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African Safari – Part 1 of Tanzania
The stifling heat of Africa struck us as we stepped off the plane from Kenya Airways Dar es Salaam and it was not until 8:30 pm, some 23 hours after leaving home in Spain, it was a relief that we entered in the lobby of the deliciously fresh Movenpick Royal Palm Hotel at the latest.
The rooms are good size, hotel was clean and the pool table service and a restaurant by the pool for quite a weary traveler could desire. In the Italian restaurant of the hotel was excellent and gave us all enormous local shrimp, which could have been made for the small lobsters. We have the most advantage of this food that we had no idea what to expect in our safari to two of the largest game reserves and remote Tanzania.
I'm explained there were four of us – my husband, myself and two close friends – I expected after the holidays we would all still there! It This is a final destination minute decision should have been in Kenya. However, the political upheaval that has dictated that we make a change if chosen to Tanzania, where our friends had safaris before but did not. In any case, our Safari Camp had two national parks in which it had not Fortunately, a new adventure for us all.
7:00 pm, we have seen in the way of Jongomero Camp in Ruaha National Park for light aircraft. Despite its 23,000 square kilometers, so is larger than Wales, Ruaha is as wild and remote, it does not attract anything like the number of tourists is in these parks, including Arusha, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. In fact, you can not expect to find in such a game is many, but anyway the difficulty of watching the game makes a much more exciting. The season of our visit (February), with the end of the short rainy season means that this part would be even more difficult to identify trees and weeds all would be full of leaves, to provide camouflage ideal for those who do not want the creatures to show visitors, but most of the animals later.
We were greeted at the airport and transported to Jongomero camp where we been welcomed by staff and the young couple singing South African who ran the place. Our stores are well spaced for privacy and follow the curve River, in the way we passed a small pool and sun loungers. It was not a question of Boy Scout camping, with a double bed, dressing, Fully equipped bathroom with shower and balcony with river views. But enough of the tent to sleep, a sign of cold beer open before makuti thatched lounge / bar, Also overlooking the river, followed by a lunch of burgers, couscous and salad.
Our game drive in the afternoon was delayed by an hour or two by heavy rains, but we were soon out of a vehicle specially designed Safari – a four-wheel disc with two rows of bleachers behind the driver designed for everyone had the best view possible. We were fortunate to have a six-passenger vehicle built four of us, so plenty of room for cameras, binoculars and bird books, and other accessories without which no game would be a unit complete.
After the recent rains, the roads were muddy and slippery from the jeep was often the only way out. However, it did not take long before we see the first game, a dik-dik antelope is nice, which is rarely even higher maturity in the human knee medium. After a large group Batchelor impala then camouflaged giraffes grow on trees or standing beside the guard, or sometimes in the middle of the track.
Our friend is particularly interested in bird watching, so there are many cases to identify a variety of birds. Suddenly, our driver, Eric, was released Track whispering "elephant". He wove the four wheel drive in the thickets of shrubs and saplings until we saw what he meant, a whole herd of elephants, probably twenty of them, pushing through the brush. As we followed at a respectful distance as he rode along the river and the other side, eventually disappearing in the jungle.
There are no other areas in this field Ruaha, but one of the other pilots by radio to say that a pack of wild Africans or "paint" the dogs had been seen. Our friend had a particular ambition to see these creatures if hunting was not upset with the topic, Eric has shot through the bushes further up the river bank. We are stationed around for a while but the dogs have disappeared so much time to catch up.
Back at camp, the cold beer consumed is appreciated as we discussed what saw and asked one of the servers, it was something of an expert on the birds they had seen. Showered and changed for fresh Evening hors d'oeuvres were drunk, the story of our friends in the hippo out of the right of the river of his tent and told the Dinner was served on the covered wooden bridge in case of rain, tuna mousse, chicken satay sauce and onions pureed vegetables and desserts – all delicious – not bad for the middle of the jungle.
The next morning saw us at 7:00 for breakfast before outside of a full day safari. Another times, the giraffe and Impala were conspicuously with water Buck. Eric suggested a stop for coffee and our surprise, developed a table, put it with a cloth and coffee made arrangements for us and help us Flapjack – incredibly civilized. That case was in the river we were entertained by frolicking hippos and birds too numerous to list.
For the rest of the day we continued our way, taking a rather unpleasant sight of vultures squabbling over the remains of a giraffe, crocodiles, warthogs, zebras, kudu, baboons, vervets and momentum. We stopped for lunch at the civilized middle of nowhere we saw entering the pizza and a variety of salads, all washed down with local beer. After lunch, more of everything, especially elegant giraffes, mongooses, baboons and lots of birds.
Back to camp sundowners, then Moroccan lamb dinner by candlelight in the (then) dry bed. He told us that lions and elephants sometimes entered the camp at night and our friends saw a jackal, while being escorted out of his tent for dinner, but beyond that, all was quiet.
Back to 7 pm for a tortilla Nice and spicy on the long journey to Msembe at the other end of the park. Lots to see on the road like a turtle the size of a single national roaming around runway. Down here, was much drier, with less vegetation and wait to see lions, whose surface is well known. Did not disappointed. Shortly after a meeting with the male elephant very angry that Eric ran as fast as the truck capable Safari, we saw two lions males. They were just for a moment, then disappeared, but a majestic spectacle, however. Subsequently, we have the chance to see a serval cat, which is very rare and some rock hyrax play together, you guessed it, rocks!
Noon saw us again overlooking the river, enjoying another day in the country and see an elephant walking alone along to join his flock. It was a long journey back to camp that did not stop as long as, although we heard the trumpet of an elephant in the trees along the trail and we soon had to stop, with some fear, to change a flat tire. The beer of the evening was welcome after a long day of bouncing in a truck, but the rain prevented another dinner on the banks of the river which today is far from dry!
The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast and loaded with the sandwich that was pressed on us, we began our flight to Selous Game for the second part of our safari.
About the Author
Liz Canham Liz is a keen traveller who has lived in a variety of countries as well as enjoying many different holiday experiences. She is webmistress of
Travellers’ Tales
where you can read Part 2 of this tale.
LAKE POWELL 2006