Lions

The wild life in Africa is something to be experienced, travelling around the Serengeti Plains was exciting and one of the most heart in throat experiences I have had. I hadn't realised how close I could be to the animals. My zoom lens was definatley redundant. I only heard one lion roar, and if you have never heard this amazing sound, I can tell you it rattles your inside, kind of reminds me of being next to a loud speaker on a disco night.

I was able to see a lioness and her 3 cubs. They were so playful and she didn't mind us being so close. I also for the first time, saw a lioness climb a tree. She was so swift and quick, it was no problem for her to literally run up a tree, then in a Y shaped branch she took in the territory around, before climbing over her sisters and settling down in the hot midday sun. One of the lions resting in the tree had a collar on, so the pride can be tracked.

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The lioness will give birth away from the pride, then take them when they are old enough to be introduced to the other females and the males that sired them. If a female has cubs from a male outside the pride, the pride males will kill the cubs.  The cubs I saw were still very young and playful

Lion Rock, a great place to settle during the day. Lions mainly hunt at night, and rest during the day. Its usually they females who go get dinner, but its the males who eat first..... hmmm

The male were resting at the bottom of the rock. 

On our was down the road to the bottom of the Ngorongoro Crater we were stopped in our tracks. Two lion lay right in the middle of the road, with no intention of moving. Good photo opportunity or what.  These lions were literally feet away, this is the closest I have ever been to a wild lion, to be honest, they looked like big pussy cats that had just had a tasty meal..... so I guess I wouldn't be on the menu.  Further into the crater, we came across other lions and a couple of lioness' also having a rest