The last post of our three-part series on Moshi—and arguably the more exciting—about our safari.
Over four long, gruellingly-giddy, disturbingly-dusty, action-packed days we hunted wild animals in Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro National Parks. Lions, leopards, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, elephants, zebras, serval cats, hyenas, buffalo, and a copious number of other animals were all on display. Amazing? Yes. But satisfied? See if you can tell...
Elephants in Tarangire National Park
Hunger is key for any hunter—and we were. Armed with cameras, two custom-built Landcruisers laden with 11 volunteers, two cooks, and two guides set out from Moshi early. After a brief stop in Arusha for supplies, we set out on the gruelling six hour drive to Tanrangire National Park.
Like most areas around Arusha, the main highways are sealed and fine but the minor roads are not. Most of the latter roads are rutty, dusty, and damaging. Fortunately our safari vehicles were up to the challenge. Custom-built, the Landcruisers were adjusted to include six or five comfy bus-like seats in the back, a large pop-up roof in the top, two spare types, and amenities like fridges. The sound systems were a little lacking, however; offering only a tape player with a limited song selection in ours. Played on repeat, we must have heard Bob Marley’s One Love over five times as we approached the park.
But finally we made it.
Tarangire National Park is famous for elephants. But it is also a beautiful park. Studded with large and bulbous baobab trees, the park’s rolling grasslands are divided by the graceful (albeit almost dry) Tarangire River and scared by well-used safari roads. Herds of zebra, wildebeests, gazelles, impalas, elands, and elephants roam freely. The odd giraffe grazes. A troop of baboons behaves badly. A few lions lounge. And birds of all colours boast on branches. All making for an excellent game drive really...
But not yet. First we must set up camp. Picture five or so tents pitched under three large trees frequented by velvet monkeys and woodpeckers and facing a clearing perfect for elephants—which is actually a bit of risk. A baobab tree sits nearby in one direction while an ablution block, kitchen, and makeshift campfire sit in the other. We have sleeping bags meant for noticeably cooler climates and mats to go under them. Foldout chars and two large tables dressed with tablecloths, cutlery, and condiments complete our dining area. Not too shabby.
After setting up and eating lunch, we went driving. The top was up, binoculars were peering, limbs were wailing over the side, and cameras were in hand, snapping. There was silence. The vehicles caressed the safari roads from one animal sighting to another, careful not to hurt any. We waited. Nothing. So we moved on. Then bam! A new sighting. A sequence repeated many times. We stopped when elephants crossed the road or something caught our guide’s eye. But we only had one suspected lion sighting today. The sun set a most amazing hue above nearby baobab branches.
It was time for dinner. And what a feast it was: fish, pasta, soup, fruit, and other delights tempted our tastebuds. This was to become a recurring theme: the cooks’ (and guides’) abilities to please.
We slept easy with full stomachs. But then the noises of the night started. Far off howls. Scuffles under foot. And the not-too-distant snores of a human kind. The moon shone through the thin mesh windows of most tents creating the most puzzling silhouettes. The boys’ tent (which included me) was particularly alert to any danger as we had assumed the protector role—and wisely too, as only recently another safari group woke to a herd of elephants at the same campsite.
Waking early (and without incident) we ate toast, fruit and pancakes and packed up camp before setting off to the Serengeti National Park—a five hour drive away.
Lions, leopards and cheetahs in Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti is a vast savannah plain that straddles Tanzania’s northern border with Kenya. Every year millions of animals migrate from one side to the other in search of food and back again—wildebeest and other herbivores in search of new grasses born from the rains and predators following their pray. And every year thousands of muzungus like us chase fresh lion, cheetah and leopard kills.
The park itself is dry and dusty with only a few small rivers clawing at the vast expanses and the odd savannah tree or rocky outcrop breaking the nearly flat horizon. One such outcrop is ‘Pride Rock’, which was named after its use by animators in Walt Disney’s The Lion King. But, although it has qualities of a lions’ paradise with a high vantage point, it doesn’t really look like the onscreen version—there was no ledge to present Simba to the masses, for instance.
The drive to the park was long. After leaving Tarangire we bumped our way along the rutty roads up to the rim of the Ngorogoro crater, through the national park, and down onto the Serengeti Plain. We were greeted by elephants and ibises at the elevated park entrance and panoramic views of the plains below. Zebra, impala and gazelles frolicked. There was anticipation in the air—it was a good sign.
Before even making camp we stumbled across a pride of lions lounging on rocks surrounded by zebra. What impressed me most was their dedication to the cause (of sleeping). Barely an eyelid was lifted in the direction of their prey let along towards our cumbersome Landcruisers. This encounter set the tone for the rest of our visit. As we raced towards camp we passed hippos bathing, birds nesting, and more zebra frolicking.
Our new camp was swell. Large kitchen and dining blocks set one border of the football field-sized campsite, two smaller toilet blocks the other. Our tents were up in record time as we raced to get back out.
