wildlife

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Safari Diary 2014 – Tarangire National Park

First stop of my 2014 Safari to Tanzania was my favorite park, Tarangire National Park.

This beautiful park never fails to set you in the mood for a Safari. The minute you turn into the park road and drive into the gate, you are rewarded by great sightings.  We were welcomed by a large herd of elephants. Elephants who take refuge in the shade of the beautiful baobab trees but also abuse these grand trees.  Male impala bachelor herds and its female harem, warthogs, lions, lilac breasted roller, and much more.

And it is not only the splendid wildlife and bird sightings that captures you when on Safari, it’s also the varied landscape. Oh, the landscape that you can stare for hours. The little and large hills, the life-line Tarangire river and its tributaries, swamps, the valleys, the variety of trees and plants.

Being on Safari is awesome! 

Family of elephants near a magnificent baobab tree

Family of elephants near a magnificent baobab tree

Large tusker mama elephant watching over the two baby elephants.

Large tusker mama elephant watching over the two baby elephants.

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Pied Kingfisher right near the road

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The beautiful lilac breasted roller. A beauty of a bird with all it’s color. Highly guaranteed to spot in Tarangire.

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Oh the landscape. Acacia trees and baobabs everywhere.

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Three lazy lions sitting/ resting on the dry river bed.

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Two of the male impalas, part of the bachelor crowd. The female harem is close by.

Life worth Exploring! ™ Make memories on your Journey To Africa Safari.

Get in touch //
Email – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Call – 1.877.558.6288 / 713.592.6228 [outside US]
Form – Request Information

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Photo of the week

Egyptian Geese at the Hippo Pool in Central Serengeti

Egyptian Geese at the Hippo Pool in Central Serengeti

When I was driving around Central Serengeti with my entertaining guide Makubi, we stopped at the Hippo Pool when we spotted this lovely family of Egyptian Geese.  So many beautiful birds on Safari.

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Photo of the week

Photo from our June 2014 Safari in Serengeti //

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Leopard hanging out on a limp on the way to Dunia Camp in Moru Kopjes. June 2014 Safari.

A beautiful leopard was spotted on my way to Dunia Camp near Moru Kopjes on our Safari right before the heavy rainfall.

Leopard are usually solitary animals. They tend to hunt alone and are known to drag their prey on a tree limp to keep it away from other scavengers.  They are also maternal and will care for their young until they are ready to hunt on their own.

I was happy to spot a leopard in South Central Serengeti. My guide Reuben at Olakira Camp told me his colleage Baraka spotted a coupling leopard pair with an offspring close by in Northern Serengeti.  I missed it by a couple of hours – Reuben was on his way to Kogatende airstrip to come pick me up from Arusha.

There is always next time!

Come see these beautiful cats on Safari with Journey To Africa.

Get in touch //
Email – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Call – 1.877.558.6288

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Hippo Pool in Ngorongoro Crater

News from the bush //

When having lunch around the hippo pool in Ngorongoro Crater, keep your eyes peeled.

After viewing the packed hippo pool – lots of baby hippos here including twins – we were enjoying our Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge packed lunch when our entertaining guide Elisa told us to look at the two male hippos having a heated argument. They were really having a go at it and managed to have a few rounds of tussling around. Elisa told us male hippos tend to be aggressive. We would too if we had to stand packed in our own poo in a crowded pool.

Our front row seat in this tumultuous experience!

Hippo fighting in Ngorongoro Crater - June 2014.

Hippo fighting in Ngorongoro Crater – June 2014.

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Hippo fighting – getting rowled up

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My, what teeth you have!

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You are going down mate!

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It’s not over yet. We are going to have a go at it again.

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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Photo of the week

A family affair

A family affair

When you are around Lake Manyara area or at the gate of Ngorongoro Crater, you tend to see large groups of congregated baboons. They are usually grooming each other or camping right in the middle of the road having a conference of some sort.

And sometimes, you see a family going on their own Safari.

Let us help you plan your family’s Safari to Tanzania + Kenya and beyond. We use lodges and camps like Mara Bush House in Mara North Conservancy or Rhotia Valley inKaratu. Kids not only learn about wildlife but also get to interact with children or have activities that are geared to have then enjoy their time on Safari.

 

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Did you know? Elephant ears.

 

African elephant ears!

African elephant ears!


What large ears you have?

An African elephant’s ears are about one-sixth the size of its large body. Elephants don’t have sweat gland so they flap their ears and use them to cool down in the hot African sun.  The extensive blood vessels that passes through the ears also radiate heat away. Spraying their ears with water and flapping will definitely aid in the cooling process.
And of course, they use them as fans to get rid of pesky flies.

