Shirley Morris
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Safari in Africa
My adventure in Africa began with a 22 hour flight from Houston, Texas, through London, on to Doha in Qatar and finally landing in Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania. I was so excited to get there, that the flight seemed amazingly fast!
Being greeted in luxurious style at the Kilimanjaro Airport by our Driver Guide from Excellent Safari Guides and Tours was a real treat. They welcomed us with beverages and snacks unique to the area. We also had a private, expedited Customs experience so that we did not have to enter the main airport.
Over the next 10 days, I witnessed so many amazing cities, premiere and luxury resorts as well as animals I had only previously seen in zoos!
After a night of rest in our first Serena Lodge, I had the chance to take a walking safari in Arusha National Park with a park ranger. This was exhilarating because the Cape Buffalo, Warthogs, Colobus monkeys and Giraffe were everywhere around us!
Next stop was Tarangire National Park where the antelope, zebras and elephants entertained! My favorite experience here was watching and listening to elephants standing around our vehicle eating. This park should be an essential part of anyone's visit to Tanzania, with an airstrip providing easy access from Arusha. Here, I began to fall in love with the Elewana family of lodges and resorts. They have an amazing Treetop Lodge currently in the process of being completed. You can watch wildlife from your room! Every day we were treated to amazing lunches out on game drive prepared in the lodge we would stay at the previous night. Yummy!
After heading onward to Lake Manyara National Park, I was excited to see what new adventure we would encounter. We got to trek across country on many quiet, bumpy dirt roads, like going back in time. We spent overnight in a tented lodge where I could hear wildlife of many species all around. It was quite the thrill! In Lake Manyara, I felt like I was on a birding safari. Hundreds of bird species are indigenous to the area, making it a birder's paradise. The baboons were happy to see us too. Giraffe welcomed us in many locations throughout the park.
After this park, we began our trek to the Serengeti. Along the way, we toured some more amazing lodging available for travelers, from moderate to beyond 5 star luxury. Going to Africa can be quite luxurious and adventuresome at the same time! Heading towards the Serengeti, we stopped briefly to look down into the Ngorogoro Crater. The scope and size was surprisingly far larger than I had anticipated. Of course, it was a teaser stop for later in our journey!
Once in Serengeti, I was truly in awe of the beauty and expansiveness. Sometimes, we were in wide open plains and then we would be in low lying brush, followed by going through hills. One of the most thrilling sightings was of thousands of wildebeest crossing the road in front and behind our vehicle for well over 30 mintues. I could have never imagined this many animals in one location! I spotted 4 of the Game Big 5 in the Serengeti, lions, leopards, African bush elephants, and African Cape buffalo. I maintained hope of spotting a rhinoceros there, but it is quite rare, unless you safari further south into the protected areas of the Serengeti. The volume of species that I spotted beyond the Big Game 5 was more than that of which I could keep track. The mongoose and the rock hyrax were among the cutest! Here again, I explored a variety of amazing lodging destinations, from Pioneer Camp to the Grand Melia. I stayed for two nights at the Four Seasons Serengeti and was truly impressed with the variety of educational experiences and entertainment available on property. It was also a foodie's paradise. I have a specific food allergy and they took great care to ensure that I had wonderful variety in my meal selections. The rooms are gorgeously appointed, the service is impeccable and the views are astounding!
Sadly, I had to leave this oasis, but knew that more adventure awaited. I am proud to report that, upon my return the next day to Ngorogoro Crater, I finished out my Big Game Five sightings. Not only did we see one rhinoceros, but nine (9) all in one day. According to several local experts, this was rare! I hope my clients can experience the same excitement of seeing these magnificent creatures in the wild.
Finally, I ended this journey with a one day, guided hike going up the Mount Kilimanjaro trail. While the entire trail is a multi-day, 33 miles plus hike, I felt accomplished in hiking up 2. 5 miles! Then, we headed back to Arusha as our flight was leaving the same evening. We did a quick stop for lunch at Arusha Coffee Lodge, where they also have day accommodations for a quick rest before the late flight departures. It is a great way to end a journey and get refreshed for the long flight home. I hope to help you experience the wonder of an African Safari. It would be my pleasure to help my clients encounter nature in this incredible way!