December 17, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken in the Serengeti National Park can be found at Elwai Esirenget.
The Serengeti is the site of the world's largest mammal migration. Wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and predators are on the move constantly in this area looking for water and food, calving, rutting and mating. Since November, the migrating animals have left the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, heading south towards the southern plains, following the Loliondo controlled area boundary on the eastern side of the Serengeti (map of migration). The rains, moving south to north, are regenerating new grass.
By January, "Happy Gnu Year", the migration reaches the short grasses of the southern Serengeti plains, including the northern reaches of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the eastern edges of the Maswa Game Reserve. In this nexus, the ecosystem is supporting about two million wildebeest and three hundred thousand zebra, gazelle, eland, and topi. In general, January through March is the foaling/calving season; the peaks are in January and February.
April and May marks the long rainy season and the migrating animals move westward. By the end of May, the pastures are exhausted and the herds head north. By this time, the animals are entering the western corridor of the Serengeti. Rutting and mating occurs through June. The treacherous crossing of the Mara River where the migrating herds fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles occurs during July and August. The herds stay in the Maasai Mara through October. Once the short rains begin in November, the cycle begins anew.
It rained all night. The short rains have arrived, but they are late this year. Migrating herds are beginning to stream through the plains, east of our camp. We were on the road early today (7am) to visit some of the larger kopjes.
Kopjes are refuges for all kinds of wildlife. One rather flat one was home to a hyena clan and nursery. At another, we saw a lone buffalo hiding amongst the ever present acacia and candelabra trees. Lions also use kopjes as resting and hiding places. Lion cubs were seen many times poking their heads out to the sound of moving vehicles. Birds of prey such as the dark chanting goshawk and bateleur eagle were seen perched on the more craggy kopjes.
Vistas were majestic -- rolling green/gold plains, dotted with kopjes and mountains, stacking clouds, and rain spouts. As we headed back to camp for lunch, we spotted 4-5 lionesses snoozing in a sausage tree. Their cubs had to be content to nap at the tree's base. During lunch a giraffe strolled past the kitchen area.
Lions and hyenas captured our attention during the afternoon game drive. The hyena contact happened quite unexpectedly. James had stopped his vehicle over a culvert to allow Carol to take photographs of storm clouds and heavy rains on the horizon. While opening his vehicle door, James was saying that "hyenas love to hang out here ..." and out rushed three hyenas from the culvert. Needless to say James retreated rather quickly!
The lion encounter was not as surprising. Three lions (one male, two females) were actually occupying the road after feeding on a wildebeest. We watched them for a good half hour when the male got up to check out one of his companions. She told him in explosive whaps and roars that the time was not right. He quickly went back to sleep. As we left the three lions, we noticed one other lioness resting in the shade of a small acacia. She had been behind us, undetected, the entire time. Who was watching who?
At the evening camp fire, Beverly and Brittany were surprised with early birthday presents (both have late December birthdays) -- they were going on a balloon ride the following morning with Harry and Robin. Carol had made arrangements during the day. Actually, Pascal had sacrificed his downtime after lunch to drive Carol to Seronera to finalize the plans. The rest of the evening was spectacular. As James talked about Tanzanian political history, enormous thunderheads full of lightning encircled us. Hyenas visited the camp continuously throughout dinner. They were still marauding as we went to bed.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Siku ya kumi na moja (Day 11): Into the Serengeti
December 16, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken in the Serengeti National Park can be found at Elwai Esirenget; a collection of pictures taken en route to Serengeti National Park can be found at Olduvai and Shifting Sands.
It's only fitting that we spend the next five days in one of the world's treasures, the Serengeti. Before leaving, Carol, wife of Maasai wa Milima ya Kijani, finalizes her tailoring arrangements with Bernadetha, the farmhouse hostess. Carol had purchased several pieces of Kitenge fabric, a tight-weave, brightly colored cotton cloth, at the T-shirt Shop near Karatu, and wanted two-piece dresses made in the style worn by the women at the farmhouse. Alex volunteered to take measurements by using string for bust, waist, and hip dimensions; cutting and labeling each respective string for the tailor. Bernadetha took care of the tailoring arrangements -- even spending part of one of her precious days off sitting alongside the tailor to ensure the job was done to her high standards. The dresses would be ready by the time we returned from the Serengeti.
The day started with rain and cool temperatures. However, by the time we drove through the Ngorongoro Crater gate and circled the southern rim route of the Crater the rain stopped and temperatures soared. Not unusual, since the eastern side of the Crater is considerably more temperate than the western side. We descended the western slopes and passed through the Malanja Depression, a grassy bowl, towards Olduvai Gorge (also known as Oldupai, the Maasai spelling of the name). Oldupai is the Maasai word for the wild sisal that grows in the area. Sisal has been harvested traditionally to produce agricultural or baler twine. It also has many other uses.
Before arriving at the Oldupai Museum, we stopped at a Maasai village. The atmosphere at this village was much more commercial than our earlier visit to Leiyo's village in Sinya. Nevertheless, they were very proud of the schooling provided to their children. In addition, many of us participated in their dances and chants, and purchased more beadwork and adornments. Carol was very busy with her Polaroid camera.
