Safari
Last week I spent 5 days on a camping safari on the northern circuit of Tanzania’s national parks. I was invited along by 3 other Mondochallenge volunteers (Rachel, Liz, and Helen) and Oliver, who is Helen’s husband. All four of them are from the UK including Scotland. Our guide Mashaka, and cook, Captain Karanga made up the rest of our group.
The itinerary for the trip included stops at Tarangirie, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Manyara national parks as well as a brief stop at Olduvai Gorge. This was my first getaway outside Arusha and I’m not sure if there was any better way to start. It was an absolutely amazing safari not only for the unreal amount of animals we saw but for the sheer beauty of the landscape.
After about a one hour drive outside Arusha, we arrived at our first destination, Tarangirie national park. It may have been just the excitement of my first day but it felt as if I were on a Jurassic Park adventure ride. The roof of the land rover opened up fully and we were witness to huge giraffe that came within feet of the truck, and packs of elephants that were roaming thru lush green forests and valleys. Watching baby elephants about the size of a baby carriage move so gingerly between the legs of their huge mama’s was a sight to behold. Male bull elephants were not too far off in the distance minding their own business and plowing thru as much grass and shrubs as they could.
Our next stop was the Olduvai Gorge archaeological site where footprints and fossils of early hominids (upright walking) have been discovered. The three sets of footprints which date back 3.6 million years ago were most likely made by two adults and a child just following a volcanic eruption. Now that’s what I call history.
The Serengeti was our second stop and we ran across a pride of lions five miles into the park feasting on a recent kill. Shortly thereafter, we were lucky enough to come across a male and female lion lounging on a massive boulder soaking up the sun. We were told by Mashaka that they were courting and sure enough within minutes, both cats quietly mozied down from the boulder, and made off to the short grass where we saw some action. I can’t say I was too impressed with the stamina of the King of the Jungle though.
After a surreal night under a full moon in the middle of the Serengeti, we were off to visit the biggest hippo pool in the Serengeti which was home to at least 50 of the biggest fattest hippos I’ve ever seen. I think I could have spent hours watching them watch us as they wallowed around in the water doing absolutely nothing.
Our third stop was the incredible Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is about 7000 feet above sea level at its highest point, with the crater floor being around 5900 feet.
The crater itself is about 18 miles long and is teeming with the most wildlife you could ever imagine. This includes wildebeest, gazelle, monkeys, water buffalo, lions, elephants, giraffe, zebra, and the last few remaining rhinoceros’s in the world. We were only able to get within about 200 feet of this monstrous creature but considered ourselves lucky at having seen a rhino at all. In another stroke of good luck we also came across a Cheetah which is a very rare sight in the crater as well. It looked as if it were putting itself in position for a possible hunt. Due to the constant water supply and nutrient rich grazing, there is an abundance of animals in the crater all year long. However, neither pictures nor words can describe the majestic views of the crater with it continuously changing weather patterns and the abundance of wildlife that live here. It truly is the circle of life in action and a must see for anyone ever considering coming on safari.
The highlight of Lake Manyara, our final stop, was the pack of elephants that were literally10 feet from the truck and the bull elephant that scared the crap out of everyone as it came rushing out of the bush. It bypassed our truck and forced a rover behind us to back down the road for some time.
From the lush green valleys of Tarangirie to the short grass plains of the Serengeti, I don’t think it could have been any better for a first trip out of town.
The itinerary for the trip included stops at Tarangirie, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Manyara national parks as well as a brief stop at Olduvai Gorge. This was my first getaway outside Arusha and I’m not sure if there was any better way to start. It was an absolutely amazing safari not only for the unreal amount of animals we saw but for the sheer beauty of the landscape.
After about a one hour drive outside Arusha, we arrived at our first destination, Tarangirie national park. It may have been just the excitement of my first day but it felt as if I were on a Jurassic Park adventure ride. The roof of the land rover opened up fully and we were witness to huge giraffe that came within feet of the truck, and packs of elephants that were roaming thru lush green forests and valleys. Watching baby elephants about the size of a baby carriage move so gingerly between the legs of their huge mama’s was a sight to behold. Male bull elephants were not too far off in the distance minding their own business and plowing thru as much grass and shrubs as they could.
Our next stop was the Olduvai Gorge archaeological site where footprints and fossils of early hominids (upright walking) have been discovered. The three sets of footprints which date back 3.6 million years ago were most likely made by two adults and a child just following a volcanic eruption. Now that’s what I call history.
The Serengeti was our second stop and we ran across a pride of lions five miles into the park feasting on a recent kill. Shortly thereafter, we were lucky enough to come across a male and female lion lounging on a massive boulder soaking up the sun. We were told by Mashaka that they were courting and sure enough within minutes, both cats quietly mozied down from the boulder, and made off to the short grass where we saw some action. I can’t say I was too impressed with the stamina of the King of the Jungle though.
After a surreal night under a full moon in the middle of the Serengeti, we were off to visit the biggest hippo pool in the Serengeti which was home to at least 50 of the biggest fattest hippos I’ve ever seen. I think I could have spent hours watching them watch us as they wallowed around in the water doing absolutely nothing.
Our third stop was the incredible Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is about 7000 feet above sea level at its highest point, with the crater floor being around 5900 feet.
The crater itself is about 18 miles long and is teeming with the most wildlife you could ever imagine. This includes wildebeest, gazelle, monkeys, water buffalo, lions, elephants, giraffe, zebra, and the last few remaining rhinoceros’s in the world. We were only able to get within about 200 feet of this monstrous creature but considered ourselves lucky at having seen a rhino at all. In another stroke of good luck we also came across a Cheetah which is a very rare sight in the crater as well. It looked as if it were putting itself in position for a possible hunt. Due to the constant water supply and nutrient rich grazing, there is an abundance of animals in the crater all year long. However, neither pictures nor words can describe the majestic views of the crater with it continuously changing weather patterns and the abundance of wildlife that live here. It truly is the circle of life in action and a must see for anyone ever considering coming on safari.
The highlight of Lake Manyara, our final stop, was the pack of elephants that were literally10 feet from the truck and the bull elephant that scared the crap out of everyone as it came rushing out of the bush. It bypassed our truck and forced a rover behind us to back down the road for some time.
From the lush green valleys of Tarangirie to the short grass plains of the Serengeti, I don’t think it could have been any better for a first trip out of town.
posted by David Nelson @ 5:51 AM
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