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Tanzania – Day 9 – Ngorongoro Crater

August 9, 2016 D. Chris Klompstra 6 Comments

Last night was exciting! Lights out around 10pm or so at the Ngorongoro Crater Wildcamp, Taylor and I lay there in silence, just listening. We could hear twigs and small brush breaking from footfalls just outside our tent. Curiosity was not going to allow us to simply lie there and fall asleep. We unzipped a couple of the windows and used the LED from an IPhone to shed a little light onto what was creeping around out there. There was movement, but no definitive identification could be made. I felt confident that it was probably something harmless as I believed that I could hear it chewing — grass perhaps. In an instant, something startled our mystery guests. Out of nothingness, about 6 or so zebras jumped and ran directly toward our tent before quickly veering away and heading back out into the darkness. Exciting, heart-pounding, to say the least. Although we were not entirely sure what spooked our herbivore friends, from the calls we could hear, I am certain they were hyenas.

The predawn hours were chilly as usual. You never really think about it being “chilly” in Africa, but at night in the higher altitudes temperatures can easily drop into the low 40’s, sometimes 30’s.

We descended into the Ngorongoro crater in the early morning. The fog had lifted off of the ground, but still served as a lid over the entire caldera. The dampness in the air helped moisten the roads and keep the dust to a minimum.

With its abundant fields of grass and some permanent water holes, the crater seemed as though it were a perfect refuge for the grazers of Tanzania. Wide open spaces giving them distant views and plenty of warning of any predators in the area.

Warthogs seem to be ever-present in Tanzania, and there was no exception in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Largely herbivores, we often find them kneeling on the forelegs rooting their snouts into the earth in search of roots and tubers.

Lions were also found throughout the park. Having no real predators here, these animals seem to feel comfortable lounging anywhere they please.

One of the most prized sightings in Africa is the Black Rhino. Nearly extinct, Peter explained, it would be difficult to find this member of the “Big 5” as there are only 17 left in the park. On this particular morning it appeared that luck and good fortune had shone upon us.

It took a lot patience to wait for the massive beast to awaken from his slumber and stand so that we could all get a good look at him. Although we were a long distance away, it was easy to be impressed by the size and stoutness of this biological tank. To allow this animal to slip into extinction would be a crime.

The habitat here was also very hospitable for many bird species, as well. We were able to get some nice shots of Tanzania’s national bird, the Crowned Crane. In addition, we got a couple of good vantage points for the flocks of pink flamingos that migrate through.

The hippos here were also in abundance. We were finally able to get pictures of more than just their backs.

Following a couple of photos along side the hippo pool with our new friend, Peter, we began the steep assent of the crater wall. A very narrow, cobblestone road, I felt quite fortunate to have an experienced driver here. One slip or mistake and it would be difficult to recover.

Leaving the Ngorongoro crater and park, my mood was a bit melancoly. Not to downplay our desire to return to our families, the only thing left was our long slog home — five flights over the next 48 hours. It really meant that, for all intents and purposes, our African adventure was coming to a close. We wouldn’t be seeing any more animals, other than cows and goats. No more lions, elephants, giraffes.

We were delivered to the Arusha Airport within a few hours of our flight back to Dar es Salaam. With a little emotion and heartfelt farewells, we said goodbye to our friend, Peter. I am happy that we live in the age of technology and the internet. Via Facebook and other social media, I am certain we will remain friends.

Having come to the close of our 5 day/4 night safari I can only provide to my friends the highest of recommendations for Agama Tours. They were affordable, knowledgeable and helpful. The accommodations they provided along the way were no less than perfect. Our guide, Peter, was phenomenal. His knowledge of the land and animals was fantastic. He knew where to go and how to get the best vantage points to see all of the animals. He was also very attentive to our needs and comforts. It certainly seemed to be his honest mission to make our safari the adventure of a lifetime. Well, he succeeded.

Tanzania, Travel

Tanzania – Day 7 – Serengeti

August 3, 2016 D. Chris Klompstra 1 Comment

We departed the Flamingo Safari Lodge at an early hour knowing that we needed to cover nearly 100 miles to reach the Serengeti by the end of the day. I’m sure most people are thinking… “100 miles? That’s not very far.” Let me tell you, it wasn’t an easy trip.

Driving through the town of Karatu we learned that it had the nickname “dusty city”. Literally, everything had a reddish brown hue from the layer of dust that settles everywhere. In the early morning, many folks were busy dampening the ground with water to help mitigate the problem.