At the Olduvai Gorge, we toured the small museum and seated on an observation platform overlooking the Gorge, listened to a lecture by a museum employee. The Leakey's and other researchers discovered evidence of at least three hominid ancestral species in the area, including Australopithecus afarensis, Homo habilis or "handy man", and Homo erectus. Another important discovery made in the vicinity of the Gorge is the Laetoli Footprints, a fossilized 80 foot trail of hominid prints providing evidence of upright bipedal walking dating back 3.6 million years.
Our next destination was the amazing "Shifting Sands". This crescent shaped dune, buffeted by the constant winds in this region, is moving in a westerly direction at about 17-20 meters a year. The dune is composed of black volcanic ash presumably deposited from one of the extinct volcanoes near Ngorongoro Crater and the still active Ol Doinyo Lengai (meaning "Mountain of God" in the Maasai language) volcano. The dune and the volcano are considered sacred by the Maasai. We have a picnic lunch nearby under a sprawling acacia tree.
We entered Serengeti National Park from the southeast through the Naabi Hill Gate. As we passed through the Simba Kopjes (pronounced kâpee) we spotted our first Serengeti lioness. Kopjes are erratic stone outcroppings found on an open plain which provide good cover for predator and prey alike. The highest of the Kopjes is Soit Naado Murt (in Maasai, the Long-necked Stone) and nicknamed Big Simba Kopje located just off the main road leading from Naabi Hill gate to Seronera. A new silhouette appeared ahead, a topi, from the antelope family, with its striking reddish-brown to purplish-red coat.
Further up the dirt track we noticed a couple of safari vehicles parked along the roadside, usually a good sign! Sure was this time -- a leopard in an acacia tree, full stomach, sound asleep. We were about one mile from our tented camp. No sooner had we disembarked from our vehicles at Makoma Hill camp than we heard a lion roar -- IT SOUNDED VERY CLOSE! Pascal, James, and Alex leapt back into one of the vehicles to investigate. Within minutes they were back to pick us up. Less than 400 meters from camp were a huge lion chewing on a wildebeest carcass and two lionesses sleeping in the hillside.
Our first night in the Serengeti was noisy with whooping hyena looking to cleanup the wildebeest kill and roaring lions.
It's only fitting that we spend the next five days in one of the world's treasures, the Serengeti. Before leaving, Carol, wife of Maasai wa Milima ya Kijani, finalizes her tailoring arrangements with Bernadetha, the farmhouse hostess. Carol had purchased several pieces of Kitenge fabric, a tight-weave, brightly colored cotton cloth, at the T-shirt Shop near Karatu, and wanted two-piece dresses made in the style worn by the women at the farmhouse. Alex volunteered to take measurements by using string for bust, waist, and hip dimensions; cutting and labeling each respective string for the tailor. Bernadetha took care of the tailoring arrangements -- even spending part of one of her precious days off sitting alongside the tailor to ensure the job was done to her high standards. The dresses would be ready by the time we returned from the Serengeti.
The day started with rain and cool temperatures. However, by the time we drove through the Ngorongoro Crater gate and circled the southern rim route of the Crater the rain stopped and temperatures soared. Not unusual, since the eastern side of the Crater is considerably more temperate than the western side. We descended the western slopes and passed through the Malanja Depression, a grassy bowl, towards Olduvai Gorge (also known as Oldupai, the Maasai spelling of the name). Oldupai is the Maasai word for the wild sisal that grows in the area. Sisal has been harvested traditionally to produce agricultural or baler twine. It also has many other uses.
Before arriving at the Oldupai Museum, we stopped at a Maasai village. The atmosphere at this village was much more commercial than our earlier visit to Leiyo's village in Sinya. Nevertheless, they were very proud of the schooling provided to their children. In addition, many of us participated in their dances and chants, and purchased more beadwork and adornments. Carol was very busy with her Polaroid camera.
At the Olduvai Gorge, we toured the small museum and seated on an observation platform overlooking the Gorge, listened to a lecture by a museum employee. The Leakey's and other researchers discovered evidence of at least three hominid ancestral species in the area, including Australopithecus afarensis, Homo habilis or "handy man", and Homo erectus. Another important discovery made in the vicinity of the Gorge is the Laetoli Footprints, a fossilized 80 foot trail of hominid prints providing evidence of upright bipedal walking dating back 3.6 million years.
Our next destination was the amazing "Shifting Sands". This crescent shaped dune, buffeted by the constant winds in this region, is moving in a westerly direction at about 17-20 meters a year. The dune is composed of black volcanic ash presumably deposited from one of the extinct volcanoes near Ngorongoro Crater and the still active Ol Doinyo Lengai (meaning "Mountain of God" in the Maasai language) volcano. The dune and the volcano are considered sacred by the Maasai. We have a picnic lunch nearby under a sprawling acacia tree.
We entered Serengeti National Park from the southeast through the Naabi Hill Gate. As we passed through the Simba Kopjes (pronounced kâpee) we spotted our first Serengeti lioness. Kopjes are erratic stone outcroppings found on an open plain which provide good cover for predator and prey alike. The highest of the Kopjes is Soit Naado Murt (in Maasai, the Long-necked Stone) and nicknamed Big Simba Kopje located just off the main road leading from Naabi Hill gate to Seronera. A new silhouette appeared ahead, a topi, from the antelope family, with its striking reddish-brown to purplish-red coat.
