If you watch the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel or PBS, you are almost certain to have witnessed some of the most fascinating documentaries ever made featuring the wildlife in Tanzania. This is because Tanzania includes the Ngorogoro crater and the Serengeti, two of the most incredible wildlife habitats left on earth. Here you can see wildlife relatively unchanged from millions of years ago. While I have no interest in climbing it, Mount Kilimanjaro is also located there. Tanzania is the home of "Lucy" a pre-hominid found in the Olduvai Gorge. On this trip our group visited Ngorogoro crater, the plains of Serengeti, Olduvai gorge, Tarangire National Park, and Lake Manyara in a period of ten dawn to dusk days.
[Experienced travelers can skip the following paragraph.] We utilized the services of Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris [address and phone provided upon request]. There are certainly other excellent companies that provide similar excursions. In general, I would recommend that for most travelers, selecting a reputable travel group is of paramount importance if you wish to maximize the pleasure and knowledge gained from such an adventure. Different groups have different approaches, and you should be certain to take your own desires into consideration before you select a group to travel with. Do you wish to focus almost entirely on birds? Are you interested in the native peoples and their way of life? Perhaps you are more interested in delicious food, a comfortable bed at night, and haute cuisine? Most agencies providing travel itineraries will be glad to describe their approach to this sort of travel. Not paying attention to what YOUR needs are can lead to a very unhappy camper. The company we selected generally emphasizes a very concentrated effort to see every bird and beast the area offers. Make sure that the leader(s) of the trip are knowledgeable about the wildlife you are most interested in. A person with a mild interest in wildlife and a strong interest in rest and relaxation would not have been very happy traveling with our group. In fact, on most of the trips I have gone on there have been get-togethers of the travelers before the trip takes place. This way if you find the people you are to travel with are to your liking. If not, you can cancel. Even the best of trips can leave you weary at the end, and it is often wise to add at least two to three days on to your vacation to relax after you return home. Make the period of time before you travel valuable by learning something about where you are visiting and what you will see. Most agencies will provide lists of birds and mammals seen on previous trips to the area you are planning to visit. Make your selection carefully. Enough said.
Due to the most terrible airline screwup I have ever experienced in my 35 years of traveling about the globe, we missed the first two days of our safari. Nevertheless, we saw so much in the time we did spend in Tanzania, that I didn't return thinking I had missed anything of importance. We arrived in Nairobi, Kenya at about two in the morning. We thus had to travel the stretch of road from Nairobi to Arusha in darkness. This stretch of road sometimes features unexpected stops by armed bandits during daylight hours, so some in our party were even more anxious about traveling at night. I told myself that the bandits were probably asleep at three in the morning and that we were probably safer traveling at night. We hid our money and passports in a "secret compartment" in the van we took to Arusha and arrived safe and sound in Arusha about 7:30 in the morning. On the way we saw zebra, a genet, and many gazelles crossing the road and illuminated by our headlights. When dawn arrived we saw a number of beautiful birds and numerous other wildlife along the roadway. After we arrived at Arusha we were given a delightful breakfast by the family that runs Wildersun Travel, the local agency that provided the drivers and vehicles we used for the remainder of the trip. I had to leave behind my huge bag [already nicknamed `baby rhino' by the unfortunate souls who had to deal with this Samsonite Leviathan]. I did just fine on what I transferred to a zippered nylon "salami" bag. This included gobs of batteries for my cameras and toys. The "toys" included a Garmin GPS-45 [GPS = global positioning system] which was brought along so I would know with exactitude [within about 150 feet] my position expressed in latitude and longitude anywhere on earth. This could prove of value on the seemingly featureless veldt. I also brought along a Grundig Yachtboy 400 shortwave receiver and a digital tape recorder to make recordings of Radio Tanzania, Radio Uganda, and Radio Kenya, all of which I can not hear on my shortwave at home [just one more hobby!]. Now add two Nikons, four zoom lenses, a "night vision" scope, fifty rolls of film, binoculars, Collins animal and bird guides, various books to read at night [what a joke!], countless AA cells, flashlights, clothes, etc. and I still had a lot to haul. I never learn!
