Tanzania - Zanzibar
Day 1: So, here's the explanation for the "special circumstance" that led us on our first-ever safari holiday. In February 2017, I actually broke my ankle while sledding. It's a rather lengthy injury, so our planned trip to India in April 2017 had to be canceled. Once I was more or less back on my feet, we started planning a new trip at our trusted travel agency. Given my injury history and still not being fully recovered, it quickly became clear... we needed a trip suitable for someone with limited mobility. Three options were presented, all requiring relatively little walking: a leisurely gourmet and sightseeing bus tour to Tuscany, a cruise, or a safari. The gourmet tour sounded great, but also a bit "old people's"... sorry, a cruise is definitely not our thing, so the safari was the only option left. This is how our "first contact" with Africa came about, our introduction to a fascinating continent, and now the aforementioned longing for Africa. At that time, we had absolutely no idea what to expect on a safari as we sat on the plane bound for Kilimanjaro Airport.
Day 2: After an overnight flight and a layover in Addis Ababa, we land early in Tanzania . We can end the day relaxing at the African View Lodge near Arusha . It's simply wonderful to start our holiday so relaxed.
Day 3: Today marks our first safari , on foot! At the Momella Gate, we meet our armed ranger and begin our hike on the slopes of Mount Meru through the mountain forests of Arusha National Park . The stunning landscape of savannah and mountain forest alone whets our appetite for more, and we do indeed spot our first animals in the wild: warthogs, buffalo, and giraffes. We take our time, walking alongside the giraffes at a respectful distance as we make our way through the park. The first impression is fantastic. Unfortunately, we don't see the striking black and white colobus monkeys that inhabit this area. Afterward, we make a detour to an idyllic waterfall. We enjoy a picnic lunch in the park with a view of Mount Kilimanjaro . In the afternoon, we embark on a game drive through the park. Large numbers of pink flamingos gather at the Momella Lakes . During the drive, we see more animals and even spot another colobus monkey. The impression after our first safari is fantastic, especially the close encounter with the giraffes touched us.
Day 4: We head to the next park, Lake Manyara National Park , home to many elephants, zebras, impalas, dik-diks, blue wildebeest, buffalo, giraffes, and olive baboons. Located in the valley of the Great Rift Valley, the park is particularly famous for its tree-climbing lions , which you might spot in the branches if you're lucky. Streams cascading down the escarpment feed the shallow soda lake and have created a forest oasis with lush vegetation in the northern part of the park. The shores of Lake Manyara provide ample food for flamingos. Numerous other waterbirds inhabit the tributaries, and with over 400 species, there is a great diversity of wildlife, including hornbills, flamingos, pelicans, storks, cormorants, and birds of prey. For birdwatchers, the park is a true paradise.
Day 5: We set off towards the Serengeti , which the Maasai call the "endless plains." Arguably the most famous national park in the world, it covers an area of almost 15,000 square kilometers (the size of Schleswig-Holstein) and is renowned for its annual animal migration. This means that during game drives, there's a high probability of spotting the famous "Big Five" (leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros). With a bit of luck, you might even see cheetahs hunting. The plains are only interrupted by the typical kopjes (smooth, polished granite hills). From May to July, countless grazing animals such as wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes embark on their annual Great Migration towards the Masai Mara, followed by lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. In November/December, the herds migrate south again. So much for the theory. Naturally, after our recent experiences, we're excited to see what awaits us in the Serengeti. Anyway, before this experience, God must have placed the African gravel roads in our path, or something like that. The drive in our jeep was long and exhausting. It was noisy for hours, the whole vehicle vibrated as we drove over the bumps in the track, and the interior was full of dust. The first reward for the ordeal came at the park entrance, where we had an incredible view of the vast Serengeti from a large granite hill . The next reward came with our first kori bustard and various antelopes at close range. But then it happened... our first big cat in the wild . The feeling is still hard to describe, seeing a lioness for the first time in the middle of the wilderness, a lioness who also noticed us and watched us, creating fantastic images and memories. After that, it was one thing after another: we spotted two leopards in a tree, several lions, a lion family with cubs, elephants, and on the drive to camp, a large herd of wildebeest. The emotions during this safari are indescribable. It was like a dream. We set up our tents in the middle of the wilderness. There's no fence or other protection in the camp, so we're given clear rules of conduct for our stay: never leave your tent alone without a ranger. There's a whistle to signal for help. In the evening, we truly appreciate the unique light of Africa for the first time. We sit around the campfire, lost in our thoughts, and everyone is moved to tears by what we've experienced today. We can only repeat ourselves: this day has been life-changing. Our first night in the tent is also special. A thunderstorm with fierce winds sweeps over us. I keep imagining what will happen if our tent blows away and hope I don't get eaten. The animal noises are also quite loud during the night, so I hardly get a wink of sleep. Luckily, it's only in the early morning that I discover the tracks of a hippo herd that had trampled through the camp during the night, right past the tents.