Further up the dirt track we noticed a couple of safari vehicles parked along the roadside, usually a good sign! Sure was this time -- a leopard in an acacia tree, full stomach, sound asleep. We were about one mile from our tented camp. No sooner had we disembarked from our vehicles at Makoma Hill camp than we heard a lion roar -- IT SOUNDED VERY CLOSE! Pascal, James, and Alex leapt back into one of the vehicles to investigate. Within minutes they were back to pick us up. Less than 400 meters from camp were a huge lion chewing on a wildebeest carcass and two lionesses sleeping in the hillside.
Our first night in the Serengeti was noisy with whooping hyena looking to cleanup the wildebeest kill and roaring lions.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Siku ya kumi (Day 10): Ngorongoro Conservation Area
December 15, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken at the Ngorongoro Farm House and in the Ngorongoro Crater can found at Olgira le Korongoro.
The Ngorogoro Crater, our destination today, is one of the jewels of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), designated in 1979 as a World Heritage Site. James wanted us to get an early start to beat the crowds at the rim gate. Breakfast was at 6:30am and on the road by 7:00am.
The conservation area is a pioneering experiment in multiple land use where pastoralism, wildlife and tourism co-exist. Over 52,000 Maasai live in the NCA with their livestock in harmony with the wildlife and the environment. The area also includes Olduvai Gorge (also known as Oldupai, the Maasai spelling of the name), which is the important paleoanthropological and archaeological site where Louis and Mary Leaky discovered numerous hominid ancestral remains.
Our vehicles approached the Crater from the eastern side, climbing steeply through lush highlands. The first view of the Crater from a vantage point on the rim is breathtaking. To think that at one time millions of years ago a mountain, which many believe would have been the "roof of the world," began rising so fast that it collapsed under its own weight, leaving a caldera 12 miles wide (255 square miles).
As we dropped down to the floor of the Crater the land opens up with vast grasslands, salt lakes, pools, and small but lush forest. The rich pasture supports over 25,000 animals, predominantly grazing animals, including some of Tanzania's last black rhinos, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, gazelle, birds, lions, and hyena. Although the animals are free to leave or enter the Crater, most remain because of the plentiful water and food available on the Crater floor throughout the year.
We spotted a lone lioness shortly after arriving. By a beautiful pool, we watched hippos bobbing about and blowing bubbles out their nostrils. A soda lake yielded thousands of boisterous flamingos. Beyond the soda lake we spotted three black rhinos.
As we slowly cruised along our drive, at times missing a heavy rainstorm along the eastern side of the Crater, Alex (also known as Baba Eliza, a Tanzanian tradition of naming a parent after the first born, in his case, father of Eliza), spied two hyena chasing a wildebeest. Knowing that something extraordinary was about to happen we quickly turned around and gave chase. Within minutes the hyena had taken down the wildebeest. More hyena arrived and the feast was on. They literally ate the struggling animal alive, taking its unborn calf as a special prize. Jackals dodged in and out amongst the near-crazed hyena. It was all over almost as soon as it had begun.
Just when we thought it could not get better we came upon two large black maned lions lying on a hillock of tall grass. Soon after, we came upon fourteen lionesses lazing about on the open plain. During our picnic lunch two elephants stopped by passing within yards of our vehicles. The climb out of the Crater provides different glimpses of the Crater providing photographers excellent opportunities to include clouds and that low late afternoon light photographers so covet into their compositions.
Back at the farm house we ready ourselves for a campfire lecture with lion researcher, Dr. Craig Packer. He shared some of his current projects including the inoculation of canine populations against rabies and distemper in order to slow the spread of those diseases in wild animal populations. His work on lions is documented at the Lion Research Center. The lecture was followed by a beef barbecue. Group members dining with Dr. Packer had a lively discussion about the ideological divide that exists in the U.S. between researchers and politicians.
Inashangaza kabisa was the only way to describe this truly amazing day!
The Ngorogoro Crater, our destination today, is one of the jewels of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), designated in 1979 as a World Heritage Site. James wanted us to get an early start to beat the crowds at the rim gate. Breakfast was at 6:30am and on the road by 7:00am.
The conservation area is a pioneering experiment in multiple land use where pastoralism, wildlife and tourism co-exist. Over 52,000 Maasai live in the NCA with their livestock in harmony with the wildlife and the environment. The area also includes Olduvai Gorge (also known as Oldupai, the Maasai spelling of the name), which is the important paleoanthropological and archaeological site where Louis and Mary Leaky discovered numerous hominid ancestral remains.
Our vehicles approached the Crater from the eastern side, climbing steeply through lush highlands. The first view of the Crater from a vantage point on the rim is breathtaking. To think that at one time millions of years ago a mountain, which many believe would have been the "roof of the world," began rising so fast that it collapsed under its own weight, leaving a caldera 12 miles wide (255 square miles).
As we dropped down to the floor of the Crater the land opens up with vast grasslands, salt lakes, pools, and small but lush forest. The rich pasture supports over 25,000 animals, predominantly grazing animals, including some of Tanzania's last black rhinos, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, gazelle, birds, lions, and hyena. Although the animals are free to leave or enter the Crater, most remain because of the plentiful water and food available on the Crater floor throughout the year.
We spotted a lone lioness shortly after arriving. By a beautiful pool, we watched hippos bobbing about and blowing bubbles out their nostrils. A soda lake yielded thousands of boisterous flamingos. Beyond the soda lake we spotted three black rhinos.
