We left Morogoro before sunrise, not only to beat the traffic, but also to make sure we didn't arrive in Selous too late. Instead of driving via Dar Es Salaam, we took the scenic route via Kisaki. Certain sections of the road were very rocky, but the drive was incredible! We passed through some of the most scenic landscape since we left Pretoria 19 days ago. The road passed through small villages and dense forests, down mountain passes and past hordes of palm trees.
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| The stunning road between Morogoro and Selous |
We reached Matembwe Gate at noon and got the shock of our lives when we were charged $180 US to enter the park for 24 hours! That's even before we've found accommodation! We decided to suck it up and carry on, hoping that Selous would make it worthwhile... The drive through the reserve to Selous River Camp produced sightings of zebra, giraffe and about 60 elephants. I also enjoyed seeing birds I haven't seen before, such as northern carmine bee-eaters and spur-winged lapwings!
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| A northern carmine bee-eater, Selous |
We reached Selous River Camp, which is located just outside the north-eastern boundary of the reserve, around 15:30. After taking some heavy gear out of the Hilux, we decided to go back into the reserve to get our money's worth. At first game viewing was slow, producing only a few impala, a troop of baboons and the riverside regulars such as crocodiles and hippos. Just as we turned back towards the gate JI spotted something in the road: "lions!" There they were - four healthy lions right in front of us in the road. At first they all looked like females, but we soon realised that one was a large young male without a mane. We stayed with them for about 20 minutes before we had to leave...and we had them all to ourselves!
Both JI and I took photos again, so it's time for you to guess again: Please tell us in your comments who took which photo and which one you like best!??
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| Lion photo 1 |
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| Lion photo 2 |
We'll be doing another game drive in Selous tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, so look out for some scenery shots of the reserve on our next post, and hopefully some more cats too!
Night night
Villiers
Highlight of the day:
Villiers: The scenic road between Morogoro and Selous
JI: Lions!
Lowlight of the day:
Villiers: Not being able to keep my eyes open this morning - literally!
JI: Selous entry fees!
10 comments:
I must admit that is a scenic road!Must have been a real site! The bee-eater is really cool! You guys should put a bird watching sticker on the car! Altwee foto's is baie baie mooi! Maar ek moet se foto nr 2 se pose is die beste. Sy lyk so kalm... baie cool foto! Wow...nou mot ek raai....ugh. Kom on gee dit vi JI!!!! Lekker slaap vanaand. Bly die reen cool jule bieq af! T
Ons stem saam met Talita oor foto 2, hoewel albei foto's pragtig is! Julle foto's is werklik van uitstekende gehalte. Ons is bly julle het meer wild as die afgelope week gesien. Kan beslis sien die leeus het nie TB nie. Hoe voel die temperatuur daar? Warm en bedompig? Nie besef Tanzania is so ongelooflik duur nie, of is die pryse net vir buitelanders? Geniet die wild, hoop die naggeluide is onvergeetlik. Lekker aand!
Jammer vir daai skokkende toegangsfooi!! Hoop die leeus het darem gehelp dit versag. Foto 2 se komposisie goed en ook die emosie en lyk na Villiers se werk. Dis ook die beste een. Sorry no offense J! Hoop jul het môre nog in alle opsigte 'n wonderlike dag.
Heyhey! Dit lyk sooo pragtig daar! Wow! En ek moet se, ek love altwee fotos! Baie moeilik om te kies, like die intense kyk in daai oe van foto 1, maar gaan nr 2 kies - daai tong maak dit, super cute! Ek sou raai foto 1 is Villiers en foto 2 is JI?? Hoop jul oornag daso is great en maak die belaglike bedrag die moeite werd!
How do you choose?! I'd love to sketch the first one but the second is so expressive...
Pity about the park entrance fee, but judging by your pictures it looks like it was a fair trade!
Looking forward to seeing what you get up to tomorrow! Enjoy :)
Hey Julle twee!
Lyk my die entrance fee was die moeite werd as ek ky na die fotos!!
Ek gaan moet se foto twee is Villiers, foto 1 is JL.
Moet sê ek hou van altwee maar nr.2 vat hom vir my die keer!!
Ek hou van albei fotos's.Nr 2 is definitief Villiers se foto. Laat my dink aan die klein leeutjie in sy portefeulje wat met die skilpad speel.Hoop julle kry vandag nog meer waarde uit die USD180! Tjirs.
Hi, julle! Bly die leeus het oor julle pad gekom... die fotos is altwee great, en eks seker daars nog wat net so goed is... Ek stem vir nr 2 en dink dis Villiers... maar dis altwee regtig goed! Hoop Tanzania hou aan om julle goed te hanteer wat die wild betref... die res is ongelukkig maar deel van die trip - hahaha! :-)
Wow! Daai pad en Selous klink wonderlik! Maar, moet ons solank koeksisters begin bak vir fondsinsameling?! Die leeus... wel, beide iets besonders, maar ek is mal oor nr 2 - 'n kat wat 'n mens wil huistoe vat! Die fotograaf? JI het beslis 'n oog vir die ongewone, maar ek dink hierdie een is Villiers s'n.....
Ek hou duim vas vir 'n hele paar "money shots" in Selous - ek meen, die park skuld julle! Geniet!!
Hey manne. Het nou eers weer opgevang met die posts. Lyk my Tunduma was toe nou maar weer eens die worst grenspos nog! Anycase - bly julle is veilige daardeur. Die ironie is mos - toe ons daardeur is het dit net so gereen! Gaan julle nou helemaal Dar skip? Sal jammer wees. Die fotos lyk baie nice en ek sien julle geniet die natuurskoon - Tanzanie is net freaken awesome natuur. Gaan goed hier - is nogsteeds jaloers vir die rekord....!!!
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