As you step out the aircraft at Julius Nyerere Airport in Dar-es-Salaam one immediately feels the wonderfully warm air on your skin and this is their winter! This is at the coast; I think we can expect milder conditions inland. But I embrace the sense of freedom and openness it allows and immediately relax!  I’m here to experience a Tanzania Safari.

However I’m here to work, and that involves inspecting accommodation and lodges in and around the town of Arusha, Ngorongoro crater, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara & last, but not least, the world famous Serengeti National Park.

Before touching down at Arusha Airport we managed to catch a glimpse of Africa’s highest mountain “Kilimanjaro”, with its snowy peak.
The best months to climb Kili (Kilimanjaro) are January to February and July to October, bearing in mind that the traffic on the mountain is rather high during these times.

Tanzania is home to sixteen National Parks all of which have their own unique combination of landscapes and animals, such as the tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara National Park. An example of this happened while we were in Tarangire National Park. We came across a leopard lying in a tree approximately 150 metres away from the road. The sun’s dusky hues were settling in and it was picture perfect, him lazily glancing at us with a do not disturb look on his face. It was a priceless moment.

We initially stayed outside Ngorongoro National Park and enjoyed visiting many lodgings in the Karatu area that were set within coffee plantations. One always has a perception of an area that you’re going to visit and I certainly did not expect to see such lush vegetation.

Driving through the entrance into the Ngorongoro National Park it felt as if we were driving into a Jurassic era… at one point we were on top of a field of clouds.  Driven to a view point where we could take in the view of the crater – we were silent, completely in awe of the breathtaking natural beauty below.

It is easy to appreciate why this place is widely regarded as the 8th Wonder of the world and a fitting UNESCO World Heritage site. There is such a huge concentration of many different wild animals – including lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant (known as the big five). The surface area inside the crater is 260 square kilometers and the depth is about 900 metres.

There were various sites that we visited but one of the lodgings that we inspected on the crater perimeter certainly gave us an unexpected surprise. It has been built in a way that represents a Masai village. Green moss is left to grow on the walls and roofs, making the buildings look old and ancient. The moment we were ushered into one of the rooms we were completely immersed into a culture known by many. This place is also known as the Masai Versailles.

We also visited a traditional Masai village. Our guide requested the elders’ approval for our visit, which they duly granted. The young girls were happy to practice their English by showing us in and around their family homestead.
They were proud to show off their ornate homemade jewelry and the brightly coloured special red cloth which they wear is called a Shuka.

The Masai are a pastoral tribe famous for their authentic culture. They have defied the modern world to retain their traditional way of life.
It is a world so unaffected by Westernization.

Within an hour of entering Southern Serengeti, our guide spotted a cheetah and her three cubs. The cubs were very young and extremely nervous of our presence but true to safari etiquette we remained quiet and respectful of their environment. That day I was annoyed as my camera battery had died, but then I reminded myself of how many times I sit behind a camera clicking away instead of taking in the pure existence of the creation that is before us.

Regarded as the “Greatest Show on Earth” is the annual migration of the herds. They move in a clockwise direction through the Serengeti and Mara ecosystem.
Their calves are born in the southern Serengeti region of Lake Ndutu between January and March. They slowly start getting the new born calves strong enough to start the journey up to the Mara by moving to the sweeter grass plains in the Central Serengeti by April to June.
From July to November the herds start crossing the northern Serengeti into the Masai Mara (Kenya region). Please note that not all the migration moves into the Mara so no matter which side you’re on, you would still see the migration.
When I visited the central and northern Serengeti in June there were long lines of Zebra heading north and I wondered if they followed these same grass trodden paths every year.

Gliding over the Serengeti plains in a hot air Balloon was an unimaginable experience.
Between the human gasps and natural sounds below and the pilot releasing intermittent bursts of gas from the powerful burners we would revel in the sounds of silence.

My eyes darted all over the horizon trying to take in as much as my memory capacity allowed. Sometimes we would fly at treetop heights, sometimes lower over the hippo infested meandering river. Our pilot shared a unique perspective and afforded us great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below.
Surrounded by a myriad of wild life, a delightful silver service champagne breakfast, wrapped up the hours balloon adventure. Talk about fine dining in the bush!

Visiting Tanzania in a business capacity allowed me to see what is on offer for my clients. The ground handlers and guides are outstanding. The staff and managers at our selected lodges offer a service of impeccable standards. Let’s not even get started on the wild life and the landscape, it brings tears to my eyes. I would return to this beautiful country in a heartbeat.

For an unforgettable experience, please contact “Africa Calls Travel and Safari” to arrange your safari trip to Tanzania.

michelle@africacalls.com.au
+61 (0)436 431 744