Save our beautiful elephants!
http://www.savetheelephants.org/
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

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Photo of the week

Taken by client Reggie and Bill Hepp in Ngorongoro Crater.

Taken by client Reggie and Bill Hepp in Ngorongoro Crater.

Beautiful black rhino, with a peaking crested crane, in Ngorongoro Crater.

To save our rhinos from poachers, please remember to never buy rhino horns. Their horns do not aid in fertility, give you strength or aid in fever reduction.  Horns are actually made of keratin, the same material our human fingernails and toe nails are made off.  Do not buy artifacts with rhino horns. Say no to bracelets or daggers made out of rhino horn.

The only place a rhino horn should be is on a rhino!

For more information and help, visit //
http://www.savetherhino.org/
https://biglife.org/

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Maasai and Ngorongoro Crater

Walking is not allowed inside Ngorongoro Crater, unless you are a Maasai tribe member.  They are the only people currently [they were once again allowed in the 90s after restrictions] who are allowed to bring their cows [cattle] into this wildlife-dense eco-system. The number of cows a person owns displays the patriach’s wealth.  Its their currency. They depend on it for meat, milk and blood.  Yes, blood. Maasai tribe members fill their gourds with milk and blood.

Maasai have coexisted with wildlife for generations.  They used to live in the now Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation, and Masai Mara and its wider area in Kenya area until these areas were designated National Parks or conservation.

Today, in Tanzania,  they continue to live in Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  You can stop at one of the boma [homestead] for a quick visit – a tourist stop – or you can go to a private conservation in areas like Longido [east of Serengeti] such as Alamana Reserve.  Here, you can spend time understanding and learning about the unique, fascinating, and changing Maasai tribe.

Maasai tribe members walking their cows to Lake Magadi

Maasai tribe members walking their cows to Lake Magadi

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Specialist Guides on Safari

Our Safari guides are fantastic! We feel incredibly lucky to have some of the best trained guides working with us.

Sometimes, some clients want something different. They want to dig a lot deeper as they crave more knowledge of the animals and the land. They want in-depth answers to the what, why, how, when, why not, what if, what now, what more. Specialist guides will have your in-depth knowledge soar.

What makes them specialist guides?

  • Guides that have been guiding for more than 20-25 + years.
  • They train other guides.
  • They are friends/mentors with other specialist guides.
  • They cater to clients who already know a lot about the land, its people and wildlife.
  • Guides who are in the news as they have done research or have been part of research teams or organizations.
  • They are into photography and have articles published or are mentioned in articles.
  • They care about conservation and are our public voice. They have access to a larger platform.

But above all, they want you to come and enjoy being on Safari. They will have you love our country as much as they do. Twende [let’s go] Safari. There are fantastic memories to be made.

Stunning capture of zebras fighting.

Stunning capture of zebras fighting.

Paul Kirui.
We were first introduced to him in 2005 when we were on Safari in Masai Mara. Our luck we crossed paths with him. Paul, who has a gold standard certification, has been a source of information. He was involved with BBC’s Big Cat production as well as Disney’s African Cats.  He has been on many top Safari guide list. A Safari with him would be equal to winning a lottery.

Paul Oliver.
You have head of him many times on our blog. He has been our mentor when we first started Journey To Africa. At that time he operated Oliver’s Camp in Tarangire. Today he divided time between Tanzania and Australia. His passion for guiding is unwavering. He is an avid birder. He and his trusty land-rover can take you from Northern to Southern Tanzania. Get ready for a witty time.

Paul Oliver birding in Southern Tanzania's Katavi National Park

Birding in Southern Tanzania’s Katavi National Park. Taken by our friend Paul Oliver.

Jo Anderson and Mark Baker. 
Jo and his business partner Marc, started an organization in Tanzania called Carbon Tanzania. They have teamed up with local community and together with lodges and Safari companies, off-seat your carbon footprints.  They are deeply involved in conservation and going on a Safari with them will want you doing more for Mother Earth.

Why so many elephants in Ngorongoro? Poaching in other regions have them taking refuge here.

On his May Safari, Jo counted 350 + elephants in Ngorongoro? Not normal. Poaching in other regions have them taking refuge here.

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Life worth Exploring. ™
Make memories on your Journey To Africa Safari.

Get in Touch //
Email us – Safari@JourneyToAfrica.com
Toll Free – 1.877.558.6288 
Outside of US – 1.713.592.6228
Form – Request Information