As we slowly cruised along our drive, at times missing a heavy rainstorm along the eastern side of the Crater, Alex (also known as Baba Eliza, a Tanzanian tradition of naming a parent after the first born, in his case, father of Eliza), spied two hyena chasing a wildebeest. Knowing that something extraordinary was about to happen we quickly turned around and gave chase. Within minutes the hyena had taken down the wildebeest. More hyena arrived and the feast was on. They literally ate the struggling animal alive, taking its unborn calf as a special prize. Jackals dodged in and out amongst the near-crazed hyena. It was all over almost as soon as it had begun.
Just when we thought it could not get better we came upon two large black maned lions lying on a hillock of tall grass. Soon after, we came upon fourteen lionesses lazing about on the open plain. During our picnic lunch two elephants stopped by passing within yards of our vehicles. The climb out of the Crater provides different glimpses of the Crater providing photographers excellent opportunities to include clouds and that low late afternoon light photographers so covet into their compositions.
Back at the farm house we ready ourselves for a campfire lecture with lion researcher, Dr. Craig Packer. He shared some of his current projects including the inoculation of canine populations against rabies and distemper in order to slow the spread of those diseases in wild animal populations. His work on lions is documented at the Lion Research Center. The lecture was followed by a beef barbecue. Group members dining with Dr. Packer had a lively discussion about the ideological divide that exists in the U.S. between researchers and politicians.
Inashangaza kabisa was the only way to describe this truly amazing day!
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Siku ya tisa (Day 9): Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Farm House
December 14, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken at the Ngorongoro Farm House and in the Ngorongoro Crater can found at Olgira le Korongoro; a collection of pictures taken en route to Ngorongoro Farm House can be found at Maasai Steppe.
Another travel day means another difficult day to say goodbye to new friends. After lots of hugs and pictures, James, Alex, and Pascal finally round us up and get us rolling. Our ultimate destination today is Ngorongoro Farm House.
James, Pascal, and Alex are an excellent team. In addition, to being knowledgeable about wildlife and their country's varied cultures (over 120 bantu tribes and languages), they also take time to teach us Swahili, the official language of Tanzania. I personally latch onto Alex, a Maasai, for his knowledge of Maa, the Maasai language. He teaches me enough words and phrases so that I can greet Maasai properly. He also introduced me to the Swahili word ndugu, meaning "brotherhood or sisterhood", a concept in Tanzania that recognizes that "the country is made up of 'people of all origins', and that no single individual should count for any more or less than any other." Prof. Michael Neocosmos writes about this concept in his paper titled, "Rethinking State and (Civil) Society in Africa: Forms of Politics and Democratic Prescriptions."
The road to the Farm House takes us through Lake Manyara National Park, located at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Despite its small size (127 square miles), the park supports a variety of wildlife made possible by the mixture of habitats including forests, woodland, grasslands, and swamps. The highlight was a large troop of olive baboons on the move using one of the park's roads. We watched them for about 30 minutes and they were still coming out of the forest.
Over 380 bird species have been recorded in the park. Some of the birds we did identify included the grey-headed kingfisher, the goliath heron, and the colorful red and yellow barbet. The closer we got to the lake the more varied the wildlife. Hippos, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, and of course the raucous flamingos spooning the soda water for blue-green algae can all be seen at lake level. Because of the oppressive heat we find a nice shady area for a picnic lunch. On our way out of the park after lunch, we identified the colobus and blue monkeys high up in the trees.
Back on the road we climbed out of the Manyara escarpment into the lush, green highlands heading towards the busy town of Karatu. We made one stop at the T-Shirt Shack to pick up some $10 souvenirs. We arrive at the Ngorongoro Farm House exhausted from the heat. We are greeted by the staff with glasses of ice tea rimmed with sugar. After bungalow assignments, many of us take advantage of the pool to cool off and unwind.
Owner, Wilbard Chambulo, gives me a whirlwind tour of the property. In addition to being a lodge, the farm house also functions as a working farm with fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens, including a coffee grove. On this 500 acre plantation, Wilbard is also raising chickens, cows, hogs, and goats. Wilbard, also known as "Wild Willie" for his boundless energy, spoke to me the entire time in Swahili. He said it was the only way to learn. It was quite a learning experience!
The real treat today was the entertainment before dinner. A local group performed traditional dancing. In addition, two of the group's members provided 'Cirque du Soleil' quality performances of strength, agility, and balance. At the end we were invited to join in and dance with the group and staff of the farm house -- another cultural coup de grace! We made instant friends with manager Alfred and his wait staff Bernadetha and Lenarda.
Dinner as usual was splendid. The dining room was even decorated with a Christmas tree and holiday music was playing in the background. Lala salama as tomorrow we climb and drop down into the famed Ngorongoro Crater which the Maasai call Olgira le Korongoro.
Another travel day means another difficult day to say goodbye to new friends. After lots of hugs and pictures, James, Alex, and Pascal finally round us up and get us rolling. Our ultimate destination today is Ngorongoro Farm House.
James, Pascal, and Alex are an excellent team. In addition, to being knowledgeable about wildlife and their country's varied cultures (over 120 bantu tribes and languages), they also take time to teach us Swahili, the official language of Tanzania. I personally latch onto Alex, a Maasai, for his knowledge of Maa, the Maasai language. He teaches me enough words and phrases so that I can greet Maasai properly. He also introduced me to the Swahili word ndugu, meaning "brotherhood or sisterhood", a concept in Tanzania that recognizes that "the country is made up of 'people of all origins', and that no single individual should count for any more or less than any other." Prof. Michael Neocosmos writes about this concept in his paper titled, "Rethinking State and (Civil) Society in Africa: Forms of Politics and Democratic Prescriptions."
