"I can tell you the sounds of the elephant. The uprooting of the grass while she eats. The flapping of her ears against the body. I can tell you the call of the baboon and the hippo. I can tell you the speed and strength of the cheetah. The elegance of the crowned crane and giraffe. The beauty of the impala. I can sing the songs of Swahili, of the Maasai and the Datoga. I have seen the great herds, stretching from one horizon to the next. I have been to Africa, and it has changed me for life."
I've been wanting to go on an African safari since I was a child, and in Tanzania in 2016 my dream finally came true! We used Tanzania Adventure as our safari guide, and timed our visit to catch the great migration of wildebeest in the Southern Serengeti. We witnessed over one-million wildebeest and six-hundred-thousand zebra at Maswa Game Reserve just South of Serengeti National Park. And during the wet season, they were allowed to drive off-road at Maswa, which got us closer to wildlife than we could have ever possibly imagined!
We flew KLM airlines to Kilimanjaro International Airport. A few days were spent relaxing at Kiboko Lodge before our safari, exploring Arusha National Park, making our own coffee at Tengeru Coffee Tour, and visiting the Watoto Foundation, where they house, feed, clothe and educate street boys. For our birder friends, some of the birds we spotted in the elephant grass at Kiboko Lodge included the black-headed heron, hadada ibis, gross-beak weaver, golden weaver, and the white-browed coucal.
Along with an abundance of wildlife, we were privileged to dance with the Maasai, witnessed blacksmithing, maze grinding and singing with the Datoga, learned the art of brick making in Karatu, and went bush hunting with the Hadzabe tribe as well. We saw dozens of species of animals, including the Big Five - lions, elephants, cape buffalos, leopards, and a black rhinoceros in Ngorongoro Crater! We also witnessed a cheetah kill, saw dozens of giraffe, over fifty elephants, watched hippopotamus battle each other, and spotted one of my personal favorites - black and white colobus monkeys in Arusha National Park!
This was the customized itinerary Tanzania Adventure provided for us:
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL Kiboko Lodge, Safari briefing, dinner included
DAY 2 - Arusha National Park, lodging at Kiboko Lodge
DAY 3 - Lake Manyara, lodging at Country Lodge
DAY 4 - around Karatu, lodging at Country Lodge
DAY 5 - Lake Ndutu, lodging at Mapito Tented Camp
DAY 6 - Ndutu-Serengeti, lodging at Mapito Tented Camp
DAY 7 - Serengeti-Ngorongoro, lodging at Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge
DAY 8 - Ngorongoro Crater, lodging at Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge
DAY 9 - Lake Eyasi, lodging at Tindiga Tented Camp
DAY 10 - Lake Eyasi-Arusha, Breakfast and lunch included
Our recommendation? Don't skimp on your safari adventure. It's a once in a lifetime experience you'll cherish for the rest of your life.
If you love wildlife and cultural experiences, nothing can even come close to Africa. We saw well over one-hundred times more animals here than anywhere else in the world. Africa is truly unique, and you must experience it for yourself.
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