Serengeti Safari

  I had one full day to relax in Arusha after the Kilimanjaro trek before Su and Raven were due back. I had actually spoken to them on my way back, as the office manager had sent someone to track them down with a phone. A very nice touch, hearing their voices put my mind at ease. Rick came over after his dinner and we drank our fill of Kilimanjaro Lager. Actually, we finished all the Kilimanjaro, and moved on to the Tuborg, having a fantastic conversation about the climb, silence, and happiness in life. A wonderful group of volunteers from the Juilliard Academy in New York arrived on a late flight, and suddenly the Ujaama Hostel was alive and buzzing. Actors, musicians and vocalists, they were a very inspiring group of elite performers, their laughter and angelic voices filling the compound. Because I was a day early, after we picked up the girls from the airport, we had an extra day to putter around Arusha, find some Wi-Fi, and do some laundry. We were all so excited to start the safari, but the hostel was such an oasis of relaxation and camaraderie, that we were hesitant to leave.

  Up for an early breakfast, we were packed and ready to go when the Landcruiser showed up. We met our guide/driver and the cook, left our giant bags with the guys from the office, and piled into the loaded jeep. We would be camping, so there was a fair bit of gear, but with only three of us, there was plenty of room, and great visibility. Our first day would take us to Terengire National Park, known for its large population of wild elephants. It was a long, dusty, bumpy drive alongside the newly paved highway. It was so close, so smooth, but so far. We would occasional pass from one side to the other, but the new black asphalt stretching out into the distance was closed to traffic for 2/3 of the drive. We arrived near noon, and it wasn’t long before we started to see some wildlife. First it was just a few impalas, then a large giraffe and some birds, but before long, the driver hinted that we might be able to find a cheetah!

  Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we came across a jeep with two people in it. They were staring intently into the distance, always a good sign while on safari, and as we pulled alongside, they whispered: ‘Cheetah!’ They are so well camouflaged, that it took me a minute to spot them, lying in the grass, maybe 4 meters from our jeep. It was a mother and her two yearling cubs, resting in the shade during the heat of the day. We took quite a few pictures of them doing nothing but panting, barely visible in the tall grass, and then the mother stood up and took a lazy look around. Wow! We were so close! What a sleek, exotic looking animal. I was a bit star struck, as there are few celebrities as well known as the cheetah, the world’s fastest animal. She paced a few times, and then settled down for a lick fest with one of the cubs. They look so soft and cuddly, long pink tongues evoking the soft rumble of a purr. After a good 45 min of being entranced by these super predators, our guide drove us to a lunch spot, were we could get out and stretch our legs. We only wildlife encounter during lunch was with a stealthy thief of a blue monkey. As we opened our lunch boxes, it swooped down from the tree overhead, snatching Raven’s donut, but not without a solid spanking from Su! She smacked that little monkey butt! Ha! Take that, Monkey! Those donuts were dry anyway…

We drove late into the afternoon to our first camp. When we got there, it turned out that all the tents were full, so we were upgraded to a room! A nice treat, we had showers and a fan, and each of us had a single bed. Dinner and breakfast were both massive, and delicious. Again, the Tanzanians know how to cook! Out campsite was just up the hill from Lake Manyara, nestled in the Great Rift Valley, the cradle of humanity. The park is famous for its climbing lions, adapted to climbing trees in this densely forested park. We didn’t see any, or any of the resident leopards, but there were a lot of baboons. Baboons are one of the scarier looking primates. They are quite large, have that square, menacing snout, and usually move around in large groups. The males will actually kill leopards, because they prey on young baboons. We also saw a male kill another male’s baby by smashing it on the asphalt. Brutal, but real.

We were very excited to spot our first zebras and gnus. We had a good laugh when we figured out that a gnu is also known as a ‘wildebeast’. I Gnu it all along…We spotted a few elephants, some interesting birds, and chatted with a family from Friday Harbour, but overall, this was the quietest day of the safari. When we got back to camp, we were unceremoniously downgraded back down to a tent. They were still quite nice, large permanent stand-up tents with two single beds, but no attached bathroom. Gasp!

  The third day was a long day of driving. We drove up into the Crater Highlands, a green, lush forested area with many rolling hills and craters of both active and inactive volcanos. We stopped briefly at the viewpoint overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater, and then continued on, dropping down onto the Serengeti Plains. This vast grassland is home to one of the last great migrations on earth. Nearly 1.5 million wildebeast, and nearly another million zebra, follow a massive loop as the vegetation dies off during the dry season. The loop goes all the way into Kenya, to Lake Victoria, then back south again with the return of the rains. I couldn’t help but think of the North American Plains and the huge herds of buffalo that they used to support. It is sad, but also inspiring to see a place in the world where there are so many animals still in their natural state.

Just outside of the park boundary, we stopped at a traditional Maasai village. They charge $50 per jeep for a ‘tour’. I felt a little weird at first, but the people were so genuine, colorful, and welcoming, I warmed to the idea. Everyone else is making money from the tourists, why shouldn’t they? They still live a semi-nomadic lifestyle, but have begun to send their children to modern schools, and there is no health care coverage in Tanzania. These iconic tribal people are so beautiful and captivating. Who hasn’t wanted to see Maasai warriors leaping into the sky in the wilds of Africa? The deep, throaty song the woman chanted while the young men all displayed their skill and maturity was incredible. It sent shivers down my spine. That song probably hasn’t changed in a thousand years. Of course they wanted to sell us some beaded jewellery, but most people probably want to bring back a memento, and so they are supplying a product to meet a demand. It was as a great honour to meet these noble people. Their customs and community are so strong that nearly everyone who goes off to school returns to the tribe to marry and carry on the family lines. Oh, and the Maasai don’t eat any vegetables. None. Just meat, blood, milk, and some roots and herbs. And no, I didn’t drink any blood. Or milk.

  Even though we weren’t even in the park yet, the amount of animals on the plains started becoming outrageous. Impala, mostly, but also ostrich, and finally, some lions! The first ones we saw were quite far away, but our guide spotted them at 70 km/h. Before we got to our camp for the night, we had an evening game drive. There were so many zebra, impala, wildebeest, birds, giraffes, hippos…the driver slammed on the brakes as a six foot long black spitting cobra slithered across the road in front of us. Unreal! And the birds! Different kinds of vultures, eagles, massive cranes and storks, kingfishers, egrets, and many more I can’t name. We saw three more lions, and then another 9 hiding in the long grass next to a river. In the distance, we could see a bunch of jeeps clustered together, a sure fire sign of a good sighting. It turned out to be a leopard stretched out on a dead tree. It was also far away, but I was pretty excited to see one of these very elusive animals. I was briefly envious of the guys with those huge telephoto lenses, but our tiny camera takes pretty good pictures, and is so much easier to pack around. Our campsite in the Serengeti was very basic. There were a couple of screened huts to cook and eat in, a basic toilet and shower, and a large unfenced field. The Maasai would patrol the campground during the night, but the biggest danger was wild elephants, oh, and the wild boars. Day three was beyond all expectation. Completely surreal. We thought there would be no way to top it.

    The next morning was packed with wild animals. Nearly everything you might think of when imagining an African safari. Birds, impalas, antelopes, giraffes, hyenas, elephants, hippos, baboons, dik-diks, ostrich, zebra…you get the idea. Shortly after that, we saw a few more lions, and then we watched the herds of migrating animals run past continuously, stretching all the way to the horizon, a truly unimaginable amount of wildlife! Just minutes after that, we watched in awe as a pride of lions gave chase to an isolated group of zebra. They didn’t manage to take one down, but it was pretty damn exciting. Real life National Geographic! We then watched as two lions wandered right past the jeep on the way to the shade of a tree, where after a little amorous rough-housing, they began to mate. Life, death, and a little sex in the Serengeti…

We returned to camp for a late breakfast, before heading out again, this time to the hippo pool. We came across more stampeding herds of wildebeest, grazing impala and antelope, and a large male giraffe with a massive claw wound on its side. It was healthy and active, busy munching away, but it was nasty looking, from a very recent attack. It must have been sleeping, because lions don’t usually attack these huge animals. One kick from a giraffe that size can kill a lion.

Hippos get more credit than they deserve. You know, that whole ‘I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’ song and all. They’re just big sausages that lay around in smelly, stagnant water farting and splashing themselves all day with their stubby little tails. Gross and boring. Su has some very long videos of hippos, so if you’d like to see how boring and gross they really are, ask her to show you one. Of course you won’t get the smell, but maybe we could leave a bottle of eggs and milk out in the sun for a few weeks, and then bring it in for effect? The babies are pretty cute, but a baby anything is cute, even crocodiles. Hippos, however, cause the most fatalities of any African animal, and are to be viewed from a safe distance, but why would you want to go closer?! PeeEww.

Can you spot the croc?

  On the way back from the hippo pool, we stopped at a watering hole, surrounded by thirsty zebra and wildebeest, but infested with crocodiles. We watched with big eyes and bated breath as groups of animals would come down to the waters’ edge, and the 15 foot long crocodile would slowly sink beneath the surface. More zebra would push up from behind, and the ones closest to the front would get pushed chest deep in the murky water, not two feet from the crocodile! It would snap, but they would all bolt, leaving it lurking hungrily.              Soon another group would make its way down to the water, a few would slurp at the water gingerly, anxiously, and then they would all crowd forward, splashing and gulping right beside the croc! The tension was almost unbearable, the cycle repeating itself over and over. Sink. Drink. Lunge. Flee. Wait. Of course, our guide fell asleep, his head in his arm on the sill of the open window. There were just countless numbers of animals running past, so it was only a matter of time before some unlucky zebra became dinner, but we had to leave, the sun already hanging low on the horizon. Another incredible day. After dinner we stood outside the tent, enjoying a family hug. The stars were so bright, and despite the occasional animal scream in the distance, I slept well.

  After an early tea, we headed out early the next morning for our last game drive in the Serengeti. The light was spectacular, and we gazed sleepily out at the giraffes and hot air balloons on the horizon. Within a few minutes of the camp, we pulled up behind a jeep that had parked on the side of the road. Another leopard! This time really close, up in the crook of a tree. The light was perfect, and we got some fantastic pictures and video. There was actually a mating pair, so after the one in the tree disappeared, we drove around the corner, spotting the other leopard in another tree, but further away. Just a few minutes later, we came across a pack of hyena, some more lions, massive herds of wild elephants, and so on…Just so many animals!

  We returned to camp for a late breakfast, and then packed up for the drive back to the Ngorongoro Crater. On the way out of the park, we played chicken with a family of elephants on a dusty track in an ocean of undulating grass. Just before the park entrance, Su screamed “STOP!”, and so the driver locked up all four wheels as we skidded to a halt on the gravel road. Backing up, we spotted the impala that had caught Su’s eye. It had a large chunk of a bush stuck on its antler, so much that you couldn’t see it’s face at all! Just a green, leafy bush with legs, stumbling through the long grass. We laughed and laughed.

  Our last night of the safari was spent in the clouds, on the rim of the crater. Brrrr. After another fantastic dinner, we played cards with some girls from Toronto. They were pretty funny, screaming at every little insect, and grilling their guide about all the dangerous and poisonous critters. We bundled up in all of our layers, as the dense fog was brutally cold. We turned in early, snuggling up in the little canvas tent. Besides a wild buffalo and some giant wild boars, the last night was quiet.                                                      

                                                      The last day was going to be a fairly long one. We packed the jeep for the last time, later than we had hoped, and started the drive around the crater rim to the entrance. The road down into the crater is steep and twisty, and I was very glad the rains had ended early this year. The Ngorongoro Crater is a World Heritage site. It has the highest biomass of large mammals anywhere in the world. The lake at the bottom of the crater provides a constant water source throughout the year, and the volcanic soil is so rich that the resident elephants here have the largest tusks in the world! Some of the highlights are the massive flamingo population, the large numbers of lions, and the extremely rare Black Rhino. The rhino was the last one of ‘The Big Five’ that we hadn’t seen yet, so we had our eyes peeled. There was a lot of radio chatter between the different jeeps, so it wasn’t long before we joined the group of jeeps along the road closest to a lone rhino in the distance. Much too far away to get a descent picture, but we were glad to have seen another very rare animal.

  We were all getting a little bit jaded by this time. Just like in the Cirque Du Solei, there is only so much ‘Wow’, that you can soak in. That’s why they have the comic interludes with the clowns…So while we were watching a pride of lions just outside the jeep, I happened to look down at Raven, and there she was playing a game on her IPod! I kind of freaked out… ‘There are lions Right There! Why are you playing on your IPod?!’ But I get it. We’d already seen over 30 lions, as well as thousands and thousands of other exotic animals, so she was taking a break… She was giving me the silent treatment as we prepared to start the drive back to Arusha, but then we came across two big male lion’s right next to the road. This is the closest we’ve ever been to one of these massive cats. My head was no more than 8 feet from a lions’ jaws, an easy pounce away! Totally surreal, exciting and frightening all at the same time. I managed to get Raven to paste a fake smile on her face just long enough to get some pictures for prosperity.

  We snoozed for most of the trip back, bouncing along for hours. The kids from New York were still at the hostel, so we had a nice warm welcome with games, beer, and stories. We only had one day to rest, do laundry, email, and arrange bus tickets back to Nairobi. We did a little last minute souvenir shopping, even haggling for some paintings from the bus window as we pulled out. We had opted for an early bus, so that we wouldn’t be getting into Nairobi after dark, which ended up being pointless. Our host family was out of town for the day, so we spent 7 hours in a restaurant watching sports on TV, waiting for them to come pick us up. We had one last night with them, showing them some pictures and telling stories during commercial breaks. Crap TV is still a big hit in most of the world…It’s easy to forget when you’ve been away from it for a while. The next morning we went to the National Museum, a fascinating display of East African flora and fauna, political history, and the ancient remains of the earliest humans.

  On the way to the museum, we had stopped for fuel. We gave them enough for a half tank of gas but as we drove away, Nancy noticed how little the gas gauge had risen. They happened to be good friends with the owner of the gas station, and sure enough, the attendant had shorted them 1000 shillings by not resetting the pump. Sneaky. Not only do you have to be worried about robberies and car-jacking, but you have to be on guard while getting gas! After lunch they drove us out to the airport, where we said our goodbyes. East Africa had exceeded all expectations, and would forever tempt                                                                                                         me to return.

Egypt is another place we have all dreamed of, and it was only a five hour flight away!

PS: The Nairobi airport has since suffered a major fire, and our last memories of Nairobi are now charred ruins. The first responders are under investigation after the ATM’s and bank safes were stolen while the building burned.