The road to the Farm House takes us through Lake Manyara National Park, located at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Despite its small size (127 square miles), the park supports a variety of wildlife made possible by the mixture of habitats including forests, woodland, grasslands, and swamps. The highlight was a large troop of olive baboons on the move using one of the park's roads. We watched them for about 30 minutes and they were still coming out of the forest.
Over 380 bird species have been recorded in the park. Some of the birds we did identify included the grey-headed kingfisher, the goliath heron, and the colorful red and yellow barbet. The closer we got to the lake the more varied the wildlife. Hippos, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, and of course the raucous flamingos spooning the soda water for blue-green algae can all be seen at lake level. Because of the oppressive heat we find a nice shady area for a picnic lunch. On our way out of the park after lunch, we identified the colobus and blue monkeys high up in the trees.
Back on the road we climbed out of the Manyara escarpment into the lush, green highlands heading towards the busy town of Karatu. We made one stop at the T-Shirt Shack to pick up some $10 souvenirs. We arrive at the Ngorongoro Farm House exhausted from the heat. We are greeted by the staff with glasses of ice tea rimmed with sugar. After bungalow assignments, many of us take advantage of the pool to cool off and unwind.
Owner, Wilbard Chambulo, gives me a whirlwind tour of the property. In addition to being a lodge, the farm house also functions as a working farm with fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens, including a coffee grove. On this 500 acre plantation, Wilbard is also raising chickens, cows, hogs, and goats. Wilbard, also known as "Wild Willie" for his boundless energy, spoke to me the entire time in Swahili. He said it was the only way to learn. It was quite a learning experience!
The real treat today was the entertainment before dinner. A local group performed traditional dancing. In addition, two of the group's members provided 'Cirque du Soleil' quality performances of strength, agility, and balance. At the end we were invited to join in and dance with the group and staff of the farm house -- another cultural coup de grace! We made instant friends with manager Alfred and his wait staff Bernadetha and Lenarda.
Dinner as usual was splendid. The dining room was even decorated with a Christmas tree and holiday music was playing in the background. Lala salama as tomorrow we climb and drop down into the famed Ngorongoro Crater which the Maasai call Olgira le Korongoro.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Siku ya nane (Day 8): Tarangire Shows its True Beauty
December 13, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken at Tarangire River Camp and Tarangire National Park can be found at Maasai Steppe.
After breakfast, we take an early game drive through Tarangire National Park. This morning, the Park shows its true nature of rugged landscape, large herds of elephant, varied wildlife, and exceptional avifauna.
The park has over 3000 elephants and we probably saw them all. Bird life was incredibly diverse. We saw hammerkops building their nests. Many birds of prey were also identified; for example, Verreaux's eagle owl, Bateleur eagle, African fish eagle, and the brown snake eagle.
Elephants captured most our attention but other species large and small were also identified. We saw numerous dwarf and banded mongoose poking their heads out of termite mounds and various antelopes such as the waterbuck, impala, and reedbuck grazing or browsing. While crossing one of the many tributaries that drain through the park, we identified a nile monitor lizard sunning itself on the rocks.
In addition to Tarangire's dense and varied wildlife, the park also provides wonderful vistas of Savannah grasslands interspersed with open acacia woodland studded with large Baobab trees. By mid-day it was impossibly hot -- the sun was unrelenting. We return to camp for lunch.
Following lunch, most of us spend a leisurely afternoon around camp talking with staff members and Maasai askari. We learn more Swahili phrases such as Mambo? Safi! which means What's up? Things are cool!, or Vipi? Poa! which is yet another way to ask What's up? and respond with Cool! to use when greeting friends. We take pictures, Polaroids, look at Vermont and Florida picture books and world atlas to pin point our hometowns, and pass out maple syrup. What a fun afternoon!
A "nature walk" with our Maasai askari Julius and Ngorongoro took up the rest of the afternoon. Julius and Ngorongoro taught us about various plants and how and when the Maasai use them for medicinal purposes. They also demonstrated the art of making fire by rubbing sticks together, using dried elephant dung and grass as fuel.
Back to camp for showers, then meet around the campfire for popcorn, followed by a delicious dinner. Some retire after dinner, others meet around the campfire, with hyenas calling in the valley, to exchange ideas about our respective cultures with our Maasai hosts. These cultural exchanges are the essence of foreign travel making this day a treasure to keep for a lifetime.
After breakfast, we take an early game drive through Tarangire National Park. This morning, the Park shows its true nature of rugged landscape, large herds of elephant, varied wildlife, and exceptional avifauna.
The park has over 3000 elephants and we probably saw them all. Bird life was incredibly diverse. We saw hammerkops building their nests. Many birds of prey were also identified; for example, Verreaux's eagle owl, Bateleur eagle, African fish eagle, and the brown snake eagle.
Elephants captured most our attention but other species large and small were also identified. We saw numerous dwarf and banded mongoose poking their heads out of termite mounds and various antelopes such as the waterbuck, impala, and reedbuck grazing or browsing. While crossing one of the many tributaries that drain through the park, we identified a nile monitor lizard sunning itself on the rocks.
