Tanzania – Safari-time!

Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, lies in the north of Tanzania near a town called Moshi, close to the Kenyan border, and conveniently on our bus route from Dar es Salaam to Arusha. So we decided to overnight there in order to take in the view of the snow-capped peak, before the snow is projected to melt in 2020 due to the effects of global warming. Alas, during the 24 hours that we spent in Moshi, the clouds were heavy and low, and we saw no more of Kilimanjaro than if we had been sitting looking for it in Ireland or Honduras. But, snow big deal (pardon the awful joke).

Almost everyone who goes on safari in Tanzania will end up passing through Arusha. Lying to the south-east of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti, the town is full of cheap hotels, safari operators, and scammers, and despite that, we quite liked it. At this stage, we’re well accustomed to touts, and some of them can actually be quite useful, especially in an environment with no signs or anything else to guide you. And for the few who try to rip you off, there are as many or more who are just trying to earn a few shillings in an economy which gives them no other option of employment.

We shopped around a few safari operators before paying a visit to the local tourist office. This is an essential stop in Arusha, because not only is it next to a nice cafe serving great espressos, but it features a message board for travellers seeking other people to share their safari, thereby getting a lower price for all concerned. Safari vehicles in Tanzania sit 7 people, so up to 6 is a good number, and gives everyone a window seat for viewing the action.

We saw one ad from an Austrian couple, Ben and Sophie, for a 3 day safari, which was what we were looking for too. We met them later and arranged to depart the following morning with a 5th person, Nell, an Irish-American. The total cost per person was $335 including all entrance fees, meals and accommodation and we booked through Sunny Safaris who we can recommend. Our itinerary would bring us to three parks – Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro crater! Alas, no time for my dream destination of the Serengeti, but it just wasn’t practical. In any case, the famous Wildebeest Migration had already passed into the Maasai Mara on the other side of the border in Kenya. Another day perhaps.

We were told that Tarangire had the most wildlife at this time of year, so we set off there first. A few metres through the entrance gate, we were already spotting zebra, wildebeest and impala on all sides. Ben, one of the Austrians wanted to see elephants, and Tarangire with its large elephant population sounded promising. By the time we had completed our afternoon tour, we had seen close to two hundred elephants – babies, mothers, males, elephants with tusks almost touching the ground, giant elephants – amazing! One of the highlights was seeing a family of about 20 elephants drinking at a river, only for a herd of over 50 buffalo to move down the hillside, leaving clouds of dust in their wake, to drink beside the elephants, and only a few metres in front of us.

Tanzania definitely has more animals than South Africa – the numbers are overwhelming – but Ninfa had one mission only – to see a lion. We had seen a leopard sleeping on a tree by the roadside, but on morning two, we hit the jackpot. On the road ahead of us, a group of cars was stopped at a fork in the road. On the low, wide pillar which held the signposts, a fat lioness was sitting proudly, and she looked scary! We were marvelling at the power she radiated, no doubt the queen of the jungle, when she shot down from her perch and started off in pursuit of a kudu about a hundred metres off. The excitement was rising, and the jeeps circled around the side of the road with the lion and kudu in view. The lion was crouched down, and every step was in slow motion as she closed in on the kudu who was oblivious to the danger. Everyone was hoping the lion would catch her prey, except Ninfa who was hoping the kudu would live to graze another day. In the end, due to divine intervention or a well-honed skill of survival, the kudu bolted and the lioness went skulking off into the forest. It was really exciting, and encapsulates everything about a safari in the wild. That’s why you’re not allowed to get out of your car (although I did have to brave the wild for a quick toilet break nearby a herd of elephants later in the day).

That afternoon, we went to Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is surrounded by dense forest, which makes it less than optimal for game viewing. Ideally you want thin vegetation and low grasses to be able to spot the animals, and this was anything but. On the other hand, its ideal for primates, and we saw hundreds of baboons, as well as vervet monkeys and blue monkeys, Down by the lake, you can get out of the jeep, and we took the opportunity to stretch our legs and get a closer look at the numerous storks, pelicans and far off in the distance some pink flamingos. On the way out of the park, we hit a traffic jam. Traffic jams on safari are some people’s idea of the worst possible thing, but to be honest they have their purpose. If you see a traffic jam, it means it’s something well worth seeing. This time the jeeps took their turns stopping to view a sleeping lioness and two lion cubs playing and rolling in the dirt – an excellent finale!

Our final day was a trip to Ngorongoro Crater, and we definitely saved the best for last. We left camp at 6am and drove for an hour to the park entrance. From there its another hour to the crater peak, through dusty, foggy, treacherous roads lined by Maasai villages. The crater itself offers an amazing landscape – a flat and dusty bowl surrounded by a steep circle crowned by huge looming clouds. And in terms of game viewing, it’s outstanding. There are no elephants here, but plenty of zebra, wildebeest, impala, hartebeest, and best of all – lions!

We were driving along a quiet track when I saw a traffic jam in the distance. I asked our driver to turn around and make his way to the jam, as it was bound to be good. As we got closer, we could see the vultures circling in the air, and we had a good feeling this was going to be spectacular. When we got there, people in another jeep told us there were three lions. As we got closer, we saw two jackals scavenging on the remains of a dead zebra, while the vultures law skulking in the background waiting their turn. Around the scene lay a lion and two lionesses who had already had their turn, and were waiting a while before coming back for more. It was an incredible sight.

We thought that we wouldn’t be able to beat that, but a little later we saw another smaller traffic jam. This one was even better. Two lions and three lionesses were circling a small group of buffalo, and moving themselves into position for an attack. We sat wonderstruck at the back and forth of the moves, at the daring of the buffalo to charge the lions, at the lions regrouping and attempting to isolate a sole buffalo. We watched for around half an hour at this marvellous sight before the lions resigned themselves to a lost battle. Ngorongoro had proven incredible! We stopped for lunch at a lake and admired some hippos before heading homewards.

The next day, I took a trip to a nearby village to see a little of how the locals live. A school-teacher offered to be my guide for a small fee, and he showed me around the village and the farms and houses of the locals. A couple of local boys joined us, and I admit I was a little nervous that one of them was casually carrying a machete the whole time. But they weren’t in the least bit threatening. They were delighted to have a visitor and enjoyed posing for photos. The children, as always in Africa, were adorable, although a little shy. It was sad to see how dirty they were – snot dried on their faces, and legs and hands caked in dirt. Even a toddler was crawling around in a dirty yard. But what option do they have – no electricity, living in mud huts, sleeping on floors. Most of the women were busy mixing mud and repairing their houses. One of the local women showed us her ornamental Maasai costume and told us a little about the traditions of the village. It was an interesting and sobering insight into the day to day life and poverty of the majority of Tanzanians.

So that marks the end of our trip to Tanzania. Next stop is Uganda to which we will travel by bus through Kenya. Look out for our next post from Uganda!

Photos from Safari are online – check out http://photos.ayearinmotion.com/Africa/Tanzania