Destinations: Where the wild things are Destinations: Where the wild things are (March 31, 2004)

An African safari in Tanzania works for any age, from 8 to 88

By Anita H. Douglas
President, Travel Now Inc., Menlo Park

I love Africa. Of course, Africa is a large continent, but what I especially love are the untamed parts with the wild animals and birds and undisturbed nature.

Since I had already been to Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, I decided to see for myself what Tanzania was like. I flew from San Francisco via London and Nairobi, Kenya, with a layover in both cities, and finally arrived at Kilimanjaro airport three days later, November 2, 2003.

Tanzania is more than twice the size of California. In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged as the United Republic of Tanzania. A huge portion of the country is national parkland.

Our group of 12 people from all over the United States was going to spend the next six nights exploring the country, staying in tented camps. We were met by our tour operator, Abercrombie & Kent, and safari vehicles with pop-up roofs. We headed first for Mt. Meru Lodge for a late lunch and viewing of the wild birds and animals in the area surrounding the lodge, which is teeming with life. The lodge is used as an orphanage for injured and abandoned animals and birds.

After lunch we dashed off to Arusha domestic airport, where we caught a charter flight to an airstrip near our first camp, Swala, which means Impala antelope. It is situated in Tarangire National Park. Here we were met by the camp managers, a young European couple, who made sure we were given flashlights with instructions to use them for signaling if we needed to leave our tents after dark. We would not be safe without an escort, and there were indeed wild animals around.

At cocktail hour we gathered around the campfire and then took our places at the beautifully set table in the dining tent for the first of many excellent meals throughout our trip.

We were then shown to our tent, which was very comfortable with two good beds, a separate shower and flush toilet and a large sink with running water. This was a permanent tent, with a wooden floor and a deck outside, where an attendant would bring us our morning coffee in a cafe presse with an assortment of biscuits.

After a hot breakfast, we loaded our safari vests with cameras and film and set off for a full day's safari. As we drove along, impala were plentiful, as were giraffes, zebras, cape buffalo and flocks of colorful guinea fowl, as well as lilac breasted rollers, LBRs for short.

As we continued on our way, we suddenly saw two lions on the side of the road. As we paused to snap their pictures, our driver, Philip, turned around and announced that he had a flat tire. We thought he was joking -- the timing was too inopportune -- but we realized it was true when, in time, he started the engine and we bumped along on our very flat tire.

After driving about a hundred yards, we stopped at a curve in the road, just out of sight of the lions. None of the passengers was allowed out of the car while Philip changed the tire. We all watched out for him. Thankfully, the lions remained out of sight.

Continuing on our way, we saw a great variety of animals and birds, including hartebeest antelope and herds of elephants. We reached a valley where a mostly dried-up river stretched in the foreground and hundreds of animals could be seen in the distance.

At a panoramic rest area, our hosts had set up a long table covered with a plaid table cloth and set with real plates and cloth napkins. Our comfort was completed with folding chairs -- with cushions! Another vehicle had preceded us and had already set up a barbecue and brought salads, ice and drinks for thirsty safari guests.

After our sumptuous lunch, our "road" took us along the dried riverbed lined with trees. Our guide, Felician, soon spotted a leopard resting on a branch in a tree, its feet hanging lazily down on each side of the branch. The cat was well-camouflaged and only a native with very sharp eyes could have spotted it.

Our guide also found two boa constrictors coiled around a branch in another tree. It was difficult to see them even after we knew exactly where to look. On the other side of the road a large herd of elephants munched on branches. They ranged in size from a baby to a very large male. By now we had seen four of the "Big Five" animals that one hopes to see on safari -- cape buffalo, lion, leopard and elephant. We had yet to see a rhinoceros.

Before our return to camp, we were treated to seeing warthog, bat eared fox, waterbuck and a number of other antelopes and gazelles. We returned to camp in time for drinks around the campfire and another delicious dinner.

Before departure the next morning, the managers set up a table to sell local handicrafts, and our group immediately descended on the native souvenirs with open wallets. Since we were restricted to 35 pounds of luggage per person for our flights on the small planes, we had to be selective.

From Swala we drove past Lake Manyara up to a higher elevation on a rugged red dirt road that was being widened and had been under construction for many years. It was incredibly bumpy. In fact, the many bumpy roads make for a ride that has come to be called "African Massage."

After a lunch stop at a German lodge set in the middle of nowhere, we finally entered the Ngorongoro Crater Reserve. Our vehicles climbed up many miles to the crater's rim, about 7,800 feet above sea level.

The rim was lush with vegetation and had foggy patches. We drove along the rim for nearly two hours before reaching our mobile tented camp. This time I really felt as if I was camping.

The tents were set on sloping ground over roots and ruts, making it hard to keep your balance. Our flashlights were our constant companions inside and outside our tents. Since there was no running water, our attendant kept busy filling the water bags for sink and toilet, which always seemed to run dry. He was very punctual at hanging up the warm water bag we ordered when we wanted to take a shower. All our meals were excellent, and the camp fire warmed us in the chilly evening.

The "short rain" season was just starting, and a few showers just helped to keep the dust down. When we went down the winding road into the crater the next morning, we became aware of its huge expanse. It is about 12 miles across and a total of 102 square miles. With the passage of time, the floor of the crater, which is about 2,000 feet below the rim, had become grassland with a lake in the middle, and it is home to a high concentration of animals.

