DAY 47: Camping on the edge!

It’s amazing what a couple of nights of good rest can do to a man’s spirits. After two nights of proper sleep Ji and I were ready to hit the road towards Tanzania’s largest National Park – Ruaha. What lifted our spirits even more was the fact that we were able to buy fresh meat from the Old Farm House, something we struggled to find in Dodoma. 

As a small boy I once read an article on Ruaha in the Getaway magazine. It contained an image of a leopard hoisting a zebra into a baobab tree – a sight I will never forget! I promised myself that I would one day visit this incredible, unknown park…and now I’m finally here. Another dream comes true on the Serengeti Trip 2011! 

We left the Old Farm House around 08:45 and stopped in the town of Iringa to fill up the Hyena and buy some breakfast foods, such as yoghurt, milk and apples. From Iringa we drove a surprisingly good gravel road to Ruaha, approximately a hundred kilometres north-west of the bustling little town. Along the way we bought a massive pile of wood in a roadside village. At 10000Tzsh (R50) for the whole lot it was the best deal we had scored the entire trip! Just outside Ruaha Ji got onto the roof rack to film the long gravel road that stretched out in front of us. Suddenly I heard him knock on the front windshield – STOP!!! “Lion in the road!” Indeed. A massive lion stood in the road approximately 200 metres in front of us. Ji jumped inside before we drove closer to investigate. We found one of the scariest-looking male lions I have ever seen (he would have beaten the Lobo male in that bar fight, for sure!) together with two females. Wow, three lions even before we enter the park! 

Ji fastens our wood on the hyena's roof rack near Ruaha National Park

Shortly after 14:00 we reached our campsite on the edge of the Ruaha River. Like most of the public campsites we’ve encountered thus far it consists of an open piece of ground with a couple of trees and a small ablution block, and no fence! “What’s that on the opposite side of the bank?” I shouted. “More lions!” A pride of nine lions were watching us from their resting place in the shade of a massive tree. I stopped the Hyena to get out for a better view when Ji warned me just in time: “Get in NOW!” Another lioness was lying inside the campsite, no more than 15 metres away! I can’t believe this was the second time I almost walked right into the lion’s mouth. She eventually got up and walked across the river (not without a bit of persuasion it has to be said), allowing us to set up camp. 

Our campsite on the edge of the Ruaha River

We ended the day with a three hour-long safari along the Ruaha River and saw no less than four lion prides totalling 37 individuals. That right – we saw 40 lions in one afternoon!! Who would have ever guessed!?! We also saw 70+ elephants, two of which gave us a good old scare when we nearly got caught in the middle of a confrontation. 

A not-so-friendly bull elephant

A pride of 14 lazy lions

Four more lions, this time in a pride of ten

We can’t wait to go out tomorrow morning to find those lazy lions a bit more active, but first we have to eat. Tonight we’re going big with one of Ji’s killer breads, some lamb chops and a few baby potatoes and onions. And for all you worried mothers out there - don't stress - we'll have a B I G fire burning until we go to bed!

This is where we'll be spending the next few hours...

Before I call it a night I’d like to thank those of you who made donations to our data fund again – we’ve very nearly reached our target! For more info on making a donation, please visit the post named “We need your help, please!”.

Have a wonderful week!

Villiers

Highlight of the day:

Villiers: Fresh meat!!! (yes, yes, and 40 lions in one day!!)

Ji: The lioness sleeping exactly where our tent now stands!!!

Lowlight of the day:

Villiers: Not finding unleaded petrol in Iringa

Ji: That the sun didn't shine for good photos this afternoon