Tanzanian Safari

The Great Migration

News from the bush //

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The Wildebeests moving into an area very close to Olakira Camp in Northern Serengeti. Taken around 6:45 am on our morning game drive.

As much as you see pictures, read articles or watch videos, nothing really prepares you and your senses when you are in the middle of the Great Wildebeest and Zebra Migration, one of the Natural Wonders of the World.  The sheer numbers of Wildebeests and Zebras. The grunting and galloping sounds. The smell from these animals. The single file walking. The springy trotting.  The predators [amazing 20+ lions enjoying a wildebeest] that are enjoying a field day as ‘food’ is finally abundant.

This is how I feel when sitting in the middle of the herd in one of my favorite areas, Northern Serengeti [which is a great place to visit year round] in early June when the migration had arrived into this region earlier than the normal cycle from Western Serengeti. They usually arrive into Northern Serengeti in late June to early July. That is nature for you.  Unpredictable and awesome in its splendor.

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Travel Insurance

A friend in the industry recently was recalling an incident when her phone was stolen from her hand in Dar-Es-Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania. Things happen even at home but become cumbersome when it is not on your own turf.

When clients head to Safari, we always recommend getting travel insurance.  We took our own advise and purchased our travel insurance from our provider Travel Guard.

Some of the reasons why our clients have been glad they had travel insurance.

  • Jann F was scheduled to leave in two days when she had an emergency appendix operation. The recovery was going to take a week and if they did end up going to Tanzania [accounting the international flight penalty and fare change], they would have missed most of the Safari with their friends.  Luckily, they had travel insurance with Travel Guard and her and Bernie, her last husband, managed to enjoy the same Safari the following year with some other friends.
  • US ambassador Thomas Pickering was all set to head on Safari when his daughter broke her arm right before her Safari. She could not join them  and had to cancel her Safari. Refund was provided by Travel Guard.
  • You can not climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a broken leg. Our client Debbie G was in Amsterdam ready to board her flight to Kilimanjaro Airport when she fell in at Schipol airport and broke her leg.  She was devastated she could not join her friends for the climb. She had to fly back to the US.  Travel Guard reimbursed the extra cost of the flight from Amsterdam to US and refunded her Safari.

These occurrence are not common – thankfully – but they did and do happen. Losing the Safari + international flight money would have added more injury to the already hurt wound.

And then there are those clients that don’t let a cast stop them from enjoying a ‘limping’ Safari. Darrell and Drew Howton enjoyed their 2nd Safari with Journey To Africa in Katavi and Mahale + Lake Natron and Southern Serengeti with professional guide Paul Oliver.

Darrell enjoying Katavi with a cast on his leg

A broken leg did not stop Darrell from enjoying Katavi

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Serengeti Map

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My Serengeti map drawn by my 5 yr old son.

Safari planning / dreaming in full swing here.
Twende – let’s go!

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Safari vehicles

When on your Journey To Africa Safari, you are going to enjoy game driving for at least 6-8 hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less and you get to choose. You may start early around 6:00 a.m. and end as late at 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. when the parks close. You may even go out at night on your night game drives from certain lodges.

During this time, you learn to appreciate your work-horse of a vehicle. Your 4×4 vehicle expertly maneuvered by our experienced knowledgable guide/ friend is your safe house from the elements.

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Katsaros Family on a Journey To Africa Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Your vehicle will pass through dusty and bumpy roads, narrow bridges and overflowing bridges, slippery muddy and sticky mud [black cotton soil], and more all the while you are enjoying your wildlife and magnificent scenery. Your vehicle will keep you dry from the rains, warm from the winds or shade you from the hot sun. Your vehicle will have its roof open so you can have a panoramic view of the amazing landscape.

Our Vehicle

Taken by Journey To Africa client Zack M

Sometimes your vehicle depending on the area of your Safari will be an open vehicle. This usually happens when you fly into a location and do not have to transfer on the main roads.

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Open vehicle used by Olakira and Sayari Camp in Northern Serengeti

Regardless of what type of vehicle, your vehicle when on a Journey To Africa Safari will have a cooler with water, soft drinks, plug to charge your spare camera batteries, bean bag, binoculars, lots of guide books, snacks – you do get hungry on Safari,  blankets to keep you warm from the wind, and raincoat. If you have any special requests, we can cater to that as well.

All in all, your vehicle with our professional guides will be ready to show you a great time on Safari with Journey To Africa.

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Get in touch via email – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Call us at 1.877.558.6288 or 713.592.6228.

Together, we can plan your Safari for the memory books.
Life worth Exploring. ™

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Plantation Lodge

When planning your Journey To Africa Safari, we usually like using lodges where we have overnighted, spent time with the manager or owner, enjoyed a meal or coffee / tea with some cookies and pastry, seen what they offer for activities or entertainment + more – we want to be able to tell you about the lodge first hand.


Plantation Lodge.
Owned and operated by Renate and Udo Marahens, the lodge is located in Karatu Region about 20 minutes away from Ngorongoro Crater gate. This lovely lodge was first visited on our research Safari in year 2000. It was in its early stages of operation. Renate and Udo had recently opened Plantation Lodge after having successful managed Rhino Lodge also in Karatu. Our last visit was in October 2009 – we can not wait to go back to Plantation Lodge.

