Mikumi & Ruaha

We were less impressed with Mikumi -- the terrain, while also a lush, rainy green, was less pleasing to the eyes than Selous, just because the lakes and other natural variations of Selous make the place notably beautiful.

Most of the animals we saw at Mikumi we on the road leading to the gates of the park. Due to a tip from another vehicle and some luck and the excellent skills and enthusiasm of our guide/driver, we saw 3 adolescent male lions and one cub. They were snoozing under the shade of a tree and barely took notice of our vehicle, less than 10 ft from them! Their manes hadn't yet grown in which occurs in male adulthood. They are majestic creatures.



We proceeded to Ruaha. Also a lush place with 'the green fuse,' due to the running river (as this is the rainy season), we could not cross the river to go to the area we believed more of the animals we wanted to see would be. (After more than a thousand zebras in my 2 months in Africa thus far, I'm ready for cheetahs and leopards!) No such luck at Ruaha, nonetheless we enjoyed the terrain and our time.

For my final days in Tanzania, I will go to the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. These are the most striking detinations for the viewing of wildlife in Tanzania and indeed in East Africa.