March 21, 2025

Namiri Plaines Camp, Bariadi, Tanzania

Our last full day in Tanzania! A little sad. We have had such a wonderful time here and got to see so many animals. The people here have been really nice. The food has also been very good. But it is time to think about moving on to the next adventure.

This morning we had breakfast in the dinning room. Coffee, fresh fruit and a muffin for Mary. I had the full English breakfast; scrambled eggs, bacon sausage, beans and toast. They have really good thick cut orange marmalade here.  I also got a cappuccino and it is still very good.

Alessandro heard over the radio that there was a leopard in a gully not far from where we were. Or at least some of the other guides thought there was. We got to the gully and Alessandro drove around a couple times. No one was spotting anything. We were about to give up when I spotted the leopard in the grasses. Yes, of all the eyes on the gully I was the one who spotted the leopard.

Here he is trying to hide from us.

The leopard was a little annoyed by out presence. I think he/she wanted to take a nap. He/she looked really full, like he/she had had a really good breakfast. He/she moved around the gully a bit before settling in some high grass and low bushes. It was not impossible to get a good look at the leopard.

After breakfast we went on a game drive with Alessandro. We found a cheetah in a large open area. Alessandro thought it was a young male. He appeared to be looking for his breakfast. We sat and watched him for about forty-five minutes then he spotted a gazelle and started working his way towards it. For another fifteen minutes he moved into position. When he really took off like a shot.

However, this morning wasn’t the cheetah’s morning. Despite being really fast the gazelle had more experience and zig-zag off. It was a close one for the gazelle but he will live another day. The cheetah went back to looking for lunch, and we continued on.

We saw elephants, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeests, zebra, and a lot of birds. The we came into another open area where the mother cheetah was with her four cubs. We stopped and watch mama hunt for food. We spotted, upwind from the cheetahs, a group of three gazelles; dad, mom and baby. We knew immediately that the fate of the baby gazelle was sealed.

We watched as the mother cheetah stealthily approached the unsuspecting family. Then she launched into action. It was over almost before it began. Mama proudly walked back to the cubs with the baby gazelle in her mouth. The subs came running for mama.

Mama put down the gazelle and the cubs started to play with it, when all of a sudden the gazelle shot up and tried to run off. The cubs were all over the gazelle. We watched them chase, catch and release the gazelle a half dozen times. We left really bad for the gazelle, but this is life and death on the Serengeti. Finally mama came over and delivered the coup de grace.

Alessandro explained that this is how the mother teaches her cubs to hunt. That they cubs had not yet learned to kill their prey. Mama then came over and gave them that lesson. Then they all went on to eat lunch.

We did the same thing and headed back to the camp for lunch. Our lunch was a tad bit more conservative. A chicken wrap, tomato and cheese salad, and a broccoli and green bean salad. All very good.

Afterwards we headed back to our tent and a nap and rest before dinner. I took out my last cigar and sat on the deck watching the birds and elephants.

The elephants came within a couple meters of the tent. After a while both of us were sound asleep.

The design left by the service staff at the camp. The heart is made of coffee beans!

About 16:30 we woke up, got dressed and headed for the main lodge. We sat and played cards, each of us winning one game, and then it was time for dinner. Dinner was beef, potatoes and vegetables. They also made risotto, but it was African risotto. Lots of vegetables and even a few potatoes. Interesting as a side dish but probably too much as a main course.

After dinner we headed back to our tent to pack and get ready to leave in the morning.

Tomorrow we are off to Amsterdam arriving there Sunday morning. It has been a beautiful trip and we have enjoyed it all.

Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico e Maria