Mainland Tanzania: safaris and the Swahili people
The East African country of Tanzania has world-class safari opportunities, superb Indian Ocean coast and islands, Africa's highest snow-capped volcano to climb and history and culture to relish. It is a fabulous country, filled with life and countless opportunities for utterly memorable holidays.
The joy of Tanzania is the potential to combine any aspects of interest in one itinerary; spectacular safaris in either the north or south of the country are neatly tied into a stay on the coast or islands, which include the Zanzibar archipelago.
Tanzania Highlights
In the north of Tanzania, the Serengeti National Park is one of the world's most famous National Parks, protecting the path of the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra across thousands of miles. In the south, the Selous Game Reserve is the largest protected wildlife area worldwide, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain, Tanganyika is one of the world's deepest lakes. With National Parks, marine parks, coral reefs and beaches to rival global alternatives it is hard to make time for the lesser-known subtleties of this dramatic East African land, and a Tanzania Safari is definately one of the best !
Tanzania Conservation and Safaris
An impressive 14% of this country's landmass is dedicated to protected conservation areas, and with a relatively small number of lodges and camps, Tanzania provides countless opportunities for rewarding and above all, private safari experiences. Accommodation tends to be in small, intimate and excellently run safari lodges and hotels, with various options for well-appointed nights under canvas in the midst of the action.
Tanzanian People
Tanzania is a country brimming with a fascinating history that lives on in the people and politics of today. Culturally diverse, the 129 tribal peoples of Tanzania now speak the same language and live shoulder to shoulder, united by language and colourful khangas, enduring, wide-smiling and vibrant. A hard-won sense of national unity underlies all differences and visitors are tangibly welcomed with pride, such that each trip is coloured by the warmth of those who illuminate their land and inheritance.
For more information about a Tanzania Safari on the mainland please follow this link
Letest news from the Ngorongoro Crater:
- NEW BORN
At about 07:15 around Ziwani area {lake magadi} we saw a new wildebeest calf being born which was about 5 minutes old. The calf lay down and the mother tried to get the calf to stand up. After about 2 minutes the calf started suckling and we left when the calf started to run around here and there.
- SMALL PREDATOR CHASES THE BIG ONE.
Just close to "Msalaba mkubwa", we were watching a Golden Jackal, when we saw a sub adult hyena coming on our side. When the hyena was about 2 metres away from the jackal, it started barking while the hyena didn't pay any attention. The jackal continued barking and confronted the hyena. As the hyena didn't seem to mind, the jackal followed it from behind and then bit it on the rear leg. The hyena turned a bit and then continued walking away. The Jackal followed it and bit again. This time the hyena decided to run and the jackal chased it for about 20 metres before it stopped. It was incredible to see a small predator chase a big one.
- OUR NATURAL LAWNMOWER AROUND CAMP
It has been over one year now since Kitoi, the bushbuck was first sighted at the camp. We reckoned he was about a month old when we first saw him, definitely too young to be by himself. Normally a female bushbuck gives birth in thick cover and calves remain hidden for the first three to four months. They are only weaned at the age of about six months. Calves still enjoy their mother's company until the next baby comes. He must have lost his mother in one way or another; possibly she was taken by one of the predators, most likely a leopard. Since then we have been seeing him within the camp most of the time, and he seems to be very comfortable and less skittish. The unique behaviour of this antelope seen feeding during most of the day around camp on the juicy grass and shrubs has led to us nicknaming him Kitoi the natural lawnmower. Today at around 13:00hrs coming from the morning drive we saw him between the Safari shop and North camp main area, feedind on the servia shrubs.
- PATIENCE PAYS!
"in hurry hurry there is no progress" - This is one of the Swahili language's famous proverbs {haraka haraka haina baraka}. Another way to put is: patience pays. The same day's game drive on our way to the picnic site for a tea break we came across a lioness sighting and just a few metres away from that there was a female warthog with her 4 piglets. There it's where we decided to be patient and observe what was going to happen next. We stayed there for 45 minutes and we saw the lioness chasing the piglet and finally we saw the kill.