Where are the cheetah brothers?

I don't know about most people but I enjoy a bit of a sleep in when I can. But when I am in Africa my body clock is out of control and I am awake at the crack of dawn everyday. Cameras are checked, clothes put on, teeth cleaned and I am ready to roll. I normally beat the gentleman that comes to wake me up with some fresh coffee and biscuits, that's how excited I am that a new day has dawned and I am privileged enough to be there to witness one of earth's greatest spectacles - The Great Migration.

Andrew and I have gotten into a great routine. We are first out of camp and on the look out for cheetah. After our amazing cheetah kill from the previous day we thought we would continue the trend. We knew that the lions were around but it is the elusive triplet cheetah brothers that I wanted to see today.

So off we head into the dark night sky with only Andrew's excellent sense of direction. Luckily he has been with the company a while now and knows his stuff. He entertained me with stories of when he first arrived and had to figure out where the hell he was going and would often have to bluff his way with the guests as he continually went around in circles trying to find the track that lead back to camp because calling over the radio and asking for help would only result in too much teasing from the staff back at camp. We left the Ndutu based camp and drove through a forest area heading towards the open plains on the lookout. We wanted to be at the plains as the sun rose to try and find the brothers before other cars would inevitably arrive and we would loose our exclusive viewing. We drove and drove and drove. Binoculars constantly scanning the area trying to find them but even after 4 hours it was a lost cause. The plains were empty compared to the previous day with the migration having moved into fresher pastures.

We decided to join many other cars who were watching a pride of lions finishing off their kill from the previous night. ;The sun was getting hotter and we both knew that the lions were going to head for shade and rest until late afternoon. So we too decided to return to camp and plan for the afternoon's adventure.

Hanging out in camp is always a novelty for me. Many people see their safari as a holiday and therefore indulge in enjoying what the camp offers. I look at the camp as a place to become well rested for the following day, go over my photos/videos and to eat and drink. Serengeti Under Canvas is a very well run and luxurious glamping option. The beds are unbelievably comfortable, the staff willing to go beyond to make your stay memorable and the animals on your doorstep provide all the entertainment you need to forget about modern technology and being bored. The food is brilliant and I need to remind the staff that I only want small portions so that I can try each course. I particularly liked the camp's soups and a glass of white South African wine as I looked out from camp to see animals passing by.

Feeling replenished and rested I decided to play it safe for the afternoon drive and stick to another pride of lion on the other side of the small creek who were seen in the morning. I was hoping for a kill but the lions were well fed and in no mood to look for food whilst surrounded by tourists. We heard on the radio that another cheetah was on the other side of the camp and had separated a baby impala from its mother. We headed over to have a look at the action.  

The cheetah was a juvenile and spent 30 minutes playing with the baby impala whilst the mother looked on from a safe distance but obviously in distress. The cheetah's behaviour was hard for many of the spectators and a few cars left before the cheetah finally ended the life of the impala. One tourist was very vocal during the whole episode and nearly created a scene by yelling at the cheetah over three occasions. Finally her guide told her to be quiet and if she wasn't happy witnessing such an event then she needed to let her guide know for the future. This is nature and as distressing as it is this is the only way animals can survive.

After witnessing such a sombre event we decided to head back to camp to enjoy the bush tv (fire) and a bacardi and coke whilst watching the sun set.