Category: Tanzania Page 5 of 7

Tea and cookies are brought to my room at 06.30. I gather my belongings and head off for breakfast before starting an all day game drive at 07.30.

This turns out to be a pretty successful day. The first thing we encounter is a beautiful snake on the road. It is black and green, slender and about 5′ long. John is not sure what it is as he has never seen one. I Google it when we get back to discover it is a boomslang which is one of the most venomous snakes in Africa and there I was leaning out of the vehicle to get a good close up shot!

We hear on the radio that there is a pride of 30 lions close by. We head off to find them and after 10 minutes see them lying in the grass close to the track. I count them but can only see 12 initially. I then start to see movements – the one lion under the bush turns out to be four and gradually we spot more and more. We count 24 but they are so well camouflaged and keep moving around. There are buffalo close by so we hope the lions may be feeling hungry but there are no signs of major activity so we move on.

We drive out of the acacia woodland on to the plains and shortly spot a cheetah sitting on a termite mound.

It is a good distance away so no great camera opportunity but as I try to take shots we hear that we drive by a leopard just 300 yards behind us. We drive back to see it and it is perfectly placed on a lower branch with the light in the right direction so I take some super close-ups.

We return to look at the cheetah which has moved but is still visible. We shortly realise why as 2 very large male lions are approaching. At the same time 2 jackals also appear.

So much activity. The lions walk right up to the vehicle and then amble down the road to the marshes. We follow them until they lay down to sleep. What an amazing start to the day. We see another leopard and then encounter a vast herd of buffalo. They kick up clouds of dust and there are loads of young calves which are a lovely chestnut brown as opposed to the dark grey of the adults.

We are driving to Namiri Plains which is a long way from camp. Much of the time there is little to see. The grass is so tall that animal spotting is hard.

We see some hartebeest and watch a group of ostrich and suddenly John says “Look. Over there. Do you see a cheetah and her cubs?” I strain my eyes and see a distant indistinct shape and some moving blobs next to it. Through the binoculars I can indeed see a cheetah and 3 cubs. Vehicles are not meant to leave the main tracks in the Serengeti but John waits for other vehicles to pass and says “Shall we get closer?”

We go off road and stop some 30 yards short of them. John turns off the engine and we watch. Incredibly they all walk towards us – closer and closer. I am filming the cubs when suddenly the mother jumps up on the bonnet. I turn quickly and start to aim my camera through the roof hatch to be confronted by the cheetah’s head 2 feet from mine. She crouches and looks as though she wants to jump through the roof space into the vehicle for shade. It all happens so fast that I am unable to take a clear picture.

John starts the engine and the cheetah jumps down onto the grass. However in the meantime the 3 cubs have sought shade underneath the vehicle! Again we start the engine and they dart out; all 4 cheetah stay close to the vehicle and then eventually start to stroll away. We sit and watch – totally spellbound. This was just the most magical experience.

We continue to the plains where thousands and thousands of zebra are grazing. Here there are large water holes and the zebra are cavorting and swimming in the pools and really seem to be enjoying themselves. It is after all a very hot day. I am quite envious – the water looks very appealing.

All too soon it is time to commence the long and bumpy drive back to camp, but we are still treated to some great encounters. There is a wart hog family with three piglets, banded mongooses playing by the roadside. They are so entertaining. They frolick around and a lookout stands on his hind legs, exactly like a meerkat would do.

We are halted as a troop of elephants cross the road ahead of us. There are several babies but one is absolutely tiny and can walk beneath her mother with ease.

We cross a stream where hippos wallow, vervet monkeys play in the bushes and baboons groom each other on the far shore. As we approach our camp a young bull elephant approaches us. We can see he is in musth by the tears running down his cheeks. He is not happy to see us and makes several mock charges. We start the engine and drive away rapidly. We have been out for over 9 hours but it does not seem long at all. What a truly exceptional day!

Tonight more guests have arrived so we have a much more lively and sociable evening than the previous night. I am greeted at the fire by two English ladies who say ” Hello – you must be Maggie. Angel has told us all about you.” Not sure whether this is a good or bad thing!??

