No one complained about breakfast at 5:30 am, the Discover Corps group in Tanzania were headed to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for the day (It’s usually referred to as the Ngorongoro Crater.) Ngorongoro is the world’s largest unflooded, intact volcanic caldera with the highest concentration of animals anywhere. We would arrive at sunrise and slowly drive around portions of the rim, then head down into the one-hundred square mile central plain.
Day 12: Discover Corps Experience Tanzania
I awoke as excited as a Mexican jumping bean, bouncing about with excess energy. The day had finally arrived for my African photo safari, and what better place than Tanzania. The Discover Corps group boarded the bus and set out for Arusha, situated at the foot of Mt. Meru. There, we would meet our safari guides and transfer to two Safari vehicles: khaki colored Land Cruisers with eight seats. Allen, our driver and guide, sat upfront and six of us sat in the back. The vans included a mini-fridge and power supply for charging electronics, plus a pop-up roof that would allow us to stand on the seats (without shoes) and take unobstructed photos.
We drove on for two more hours, passing Maasai lands, stretches of sun-parched fields where young herders with cattle or goats tended their flock. We zoomed by three Maasai men dressed in black. Their faces were painted black and looked rather scary. ( I was thrilled to capture a photo.)
Allen, who is Maasai (but now lives in the city), explained these men were participating in a ritual following their circumcision and initiation into manhood. The new warriors dress this way for several months as they heal. He said the face paint is to ward off the evil eye.
Maasai men are classed by age into three categories: boys, warriors and elders. Boys transition from herders to warrior and then to elder status, holding varying responsibilities for cattle, protecting, and advising the community.
Eventually, we reached Tarangire National Park, a wildlife sanctuary known for excellent large game sightings especially in the dry season- which was now- early September.
We stretched our legs, milled around the visitor center and ate box lunches, before setting off in the vans again. No sooner had we departed from the parking lot than we spied giraffes, zebras and gazelles in the distance. We focused on our cameras with a concentration equal to an operating neurosurgeon, but our guide told us we would soon see many more animals closer to the road.
Alan was right, we didn’t travel far until coming upon a pond with warthogs, wildebeest and antelope. The warthogs were bathing in the mud making us think of Pumbaa from the movie, The Lion King. We sang a few bars from Pumbaa and Timon’s song, then went on to a pretty sad rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight!
Next we noticed graceful zebras with sharply defined black and white patterns on their faces: beautiful.
Onward we drove and in retrospect, the next location is one of my fondest memories. Here we found a watering hole edged by a large herd of female elephants and many little ones. (You guessed it, we starting humming Baby Elephant Walk.) They seemed happy quenching their thirst, splashing in the pond and frolicking in the mud. One baby must have done something wrong because the females reprimanded with loud trumpets and chased him out of the water. Our guide explained that all the females in the group protect and teach the calves. They endearingly help each other raise the babies. (I wished I could have stayed and watched these elephants for much longer.)
Later, we captured photos of bull elephants (males), who travel in smaller groups and whose girth size was much larger.
Different areas of the park brought us extraordinary views. We saw the distant curves in the river, we peered down from overlooks and observed a variety of animals at lakes including one that was completely dry. Tarangire is renowned for having some of the biggest and oldest baobab trees in the world, some thought to be 1,000 years old. These behemoths make stunning silhouettes across the landscape: I adored them. Baobabs store large volumes of water in their trunks – which is why elephants chew the bark during dry seasons.
We also stopped to watch some bird species: a Bee-Eater, a lilac brested roller, a red-billed hornbill, and the gorgeous Superb Starling, perfectly named for its electric blue feathers. We also saw Pigmy Falcons and yellow-throated spurfowl, much like quail.
As we were driving back toward the park gates, we came upon a herd of elephants marching very near the road. We all fell silent, listening in awe to their footsteps swishing the withered grass. I couldn’t believe we were able to be so close to these mammoth giants – on average from 6-13,000 pounds, the largest mammals on earth. I will never forget that surprising moment.
