Most people, when they come to Tanzania for a safari, they plan for months, sometimes years, in preparation for a special journey.
We didn’t quite plan to this extent. Ok, so we were undecided on when we would actually get to Africa to begin with, and really only put the final planning while we were in the Usambaras, about a week in advance (yes, challenging stories about trying to complete a wire transfer when you have virtually no contract with the outside world...). We were REALLY LUCKY to be able to connect with a former high school friend of Lill’s, Martin Russell, who connected us with an Saltieli, who put together our trip. He mapped out quite an ambitious agenda!
We arrived successfully on the Chakito bus and settled in quickly for our early departure the next day.
We left at 7am with our excellent guide Yusuphu. It was the beginning of lots of time on our ass!
Tarangire
Two days at our first park were really impressive. The quantity of animals was crazy! Just some of them follow, with lots of baobab trees:
We stayed right on the park, listening to the lions hunt at night.
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara was on day 3. It was not quite as nice as Tarangire but lots of elephants and flamingos! There were also many more people here, in a smaller area.
Ngorongoro Crater and Ngorongoro Conservation Area
This were amazing areas and on the agenda for days 4 and 5.
Maasai visit was fun! Definitely more tourist-oriented than in the Usumbaras. We did a little dancing, jumping and procuring local artifacts.
Serengeti
The famed park was days 6, 7 and 8.
Departure
We made it back to Moshi on day 9 - awed and tired, and ready to work out again!! We so needed the gym at the hotel where we ended…too many hours in the car being a passenger.