After the breakfast we boarded our vehicles. This consisted of two Toyota 4WD vehicles and a single Nissan Land Cruiser [2WD]. These vehicles are modified specially for the very strenuous conditions they face while traveling in Tanzania. Modifications include enhanced suspension, two very large fuel tanks, and the obligatory roof top that opens so travelers can stand erect and photograph the wildlife with maximum ease and visibility. We spent hours crossing stretches of open plain, roads with potholes like the Grand Canyon, and dry ruts where other vehicles had passed before. The selection of an accomplished driver is essential for your health, happiness, comfort and the amount of wildlife you will see. Ours were all more than up to the task cut out for them. They all knew with almost total accuracy the name of every furred and feathered creature we encountered. Their ability to spot a cheetah hidden in the grass hundreds of meters distant, or the tell tale leopard tail drooping from a tree that we would have mistaken for a dead branch left us greatly impressed. We saw other groups whose drivers were not so gifted. One was continuously getting his vehicle stuck, and appeared to barely be able to discern a elephant from a tsetse fly [more on these nasties in a bit!]. Our group leader, Doug Cheeseman, had brought along three long range "walkie talkies". These proved invaluable for our safety and in letting the other drivers know if someone had found something of special interest. I think ours was the only group that had them, but apparently they have proven so useful that the native outfitters will soon make them a standard add-on to their vehicles. Even the best of these vehicles may experience a breakdown, and while a night alone on the veldt might prove interesting, this is probably an experience most visitors could gladly live without. I expect that GPS units will also become commonplace in the years ahead. While we basically traveled in a group, it was not unusual for us to be completely out of sight of each other for some portions of the trip. My GPS unit failed to work at all. It worked fine at home, and even though I switched it to the proper "maps" for Tanzania, it was a complete bust. Since I got back home it works fine!
Each vehicle sits five passengers and a driver comfortably. The only disadvantage is that if you select the front seat adjoining the driver [the most comfortable on these sometimes coccyx busting rides!], your photographic opportunities are severely limited.
A couple of hours after we left Arusha we arrived at Tarangire National Park. Since our trip was made in mid-February, the park was in its most verdant green and covered by lush foliage. By July this will be a dusty golden grassed arena. Living in California, this is quite the norm for me. At the entrance to the park we were able to get out while the driver registered and enjoy some of the wildlife. The most incredible bird we first saw at close quarters was the Splendid Starling. This multi-colored bird's feathers shrieked in tropical brilliance. How sad that Europeans hadn't brought these birds instead of the drab European species of starling to the United States.
It is necessary to add that we were almost never permitted out of the vehicles. The only exceptions were park entrances and a carefully scouted kopjes [pronounced "copy" - an outcropping of rock and vegetation clumped here and there across the endless plains]. Several kopjes featured lions, thus the scouting was a wise precaution. When we found a "safe" kopje, we would get out and eat lunch. The drivers were very careful not to allow any transgressions, as their job depended on their keeping us safe. A while back, there was a case of a seventy year old who ignored the rules and was killed by an African buffalo. This ain't Kansas! The wildlife generally seemed to dismiss these tourist vehicles with utter disdain. You could approach almost any of the large mammals without it seeming to bother them. I should stress, most of the time. A talk with any driver reveals there are times when an elephant, rhino, buffalo, or whatever may decide you are a threat and act accordingly. Pray for a driver with quick reflexes and a good first gear when this happens!
We had barely entered the park when we witnessed a huge herd of elephants. Their number was estimated at between 350 and 700. My vehicle soon found itself flanked by these behemoths as they crossed the road ahead and behind the vehicle. One large youngster seemed to dislike our presence, trumpeted, made a threatening gesture and then went about its business leaving us untouched. There is no doubt in my mind that it could have easily flipped our vehicle if it felt so inclined. In this park alone we saw the majority of the animals we would encounter on this trip. Elephant, African buffalo, giraffe, and antelopes of all sorts. One drawback was there were areas where we did encounter the "dread" tsetse [pronounced `set see' not `seat see'] fly. This little bugger can deliver a very nasty bite, right through thick socks or clothing. One bit me on my ankle through heavy socks almost a month ago, and the scab and raised flesh are still there and easily seen today. These flies flood into the car as you stop to see something of interest and disappear when the car is moving again. Fortunately they seem to occur in patches and bothered us a relatively small percentage of the time. To the best of my knowledge they can, and sometimes do, carry a trypanosome that causes African sleeping sickness. We were told that the wild animals have pretty much developed and immunity to them, and that their presence is actually beneficial as it keeps humans from attempting to settle and develop the areas where they exist. Still, this "advantage" is difficult to appreciate as one sinks its probe into your tender flesh injecting you with god knows what.
As sunset approached we reached the "hotel", aka lodge, where we would spend the night. A few words about lodging and meals on a safari in Tanzania. Most of the places we stayed were absolutely splendid in appearance. They featured architecture that fit in nicely with surroundings. The rooms themselves rank right up there with Motel $6. The meals were generally good to very good [especially when you were hungry]. Generally there was not much to select from during any given meal. I think all our breakfasts were buffet style. Just don't expect world class cuisine. I almost always drank the "bottled water". Towards the end of the trip I talked myself into saving a few dollars by drinking what we were assured was filtered rain water that had been boiled. Nobody else did. Now I still am suffering from what is probably some intestinal parasite [giardia, amoeba, etc.]. I am still waiting for the analysis results of samples sent off to a parasitologist. Very stupid on my part!