As daylight began to dwindle, we left and rode high up into the mountains and checked into a small hotel at Karatu. That evening we heard a lecture from Raymond, head of the tour company, about the next day’s exciting outing to Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
I sank into my bed overwhelmed by this day’s gift: a rare opportunity to see and photograph wild African animals in their natural habitat. So far I’d counted off elephants, giraffes, and zebras from my personal Big Five list. I hoped to complete the listing by seeing a lion and a rhino in the Crater. Stay tuned to see if I do.
Enjoy this short video and the elephant march.
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For anyone interested in safari’s in Tanzania, I highly recommend Allen, our Maasai guide who works for the Maasai Warriors Tour Company, found at warriortrails.com.
The challenge of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro attracts many a mere mortal as well as adventure enthusiasts. It’s the biggest freestanding mountain in the world, rising over nineteen thousand feet! For those that train, it is doable endeavor, unlike the monster Everest, but, I didn’t visit the area with that in mind. Nonetheless, I wanted to see the famed peak.
Visibility is typically difficult from the Moshi area, the location of my Discovery Corps Homebase. Most days the mountain hides behind clouds, only occasionally playing peek-a-boo. But, Day Eight of my Tanzania itinerary called for a visit to the mountain.
My group boarded a bus and headed out past the dry, dusty surrounding. As soon as the incline rose even a little, we encountered vibrant greenery. We continued climbing higher in the hills where lush vegetation abounds. Huge banana trees towered overhead shading the ground under their palms. We stopped in a touristy little town that sits at about five thousand feet. It rests in a humid rain forest, and mist was swirling around us. Alas, the visibility was even worse on this day. But, we picked up our official guides, those rugged and hearty sorts that head pilgrimages up the peak.
The plan was for my group was to trek to a few waterfalls that lie just below the National Park boundaries. We began on a gravel path that soon became narrow and as slippery and wet as a fish right off the line. I was happy I wore my Gore-Tex jacket because the air was chilly, a first on this trip. I had to plant carefully my footing, especially on the downhills. As on the Maasai trek, I was torn between taking in the scenic beauty, snapping photos and not slowing down those behind me. And, in this case, definitely not falling off the inclined path.
The first waterfall we came upon shone brightly through the spray, and we stopped for photos. Then, we proceeded onward, the path becoming more perilous and steep. The tricky part was that dampness making traction difficult. Thankfully Richard and a few other men from the Discover Corps staff lent a stabilizing hand.
We passed by a few houses partially hidden in the lush overgrowth and around small, terraced farms. Like the dancers, the farmers in this region are Chagga people, and they grow mainly bananas, and some corn, beans and coffee.
We trudged on, carefully balancing and traversing rocks over a shallow but flowing waterway. Nearby, we rested at another wondrous waterfall with water cascading down multiple falls. Flowering plants like impatiens peeked out of the nooks and crannies.
To proceed onward, we had to ascend one very steep, treacherous incline. Whew! We were then above the waterfalls and could stroll on through grassy fields and pass more small homes. It’s peaceful up there, far from the sounds of the city.
Eventually, we returned near our starting point and enjoyed a picnic style lunch. Mama D had sent boxed lunches. Fried chicken, hard boiled eggs, a cheese sandwich, an apple and a piece of sweet banana bread. Yum.
The group had been asking about Banana Beer or mbege, a homebrew that we are anxious to try. One of our guides thought he could get some nearby. He returned, however, with a banana drink. We gingerly took sips, and all agreed, it tasted horrid. Later we asked Mama Simba about the banana drink and her comment was, “people drink that and go crazy.”
Instead, we discovered the local bottled beer, Kilimanjaro, and it was quite tasty.
I decided to skip a portion of the afternoon hike, not wanting to press my luck. Instead, I ventured on to the Visitors Center to learn all about the mountain. I also dropped into the gift shop where I bought a tee shirt emblazoned with a drawing of a Kilimanjaro beer bottle “If you can’t climb it… Drink it!” it said. Exactly my sentiments.
Eventually, I caught back with the group as they were making the climb to the Marangu Gate, one of the official starting points into Kilimanjaro National Park.
Our guide explained that most hikers take four days for the ascent and another two to come down. He said he wakes the climbers around midnight the night before they reach the summit. I asked if that was so they can watch the sunrise from the top. “No,” he said, “it’s so they don’t see the trail. Once they are on top, they have to come back down.” Hmmm. Mountain climbing has never been my thing. Need I say more?
