Tanzanian Safari - A Bush Walk in Tarangire NP

On a normal photo safari one would usually not venture out into the bush on foot but strictly stay on the vehicle or in the tents and on pathways in the camp and follow all the rules set by the guides. Very few camps offer walks - we had done one in Kenya ten years ago where we saw insects, beetles and spiders, plants and their medicinal uses and similar . It was interesting though not comparable to a game drive. Olivers Camp in Tarangire NP offered a guided bush walk with a ranger and guard of a very different, very rewarding kind. Somehow very unique with a primordial feeling - just us and the bush, on eye-level with the animals, no protection (except a guard with a gun which he said he has never needed to make use of so far). 
I took two cameras with me and chose something reasonably light-weight: the D810 with a 20mm prime lens and the D500 with the ultra-light 300 mm f4 prime.

We set out from the camp early in the morning with our guide.  It became clear right away that he had grown up in the bush, knew all the noises, smells, the animals and their behaviour and reactions to threats, their capabilities of vision, hearing and smell, the tracks. He tested the wind direction, sniffed the scents. We went down from the camp across the river and after an hour of walking sat down on the ground on the other side a little elevated behind bushes to watch the river and the animals that were coming down to the water for drinking. Zebras, wildebeest, impala, buffalo, occasionally an elephant, moved in and out of the picture, a fish eagle was sitting high up on a tree watching over the peaceful valley.  

Buffalo in the distance

quite close - the wind was blowing favourably in our direction

After a while we continued our walk 

Waterbuck - We are quite an attraction - 

The zebra seem to wonder why we walk ...

Termite tracks on the bark of this tree.

..and found a place behind a fallen tree just above a mudhole.

... and here I don't have my usual pictures to show. I could not take any, just one silent iphone photo. This buffalo came slowly trundling along the track, totally relaxed, snorted and grunted in the water and lay down to take a thorough mudbath. He was so close, we did not dare breathe let alone take a picture with a loud shutter noise! So we quickly got this silent shot with a phone to not disturb him. Apparently their eyesight is abominable... 

Another buffalo followed the first, then a family of elephants came out of the bush and continued along the muddy path, but once they were all gone, we crossed over the muddy stretch and went back to the camp.