Now, let's move on to the knowledge section about this world-famous national park. The entire Serengeti National Park, at 30,000 square kilometers, is almost as large as Switzerland. It's estimated that over 3 million animals live there! The Great Migration of around 2 million wildebeest and zebras to the green pastures is particularly impressive and well-known. Of course, the Serengeti is home to the Big Five: buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, and rhinoceros. Incidentally, the Big Five are not named for the size of the animals, but rather for the difficulty of hunting them.
Day 6: The entire day is dedicated to game drives in the Serengeti . The loud animal noises from the night before are quickly explained: the bloody remains of a killed animal lie very close to the camp. The struggle was definitely audible... eerie, especially when you realize that lions were hunting and feeding so close to our tents. We set off on our morning game drive and are once again rewarded with incredible wildlife encounters. First, we find a waterhole with some hippos, so adorable to watch and so dangerous. Then, a pride of lionesses with very cute cubs, and then another pride of lionesses who let us get very close. A truly impressive experience. We also see wildebeest throughout the day. A particularly special moment is the encounter with some adolescent lions. Hardly any fur on their heads, but already quite the show, yet still cuddly... typical adolescent lions. As is typical on safari, this day also ends around the campfire, and even after this day, it's difficult to put what was experienced into words. The animal encounters in the wilderness, the vastness of the landscape, the light, and the atmosphere in the lodges and camps are something truly special.
Day 7: We leave the Serengeti. We see quite a few animals along the way. Incidentally, we don't stop at any Maasai villages, either on our arrival or departure , as our driver says the Maasai are "too business-minded." We'll leave that without comment. So we continue on to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area , because today is the day for a safari inside the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Bernhard Grzimek once said: "It is impossible to describe in words the size and beauty of the crater. It is one of the wonders of the world ." We should also visit the grave of Professor Grzimek and his son in this area. Arriving at the crater rim at approximately 2,286 meters, we have a magnificent view of the roughly 259 square kilometer area of steppe, lakes, and bushland. Herds of zebras and wildebeest, as well as rhinos, elephants, lions, and cheetahs, can be spotted. Hippos frolic in the waterholes. A particularly lucky and absolute highlight was the almost close encounter with a lion and two lionesses. The two ladies had made themselves comfortable in the shade of our jeep, and the male was keeping a watchful eye to ensure everything was alright (see photos). It was all so close that we could have stroked the big cats from inside the jeep. Incredible... and, of course, fantastic photo opportunities .
Day 8: We head to the final stop of our safari, Tarangire National Park . This area is known for herds of elephants, but also for kudu, wildebeest, cheetahs, leopards, and lions. Unfortunately, we don't spot any cats. However, the elephant encounters are incredibly impressive. The Tarangire River makes the landscape here truly special, as numerous animals gather here during the dry season. After such wonderful encounters with these pachyderms, this is also a fitting end to our safari through four national parks in Tanzania. At this point, we can emphasize once again how profoundly our first intense experience of Africa has shaped us. We now understand the longing for Africa. It's particularly curious that it was a sledding accident that awakened this longing in us... practically a mishap while sledding that led us to Africa.
Day 9: We drive back to Kilimanjaro Airport and fly to Zanzibar . We arrive at a magnificent hotel on the island's southeast coast, on a white, palm-fringed sandy beach. The resort is very tastefully decorated in an oriental style. Still reeling from the safaris, arriving at the hotel in Zanzibar feels almost surreal. So we grab our towels and just want to settle in. After a few minutes of peace, we are once again overwhelmed by the incredible experiences of the past few days and we burst into tears. It remains indescribable what this trip has done to us... our first African adventure, with its wildlife encounters and breathtaking nature, has touched us in a truly special way.
Day 10: At low tide, we took a guided walk through the reef at our Bwejuu beach – a kind of water safari on foot. It was fascinating to discover that you can explore a reef without snorkeling and fins, and very informative as well. We spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool, enjoying the opportunity to let our thoughts wander.
Day 11: We let a beach vendor persuade us to go on a snorkeling trip . You always have mixed feelings about these things, and they only get worse when he takes us to a small, remote village and "procures" the snorkeling equipment. But it turns out to be a really nice excursion with plenty of time at the reef and fresh fruit afterward.
Day 12: Our last full day in Zanzibar takes us to Stone Town , the oldest part of Zanzibar City. Upon arrival with our local guides, we are quite surprised to see people routinely paying people they believe to be police officers on the roadside. This dampens the mood somewhat, as our guides also seem a bit odd when we ask them about it. Once in Stone Town, we are struck by the unique buildings constructed from coral limestone. The district, with its narrow streets and somewhat faded charm, has a special atmosphere and is definitely worth a visit. Particularly noteworthy are the Old Fort , the House of Wonders (Clock Tower), and the old slave market (incidentally, the largest slave market in Africa). The evening concludes with a relaxing stay at the hotel.