I started writing this post three weeks after we returned to the United States from Tanzania and Kenya. I had originally planned to maintain the blog on a daily basis and soon gave that up because of the tour schedule and the volume of pictures we shot every day. This post will not be a description of our daily activities which were essentially the same… daily game drives originating from different locations. Instead, the post will focus on the pictures we took during those drives. Don’t worry, I won’t post the 3,000 plus pictures.
We left Sarasota on January 3rd and headed to Miami International Airport for the first leg of our trip to Tanzania, a 9-hour flight to Amsterdam. After a three-hour layover, we took off for Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania, a half hour ride from our first stop in Arusha. We met Eric, our Tour Director, and fellow travelers at the hotel and began our Tauck Tour. Rather than describe the tour, I suggest following this link for a description of the itinerary. Most of the roads we traveled on were bumpy dirt tracks. It also included four flights on small chartered aircraft. Two of the flights were on a Twin Otter, that was 45 years old… not an unusual feat for that plane.
Our journey back to Sarasota was, in a word, epic. We left the Maasai Mara Reserve for a one-hour flight to Nairobi at 8 am local time (eight-hour difference from Eastern Time). The flight landed in a small commercial airport south of the city. The original plan was to stay in a hotel in downtown Nairobi before heading to the International Airport. Due to the terrorist attack on the previous day, Tauck decided that we would not go downtown and placed us in a hotel at the International Airport. Our eight-hour flight to Paris left Nairobi around midnight. After a four hour layover, we took off for the ten-hour flight to Miami. Due to the Federal Government shutdown, the immigration and customs process took a lot longer than our previous experience at Miami International airport. After retrieving our car, we drove to Sarasota. Total time… nearly twenty-four hours.
Four days after we got back to Sarasota, we headed to Seattle for The American Library Association Winter Meeting. While Susie was in meetings, I stayed in the hotel and worked on selecting the pictures, a process that took longer than I anticipated. After returning from Seattle, we spent four days traveling in Florida, meeting family and friends.
The pictures that follow are sorted by category rather than following a time line.
ANIMALS
Ankole Longhorn Cattle. 
This male baboon was virtually surrounded by people taking his picture. He kept giving us different poses. 
Mother baboon and misbehaving baby 
Baboons grooming 
The two Jackals tried to get the kill, a young Thompson’s Gazelle, back from the baboon. 
Baboon Mother and baby Running 
king of the Hill. This may have been the dominant male of the baboon troop 
Banded Mongoose 
Black Backed Jackal 
Bongo in Mount Kenya Animal Orphange. Picture by Susie 
Male Cape Buffalos. These males Cape Buffalos are usually older bulls ousted from a herd 
Lone Cape Buffalo 
Cheetah. This was one of two cheetahs we saw laying in the high grass, probably mother and daughter 
Cheetah Resting. It didn’t move as we got closer. 
Colobus Monkeys on a roof outside our hotel window. 
Crocodiles on the Mara River 
Dik Dik, The smallest of the antelopes. Picture by Susie. 
Male Eland, largest of the antelopes. 
Elephant eating just off the track we were on. 
Elephants Returning from a Water Hole. Taken from our hotel balcony. 
Accompanied by two females, the baby elephant seemed to enjoy the mud bath. 
One of many herds of elephants moving away from the water to their nighttime quarters 
Elephant having a drink at a water hole. Picture by Susie 
Elephant Spraying Mud on itself. Picture by Susie. 
Elephant up close. Picture by Susie 
Elephants by the hundred on the move in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Picture by Susie. 
A Gerenuk, one of the strangest looking antelopes we encountered. 
Grant’s Gazelles in practice combat. When it comes to fighting for control of a harem, they are not as gentle. 
Female and Male Grant’s Gazelle 
Hartebeest 
Hartebeest running with calf 
You know you are near a hippo pool long before you see it. The smell is rather strong. 
Two Hippos Fighting. 
An Injured Hippo walking away from a hippo pool. It may have been injured in the fight I photographed earlier. 
Hippo on the Mara River Beach. 
A Lone Hippo Walking on the Maasai Mara. Photographed During Our Balloon Flight. 
Impala Male 
An Impala Bachelor Herd 
Impala Male with Harem on alert 
Leopard up a tree with its kill, an impala. 
Leopard up an Acacia tree at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage. Picture by Susie. 
Two Lions Resting on a Kopje in the Serengeti National Park. A Kopje is a rock formation created by volcanic activity. 
Lioness Waiting in Ambush for the Zebras 
The Lioness jumped out of her ambush location and gave chase to the zebras… they got away. 
Lioness Still Hungry. Judging by the visible ribs, she has not eaten for a while. Picture by Susie. 
Male lion guarding remains of breakfast 
Lioness laying on the track about ten feet from our vehicle. She has a full stomach from her recent zebra breakfast. 
Lioness getting ready from her post-breakfast nap 
Lion with “toothpick,” possibly from the remains of a Gazelle. 
Here’s looking at you 
Part of a pride of lions lounging in the morning sun. Their stomachs look like they recently ate. Picture by Susie. 
Reticulated Giraffe. The reticulated giraffe is smaller than the Maasai giraffe and has a less complicated skin pattern. 
