Serengeti sounds - Lions and hippos calling in the African savanna

Night falls in the Serengeti-Mara savanna. The deep calls of lions resonate through the plains while a hippo lazily moves in the water hole nearby. A thick insect chorus creates a constant background while distant Eagle and Scops owls can be heard occasionally. This is the typical sound of the African savanna at night. Oh, and of course you can also hear the hippos pooping.
When I traveled to East Africa I didn't really know what to expect. Finding suitable spots to set up my recording equipment proved difficult in the savanna as there aren't many places to hide microphones. After a lot of trial and error I found out that there's good potential at water holes surrounded by vegetation. I had identified several of these in the savanna, plus I also had access to the river Mara so I set up a few rigs by water.
Besides lions, hippos, antelope and other big game, the African savanna is also home to roving gangs of baboons. They found my equipment more than once and tore open my dry bags, destroying microphones, power banks and other bits in the process. I can't blame them though, I was just a guest in their part of the world. Fortunately I had plenty of spare kit and always managed to recover my media so it was all good in the end.
This part of Africa is incredibly beautiful, biodiverse and complex. It's the most well-known animal sanctuary in the world, and is probably home to the most dense populations of big wildlife on Earth. The Mara river is the lifeblood of the plains, snaking along Masai Mara and Serengeti national parks. It was truly a breathtaking experience to immerse myself into this landscape and to record these soundscapes so I can share them with you.
Recorded with Sony PCM A10 and Lom mikroUsi in the Mau-Mara-Serengeti area in East Africa. Enjoying the videos I upload on here? Feel free to support me by:
- becoming a patron: / georgevlad
- buying my sound effects libraries: mindful-audio.com/sound-effec...
- buying me a coffee: ko-fi.com/georgevlad
- buying my soundscape albums: wildaesthesia.bandcamp.com
#serengeti #masaimara #savannasounds

[@GeorgeVlad]

Read about my expedition to East Africa at mindful-audio.com/blog/2020-sound-recording-expedition-kenya

[@sinistral9629]

I've visited the Serengeti-Mara region many times. It's a place I love. This immersive experience of its nocturnal symphony is a gift - thank you.

[@GeorgeVlad]

My pleasure, enjoy!

[@user-wq6vq6no2k]

Thank you so much for posting this. I lived in Kenya close to the Mara for 15 years and have been back Stateside for about 3. I have spent many nights in the Mara listening to the wildlife and the hippos. I really missed these sounds. Thank you!

[@GeorgeVlad]

Glad it was helpful, you are very welcome.

[@juice2090]

Ohhh perfect for falling asleep!

[@GeorgeVlad]

Couldn't agree more, sleeping in a tent in the savanna was magical.

[@undergroundmixsessions]

Wonderful sounds! Brings back some great memories...back in the late 90s I was camped with family next to a swamp in Xakanaxa, Botswana. I was about 12 or 13. Had a hippo walk out the water about 20m to take a dump (thats how i know the clapping sound all to well (the tail skimming the ass cheeks) The same night or next while off to the camp toilet block, shone the torch into the brush only to see two glowing eyes and the sillouet of a hyena.. now, having been told never run from wild animals as such, given they pick up on the fear i pretty much sprint walked back to the camp area. Sleeping in a tent and hearing lions roar in the near distance, nowing there are no barriers was the highlight. I was basically frozen still with fear. The next morning hyena and other spoor around the tents in the sand.. It was an unforgettable experience I cherish, and would love to repeat :) Purely amazing.

[@GeorgeVlad]

Unforgettable experience indeed, thanks for sharing.

[@Arrahant]

Nothing like the sounds of pooping hippos to keep the focus up at work just before the weekend!

[@GeorgeVlad]

Haha, can't fault that logic :D

[@PreachingJesus]

Great work on all your videos. Some of the best quality nature sound recordings I've heard.

[@GeorgeVlad]

Thanks Sean, appreciate it.

[@robertroche2077]

🦁Very relaxing. Thanks for posting!

[@GeorgeVlad]

My pleasure, enjoy!

[@feelnatureandrelax]

Great quality of the nature sounds. 👌👌👌

[@GeorgeVlad]

Thank you 👍

[@Vivian-cm1cz]

Good. Nice to hear nature moves ta

[@GeorgeVlad]

Yes, thanks

[@EvannHoward484]

Wow amazing!!✨

[@GeorgeVlad]

Thank you! 😄

[@maddiemadeamess]

Favourite channel ever!!! 🥹🥹💯💯

[@maddiemadeamess]

@George Vlad what's your favourite sound recording you've ever made? 🤔

[@GeorgeVlad]

There are too many to list here, but this one is among my top 5 at least: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmGci6qGd9yYpK8

[@hannahpense9973]

I needed music to write my novel to, and this is the perfect kind of ambience. Subscribing for more!

[@GeorgeVlad]

Great, hope the writing is going well.

[@maksspiga1106]

Fantastic!! (...my first pair of clippies are on their way from the UK! Probably it won't quite be the serengeti for me to record, but still... I can't wait)

[@GeorgeVlad]

Hope you can make some good recordings with them.

[@ilcontraversientertainment3689]

I'm writing to this right now, mate. Cheers.

[@GeorgeVlad]

My pleasure, hope you have a productive day.

[@peterhennig4678]

This perfect, just to short

[@GeorgeVlad]

Thanks Peter, I will create a 10 hour no-loop savanna soundscape sometime in the near future.

[@gmlaster]

This is absolutely heavenly!!! Do you have any safari videos? I'm desperately seeking videos of a real safari with NO MUSIC. I can't find any anywhere. I want to feel like I'm in the middle of savannah, and all that sappy piano music just kills the immersion for me. I can't get enough of this. I wish there were more people like you who understood that Nature doesn't need a soundtrack. it plays a symphony all its own.

[@GeorgeVlad]

Thanks! I don't have any safari videos but I have a good amount of footage. I'll put together something once I get back in the studio for more than a few days, probably over the holidays.

[@moritzlischke]

Holly shit nice i Was in the Serengeti in Tansania

[@GeorgeVlad]

It's a magical place!

[@moritzlischke]

@@GeorgeVlad yeah can you Savanna sounds at the day my Englisch is not so groß i hobe you understand me i hobe more from this videos i love your nature sounds Please more from that

[@GeorgeVlad]

@@moritzlischke Sure, I have a dedicated playlist just for savanna sounds: kzbin.info/aero/PLCRlYmmK1sqpnPimVGFNUhmt1WtYhnsZc

[@TheCristolShow]

I almost fell asleep it was so relaxing but then around 11:40 water splashing begins and snapped me out of it and made me totally aware of my surroundings. What was that?

[@GeorgeVlad]

I think that's a hippo wading through the river.

[@trannyglitter12]

Hippos pooping. lolll🤣🤣🤣

[@GeorgeVlad]

Yep, agreed on the challenges of recording wind.