Safari to Mikuni National Park

Today we all went to Mikumi NP for an african wildlife experience.  The park straddles the highway about 90 minutes drive west of Morogoro.  It is not large by some standards but is contiguous with the huge Selous Game Reserve to the south.

Up early because the daladala was arriving at 5am.  We got to the park gate about 7am and had until about 1:30pm.  At the entrance we paid our $20US to get in and drove around in our daladala with a park guide.As I said yesterday - only Jenny and I and one other volunteer had experienced african wildlife before so very soon everyone was going crazy with sightings of giraffes, zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, impala, warthog, baboon.  Lots of jumping from one side of the bus to the other with cameras and binoculars.

The highlights were two separate sightings of lions.  At the first there were two lions resting after consuming most of a large mammal.  The remains attracted a few vultures, then a few more and then dozens - three different species and a Marabou Stork.

One the way home we drove through lots of small rural villages and it was fascinating to see all the various activities going on.  Everyone had a great time and we were all exhausted when we got back to our rooms. 

Jenny and I managed to get some good photos.  Mine are on flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/bukoba_steve/  Check out Jenny's on her blog as well.

Birds were plentiful and I saw some new ones.  I also missed a few that were impossible to identify from the moving bus.  Highlights were Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Bateleur, Buff-crested Bustard, Namaqua Dove, Lilac-breasted Roller, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Long-tailed Fiscal, Magpie Shrike, Superb Starling, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver and Orange-winged Pytilia.

Another week of class coming up, then back to Dar for Jenny's motorbike training (not sure what I will do during that time).  Then, finally we will head for Bukoba.  Not sure if I've mentioned this but we apparently have a nice 2 bedroom house on he hill to the south of town overlooking Lake Victoria.