In addition to Tarangire's dense and varied wildlife, the park also provides wonderful vistas of Savannah grasslands interspersed with open acacia woodland studded with large Baobab trees. By mid-day it was impossibly hot -- the sun was unrelenting. We return to camp for lunch.
Following lunch, most of us spend a leisurely afternoon around camp talking with staff members and Maasai askari. We learn more Swahili phrases such as Mambo? Safi! which means What's up? Things are cool!, or Vipi? Poa! which is yet another way to ask What's up? and respond with Cool! to use when greeting friends. We take pictures, Polaroids, look at Vermont and Florida picture books and world atlas to pin point our hometowns, and pass out maple syrup. What a fun afternoon!
A "nature walk" with our Maasai askari Julius and Ngorongoro took up the rest of the afternoon. Julius and Ngorongoro taught us about various plants and how and when the Maasai use them for medicinal purposes. They also demonstrated the art of making fire by rubbing sticks together, using dried elephant dung and grass as fuel.
Back to camp for showers, then meet around the campfire for popcorn, followed by a delicious dinner. Some retire after dinner, others meet around the campfire, with hyenas calling in the valley, to exchange ideas about our respective cultures with our Maasai hosts. These cultural exchanges are the essence of foreign travel making this day a treasure to keep for a lifetime.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Siku ya saba (Day 7): Maasai Steppe -- Wildlife among Baobabs and Grasslands
December 12, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken at Tarangire River Camp and Tarangire National Park can be found at Maasai Steppe.
We are traveling south today away from Arusha toward the Maasai Steppe, another conservation area designated by the African Wildlife Foundation. However, before we get on the main road we tour downtown Arusha, and make two stops. One to exchange U.S. dollars for Tanzanian shillings and the other at the Cultural Heritage Center to spend that exchanged money. The Center includes a wide selection of fabulous African artifacts including wood carvings, gems, textiles, antiques, and Maasai adornments. We're taking our time today, it is Sunday after all! James finally gets us into the vehicles so that we can get to our destination, Tarangire River Camp, on the edge of Tarangire National Park, Tanzania's fourth largest national park.
Leaving Arusha we drive into a parade of confirmands. Dressed in their Sunday best, the teenagers, boys and girls, are either on their way to or from Church. Regardless, the street is filled with joy and happiness.
Finally we are rolling. Activity is constant on both sides of the road with Maasai traveling on foot or tending to their herds of cows, goats, or donkeys. Newly circumcised Maasai boys, identified by their black Shukas, are waving to have us stop to take their picture. We oblige one group of four. They each get 500 TZ shillings. We make one more stop at the village of Minjingu before reaching the river camp. It is market day here and we mingle with Maasai selling beaded items and adornments. James buys a leg of goat for dinner (it actually was cooked as part of a stew; it was tasty but chewy). We depart from the village with a few more purchases.
Tarangire River Camp sits on a bluff overlooking the Tarangire river valley with splendid views of plains and forests. The main building which houses separate reception and dining areas is built around a gigantic Baobab tree. Actually, the tree is the peak of the hutted part of the structure. We have a late lunch after which we spend time getting to know some of the camp staff: our Maasai askari, Julius, Ngorongoro, Yohana (Ngoilenya), and Lazaro (Lengayai), and head waiter, Martin. We depart for a game drive in Tarangire National Park. The highlights were the numerous elephant herds with several calves and the eland spotted just outside of camp on our return.
After showers, campfire, and a lovely dinner, we retire by 9:30. It has been a complete and full day!
We are traveling south today away from Arusha toward the Maasai Steppe, another conservation area designated by the African Wildlife Foundation. However, before we get on the main road we tour downtown Arusha, and make two stops. One to exchange U.S. dollars for Tanzanian shillings and the other at the Cultural Heritage Center to spend that exchanged money. The Center includes a wide selection of fabulous African artifacts including wood carvings, gems, textiles, antiques, and Maasai adornments. We're taking our time today, it is Sunday after all! James finally gets us into the vehicles so that we can get to our destination, Tarangire River Camp, on the edge of Tarangire National Park, Tanzania's fourth largest national park.
Leaving Arusha we drive into a parade of confirmands. Dressed in their Sunday best, the teenagers, boys and girls, are either on their way to or from Church. Regardless, the street is filled with joy and happiness.
Finally we are rolling. Activity is constant on both sides of the road with Maasai traveling on foot or tending to their herds of cows, goats, or donkeys. Newly circumcised Maasai boys, identified by their black Shukas, are waving to have us stop to take their picture. We oblige one group of four. They each get 500 TZ shillings. We make one more stop at the village of Minjingu before reaching the river camp. It is market day here and we mingle with Maasai selling beaded items and adornments. James buys a leg of goat for dinner (it actually was cooked as part of a stew; it was tasty but chewy). We depart from the village with a few more purchases.
Tarangire River Camp sits on a bluff overlooking the Tarangire river valley with splendid views of plains and forests. The main building which houses separate reception and dining areas is built around a gigantic Baobab tree. Actually, the tree is the peak of the hutted part of the structure. We have a late lunch after which we spend time getting to know some of the camp staff: our Maasai askari, Julius, Ngorongoro, Yohana (Ngoilenya), and Lazaro (Lengayai), and head waiter, Martin. We depart for a game drive in Tarangire National Park. The highlights were the numerous elephant herds with several calves and the eland spotted just outside of camp on our return.