I wake early, pack my bags and head off for breakfast. The 6 unfriendly Americans are eating breakfast but do not even acknowledge me. How very rude.

I depart at 07.45 for the drive back to Manyara airstrip. I think this is too early to leave and am proved correct with an hour and a half wait at the airport. The drive is again interesting. There are, once more, wonderful views of the crater in our descent and empty roads through lush countryside to the airport. On arrival at Manyara Airport I am delighted to find there is free wi-fi. Hoorah I can post another day’s blog. I chat to another traveller who is an expert blogger and he gave me some useful tips. However, if you cannot access wi-fi it is very limiting. I am doing so much that this is turning into a full time task

The plane arrives on time and we board for the flight to Serenara airstrip. The flight makes 2 stops before my destination; Ndutu and Kusini. Each landing strip becomes narrower and less well maintained and more animals graze by the side just to make landings more edgy. On the 2nd leg we are descending and ready to land when the plane banks very sharply to the left. I am flung against the window and people to my right would certainly have fallen into the aisle had they not been strapped in. Yet again I see my life flash before my eyes, then we are level again. We breathe a sigh of relief. The co-pilot apologises for the sharp manouevre. There were birds directly in our flight path. We are warned that this could happen again on the next leg. Great! We land and wait on the plane while one passenger disembarks. This is a short stop but while we wait I spot a chameleon on the grass and he is rocking forwards and backwards. I have no idea why but he is cute and keeps me amused for the few minutes before we once more take-off. The short flight to Seronera is uneventful and after 20 minutes we land and I am greeted by my driver John.

A quick visit to the washroom and we head for our vehicle. John hands me a most welcome ice cold beer and we set off for Dunia Camp which is about an hour’s drive. The landscape is typical flat savannah with no trees but lush grasses which I think may make game viewing a challenge. Almost immediately we spot a tawny eagle on the road ahead which has caught a small rodent. I attempt a photo before he takes fright and flies off. I need to be quicker but it’s not bad!

The terrain gradually changes with more acacia trees and we spot several herds of elephant and stop to observe before moving on.

I am so excited to be back on safari and take pleasure in everything I see whether large or small.

As I approach our camp John stops by a large acacia. There to my surprise are 7 lions asleep in the branches. On the whole it looks pretty uncomfortable, but they seem contented enough. I look to my right and spot two young lions under a bush which is not big enough for the two of them. They continually fidget to find the best spot. We watch for a while then head off for camp.

John says we shall return to watch them on the afternoon game drive.

We arrive at Dunia Camp and I am greeted warmly by the staff who are smiling broadly and singing me a welcome song. Dunia Camp is 95% staffed by women. This is a great innovation by Asilia, the lodge operator. The manager is Angel. She has a wonderful personality and is a great host. It turns out she can talk more than me!

I am shown to my room which is huge. It is indeed a tent but has polished mahogany floors and a spacious bathroom with full plumbing.

Even better I discover I have WiFi in the room. Perhaps at last I can catch up on my blog….I unpack my bags and head for lunch which is a buffet. Tables are laid out on the verandah overlooking the plains. Lunch is served and is savoury mince with pasta and an avocado and tomato salad. It is tasty and just right in the heat; accompanied by a nicely chilled glass of white wine I relax and soak up the ambience.

I did not arrive at the camp until 14.30 so, no sooner have I eaten, than it is 16.00 and time to set off for the evening game drive. We pass buffalo, impala and baboons on our way to watch the tree lions. When we return all 9 lions are in the tree and the younger ones are becoming restless. It is entertaining to watch and we hope that they will come down but instead they just jostle for position. However, it gives me some nice photo opportunities.

Whilst watching them a large herd of elephant pass by, as does a hesitant wart hog and more baboons. I am served a G&T in the vehicle and as the sun sets we return to camp. We have to drive fast as the sun sets quickly here and it is dangerous to be on the tracks at night.

I freshen up and go to watch bush TV before dinner. For those of you not in the know, bush TV is the campfire. There is only one other couple at the lodge. They turn out to be rather quiet. Fortunately Angel is a great raconteur – we sit by the campfire to eat and it is all very pleasant. It is surprisingly chilly and I think that I must remember to bring my jacket tomorrow night. I am suddenly startled by loud buzzing in my ear and something weighty hitting my shoulder. Not  unsurprisingly I let out a shriek. Angel tells me not to panic it is just a moth. I say it was not but she does not believe me until it lands on the table. It is a huge round beetle getting on for 3″ in diameter. Everybody then proclaims how brave I am that I remained in my seat!!

We finish dinner and head to my room. There is a hot water bottle in my bed and I sleep soundly.

I wake early for a 06.00 departure so we can be first down to the crater. I get out of bed. It is so cold! There is a gas convector heater in the room which I hastily turn on. It is extremely effective and quickly takes the chill off the air. I put my fleece and puffa on and head for breakfast. There are huge gas effect coal fired in the main area which are all blazing away so breakfast is a warm affair.

I collect my camera from the room and head for the vehicle. The engine is running, there are brightly coloured Masai blankets on the seat and a hot water bottle to keep us warm. I am glad we have a closed vehicle. It is much too cold at this altitude for an open one.

Allyson and Benjamin climb in too and we set off. The sun is not yet up but the sky is turning pink and we pass giraffes silhouetted against the skyline. We stop to take pictures and move on. Entamanu Camp is the closest camp to the descent road, which was one of my reasons for choosing it, but it is still half an hour on bumpy dirt tracks to reach it. As we start to descend we catch a glimpse of the crater with the sun just rising over the distant rim. Eland and impala graze in the undergrowth and brightly coloured superb starlings dart from tree to tree. It is very beautiful but hard to take any good photos as we are facing directly into the sun.

We finally reach the crater floor and begin our drive. Almost immediately we spot 4 lions so we stop for the first of many photo opportunities. In fact this is the first time I have ever flattened the battery on my camera. There is so much to see and the camera is turned on pretty continuously.

Everyone says the crater can be very crowded but incredibly today it is very quiet and it is a surprisingly private and privileged experience made all the better by the fantastic weather. I shall not list everything we saw – I shall let the photos tell their own story.

There was one incident however that is worth mentioning. We stopped to look at a black backed jackal that was seeking shade in long grass by the roadside. Almost immediately he stood up and went under the vehicle for shade. Sammy started the engine and the jackal came out and looked up at us as if to say “What are you doing? I am trying to get some rest.” This happened 4 times – we accordingly could take some great close-ups.

We also saw a wildebeest that had just given birth being harassed by 2 golden jackals. They wanted the afterbirth and the mother was trying to defend her calf and chase them off. Jackals are quick and won the battle.

The only place that was crowded was the picnic area by a hippo pool where there are restrooms. Here there were maybe 20 vehicles but Sammy says this is nothing – he has seen 200-300 here in the past. I cannot think how unpleasant that would make the whole experience. We are lucky indeed and I understand January is a good time to visit as it tends to be quieter.

It is very hot in the crater and ice cold beers are very welcome on our drive back for a late lunch. There are 3 different beers in the cool box. We all choose different ones and Allyson discovers that Kilimanjaro beer is very fizzy and continually froths out of the bottle as we drive along the dusty and very bumpy tracks. Serengeti and Safari beers are much better behaved.

After lunch we only have a short break before setting off to see a Masai boma which the lodge sponsors. We are greeted with a Masai welcome dance and song and then to our horror are ‘invited’ to join in. It does not seem optional. Masai necklaces are placed around our necks and Benjamin is handed a stick. We hold hands and have to jump. We are not in time. It is exhausting and hilarious. We are relieved when it is over. Lsenge our Masai host takes my camera to film the whole sorry episode. It turns out this is not his forte. He has taken great footage… of our feet!

Next we go inside a hut. It is very dark and cramped but to my relief clean and not particularly smelly. A fire burns in the centre so it is a little smoky. I sit on a dried cowhide platform which is suspended on sticks and is the bed. There is crude shelving on one wall for pots and pans and a fenced off area for the baby animals. The hut is built by the women and 7 people can live in it. The Masai take several wives and each wife will have her own hut.

We leave the hut and outside seems very bright. There is then an array of beaded jewellery and ornaments for us to see and buy if we would like. The items are made by the women in all the local villages and at the end of each month the proceeds are shared out. We barter and all buy something and feel it is far preferable to buying something in a souvenir shop.

On our way back sundowners have been prepared and all the guests gather for drinks and chat looking out over the Rift Valley. Then it is back to camp for a quick freshen up and dinner. Dinner is again communal. There are some new guests and they are good company. After dinner we head for the lounge, fires are blazing. It is cosy and feels very much like after dinner in someone’s home. It ends up with the 5 of us staying up until 23.30 (late for a safari). There is a party of 6 Americans staying here and they keep themselves to themselves and are quite dull and earnest. The camp manager asks us to be quieter as they have complained….. We finish the wine, swap emails, hug and say our farewells. I shall leave first thing tomorrow for my next camp.

I wake early for 05.30 departure to Arusha airport. I am offered a cup of coffee at hotel reception while I wait for my driver. Once he arrives I am handed my breakfast box and we set off. It is still dark – cool but not cold and I alternate between wearing my jacket and taking it off but decide in the end it is good mosquito protection. Yes the little critters are here too though not so many.

Tanzanian driving leaves a bit to be desired. It can be terrifying or, as this morning, laborious when I had captain slow. He was certainly safe. Most of the road to the airport is dual carriageway. It has frequent raised zebra crossings with 3 sets of rumble strips before them. My driver took every crossing at 10km max and the frequent breaking made me feel a little queasy. Finally we reach the airport, I pass through security and sit and open my breakfast box. I can identify the banana but have absolutely no idea what is in my roll. Mango and passion fruit mash I think. Anyway it tastes OK and fills a gap. Now to wait. I was told to go to Gate 4 at 07.10 but when I was here with Rachel in September we did not depart until 09.00….

Well we went to Gate 4 on time but had to pass through security a second time. I noticed the tight security last time I was here and believe it is to restrict animal trophy trafficking. Surprisingly we took off on time for the short hop to Lake Manyara. We have a pilot and co-pilot but at this stage do not realise that the co-pilot is a trainee. The landing strip is on top of an escarpment and last time I landed at Manyara we headed straight for a cliff face and touched down directly on top of it. Fortunately this time the wind is in the opposite direction so we approach towards the drop-off. We descend – I see the runway. We do not land, we wobble 10yds, 50 yds, 100 yds and finally half way down the runway we touch down….but only briefly! Up we go again – alarms go off, lights flashing, 3 more hops. The senior pilot seems calm and I comfort myself with the thought that there is nothing at the end of the runway but air so perhaps I shall live another day. Then miraculously we are down and somehow stop before the runway runs out. I disembark with relief and feel sorry for the other passengers who have 2 more landings to make.

My driver from the camp meets me and says “What happened on your landing? It looked very unusual.” Yes indeed!

It is a 3 hour trip to Entamanu Camp but the journey is interesting. The landscape is green and lush, we pass coffee plantations and neatly maintained smallholdings. There is no litter to be seen and, in stark contrast to Kenya across the border, the road is well maintained. There are strict speed limits so driving is leisurely.

After an hour we reach the entrance to Ngorongoro National Park. We have a 20 minute stop while my driver buys the permit. I climb back in and we start the long ascent on a red dusty and bumpy track.

We have no sooner entered the park when we encounter a huge troop of baboons. They are most entertaining, with lots of tiny babies. We drive slowly alongside them probably for the best part of a mile. A wonderful taster of things to come. We also saw buffalo and a smaller troop of baboons.

….and then …Wow! I see the crater for the first time and it is awe-inspiring. There is a viewing platform and a climb out of the vehicle and take photos. I am so lucky – the weather is perfect and there are no clouds to mar the view and very few tourists too.

We continue our journey, the road deteriorates and the scenery changes from dense jungle to open high savannah. Masai villages are scattered on the hillsides and cattle and goats are grazing accompanied by their Masai herdsmen.

Eventually we arrive at Nomad Entamanu Camp. The staff greet me and instantly pour me a G&T – nice welcome! I am shown to my tent. Well it is only a tent because of the canvas walls. It is very comfortable with a huge bed, armchairs and large bathroom…

…and the most spectacular view over the crater. I freshen up and then have lunch where I am also am given my afternoon plan.

I am to go for a walk with a Masai guide which I am really looking forward to. My guide is accompanied by a ranger who is carrying an AK47!

We set off through quite thick forest. The path is narrow with overhanging acacias and plants so despite the 28C temperature I am told to don my fleece. I am sweltering but protected from scratches and poisonous plants. If stung by the African nettle below you will be in agony for 5 days!

Beautiful lilies are growing wild.

We stop frequently to be shown different plants and animals tracks. One of the trees has a log hanging from it. This has been hollowed out and is effectively a bee hive and the Masai collect honey from it.

We walk downhill for about an hour and eventually arrive at a clearing. Here at last I can take my fleece off. What a relief! I notice many plants growing around me that look very much like marijuana and guess what. That’s exactly what they are – growing wild everywhere! There is another amazing view but this time looking over the Rift Valley. I take some pictures and then we start our return to camp. Having walked here downhill the return was all uphill and steep, but this time on a track. I do not have to weave my way through dense foliage anymore but is hot and a long ascent. I am relieved to be able to take off my fleece. Mgnana my guide gives me his stick to assist my ascent and it definitely is a help. We walk very slowly and finally make it to the top. I am very thirsty on my return, so time for another G&T before showering and meeting the other guests for pre-dinner drinks.

Everyone is chatty and I meet my guide – Sammy. I am also introduced to Allyson and Benjamin who I am to share a vehicle with tomorrow. They are early 30’s and on their honeymoon but that does not prove an issue. We instantly fall into easy conversation and they prove to be exceptionally good company for the rest of my stay here. We have a fun meal then sit outside star-gazing with a bottle of wine before finally heading off to bed.

When I return to my tent it is toastie as there is a gas heater which has been turned on full and a hot water bottle in my bed. All very civilised and cosy.

All good things must come to an end and so my week on Mafia Island is over and I must pack my bags and leave for the 20 minute drive to the airstrip. My flight is not until 12.45 so I have a leisurely morning chatting and supping beer.

Sand grains will brush off

Salt water will wash away

The tan will fade

But the memories will last forever

I have a fairly uneventful trip to Dar Es Salaam, the flight was on time and is a brief half hour hop. On arrival at Dar, I collect my bag, put it through the screening machine and head outside to find the Auric Air check-in. A very enterprising taxi driver assures me I am heading the wrong way and need the International Terminal. I am pretty sure I am in the right place and can save myself grief by not taking a taxi to a destination that I do not need to be in! I double check with a policeman and he points me to the check-in – a 10 yard walk. This is a fortunately short distance as it is hot and my bag is heavy and has no wheels.

I now have a 3 hour wait for my flight to Arusha which I use wisely uploading and editing photos. Time passes fairly quickly and I board my next 12 seater plane for the 1hr 45 minutes flight to Arusha. I have a difficult first half of the flight as my teeth start hurting. I take some painkillers which finally kick in after 20 minutes or so. In hindsight I think it was not my teeth but pressure in my sinuses triggering nerves. Still the good news is I seem fine now.

I am whisked out of Arusha airport in about 5 seconds flat. Fastest transfer to a vehicle ever! The drive through Arusha is interesting as it is market day but this also means it is very busy so it takes an hour to reach my hotel for the night. I am staying at a lodge called Rivertrees. It is a great overnight stop off. It has a super ambience, lovely garden location and exceptionally warm and friendly staff. I stayed here with my daughter Rachel in September and it does not disappoint.

I had dinner with a Canadian lady who is also travelling on her own. We shared some interesting conversation and I am now rushing to post today’s thoughts as I am up at 05.00 tomorrow and am not sure whether I shall have WiFi now for a while.

My apologies for no photos – just no time today….