It was a once in a lifetime experience – safari in the Serengeti at the time of the annual Wildebeest migration. I had never been to Africa before, so I jumped at the chance to travel to Tanzania with a group that I often travel with. We arrived at Marangu, close to Mount Kilimanjaro, and after the safari a week later, we relaxed in the tropical island of Zanzibar. But this is all about the animals we were privileged to see.
Here is a reality check (based on my experience) on what they don’t tell you in the brochure about the Serengeti safaris:
- Africa is dusty, very dusty, so don’t bother with fancy shoes or clothes. They’ll get very dirty
- Those dirt roads on safari are not easy. I managed by keeping my seat belt on to avoid going air-borne, and by stuffing a soft neck-cushion behind me to brace my back. Definitely not for anyone who suffers from motion sickness
- Almost all the vehicles were Toyota Land-Cruisers adapted with pop-up roofs and comfortable seating, plus a cooler (never with ice though)
- Don’t take on those warnings about bright colours affecting the animals. You are NEVER allowed out of your vehicle while in the bush, so the animals don’t even notice what you are wearing
- There are plenty of rest room stops and they are modern and clean, though sometimes out of toilet paper
- Despite the mosquito nets on beds, I never saw one of those blood-suckers. So, perhaps check the time of year before risking malaria tablets, etc
- Those ensuite tents are lovely and quite luxurious, though Wi-Fi connection in remote areas is iffy
- There is no mains water in the camps. So, when they say that laundry services are available, they mean that Maasai women will hand wash your clothes by beating them against rocks, possibly in a river
- Don’t drink the water from the taps in the camps; don’t even clean your teeth with it. They provide bottled water for this
- It can get very cold at night, probably depending on the time of year again, so come prepared. Tents don’t have heating but you may get a hot water bottle
- The coffee is really, really good
- The people are wonderful – friendly and genuinely keen to make your vacation perfect
- The local artwork is excellent. Here are a couple of paintings worked on banana leaves:
But this is all about the animals, roaming freely in their natural habitat. Here is a pictorial account:
Elephants
Elephants were so plentiful that I stopped taking photos of them. Except we never saw any in the Ngorongoro Crater (which is like a Garden of Eden), though they were there.
Giraffes
I never got tired of seeing these graceful creatures, often munching on trees and bushes.
Big Cats
We saw many lions, including one large male who passed close behind our vehicle while travelling before dawn. Magnificent! However, we only saw this one lone Cheetah, and at quite a distance.
Zebras
Zebras were startling at first, but as they were everywhere, we got used to seeing lots of striped ‘horses’.
Wildebeest
We chanced to enjoy a balloon ride on the day that the wildebeest started their annual migration south into the northern part of the Serengeti plains. We hoped to see their famous crossing of the Mara River where crocodiles lie in wait. Unfortunately, three hyenas were playing the fool, and caused the herds to stampede away from the river. Still, it was quite an experience to see the gathering of thousands of wildebeest as far as the eye could see.
Other Animals
There were lots of other animals that I could keep posting here. Here are a few to give an idea of the diversity of wildlife in Africa.
Birds
The Serengeti is a bird-lovers paradise. I’m not very knowledgeable on birds but here are just a few that we observed. The images show:
3 different birds, a Superb Starling, a Lilac-Breasted Roller, an Ostrich, an eagle, a Great Paauw, a Grey Crowned Crane, an Australian White Ibis, a Kori Bustard, a vulture on a tree, and Ngorongoro Crater lake with a hippo and birds.
The Views
The views of this vast and wild land are breath-taking sometimes. The Maasai wardens take care of the eco-system and regularly burn areas of scrubland to encourage regrowth for the animals to feed on.
The Camps
The tents in the camps are very comfortable, even luxurious, complete with ensuite facilities. We stayed in a different camp every night and we were well taken care of. The Maasai guards would escort us to the dining/bar tent after dark because there could be wild animals nearby. On two occasions, I heard a lion grunting right outside my tent while I was in bed.
It was an amazing experience, being on safari in the Serengeti in Tanzania. I don’t think I could ever go to a zoo again. I would be upset to see these wonderful creatures locked up, after viewing them roaming free in the wild. There was a lot more to this trip – sight-seeing around Mount Kilimanjaro, interacting with the Maasai, relaxing in the holiday island of Zanzibar, but those are stories for another time.
