Day 8: Lions Roar

Left well before sun up. It was a cool day with few clouds in the sky and promised to be another stunning day. Coming up the hill, we saw about twenty guineafowl in the brush under the Acacia. They were beginning their morning hunt for seeds, tubers, and insects. Wandering along with them was a lone bachelor Impala. Thrown out of the heard, a rejected Impala will choose to hang out and graze with the guineafowl. The guineas grating staccato “crak-crak-crak” will warn the Impala of danger. It is far safer being part of the guineafowl flock than as a loan Impala.

Up on the Mara highlands for sunrise. A White-breasted Snake Eagle in the tree with morning light, and wildebeest at sunrise near the lone tree. We saw two cheetahs walking through the grass searching for prey. As we were photographing them, we heard a loud roar across the savanna down near the lagga. Dixon abandoned the cheetahs and raced the Land Cruiser across the savanna to the source of the roar. By the time we had arrived, three young male lions were grouped tightly together with ears down and bodies flattened against the ground. These young boys were at a stand off with a pride of six lions. After much posturing and more roaring, the three males thought better of challenging the dominant male of the pride this day. The pride moved on. We continued to follow the pride for a few hours watching them wander, play, nap, and nuzzle.

We had lunch in the shade of shrubs after Dixon had driven around and determined the area to be lion-free. After another delicious bush lunch, we packed up our things and headed on again. We stopped for a long time in the afternoon sitting quietly just to listen and observe. Cameras were put down and the talk stopped. We immersed ourselves in the sounds of the Mara: zebras barking, hyena calling, insects busing, wildebeest snorting, and birds calling.

We were back to camp for another fine dinner that is always served in the beautiful lantern-lit dinning room around 8:30 pm. The group talks of the sightings and activities of the day, has a glass of wine and then sits for a four-course meal. Sleep comes easily at the end of the day that started well before sun up.