At the gate to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which was only a few miles from Karatu, we were required to purchase the necessary permits to enter the park. As part of the price of the safari, Agama Tours would cover the purchase of all permits and entrance fees. Unfortunately, this process took a considerable amount of time. As explained by Peter, a new system for payment has been terribly slow and is causing logjams at the gates. On the upside, the park entrance had a coffee shop, gift store, information, and bathrooms.

Baboons inspect the supply shipments

Once cleared to enter, we proceeded into the dense forest along the narrow, bumpy dirt road, wildly twisting back-and-forth as we ascended the south rim of the crater. At the summit came our first look into this magnificent geological wonder.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the worlds largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera — in 2013, it was named as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders. Inside the rim, lies about 100 square miles of mostly flat land that serve as a grazing location for many species. Our itinerary will lead us down into the caldera on Friday where we hope to see one of the 17 remaining black rhinos.

I think we found a weak WIFI signal!

The road through the conservation area and into the Serengeti National Park was ridiculously rough — I was certain my fillings were going to shake out. And, I believe Peter later referred to it as the “Serengeti massage”. To travel here in any ordinary vehicle would be nearly impossible.

The endless migration of Land Cruisers made the 2 hour drive an exercise in patience. Every time a vehicle passed, we would close all of the windows for a few seconds to limit the amount of dust we inhaled. We did this a couple times per minute during most of the drive. And despite our attempts, we all had nasal passages that were literally packed with dirt.

A few miles into the Serengeti National Park we arrived at the Naabi Hill park office to take care of another permit. The location was set up perfectly as a picnic area and had a fantastic vantage point look out over the Serengeti.

Red-Headed Agama

Continuing further into the park, it was apparent as to how it was named. Serengeti mean “endless plains” in the Massai language. The terrain in many places went from the golden brown to a charcoal black as controlled burns have been used to allow the new green grass shoots to take root and gain exposure to the sun.

Despite the wide open spaces, animals could be seen everywhere.

Grant’s Gazzelle

Hartebeest

Kori Bustard, Africa’s largest flying bird

Black-backed Jackal

Spotted Hyena

The Dik-Dik is a miniature antelope growing up to 17″ tall.

Driving around the outcrops of large mounds of boulders in search of big cats, Taylor asked, “Is that real? Or is that a sculpture carved in stone?” What the…? Blending in perfectly by color and shape was an elephant standing up on the hill. Peter said he’d seen tracks leading up there before, but never actually caught the animal in the act.

We had the good fortune of coming upon a male and female lion in the process of courting. They eventually mated as a half dozen trucks were parked within gawking distance. It is unusual to see this as it isn’t necessarily mating season.

The scene actually was double feature — lion porn to the east and the most amazing sunset to the west.

We ended our long day at the Serengeti Wild Camp. We had two tents that were outfitted with mosquito netted beds, private hot showers and private toilets. As camping goes, this was true luxary. “Glamping”, perhaps.

Tanzania, Travel

Tanzania – Day 5 – Tarangire National Park

July 30, 2016 D. Chris Klompstra 2 Comments

This morning was another early rise. Peter, from Agama Tours, picked us up promptly at 7 am. Our vehicle, an extended Toyota Land Cruiser outfitted with a removable top and plenty of sliding windows for proper wildlife viewing. These Land Cruisers are the only vehicles tough enough for the rugged terrain of the Serengeti.

After a quick stop within the city of Arush to pick up some bottled water and other provisions, we headed out toward Tarangire National Park. The drive was a little long so we passed the time by sight-seeing, writing, sudoku and napping.

Driving west on a well paved, asphalt highway we began to see the vast open spaces of the Tanzanian grasslands. You might expect a lot of green, but because we are in the dry season all of the ground cover is a light yellowish tan broken up by sage colored shrubs and small trees. At this point, since we are still a distance from the parks, we have not yet seen any wild animals. Only frequent herds of cows usually led by a Massai teenagers.

On this first day of our safari we were joined by a good looking young couple who are out for just a 1 day excursion. Minel (Spain) and Bruna (Portugal) were a couple of medical students who are spending a month volunteering their time in local villages.

As we entered the Tarangerie National Park, the nations sixth largest national park, we were all brimming with excitement to see some real wildlife. The first animal we happened upon was a lonely old wildebeest. Wow! We took nearly a hundred pictures and joked that he had a rope holding him there just for our viewing. Peter must have been laughing inside for he knew better of what was to come.

And yes, there was so much more to come. I really was expecting most of the wildlife to be elusive and difficult to find, but that is furthest from the truth. For the next several hours, we were inundated with new and exciting scenes at every turn.

Here are some of the notable pictures of the animals and scenery as we saw them: