On Safari
Visiting the iconic animals of Africa in Tanzania
Going to see the animals of Africa has been a bucket list desire of mine for more than 20 years. Being able to combine this with my experience with HHA was fantastic.
I did a 6 day / 5 night tour visiting 3 national parks. Tarangine, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Travel around the parks is done in Toyota Landcruiser troupe carriers with up to 6 people per car. The roof pops up so you can have a good view of the animals. There were many hours driving around on the very dusty roads full of corrugations. It was quite bone shaking at times.
I was very grateful to see most of the iconic animals including lions
cheetah
zebra
giraffe
buffalo
elephants
Not the best photos in the world but I don’t have fancy equipment. I had borrowed my son’s GoPro and had my mobile phone which nearly died while I was away. Other animals I saw, but did not get good photos or they were too far away to photograph, were leopard, hyena, rhino, serval cat, mongoose, gnu, baboons, and monkeys. Pictures can’t convey how it felt to see these animals so close.
I chose to go up market with my accommodation and enjoyed some glamping.
The Ngorongoro Farmhouse was a delightful motel outside the parks. It was surrounded by market gardens and all the food (well vegetables at least) in the restaurant, including the coffee, was grown on the property.
The Serengeti Safari Lodge was in a tented room with a solid floor, roof and on-suite with an outdoor shower with amazing views over the endless plain.
My favourite was Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp, which really was a tent. The highlight being, after dinner walking out into a herd of zebra that come into the camp at night to sleep as they feel safe there.
So this is ticked off my bucket list now.
I am happy to be home and gardening. I think I have a greater appreciation for where I live. Far North Queensland, Australia really is a jewel in the world’s crown.