East Africa…There is absolutely no other place that springs to mind so easily at the sound of the word “safari”…My excitement is shared by the two guides accompanying me on our JENMAN safari and we are setting off in less than two weeks to explore East Africa!
In the late 19th century, the word officially arrived in the English language; originally from the Swahili word safari means “long journey”, it has captivated the imagination of would-be explorers for decades since – and I am most certainly one of them! Since we are coming from different directions, Johannesburg will be the starting point where we board a flight on Kenyan Airways to Nairobi, Kenya and our connecting flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Our first night in Tanzania will be one of great anticipation I am sure, with the excitement building as we set off the next morning to Lake Manyara National Park. The Fam Trip, based on our very popular Tanzania Wildlife Breakaway and takes us through the National Parks of Lake Manyara and Tarangire, before adventuring into the Serengeti for 2 nights, by crossing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The next two days will be spent on alternatively game driving and relaxing at the lodge with its wonderful setting… soaking up the ambience and recalling the events and sightings of the day. The following day will prove to be fascinating too, as we venture through to Olduvai Gorge, stopping here to visit the museum which documents the discovery of 1.8 million year old human-like fossils.
The Ngorongoro Crater is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World, and is a large caldera (crater basin) that is 600m deep and hosts the most unique ecosystem on the planet, with 20,000 large grazing mammals and the greatest concentration of predators on earth. With this in mind, I must admit to already imagining the wonderful photos I will be able to take…
After breakfast the next morning, we will be descending to the crater floor for another morning of wonderful game viewing, spending several hours exploring the floor of the crater. After a picnic lunch, where we will be stopping at a designated picnic site near a hippo pool, we will depart from the crater and head back to Arusha for our last night in Tanzania.
We will be catching a morning flight to Kenya for our return trip, which means we will have the opportunity to spend the day visiting some amazing places – Karen Blixen’s Museum and the Nairobi National Park, being just two of them! Dinner at the famous Carnivore Restaurant may just also be on the cards, before we bid a fond goodnight to this amazing and iconic part of Africa.
Our journey or rather “safari”, will end with our arrival back in Johannesburg, where it will be time to head on our separate ways.
So, in keeping with Swahili traditions… Kwaheri… ’til next time.
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