After driving on what just might be the bumpiest dirt road in existence, we finally made it to a sign in the middle of absolutely nowhere that said “HIFADHI YA TAIFA SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – A WORLD HERITAGE SITE.” Justin pulled over so we could take some pics and then we were back on our way. Maybe twenty minutes later, we approached a wooded hill, again in the middle of nowhere. On the hill, sat the actual entrance to the park where, like the Ngorongoro park gate, we were required to stop so that Justin could pay our entrance fees. Although we had just stopped, this little break in the drive felt much needed and allowed us to stretch our legs for real.
Back on the road again, animals slowly started to appear, sprinkled amongst the grassy barrenness. We drove around for several hours saw wild dogs, goats, endless amounts of cows, gazelles, buffalos, ostrich among other things. We did see two lionesses, but they were both solitary and about a football field’s length away. Hopefully tomorrow we will see some at a closer distance. I will say however, that seeing the first lioness was extremely exciting. It definitely kickstarted my adrenaline and served as a pinch to remind me that I was in the middle of arguably the greatest game park on earth. Around 5:30pm, we decided to call it a day and head in the direction of our lodge.
Just as the sun was about to go down, we got to the Sopa Serengeti Lodge. It’s a magnificent feat of architecture perched on the side of a hill which offers sweeping views of Serengeti. It’s absolutely incredible. It’s a four star resort in the middle of a wilderness. It definitely made you question how they were able to transport everything to the location to construct it. There is even a pool you can swim in that allows you to look into the Serengeti while you are in it. Our Tanzania guide book says it’s $530 a night, but somehow we got the entire 4/5 day safari package for $1250. Hmmmm. More on the hotel later.
T standing in front of the gate. On the other side? More plains.
The view from the other direction of the entrance sign. Nothingness forever.
Sooner or later, the plains got grasses and some clouds rolled in creating these amazing light rays.
Then all of a sudden, trees started popping up and the roads got windy. Civilization? No!
Look! A bird!
Incredible scenery throughout the day.
T enjoying the sunroof.
A male and a female ostrich graze in the long grass.
The mighty buffalo. One of the "big 5."
