Serengeti

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area passes through the land of the Maasai into the Serengeti National Park. Our Ngoro permit expires at half past four this afternoon. The roads are very bad. Apart from the washboard there are also many, deep pits and slots and high bumps. You drive defensively with your own car. The drivers of the game drive cars do not take the quality of the track into account and thunder through at high speed. We count two stranded cars with broken axles. We cannot do anything for them. The Maasai children's shepherds run in the green landscape. They lead herds of goats around the fields and in between beg from tourists passing by. Education unfortunately has no priority.

Cheetahs
At the minute we arrive at the gate exactly on time to stamp the Ngorongoro permit. We buy the Serengeti permit at the neighboring counter. More than two hours before the sun goes down. Our campsite is in the central part of the park. The clouds are rapidly gaining ground. The first kilometers in the Serengeti are indelible. Three cheetahs hunt meat this afternoon. Right next to the road. In the tall grass. Sneaking, they approach the prey, which is not visible to us. It is a beautiful spectacle. However, there is not much progression. When the predators lie down, we drive on.

Overvalued park?
Who has not heard of Serengeti before? The park has a high name recognition. It seems like a result of successful marketing, slightly overvalued. Nothing is less true. It is a beautiful park. For the third year in a row chosen by tourists and safari experts as the best safari park in Africa. That's not for nothing. Nature is beautiful. A savannah with trees and a distant horizon is a celebration to continue. In terms of view, not so much in terms of road quality. The characteristic "African flat top tree" is abundantly present. Grass plains with swaying panicles. Decorative stones in the middle of the fields. The natural presence of wild animals, which are well represented in the park.

Wildebeest
Wildebeests are about to cross the road on the higher bank. On the navigation we see the indication 'Seasonal wild beast track'. Exactly in the right place. Every year they cross the road at the same point. We are impressed by their instinct. The wildebeest dive from the roadside down into the road and then back up into the field. It is as if we see a taste of the famous wildebeest track in the Grumeti River. This great spectacle, which takes place in the months of June-July in the north-west of the park, is known for the many natural films.

Cloudburst
The clouds are now almost black. Further to the East we see a lot of thunder and rain. With his foot on the gas, Onno drives on solidly so that we arrive before dark. In front of us a long line of cars is standing still on the road. We're going to take a look. The road is flooded and disappears into a swirling river. On the other side of the washing water, a brave man enters the water. Testing how deep the water is. He gets wet up to his crotch. Everyone is waiting. Maybe the water drops soon. Until an off-road vehicle disengages from the line and drives past the stationary cars to the water. The driver makes the crossing. The water almost comes over the hood, after a minute he reaches the other side. We also drive through the river. Our applause awaits across the street, like every car that arrives there. Nature has even more water in store for us. A road is completely flooded over a length of half a kilometer. It takes three minutes before we have dry gravel under our wheels again. We only enter the campsite at half past seven. No more stuff to cook. At the chef of an Overlander group tour we cycle hot food for a fee. It tastes delicious.

Maasai cups
The next morning we are determined to spot lions and leopards. According to Veronica Roodt, author of valuable books about African nature parks, the predators can be found on the Maasai cups. That's what the hills are called, consist of stacked large stones. There the animals laze high and dry in the rainy season. The tracks to the cups are getting wetter and wetter. No car to be seen in the wide area. If the mud gets too deep, we give up the attempt. After a few exciting moments we reach the main road. The official route to the Maasai hill is completely submerged. "Impassable," said a driver of a game river car. We try our luck elsewhere, with no results.

Five lions
Even before we give up hope, a friendly driver of a car full of tourists has a tip where lions can be seen. At the indicated location, a number of golden-yellow predators are indeed sneaking cautiously to a group of Impalas. We count five copies. All the grazers from the herd look tense towards the lions. Biting each other, warning against the impending danger. The meat eaters still far away, give up the hunting attempt. They have been discovered, they know. The impressive women withdraw. In the absence of a better plan for the morning, we await what will happen. The lions climb one by one in a tree. We are in the best position for the tree. Soon it is getting busier with cars around us. We are enclosed by more than 20 cars. Although we would like to drive away, we have not been able to do that for a long time. We are in good shape and have the time. Perfect setting for the camera for example. We are very happy with the result on the unique photos.

To dream
We take a lunch break at a place where the game river cars also stop. The tourists each with a packed lunch at the picnic tables. We turn up the roof tent to air in the sun. It has been damp the last nights. A stuffy smell lurks in the tent. Our off-road vehicle attracts a lot of attention among all game river cars. The rangers do not often see a Mercedes G. Tourists with travel dreams ask about our experiences traveling with their own car across continents. We can heartily recommend the adventure to everyone. It is a wonderful experience with many beautiful moments.

Sleeping sickness
It seemed like a monkey story sandwich; do not wear dark blue clothing in an area with the Chechen fly. It is true, the metallic blue G attracts the fly like a magnet. With a loud tap of his hard shield, he lands on the metal. And then remains seated, no matter how fast we drive. Fortunately, only a small percentage carries the parasite that causes the notorious and life-threatening sleeping sickness. Sometimes they end up in the car. Then eliminating the unwanted visitor has the highest priority. Easy to print with a handkerchief. We know that printing twice is now possible. He survives the first time. Sometimes leaving fresh blood in the tissue. From a grazer. Not from us, that's for sure. The prick of the dreaded insect is painful, as if a hornet stings you. That does not happen to you unnoticed. With the anti-mosquito room spray we spray the outside of the car fly-free before we enter the campsite. Prevention is better than cure.

Road blockade
The next day we leave the park on the west side. The area where the wildebeest cross the Grumeti river at the risk of their own lives. On the way to the green grass in Kenya in the months of June and July. Avoiding the six-meter-long crocodiles in the water. The wildebeest are in the East at this season. With a view of the river with its crocodiles, we depict the spectacle ourselves. That is our intention. We drive down the small paths towards the river. The paths are overgrown with vegetation. Unable to get close to the water. We give up and drive to the exit. A herd of elephants walks along and mostly on the road. They do not give way to the car. The leader is nervous and even reacts irritated to a bird. His trunk was incised halfway through, as if it were stuck. An approaching ranger car also remains at a safe distance until the herd disappears in the field. We enjoy the last kilometers of view. A number of remaining wildebeest that apparently did not venture into river river five months ago. We leave the park half an hour before the permit expires. As real Dutch people got maximum value for our money.