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Our
clients experiences
My friend
Lindsay and I booked an 8 day safari with
Tanzania Safari Wonders for January 2007.
We specifically wanted to go to Lake Eyasi
alongside the normal safari routes, but
had quite a limited budget having seen
the costs quoted on the internet for other
companies, and thus we needed an itinerary
that was made to our requirements. Additionally
we wanted to be sure our trip would be
a safe and memorable experience and therefore
we looked into several companies before
booking. The company owner Damian was
incredibly helpful in answering all of
our questions, reassuring us and putting
together the ideal itinerary for us. He
even phoned on numerous occasions to ensure
we were happy with everything. We paid
by bank transfer in advance of travelling
out and despite afew minor delays there
weren't any problem with this.
On arrival in Kenya we had a few problems
with the overnight train from Mombassa
to Nairobi which broke down and delayed
us by a day, but we phoned Joyce with
Tanzania Safari Wonders in Arusha to explain
and she was very understanding and happy
to delay our trip by a day. She met us
off the shuttle bus from Nairobi in Arusha
along with Mhando our guide and driver
and they took us to the hotel we had booked
(a lovely family run place with little
bungalows and a pool called Outpost Lodge
for anyone looking for somewhere to stay
before and after their safari!) We had
a few drinks with them in the bar at the
hotel whilst they talked us through the
itinerary and answered our questions.
Joyce then kindly gave us a lift into
town to change travellers cheques and
showed us an internet cafe and she also
arranged for our bus back to Mombassa
after our safari.
Our safari was wonderful. Mhando was a
fantastic guide - very knowledgeable with
great english and very friendly. He was
also a fantastic driver which was quite
important when we were there as some unseasonal
rains had made the parks quite boggy and
we saw lots of vehicles stuck in the mud!
We were really lucky that we had the entire
4WD to ourselves and so we had plenty
of space and easy access to the windows
and out of the lifting roof (which stayed
up above you as a sun shade which was
great). Safari (our cook) was also great
and kept us well fed and watered throughout
the trip. He was also a great problem
solver - despite a tent pole that went
walkabouts half way though he managed
to rig our tent up nicely on one side
with a piece of wood! All these things
add to the adventure of camping!
We started by visiting Lake Manyara which
was a lovely park with loads of wildlife
all quite close up and a very nice campsite
with a pool in the nearby village of Mto
Wa Mbu. We then headed on to the Serengeti
via a Maasai Boma (touristy but fun) and
Olduvai Gorge where the Leakey's found
human remains that are many thousands
of years old.
Our campsite in Serengeti truly was in
the middle of the national park with limited
wash facilities and wasn't fenced, but
there were quite afew others there and
it was perfectly safe and an amazing experience
to go to sleep surrounded by stars, bush
and wild animals. Animals seemed to be
harder to find in the Serengeti, especially
with the long grass but we were lucky
enough to see a leopard in a tree directly
above the road which was pretty special.
We also passed through the wildebeest
migration which was truly one of the most
amazing views I have ever seen. I'd done
a safari in South Africa before so had
seen most of the animals, but not in these
numbers - Wildebeest as far as the eye
could see in their thousands.
We travelled up from Serengeti to the
rim of Ngorongoro crater where our next
campsite was based with great views over
the crater and hot showers! Ngorongoro
was I think my favourite of the safari
destinations as there is so much variety
in such a small place which makes it easier
to find the animals. We saw a young male
lion fast asleep in the middle of the
road, a few cheetah, and we were lucky
enough to see six rhino aswell! We had
lunch at a lovely lake filled with Hippo
with stunning views before heading out
up the incredibly steep winding road out
of the crater.
All of our stops up to this point had
been on the typical tourist route but
now we took a detour out to Lake Eyasi.
If you have the time then do make a trip
down here as it really was a fascinating
cultural experience. There are still very
few tourists who come down here and we
were the only people in our lovely little
campsite, so its a great way to see the
real country. It also made a for a great
mix to have some cultural experiences
as well as viewing animals. We met a local
guide here who took us out for a day to
a local Hadzabe tribe family. They still
live as hunter gatherers, very different
to the Maasai wearing their animal skins
and not herding animals or growing crops.
We spent the morning watching them make
their arrows and then followed them for
afew hours through the bush as they hunted
with their bows and arrows, and even had
a go ourselves (I was quite hopeless by
comparison!). We waded though rivers and
up and down hills and saw them catch a
squirrel which they promptly roasted on
the fire for breakfast. It was a slightly
uncomfortable thing for me to see an animal
being killed but they do it to eat and
not for sport and its a good reminder
of where our food comes from. We also
saw them smoke bees out of a tree and
collect the fresh honeycomb which was
fascinating and also incredibly tasty!
We spent the afternoon visiting another
tribal group (Datoga) and saw them metal
working by bellowing the fire, melting
scrap metal such as padlocks and casting
items including arrowheads and some lovely
bracelets, both of which were for sale.
We then visited the lake for a lovely
view of sunset.
Back on the tourist trail we headed into
Tarangire National Park as our last stop.
I think this was probably my one disappointment
as the animals were in short supply. I
understand that it is the place to go
in the dry season as the river attracts
the animals but in the wet season they
all travel elsewhere so unfortunately
we saw very little apart from the Tsetse
flies! Still the Baobab trees were quite
impressive. I think if I could change
things though I think I would have spent
an extra day in Serengeti instead of here.
On route back to Arusha we stopped at
afew handicraft shops and a snake park
and I'm glad we did this last as I learnt
far too much about all of the poisonous
snakes out there! If you don't want to
stop at these places though then just
tell your guide as some people find some
of them abit too touristy.
So in conclusion we had a fantastic time.
The transport was very comfortable and
reliable, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable
and friendly and our cook kept us well
looked after, and the safari itself was
amazing.
Vicky
(United Kingdom)
D_Tory@hotmail.com
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