My relationship with the Marahens goes a long way back when living in Arusha.  They were coffee farmers in the 80s and they would come to get supplies from Tanganyika Farmer’s Association, a company where my father worked. They had been based in the Karatu Region long before Tanzanian tourism started taking off with more lodges and better infrastructure.

Why Plantation Lodge?

Plantation Lodge offers excellent food with most of the produce grown locally in their garden near the lodge.  Spend time in the  large well decorated wine cellar with a glass of wine, beer and other drinks from all over the world but mostly from Southern Africa.  Enjoy their coffee locally roasted in Karatu- one of the best coffee producing regions in my opinion. Lunch can be enjoyed outside in the beautiful gardens and dinner in served in the large dining area or enjoy a private dinner outside in the patio.

The lodge grounds are amazing. The lush garden with Arabica coffee bushes overlooking the Ngorongoro Highlands or the nearby farms, a large avocado tree that produces avocados the size of a football – American football, the eucalyptus and jacaranda trees providing lovely shade during the hot days, an array of beautiful flowers from iris to bougainvillea and frangipani well maintained by gardeners  with green thumbs. Enjoy the orchestra of many bird species serenading you when you are outside enjoying your coffee, taking notes on your Safari or inside the lounge area having fresh baked cakes or sipping tea as the windows are always open.

Talking about coffee, ask them to take you on a tour of the local coffee farm and see the very beginning steps of how your favorite cup of coffee gets produced.

The rooms are spacious [even the non-suite], tastefully simplistically decorated with flowers and personal touches and with balconies where you can enjoy the beautiful garden and the views out in the horizon. They also have a family suite with two rooms and a Garden House which has four rooms, perfect for large families or a large group with its own dining area.


They have a pool which can be used during the daytime. During the cool season [April to August], you would have to be brave to dip in the cool pool but during the hot months [September to March], a cool dip may be just the perfect way to end a dusty Safari day or enjoy an afternoon siesta with a good book and enjoy the bird sounds and trees rustling.

As I have mentioned before in my food post, Safari is hard work. Lots of delicious eating you know. Well, you need a massage afterward. In comes the fabulous masseuse Sumaya. Her touch is heavenly. You can choose from a full body massage to foot massage. Book her when you first check-in. You will come out refreshed.

Karibu on a Journey To Africa Safari and enjoy a night, two or more at Plantation Lodge. We definitely have a blast staying here.

Some photos courtesy of Plantation Lodge.

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Food on Safari

One question that I often get from clients booking their Journey To Africa Safari is what is the food going to be like on Safari? If staying in our preferred camps, I can confidently say ::

  • fresh and tasty. our chefs will cook you some amazing meals with basic equipment. think hot and fresh breads + beef and veggie mishkaki [barbeque] using a coal grill + organic salad plucked from the garden right around the corner as in Plantation Lodge.
  • well prepared. Our well-trained camp chef and crew will come up with gourmet meals in the middle of the bush. They really want you to enjoy their culinary experience.

But let us talk about the beautiful setting you will get to experience when enjoying your food and snacks on Safari.

Wake-up coffee and cookie at beautiful Oliver’s Camp

On Safari you normally start off your day with a wake-up call. You can start really early should you have chosen to go on a sunrise morning game drive or morning walking Safari like you can do from Oliver’s Camp. You sit on your lovely patio and have your cookie or biscuits as we say and sip your hot cuppa tea or coffee listening to the sounds of the wild and watching the sun rise. A perfect morning on Safari!

Breakfast from lovely Olakira Camp. An variety of items to choose from or head out for your bush breakfast.

Then on to breakfast. A good breakfast to start off the day full of adventures. You are going to have an array of options. Cereals, variety of juices, eggs with warm bread sometimes cooked in the bush for a bush breakfast, bacon and potatoes and more.  Nothing like having the most important meal of the day with a great view as you see here from Olakira Camp in Central Serengeti.

You need a snack in the middle of game driving. With Albert, resident guide at beautiful Sayari Camp in Northern Serengeti.

When on your game drive, you need a snack. Game driving is tough! Our vehicles carry water, soft drinks, juice and snacks which you can enjoy during your game drive. In some areas, like what we are experienced in Northern Serengeti with Sayari Camp guide Albert, you can stop, set a table and enjoy your snack with the animals close by. Don’t worry. Our guides will choose an open area away from the thick bushes. Prepare to enjoy your mid-morning or afternoon snack.

Campfire is a good place to end the day with a good glass of wine or drink of choice.

Dinner time is the most romantic time. Soft flicker of the candles or lanterns invite you to your table. Here you will chill with a glass of wine or the drink of choice while chatting with other Safari goers or share a meal with the camp manager and share stories that go beyond the parks you are visiting.  Bush dinners are available for those who want a private dinner or just want to sit under the stars. Bon appetite!

And then tomorrow, the wonderful cycle begins again.

Dinner!

Don’t you want to be on Safari snacking or having a delicious meal right now?
Choose from our many Safari itneraries which we will personalize to your liking.

Karibu Safari with Journey To Africa.

Get in touch //
Email – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Call – 1.877.55.6288