Mwagusi Sand River Camp is a permanent tented facility located on the Mwagusi Sand River. The tents are pitched underneath a thatch construct, enclosed on three sides with toilet facilities attached to the rear of the tent. Beds are situated inside the tent and, at night, flaps are closed to keep out unwanted visitors. A patio extends under the thatched roof in front of the tent, allowing for game viewing, although there was very little animal life outside our tent, at least during the day.

As its name implies, the River is dry most of the year, running only during the rainy season when it is filled by the torrential rains. However, pockets of water still remained in October, and water could be found in certain areas by digging beneath the surface sand. The presence of one of the few sources of water in the area resulted in a high concentration of animals near the Camp. And, as is usually the case, when animals are around, their predators are not far ways, as we found out during the first game drive from Mwagusi. Not far from Camp, and with the sun having barely risen, we came across a pride of lions right next to the road, peering around but basically ignoring us. The animals appeared well fed, and kept our attention for quite a while.

After some time, our lead vehicle pulled out. As we were preparing to join them, we noticed the occupants of the rear vehicle waving to us. We could see a lioness standing next to their vehicle, but nothing extraordinary. However, we decided to investigate anyway. As we neared, we spied the subject of their excitement. A female was standing over two cubs, preparing to move them. The cubs could not have been more than two or three weeks old, younger than when cubs are normally introduced to the pride. Driving near, the passengers in the other vehicle informed us that the mother had already moved one cub and had returned to move the other two to safety away from us. We stayed and watched the mother as she undertook what to us seemed to be an easy task, although this at first did not prove to be the case.

Shortly after our arrival, one of the other lionesses approached the mother and attempted to help her by starting to pick up her baby. The mother snarled and emitted a guttural growl, forcing the samaritan back. Finally she picked up one of the babies and headed down the road. However, the other baby, suddenly finding itself alone, started to cry excessively. Her sounds of panic brought the mother back in a hurry. Dropping her other baby to the ground unceremoniously, she picked up the crier and proceeded to carry it back down the road. This only caused the other baby to cry, stopping her mother in her tracks to stare back at her other child. Clearly in a quandary, she returned to her crying offspring. Dumping the other child, she picked up the crier and again headed back down the road, only to elicit the now expected response from the cub left behind.

This time, instead of going after its mother, the cub cried and headed towards our vehicle. Our driver immediately started the land rover and pulled out as the mother ran towards her cub, her gaze locked on us. We stopped when she stopped and picked up her cub, a menacing glare fixed on us. She finally convinced the second cub to follow her as she carried the other cub in her mouth away from us and back down the road. The last we saw of the lioness and her cubs was her following the other lioness, carrying one cub with the other cub following behind. Sadly, the group disappeared from sight and we moved on down the road.

A few minutes later, and not far down the road we came across a second pride of lions. These too appeared well fed. However, there were no young cubs in this pride, only older females and some youngsters that were at least six months old. They passed us and ultimately disappeared into the underbrush away from the road.

Absent from both of these prides were adult males. I was beginning to wonder if there were any in the area when we came across a third pride that morning. In that pride was a large male laying in the shade of some shrubs. These lions also looked well fed, apparently having just fed on a buffalo. Although there were no vultures in the area, a black-backed jackal was pacing not far from the lions, attracted by the kill. In the distance a herd of buffalo could be seen walking along the side of a hill, apparently the source of this pride’s latest meal.

Finally, on our way back to Camp, we noticed a baobab tree with more than 20 vultures perched in its branches. Approaching, we spotted the fourth lion pride of the morning game drive. We saw the remains of an antelope on which they apparently had been feeding. Most of the pride was gone, but an old male protected the carcass. This was without a question the most lions, and the most prides, that I had ever encountered on one game drive, a truly remarkable experience.

Other game drives produced numerous animal sightings, including Burchell’s zebra, cape buffalo and warthogs. And again more lions on at least four different occasions. On one drive, three lions were laying in the shade of the River bed when they noticed a troop of yellow baboons on the other side of the river. One of the lions disappeared into the brush. The next thing we heard was the squeal of a baboon as it scurried up a nearby tree, the lioness close behind. The excited chatter of the other baboons could be heard in the distance. After some time, the lion returned, apparently unable to reach the baboon.

Although the Camp itself did not offer many memorable sightings, there was some wild life around. Several bare-faced go away birds frequented the Camp, and several rock hyrax could be seen in the boulders across the River. Agama lizards scurried through the brush and one afternoon we discovered a frog in the commode in our tent. The more interesting animal activity, however, occurred during the nights. I could hear elephants foraging for food along the River bank, breaking branches along the way. Although I found their prints in the sand in the morning, I did not see them at night. And, in the pathway behind our tents, I found lion prints in the soft dirt on top of boot prints made during the previous day. This lion had passed close to our tent without a sound, at least none that I heard. Nor, apparently, did anyone else. To our relief, it did not appear that the lion had made any attempt to enter any of the thatched enclosures that night. Still, I have to admit to feeling a touch of anxiety at this reminder of how close we were to the wildlife, living in their territory.

After our last night at Ruaha River Lodge, we departed for Zanzibar, the safari portion of our trip having come to an end. Our drivers drove us to the gravel airstrip in the eastern portion of the Park to meet our chartered flight. This concluded a very unique safari. As anticipated, the number of animals that we encountered was substantially less than those seen in the northern circuit of Tanzania. In many instances, we would travel great distances between animal sightings. And in many instances the animals were skittish, not allowing us to approach as close as in Ngorongoro for example. Temperatures were hot, even stifling when there was a lack of a breeze. Travel from one location to the next was at times arduous, with some of the worst roads I had ever experienced; they would not have been so bad had we not been on them for so many miles.

However, notwithstanding these inconveniences, there were many pluses to this safari. We saw two animals we had never seen before, and our encounters with wild dogs and lions were unlike any of our other safari experiences. The group as a whole registered over 30 different mammal sightings. We explored this pristine part of Africa virtually alone, rarely passing other tourists. This was Africa unspoiled by man. The “dark continent” continued to cast its spell, and we left looking forward to our return.