The afternoon game drive was productive. The key: follow the waterways. A large lion pride ambled beside one stream that was also home to several small groups of submerged hippos. Along its banks were several small crocodiles heating their blood in the sun and living—I might add—with due respect for the hippos as not a conflict was seen. We also passed a buffalo covered in mud, some velvet monkeys looking sceptical, and playful birds hoping between branches.
Not much else was seen until bam! We got a call that cheetahs were spotted. Our guide jumped from second gear to fifth as we raced to the site. But it turns out so did many other safari groups. Park rules require vehicles to stay on the roads. So when we got to the site the road was packed with over 10 other safari vehicles vying for a spot; even though the cheetahs—one mother with two cubs—were far off in the distance.
But, despite the competition, it was worth it. Shortly after arriving, mother cheetah shot off at a rate of nots chasing a small impala. Cheetahs can run at over 112 km per hour for up to 400 meters—and it looked like it here. Her chase was successful. And as she dragged her kill to a nearby tree safely away from prying eyes, we could see the cubs in competition themselves—vying for a portion of the carcass.
After the excitement it was back to camp for some more culinary delight and evening noises. Tonight’s entertainment was the theft of our kitchen rubbish bin by some cheeky hyenas—a common occurrence it turns out.
Before setting off to Ngorongoro the next morning, there was time for an early morning game drive. Hoping to spot a leopard, we patrolled more waterways. I spent many minutes with binoculars in hand studying trees along the water banks, but without luck. Finally a another call came through: a leopard was seen. We were off in fifth gear again. Then a yelp of triumph as Claire spotted it gracefully gliding through the long savannah grasses on the way back to its favourite tree. Occasionally it disappeared from view only to reappear a few meters further on. We were following its stroll.
As the leopard disappeared from view one last time, our guide raced off to some trees a little way ahead. It was here that we spotted another couple of leopards resting in separate trees with their limbs hanging carelessly from the branches. Not a care in the world as we (and tens of other vehicles) drove by. Apparently these were the cubs of the leopard we spotted early. But it was quite hard to tell.
Satisfied, we returned to camp, packed up, and headed for Ngorongoro—only a three hour drive away this time.
A black rhino in Ngorongoro National Park
Ngorongoro crater is a stunning mix of nature. The harsh reality of a two million year old volcanic eruption combines with the innovative growth of migratory animals (and their predators) such as buffalo and black rhinos to turn this crater into a wealth of viewing pleasure.
The crater itself is 20 kilometres wide and 600 meters deep. Its walls are steep and unbroken. And there are patches of tussock, thick forest, and small lakes connected by slow-flowing streams. Gazelles, zebras, reedbacks, and buffalo graze. Lions lay with upturned backs. Cheetahs gaze eagerly upon gazelles. Elephants rub against trees. And the odd hippo munches grasses on the banks of a small lake.
But that must wait. First we camped atop the crater’s rim gazing both down on the basin and up at the stars that shone. Our pre-dinner entertainment involved climbing trees (and a toilet block) and avoiding bull elephants that drink from the campsite’s water tank. And that is no bull. Bull elephants are one of Africa’s biggest human killers. But these guys were ok; although I swear some of the other tourists were asking for trouble when they gingerly walked up behind the elephants as their friends took pictures. Stupid!
Up early for another game drive; but first we had to drop down the steep, rugged, and poorly maintained road onto the craters floor. The views were amazing as the sun rose over the crater’s rim and lit up the floor one corner at a time, reflecting off any water surface it could find.
At the bottom: racing from one patch of trees to another, the air was cooler and the dust less of a problem than in Serengeti or Tarangire. Zebras blocking our way were effectively moved on with a honk. Around the corner some elephants were out for an early morning stroll. Spider monkeys welcomed us at our first toilet stop, but quickly left after realising we had no food. Classic learned behaviour.
Then we were onto the crater’s central plain, proper. Wildebeest in their thousands walked around and in harmony with an equal number of zebra. Lions lay not too far away, but did not move—apparently it was too early for hunting. Other notable finds were some pelicans, a spotted hyena, some hippos, and a particularly close encounter with a hungry cheetah. Unfortunately for the cheetah, the persistent competition from safari vehicles meant that all of its potential pray was alert. The cheetah would have to wait.
But the real drawcard of the crater was the black rhinos. Extremely rare (and valuable to poachers), each rhinois guarded by full-time armed rangers. Fortunately for the guards we were only shooting our cameras. We eventually spotted what looked like a black dot about one kilometre off the road. If you looked really closely with binoculars you could just make out its horns and the silhouettes of two (supposedly) human guards. But only just. That was all we saw.
Finally it was time to leave the crater, pack up camp, and return to Moshi as satisfied customers. We’ll do that again for sure.
* * * * *
We will upload some pictures of the safari soon. Most of these are ours, but a few are from our safari companions: Emma, Alex, and Emil. Thanks guys.
Well, that brings us to the end of our three-part series on our life in Moshi (and around). Future posts will update on our travels counter-clockwise around Tanzania before we finish in Nairobi, Kenya for our flight to London on 17 December.
But for those that are interested, we are currently in Lindi along Tanzania’s south eastern coast, where it is wet at the moment.
Love to all,
xxx
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