After showers, campfire, and a lovely dinner, we retire by 9:30. It has been a complete and full day!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Siku ya sita (Day 6): Arusha National Park
December 11, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken at Mama Wilson's, in Arusha town, and Arusha National Park can be found at Arusha and Environs.
Habari za asubuhi! (Good morning all!). We're committed to learning Swahili and try to speak it as much as possible with the staff. Six new travelers join the pre-trippers at breakfast. We are also joined by a third Kibo Safari guide, Alex Saul, who will remain with us for the duration of the safari. Following another one of James' expertly presented briefings, we are off for a day trip to Arusha National Park.
The park's topography ranges from forest to swamp and as a result supports a variety of flora and fauna. The park including Mt. Meru are considered part of the Kilimanjaro Heartland, one of eight conservation areas identified by the African Wildlife Foundation. Mt. Meru can be climbed from many trails originating in the park. We begin exploring the park on foot with Peter, one of the Park's rangers, who brings us very close to a herd of Cape buffalo, and families of baboon and warthog. The park is lush with plenty of runoff, presumably from yesterday's heavy rains on Mt. Meru. The walk takes us to Tululusia Falls and back to our vehicles to drive to a secluded area for a picnic lunch.
We spend a couple more hours after lunch driving the Park. The hit is a colony of Colobus monkeys with clutching youngsters. Some spot the furtive Duiker, one of Africa's smallest antelopes. The park is inhabited by over 300 bird species. At Lake Longil alone we spot the sacred ibis, jacana, Egyptian goose, great white pelican, and the little egret.
The drive back includes a stop for a walk-about at Saturday market along the main road into Arusha. Before mingling with the market crowd, Pascal teaches us two Swahili phrases: tuna angalia (just looking) and hapana asante (no thank you) which worked very well. It was very crowded and noisy but I noted that the produce was of high quality.
We return to Mama Wilson's by about 5 p.m. for showers, camp fire, dinner, discussions, and more Swahili lessons. Lala salama.
Habari za asubuhi! (Good morning all!). We're committed to learning Swahili and try to speak it as much as possible with the staff. Six new travelers join the pre-trippers at breakfast. We are also joined by a third Kibo Safari guide, Alex Saul, who will remain with us for the duration of the safari. Following another one of James' expertly presented briefings, we are off for a day trip to Arusha National Park.
The park's topography ranges from forest to swamp and as a result supports a variety of flora and fauna. The park including Mt. Meru are considered part of the Kilimanjaro Heartland, one of eight conservation areas identified by the African Wildlife Foundation. Mt. Meru can be climbed from many trails originating in the park. We begin exploring the park on foot with Peter, one of the Park's rangers, who brings us very close to a herd of Cape buffalo, and families of baboon and warthog. The park is lush with plenty of runoff, presumably from yesterday's heavy rains on Mt. Meru. The walk takes us to Tululusia Falls and back to our vehicles to drive to a secluded area for a picnic lunch.
We spend a couple more hours after lunch driving the Park. The hit is a colony of Colobus monkeys with clutching youngsters. Some spot the furtive Duiker, one of Africa's smallest antelopes. The park is inhabited by over 300 bird species. At Lake Longil alone we spot the sacred ibis, jacana, Egyptian goose, great white pelican, and the little egret.
The drive back includes a stop for a walk-about at Saturday market along the main road into Arusha. Before mingling with the market crowd, Pascal teaches us two Swahili phrases: tuna angalia (just looking) and hapana asante (no thank you) which worked very well. It was very crowded and noisy but I noted that the produce was of high quality.
We return to Mama Wilson's by about 5 p.m. for showers, camp fire, dinner, discussions, and more Swahili lessons. Lala salama.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Siku ya tano (Day 5): Last Day in Sinya
December 10, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken in the Sinya region can be found at Kambi ya Tembo.
Early game drive. Spot lots of giraffe, some elephants, a warthog darting out of its burrow, secretary bird, and a handsome gerenuk (long-necked antelope). We stop and visit the Sinya Village School and meet with two of the resident teachers. The school is a primary boarding school for over 425 students, mostly Maasai children plus others living in remote areas of Northern Tanzania. We also meet Leyo's brother and his wife who live near the village.
Back to Sinya Camp for a quick tour of the kitchen. There are no convection or microwave ovens here. Whatever needs to be cooked or baked is placed in what looks like large metal foot lockers which are then covered with hot ash and embers produced by the main fire. It takes about 25 minutes to bake a loaf of bread using this method. There is a separate area for food preparation as well as pantries for fruits, vegetables and dry goods. Electricity for the camp is produced from a couple of solar panels.
Back to our tents to pack up for the return trip to Arusha. We have lunch and then spend time before departing taking Polaroid pictures -- leaving behind much appreciated souvenirs. We have trouble saying goodbye to newly formed friendships.
The trip back starts off routinely. We add a Savannah monitor lizard to our list of game sightings. To the southeast, our eventual destination, it is raining heavily in Arusha and on Mt. Meru. The dirt track on which we are traveling, still under sunny skies, is beginning to flood. The track eventually disappears and our vehicles are caught in a flash flood. Initially James and Pascal try and make a run for it but are forced to find higher, dry ground. This approach however leads to a dead end -- an impassable riparian. By this time we are joined by a group of Maasai boys who say they know how to get us out. Picture six young Maasai running in knee deep water followed by two Land Cruiser vehicles. They do indeed get us out and are rewarded with bottled water and cash. When we finally do reach the paved road, the seriousness of the rains was evident. In some places, heavy machinery was still removing several feet-thick mud from the main road. We arrive at Mama Wilson's in Arusha under sunny skies.
We shower and recover from our wild ride. Siobhan and I work on our Swahili. We share our Sinya adventures around the campfire, during and after dinner. We retire early with high expectations for the remainder of the trip as six new travelers and a third Kibo guide will join the group tomorrow. Lala salama.
Early game drive. Spot lots of giraffe, some elephants, a warthog darting out of its burrow, secretary bird, and a handsome gerenuk (long-necked antelope). We stop and visit the Sinya Village School and meet with two of the resident teachers. The school is a primary boarding school for over 425 students, mostly Maasai children plus others living in remote areas of Northern Tanzania. We also meet Leyo's brother and his wife who live near the village.
Back to Sinya Camp for a quick tour of the kitchen. There are no convection or microwave ovens here. Whatever needs to be cooked or baked is placed in what looks like large metal foot lockers which are then covered with hot ash and embers produced by the main fire. It takes about 25 minutes to bake a loaf of bread using this method. There is a separate area for food preparation as well as pantries for fruits, vegetables and dry goods. Electricity for the camp is produced from a couple of solar panels.
Back to our tents to pack up for the return trip to Arusha. We have lunch and then spend time before departing taking Polaroid pictures -- leaving behind much appreciated souvenirs. We have trouble saying goodbye to newly formed friendships.
The trip back starts off routinely. We add a Savannah monitor lizard to our list of game sightings. To the southeast, our eventual destination, it is raining heavily in Arusha and on Mt. Meru. The dirt track on which we are traveling, still under sunny skies, is beginning to flood. The track eventually disappears and our vehicles are caught in a flash flood. Initially James and Pascal try and make a run for it but are forced to find higher, dry ground. This approach however leads to a dead end -- an impassable riparian. By this time we are joined by a group of Maasai boys who say they know how to get us out. Picture six young Maasai running in knee deep water followed by two Land Cruiser vehicles. They do indeed get us out and are rewarded with bottled water and cash. When we finally do reach the paved road, the seriousness of the rains was evident. In some places, heavy machinery was still removing several feet-thick mud from the main road. We arrive at Mama Wilson's in Arusha under sunny skies.
We shower and recover from our wild ride. Siobhan and I work on our Swahili. We share our Sinya adventures around the campfire, during and after dinner. We retire early with high expectations for the remainder of the trip as six new travelers and a third Kibo guide will join the group tomorrow. Lala salama.
Siku ya nne (Day 4): Visit to Leyo's Village
December 9, 2004 -- A collection of pictures taken in the Sinya region can be found at Kambi ya Tembo.
We are up early for a 6:30 a.m. game drive. Coffee and biscuits to get us going. We spot our first warthog. We continue to see elephants, zebra, and giraffe. Heavy rains for 45 minutes leaves us soggy but undaunted. James and Pascal decided to take us on a bonus tour of Amboseli National Park in Kenya. We drive to the top of a ridge affording us a breathtaking view of the spreading Amboseli plains. We return to camp for brunch followed by a one hour walk in the area of the camp with Lomanyani, Leyo, and Kitoi as our guides. We learn to identify various animal dung. Lomanyani and Leyo also provided us with Maasai toothbrushes cut from the thin branches of Salvadora Persica. You chew one of the ends to produce bristles. Back to camp for lunch. What more food, we just had brunch! Naturally, she brushed our teeth!
After a short rest, we drive to visit Leyo's village. What an experience! All the women and children came out to greet us with song. We visit one of Leyo's huts built by his first wife. We purchase a few items from the little market they had set up.
On our way back to camp we climb a steep escarpment to catch the sunset over Mt. Meru. Much to our surprise Lomanyani and Leyo pull out two bottles of Champagne to celebrate the visit and the sunset.
Back to camp for dinner and a vigorous debate about women's rights. Lala salama!
We are up early for a 6:30 a.m. game drive. Coffee and biscuits to get us going. We spot our first warthog. We continue to see elephants, zebra, and giraffe. Heavy rains for 45 minutes leaves us soggy but undaunted. James and Pascal decided to take us on a bonus tour of Amboseli National Park in Kenya. We drive to the top of a ridge affording us a breathtaking view of the spreading Amboseli plains. We return to camp for brunch followed by a one hour walk in the area of the camp with Lomanyani, Leyo, and Kitoi as our guides. We learn to identify various animal dung. Lomanyani and Leyo also provided us with Maasai toothbrushes cut from the thin branches of Salvadora Persica. You chew one of the ends to produce bristles. Back to camp for lunch. What more food, we just had brunch! Naturally, she brushed our teeth!
After a short rest, we drive to visit Leyo's village. What an experience! All the women and children came out to greet us with song. We visit one of Leyo's huts built by his first wife. We purchase a few items from the little market they had set up.
On our way back to camp we climb a steep escarpment to catch the sunset over Mt. Meru. Much to our surprise Lomanyani and Leyo pull out two bottles of Champagne to celebrate the visit and the sunset.
Back to camp for dinner and a vigorous debate about women's rights. Lala salama!
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