35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Once in a lifetime through the Serengeti
No visit to Tanzania would be complete without a visit to one of the most famous parks in the world: The Serengeti. Located within the northern reaches of Tanzania the Serengeti is an expanse of land that is home to hundreds of thousands of animals. Here you will have a chance to view the Big 5, if you're lucky. I chose to visit the Serengeti on a 5-day, 4-night Safari after a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. I used the company Popote African Safaris, based out of Moshi. I can highly recommend this company for both the safari as well as the climb. The owner, Sabino, was always happy to answer my questions about everything that would take place, and also allowed me the flexibility to customize my tour so that it would meet my needs, rather than their needs.
My 5 day safari began with a very long drive from Moshi to Tarangire National Park, home to the Baobob trees. Also famous for having one of the highest population densities of elephants in Tanzania, it is surely not to be missed. Everywhere you looked there were family groups of elephants. As an elephant lover, I just found it to be one of the best places ever. As I was the only person in my group (besides my guide) I was free to stay and watch the animals for as long as I liked. Other animals seen within the park included, a lion pride, zebras, giraffe, numerous species of birds (including the Lilac Crested Roller), and numerous types of hooved animals (waterbuck, gazelle, etc). The weather was sunny and warm, but not hot.
From Tarangire we traveled along the Ngorogoro Crater rim to the Serengeti National Park. The first day through the park is spent as a wildlife safari as you drive through the dirt roads (read: bumpy, dusty, awesome) to the camping site (or other, if you chose higher class accommodations). Along the way to the camping site was saw various animals, including lion, cheetah, a family of leopards, a couple of elephants, hippo, giraffe, ostrich, hyena, dik-dik, vervet monkeys, cape buffalo, baboon, topi, wildebeest, etc). Sometimes, because of the size of the park and the time of the year - depending upon which end of the great migration you end up in Tanzania - the park can seem almost devoid of animals. At one point we drove 20-30 minutes without seeing any animals. Though, I have to say, it didn't matter. I was in the Serengeti.
Camping was a great experience. Although I had camped before in Namibia & Botswana, this was still a great experience. In your campsite you're likely to meet many other travelers, all with a common goal. The food was amazing each night and plentiful. From soups, pastas, rice dishes, meats, fruit, etc. Amazing food.
Day 3 of my safari was in the Serengeti. It was a great experience on this day because most groups are only doing a 3 or 4 day safari and so they are headed back towards the Ngorogoro Crater while the rest of us get to travel deeper in to the Serengeti. I counted just 4 other safari vehicles for about 5 hours this day. Here we were able to find many groups of lions and some cheetahs, again some more leopards (I think I was really lucky with the big cats), and many other animals. At one point, my guide decided that as it was just the 2 of us, he was going to take us off roading just a little bit (which is not technically allowed) but he had found a pride of lions just laying in the grass and he wanted me to get to see them really up close. I'll be honest that I did get a little lion fatigue by the end of it. I think I counted about 15-16 prides of lions we saw on the first and second day in the Safari. Though my National Geographic moment did happen also where we watched a lion & lioness mating ... every 10 minutes ... until she's no longer receptive. It's a sight to behold and I'll always cherish my moment of lion porn.
On the 4th day after a couple of hours in the morning through the park we made our way towards the gate to the Serengeti and onwards to the Ngorogoro Crater. As we were leaving there was a safari vehicle parked on the side of the road with a flat tire. We stopped to see if they needed any help, but they were OK. What struck me as odd was that all of the occupants (Tanzanians) were out of the car walking around. There's no way I would ever be in the bush walking around and for good reason. As we headed down the road further, not more than a quarter mile, we came across a pride of lions who were tracking the broken down car. I pointed this out to my driver who made a quick U turn and headed back to warn them. Now, had this been me I would have immediately jumped into the car but these people were not phased at all. We turned ourselves around and chased the lions away. I would have loved a video or photo of this moment, but my guide was spending all of his energy trying to chase them back the opposite way - swerving this way and that. What an experience.
The final day we traveled down into the Ngorogoro Crater. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I think I was a little bit disappointed from the lack of animals. It's not a very densely populated area for animals, but it is one of the only places you're likely to see the rhino. We did see him, but he was about 2 miles from the road and was barely a speck on the binoculars or my camera lens (650 mm).
All in all, a trip to the Serengeti (and any national park in Tanzania) is well worth it. The food was great, the camping was great, my guide was amazing, though I would have enjoyed having more people in the group I think, to better socialize. Do not underestimate the weather. Although most days it was warm and either sunny or overcast (it only rained at night, 1 night), it gets quite cold at night!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A surprising experience
This is not my first time in Africa: from 2009 I visited Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Ethiopia, so I have a little of experience on safaris and natural park. What we found and saw in South Luangwa National Park was a "surprising experience" as I wrote in the title, because wildlife, scenery, our guide and the accomodation went over my expectation.
For the first time in Africa I saw lions hunting buffalos, just meters from our car (I know, there is a big part of luck in that ...), a lot of leopards, a lot of herbivores, not forgetting elephants and ippos.
We enjoy so much also "the walking safari" also if I was afraid before to go, but the experience of our guide (unluckly I forgot the name) made it only a pleasant walk.
Also the accomodation at Croc Valley Camp was excellent: nice cottages in the middle of the bush and a nice restaurant, and you know how italians are demaning on food.
Hope this short text could explain our satisfaction to stay at South Luangwa National Park and a great thank to our tour operator Africa Wild Truck from Blantyre (Malawi) who supported us in Zambia.
Alberto Rametta
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Idube: Great private game viewing
Idube is a very special place, very nice bungalows, excellent game viewing with experienced guides. Excellent food and service.
CH
Great park experience
Amazing park, many animals, excellent facilities, especially Skukuza. Different landscapes.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Mkhuze Game Reserve by Michael Potts
Great reserve with wonderful viewing hides
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Kruger National Park by Michael Potts
Great, but often has too many people, and there can be too many cars at good sightings.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve by Michael Potts
Lots of invasive plants makes view difficult
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Addo Elephant National Park by Michael Potts
Lots of elephants and unusual dung beatles
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect Safari
I have been to Phinda a number of times but this visit was by far the best. The accommodation, food and location is unsurpassed in the Natal area. What made this trip special was the luck we had with the game sightings. Game sightings are often down to luck however in this occasion we were spoilt, great quality sightings and the rangers spent a nice amount of time with each sighting. The rangers are fantastic at Phinda and they make the safari.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tanzania by dereizigercronk
Tanzania has a lot to offer. The people, the animals, the culture are all something that you are unlikely to experience anywhere else in the world (well, the animals you'll see elsewhere). In Moshi, I never felt unsafe walking around during the day. The people were quite friendly and always smiling and happy to talk. I will say, that riding or driving in Tanzania is not something for the faint of heart. There were times I really thought my life was coming to an end! So there is that negative point. I've also heard from people that traveling in Dar es Salaam you need to be extremely vigilant. There are numerous stories of robberies, but not having been to Dar, I can't fully comment.
I would love to go back to Tanzania to explore further. I would love to go to Gombe, Ruaha and Katavi National Parks.