  10. I do not even know the way I finished up right
    here, however I believed this put up was good.
    I do not realize who you’re but definitely you’re going to a well-known blogger for those who aren’t already.
    Cheers!

  11. Your style is really unique in comparison to other folks I’ve
    read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting
    when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this site.

  13. GlucoBerry seems like a really interesting supplement for
    supporting healthy blood sugar levels. I like that it’s designed
    to work naturally with the body instead of being
    overly complicated or harsh. The idea of helping the body manage sugar
    balance while also promoting overall health makes it sound like a
    smart option for anyone looking to support their daily wellness.

  17. After going over a few of the blog articles on your site, I truly like your technique of writing a blog.
    I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my website as well and
    tell me what you think.

  21. I believe what you composed was very reasonable.
    But, what about this? what if you added a little information? I mean, I don’t want to tell you how to run your website,
    however what if you added a title to possibly grab a person’s attention? I mean Day 3 –
    Safari (Moru Kopjes & Gong Rock) | African Adventures of
    Peep and Pickles is a little vanilla. You should glance at Yahoo’s
    home page and see how they write post titles to get viewers to click.
    You might try adding a video or a pic or two to get readers excited about everything’ve written. Just my
    opinion, it might make your posts a little livelier.

  22. Greetings! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering
    if you knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?
    I’m using the same blog platform as yours
    and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!

  26. Good day! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask.
    Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest writing a blog
    post or vice-versa? My website covers a lot of the same subjects as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other.
    If you are interested feel free to shoot me an email.
    I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!

  27. Good day! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this
    site? I’m getting fed up of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform.
    I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  28. Creator Code sounds like a fascinating program for unlocking inner potential and tapping into creativity and abundance.
    I like how it focuses on reprogramming the mind for success while also encouraging
    personal growth. It feels like a practical yet inspiring
    tool for anyone who wants to shift their mindset and
    start creating the life they truly desire.

  30. I like the valuable info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently.
    I am quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here!
    Best of luck for the next!

  33. Ayo mainkan peluang besar anda di LIGACOR untuk kaya dengan bermain game
    di website terbaik tanpa stress! Dapatkan info cuan mudah dan jadilah kaya secara otomatis

  35. Aw, this was a really good post. Taking the time and actual effort to
    produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.

  36. You could certainly see your skills within the article you write.
    The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you
    who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time follow your heart.

  37. Appreciating the time and energy you put into your site and detailed information you present.
    It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while
    that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material. Wonderful read!
    I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google
    account.

  40. When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each
    time a comment is added I get several emails with the same comment.
    Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
    Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *