Safari in Tanzania

Given we were already on the continent of Africa, we reasoned it made absolute sense for us to go on Safari and catch some of the local wildlife. We decided we’d get our safari on in Tanzania, with trips to the Ngorogoro Crater, the Serengeti and Lake Manyara.

We were met at the Kilimanjaro airport by our guide ‘Nile’ and were told we’d have to wait for 3 more people to join our group. A few minutes later we heard they would not be joining us, which meant Dave and I had essentially scored a private tour for the next few days.

Our safari started with the Ngorogoro crater. We’d typically start our drives at 7am and keep going until 5pm. Every time Nile got a message on the radio, he’d zip off into a new direction and Dave would ask ‘what is it?’ and I would say ‘let’s not ask in case we jinx it’. Usually, this rushed frenzy resulted in some fantastic animal action. One time it was a pair of lions in heat. We waited for 30 mins to see if they would do the deed but apparently they had just finished and were lying in a heap on the floor, napping in the sun. Oh well. Another time it was 7 females from a pride, ready for the morning hunt. They stalked and charged a herd of buffalo and we believe they caught one further off. But then, the buffalo turned and charged the lions and it was amazing to see them chase off the pride. The males in the pride proved themselves completely useless by wandering about aimlessly, and after being unable to locate the kill, plunked themselves under a tree. Useless. In their efforts at doing nothing, they managed to leave the cubs behind, one of which went missing, and we watched the mama lion walk around and call to the lion cubs for about 20 minutes before we had to race away. We hope she found the little one.   

Other exciting scenes included a lion guarding a freshly killed zebra, mangled beyond recognition. I quipped that his friends must be in mourning as they all wore black and white that day. Cheap, I know.

 In Tanzania, safari vehicles are not allowed to go off designated trails, and I was somewhat concerned that any animals we saw would be too far away from the path to get a good look at. After all, if I was an animal I’d want to stay as far off the path as possible and leave the humans to themselves. I needn’t have worried – as if positioned by the park rangers (which they weren’t) we found the wildlife to be extremely cooperative. We spotted prides of lions and herd of elephants, zebra, buffalo, hippos, giraffe, cheetahs, monkeys of all shapes and sizes, wildebeest and hyenas close to, or on the trails, and most of them seemed to acknowledge the vehicle but not be overly concerned by it. Female lions walked in the shadow of the safari vehicle, perhaps grateful for the shade and generally went about their business.

The entire experience was wonderful. I think even the most steadfast atheist would have to look around at the amazing creation and realize that God, or something, must have had a grand plan to create something so magnificent. I simply cannot imagine how so many varied species of animals and birds are indigenous to one area of the earth. This must be where Noah’s Ark landed.

Africa did not disappoint. It lived up to every grand movie scene, where jeeps race against an endless horizon and epic music scores from Hans Zimmer play in the background.

As we left the Serengeti, I felt a sense of happiness for having crossed off a major item on my bucket list, and a bit wistful that I was leaving this beautiful land. Then, in a moment of pure cheese, I played Toto’s ‘Africa’ on my Ipod and looked misty eyed at the ‘Thank you for visiting the Serengeti. Please come again.’ sign as we charged out.

- Dal

A male lion. Regal, yet surprisingly useless.

Herd of Elephants.

Whatchu lookin' at ?

It's almost like she's posing for a portrait.

Giraffes getting ready for a drink of water.

Lioness guarding the kill.

Leopard in the tree.

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