Due to the lack of many trees, there are no giraffes or leopards on the crater floor, but lots of other animals. Lions have no trouble finding lunch; zebras skitter about, worried they will be lunch. Vultures just wait.

There were many ostriches around. The males are black and sit on the nest at night; the female is grayish and spends her daytime hours on the nest.

Among other animals we saw were black-backed jackals, cheetahs and lots of hyenas, who lie in wait for the flamingoes. We saw two rhinos -- our "Big 5" list was now complete. Hippos wallowed about in a large waterhole. Thousands of birds -- many of them egrets -- were in the air or standing on the hippos. We picnicked nearby, and had to be on the lookout for elephants, monkeys and skates -- impertinent birds who like to rob you of your food.

We visited a couple of lodges on the rim of the crater (none are allowed inside the crater) and they ranged from extremely comfortable to luxurious. After two nights in our mobile tent, we drove by a flock of baboons as we left the verdant rim and continued our safari, making our way down to the dusty plain.

After several bumpy hours on the road, we reached the edge of the Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakeys found the remains of the earliest human being. There is a viewing point of the gorge, a museum -- and of course a souvenir shop.

Next, we made our way to a nearby Masai village, where we were greeted by the entire tribe, whose members danced and leaped. The chief of the village invited me and a couple of others from our group into his hut, which was made from branches and cow dung.

The entrance hole was so low and small we could hardly enter. Once inside it took a few minutes to get used to the dark. At age 73, Elias, the chief, had 10 wives and 44 children; his tenth wife was 20 years old and was pregnant with their second child. He asked me my age, and then asked if I would marry him. Being number 11 didn't appeal to me, and I turned him down. He didn't seem surprised.

Next was a visit to the village schoolhouse, one of the highlights of our trip. A score of 5- and 6-year-olds were inside, with one very sharp little 5-year-old boy leading the class in reading all the numbers written on the blackboard between 1 and 100 -- in English! The teachers smiled in the background as the little boy pointed with a stick to each number in turn. After the numbers, they read the alphabet, again in English. Then they all went outside and sang for us.

We had a long drive ahead of us as we entered the southern Serengeti. It was hot and dusty and we had long passed the last paved road, the main street in Arusha, shortly after our arrival in Tanzania.

Our last camp, Kusini, which means Secretary Bird, was our favorite one. It was beautifully situated, surrounded with outcrops of rounded boulders overlooking the camp. It offered a perfect view of the sunset.

The tents were spaced quite far apart, so here it became very important for us to have an escort guide us back after dinner. In fact, the first night we had to take a detour because our escort had spotted a cape buffalo, one of Africa's most dangerous animals, near the regular trail. When disturbed, they are fast and can gore you. We were instructed not only to zip our tent closed, but lock it with a padlock so that monkeys would not come inside.

The next day we were allowed to go "off road," which made for a very bumpy and dusty drive around the southern Serengeti. Thousands of wildebeest and zebras grazed, since the migration from north to south had just begun. We finally came upon a group of cheetahs walking by -- a rare sight, since they are usually found lying down, digesting their food.

On returning to Kusini camp we were treated to a "Sundowner" evening. Large cushions had been placed on the rounded rocks rising near the campfire, and we were served champagne and drinks with hors d'oeuvres while watching the sunset.

In the morning an elephant, a giraffe and several impala antelopes had congregated outside our tent! It was a perfect way to end our stay before going to the airstrip for our charter flight to Arusha, and then on to Kilimanjaro, Nairobi, London and home.

A stop in London in both directions is heartily recommended, as is having a travel agent arrange your safari with a reputable tour company. Their guides are phenomenal at spotting different kinds of animals and birds, and they know the animals' habitats. Having them as your escort will make your stay unforgettable.

A safari is suitable for any age -- from 8 to 88 -- and will remain a lifetime memory. There are many wonderful lodges in Kenya and Tanzania, which may appeal to more people; a combination of lodges and tented camps is very popular. You will love Africa, too!

The author of this article, Anita H. Douglas, lives in Menlo Park and is president of the travel agency Travel Now Inc., at 713 Santa Cruz Ave. in downtown Menlo Park. She recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her business. Born in Sweden, Ms. Douglas lived in Turkey and Libya when her former husband, a geologist, worked there. The family traveled extensively throughout Western Europe. In the travel business, Ms. Douglas has been to all the continents. "When I reached 100 (countries), I stopped counting," she says. Ms. Douglas can be reached at 853-0333.

Temperatures, rainfall, prices, clothing

Much of our trip to Tanzania was at about 5,000 feet above sea level. The heat is dry, and the temperatures are fairly moderate year-round, ranging from the 80s during the day down to the 50s at night.

The time to avoid -- due to heavy rain -- is from mid-March through May, a period known as the "long rains." The "short rains" are in November and December.

The price of this trip is about $5,000 per person, including charter air in Tanzania. There are lower-priced options, down to around $2,000. Camping is more expensive than staying in lodges. Driving, rather than flying, between game parks reduces the cost of a safari.

As for clothing, khaki-colored clothing is practical because it doesn't show dust, but any cotton jeans or slacks are fine. A vest with lots of pockets is very helpful, and a camera, preferably with telephoto lens, is essential.

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