In the days leading up to my Tanzania safari last November, reports of civil unrest following the Tanzanian elections made their way across the headlines. After months of planning and looking forward to being back in East Africa, there was now a shadow of uncertainty hanging over us. Despite airlines cancelling flights and news outlets highlighting the worst of the situation, our partners in Tanzania instilled confidence that the northern circuit was safe for tourists, so those of us who were able to, boarded our flights and made the long journey from Seattle. And I am so happy that we did!
Arusha, where the Kilimanjaro International Airport is located, is on one hand a sub-tropical and very easy-going place, and other the other hand, a bustling, colorful city with motorcycles taxiing people around, roads busy with elaborately decorated trucks, young boys herding their cows and goats, chickens and dogs meandering anywhere and everywhere, women and girls carrying water in bright, plastic containers, and the presence of safari throughout.
Being a bit ambitious and perhaps underestimating our jetlag, we started off our arrival day with some shopping at Shanga – a very special project located at our boutique hotel, Arusha Coffee Lodge – then headed to the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre. Next, we drove outside of town to the Arusha Giraffe Centre, which is a new conservation initiative designed to safeguard and rehabilitate Maasai giraffes. The Centre provides a unique opportunity to walk near wild giraffes in a protected area, while your host shares extensive knowledge and information about giraffes and the challenges they face. There is no interaction with the giraffes, and they are free to wander and graze in their 100-acre sanctuary.
The following morning, we headed to Arusha Airport for our short flight to Tarangire National Park, and with luck on our side, we were able to see both Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro from the air! In the dry season, Tarangire is home to phenomenal wildlife viewing, specifically large elephant herds, but also a variety of other species. In the green season, it is a spectacular place for seeing an abundance colorful migratory birds. Scenically, it is an exceptional location, with towering baobab trees, rocky outcrops, and gigantic termite mounds (the biggest I’ve ever seen). Our home for the next two nights was Lemala Mpingo Ridge, an elegant hybrid tented camp situated on a ledge, with sweeping views overlooking the valley below. Game drives with our expert guide were incredibly productive and we were constantly delighted by the luck of our sightings: large elephant herds, towers of giraffe, dazzles of zebras, a cheetah and her cubs, lions, leopards, buffaloes, and so much more.
After our stay at Mpingo, we flew to the Lake Manyara Airstrip, where we were collected by our guide from Lemala Osonjoi in the Ngorongoro Crater. Instead of going straight to camp, we opted to take a guided walking tour of the Mto Wa Mbu town, located just outside Lake Manyara National Park. In this town of around 18,000, one can learn about village life, tour banana plantations, sample banana beer, have a local lunch, visit the local market, and even take a bicycle or tuk-tuk ride. While in the area, we also enjoyed the treetop canopy walk at Lake Manyara National Park, where a local naturalist taught us about the indigenous trees and plants in the area. Carrying on, we drove up the winding roads of the Ngorongoro Crater, past Maasai men and boys tending to their cattle, and to our stunning retreat at Lemala Osonjoi. Staying inside the Crater allows you to get down to the Crater floor first thing in the morning, catching the best wildlife viewing before the other vehicles arrive. Here, we had some very special sightings and were awestruck by the scenery and wildlife encompassed by the steep Crater walls: flamingos on the shimmering lake with clouds reflecting on its surface, wildebeest, zebras, elephants, grey-crowned cranes, lion mamas and cubs, and even a rhino off in the distance, posing as a giant rock.
Our wonder and amazement continued to expand as we had the opportunity to engage with the local Maasai community who lives near Osonjoi. The men showcased their fire-making skills, and the women wrapped us in traditional attire and invited us to join them in dancing (which we were not good at but very much enjoyed!). We even got to try our hand at spear-throwing (challenging!) and then sat inside a cozy manyatta while the chief’s son answered our questions and discussed Maasai life with us. As with many village visits, we were encouraged to purchase handmade items at the end of our tour, which provides income for the women, who are responsible for feeding their families. Their warmth and generosity of spirit profoundly impacted us, leaving a lasting impression that will remain with us always.
Our final destination was Lemala Nanyukie, a beautiful camp located in the Central-Eastern Serengeti, in an area tucked away from the crowds and bustling with wildlife. The landscape is just as one imagines… endless plains dotted by distant hills, rocky outcrops or “kopjes”, iconic thorn trees, and the sky painted brilliantly by the African sunset. Again, we were welcomed by such incredible people at the camp, from our guide to our waiter to the house keepers to the askaris to the management. Every game drive here delivered increasingly better wildlife sightings, brought to life by our guide’s knowledge and humor. We saw impressive wildebeest herds, then passed through hundreds upon hundreds of zebras ~ a sea of stripes and their funny barking sounds. We sat for ages watching cheetah cubs play, as they used our vehicles for a game of hide and seek. We followed a pride of four male lions, whom we christened John, Paul, George, and Ringo, then held our breaths as one rubbed up against the vehicle in pure cat-like fashion, and stared straight at us while he sauntered by. We tracked two male leopards vying for territory, finally tiring and retreating to their separate trees. We drove through masses of grumpy looking buffaloes, giving us the side-eye as we passed by. We witnessed fascinating elephant encounters, and so many sweet elephant babies. Giraffes, bat-eared fox cubs, countless birds, hyenas doing their cleanup jobs, lion cubs… And while it was a truly mind-boggling amount of wildlife, we could easily have missed half of it, had it not been for our guide’s intimate knowledge of the area and expert tracking skills.
During a final sundowner, we were serenaded by joyful song and dance to Jambo Bwana, then sat with our drinks watching the sun set while giraffes walked past in the distance… What could be better?
Kwaheri for now, dear Tanzania, and asante sana to all our new friends we made along the way. We are grateful to Lemala for this remarkable trip and for the important conservation and community work they are doing!