Maasai Giraffe feeding on an Acacia tree. Maasai giraffe is the largest giraffe subspecies. Picture by Susie. 
Maasai Giraffe running 
Maasai Giraffes Necking. Necking is the way males asserts their dominance. Picture by Susie. 
These two females are the last living Northern White Rhinos. After them there will be no more… all because someone in China wanted their horns. 
Northern White Rhino with Egret and Greater Blue Eared Starling. Picture by Susie 
Red Headed Rock Agama 
Rock Hyrax on the Rocks…where else? Picture by Susie 
A Serval . We were told that it is unusual to spot these cats in daylight. 
Spotted Hyenas Fighting over a kill, a baby Thompson’s Gazelle 
Spotted Hyena Cooling off 
A Female Thompson’s Gazelle with a single horn. I guess unicorns exist. 
Female Thompson’s Gazelle 
Topi Male 
Topi Female with Calves. Picture by Susie. 
A group of Topis 
Topi and Thompson’s Gazelles Running. They were frightened by the noise made by our hot Air Balloon 
Vervet Monkey with Baby 
Warthog Kneeling to Feed on Short Grass. 
Typical Warthog running posture… Tail High. 
Warthog Family. 
Male Wildebeest, also known as Gnus. 
White Rhinos Resting 
White Rhino 
Grevy’s Zebras are larger than the Common Zebra. Unlike the Common Zebra, the stripes do not cover the stomach area. 
Common Zebra Rolling in the Dust to Rid Itself of Insects 
Small Group of Common Zebras 
Common Zebra Female with Colt.
BIRDS
African Sacred Ibis 
Blacksmith Lapwing 
Black Winged Stilt 
Cape Teals 
Common Ostrich, Male (Left) and Female 
Egyptian Geese 
Great White Pelican 
Grey Crowned Crane 
Grey Headed Spurfowl with Wind Ruffled Feathers 
Grey Heron 
Goliath Heron 
Ground Hornbill 
Hammerkop 
Hadeda Ibis 
Helmeted Guineafowl 
Kori Bustard 
Marabou Stork 
Red-Billed Teal 
Ring Necked Dove 
Saddle Billed Stork 
Secretary Bird 
Speke’s Weaver 
Spoonbill 
Spotted Redshank, I think… correction welcome ? 
Superb Starling 
White Necked Raven 
White Storks
SCENES
Wildlife viewing rules-Number four is most important 
Our Balloon Pilot and Passengers 
Luellen, Warren, Susie and Sam 
The Eye of the Balloon. Photo by Susie 
Sunrise on the Mara 
Balloon on early morning flight… it’s barely sunrise 
Maasai Village on the Mara 
Maasai Kraal from Balloon. Photo by Susie 
Maasai Cattle, from Balloon. Photo by Susie 
Future Nile Waters. This stream flows into the Mara River which flows into Lake Victoria which is one of the sources of the Nile. 
Champagne Breakfast Awaits on the Mara 
Sunset at Amboseli National Park 
Toilet flushing Demonstration, North & South of the Equator 
The Centerline of this Walkway is on the Equator 
Mount Kenya at Sunrise 
Our Fairmont Mara Safari Lodge Quarter’s exterior 
Olduvai Gorge. Where the Oldest Homonid Was Found. 
Ngorogoro Crater Panorama 
Mt Kilimanjaro from Amboseli National Park. This is the best view we were able to get 
Leopard Kill Remain of a Gazelle 
Candellabra Tree 
Acacia Tree with Weaverbird Nests
PEOPLE
Susie, Sam Luellen and Warren at the Serena Arusha Hotel 
Lecture at the Olduvai Gorge Site Where the Oldest Hominid Was Discovered 
Maasai Men Dancing and Jumping at Maasai Village welcome ceremony. 
Maasai Women Watching Men Dance, Near Amboseli National Park. Photo by Susie 
Susie and Sam with Joel. Susie is trying to raise funds for Joel’s college education. 
Susie with Joel and a Friend 
Maasai Village Chief (next to me), and our Host Daniel, next to Susie 
Warren, Luellen, Susie and Sam at Kikuyu Welcome Ceremony, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Lodge 
Sam Feeding Ostrich. Photo by Susie 
Luellen and Tortoise at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage 
Maasai Warriors Welcome Ceremony at the Fairmont Mara. Photo by Susie 
Sam at Post Balloon Flight Champagne Breakfast. Photo by Susie 
Susie and Sam with White Rhino… No Barrier Between Us 
Susie and Sam on the Equator
Stay tuned for our next trip.
Sounds like an exhausting trip, but worth almost every second. The photos are simply gorgeous. A trip of a life time!
Wish Susie, an almost, happy birthday! They are all special ones now.
Sam, Thank you! A wonderfully vivid recap of an amazing trip. Love your photos. Can’t wait to see more of your wonderful journeys. So lucky to have met you both.
Thanks for the selective photo display. I’m sure it was not easy to choose which to post.
Given my men’s clothing business history (even though it now is in the somewhat dim past), when I saw the photo of Sam in the Maasai outfit, I couldn’t help thinking that, if they saw me coming on a tour, someone would be calling out to the guy in the back room to look for a “Portly Short”!
And, yes, happy birthday to Susie.