I haven't mentioned this, but we made a practice [most of us] of switching around seating positions and vehicle companions during the trip. This way we got to know each other better. Our trip featured people ranging in age from their early twenties to an octogenarian! I think the octogenarian had the most energy and the best stories to relate of the bunch. He had medical degrees from four different countries, and during World War II had even served in the French Foreign Legion. He had studied Greek and Latin for eight years as a youth and would occasionally start to recite Cicero if the situation warranted it. A real character and actively practicing his profession as a pathologist to this day! Most of these trips are tipped towards a clientele who were between forty and sixty years of age. Widening the spectrum almost always enhances the trip.
After our brief time in Tarangire National Park we left for the Ngorogoro crater. After what seemed like endless hours on the worst road on earth [it reached this condition because of recent rains] we finally neared the rim of the crater and headed for our lodging. After dropping off our bags and briefly checking our rooms, we went back to the vehicles and descended into the crater for a couple of hours of wildlife viewing before darkness set in. The crater lived up to its reputation both in natural beauty [mottled patches of shadow and light across a vast grass plain spotted with thousands of ungulates]. The huge herds interspersed with predators. Wildebeest were everywhere and many were either giving birth or had given birth in the last few days. While this is the time predators fatten themselves with easy prey, we didn't see a single kill being made. The relationship between the vehicles we traveled in and the animals was a bit unsettling to me. In almost all cases they seemed to acknowledge your presence while seeming to completely ignore it. I think something very real is lost here. I would often think back to some years ago when humans actually crossed this land on foot or in wagons. In fact, my first thoughts were of white people crossing this land. This says a lot, because it totally ignores the people who had lived here for thousands of years before. Much of the skills they had to develop to survive this arena certainly must have developed in the same evolutionary sense that we see so readily accepted in documentaries we see on the "nature" channels. The impact of the white man is certainly greater on some tribes than others. The "successful" ones now make money by catering to the needs of people like ourselves. Perhaps the best of them make use of the incredible insights they have into the animals behavior which they have developed over the eons as they search them out for us. The drivers we had seemed to me to exhibit some of the "natural" resentment to the Masai [or Masaai, if you prefer].
The Masai, we are told, are a tribe whose whole lives center around the cattle they raise. In one sense they seem to think the cattle are "divine" [yet they will kill them for blood, religion, meat or whatever]. A Masai man's worth is reputedly measured in how many cattle, or wives, he possesses. Also the Masai were once a warrior tribe and made short shrift of most of the other tribes now kowtowing to the visitors. In any event we often would hear how the Masai [supposedly in error] had rejected the values of education and commerce as we understand it. Anyone who honestly evaluates the "white man's" values, knows that, at least in the United States, to a very great extent our "national" respect is based on how many BMW's [the white man's equivalent of a cow], or how much money [aka power or fame] one has. Now in my mind this is in no intrinsic sense any better [or worse] than that of the Masai's beliefs. In fact, I much prefer the Masai who have the basic good sense to not so readily surrender their beliefs as those who are so certain that "success" lies in imitating the ways of the white visitors [I saw NO African Americans in any of the groups we came across]. The Masai I saw had a very real physical and psychological majesty to them. In our one quick stop-off at a Masai village, they danced and traded with us. We were quickly reduced to the fools they must think we are. People who should know better would buy a trinket worth perhaps three dollars for $20! I hate to think how much we paid for their brief performance where the males chanted and leaped in the air [just like a memorable scene in King Solomon's Mines for you older readers]. If you attempted to take their picture without paying them, you could get in trouble. One time I saw a Masai outlined against the sky on a hill at about 200 meters distance and took a quick picture. He was at our van in an instant and wanted money from me. Sometimes I have a stubborn, call that stupid, streak in me. I wasn't going to pay him a cent. I don't know what our driver said to him, but we left abruptly, and I got the lecture about not taking their picture. I didn't give him a plug nickel. I'm probably lucky he didn't shove a "simi" [the spear they use, or used to use, to spear a lion] through my arrogant body. I'm glad I didn't pay him, as I just don't like this sort of agreed upon deference to such blackmail. Mine is a minority opinion.
If I had wanted to, I might have bested them in the trade. One Masai had some sort of "native" mask [probably made in Taiwan!] that he wanted $85 U.S. for. I had a fake Swiss Army knife hanging from my jacket. These must be in great demand and he couldn't tell my $5.99 fake from the real thing. Nope, I wouldn't trade him.
Luckily, this is the last I will comment on the foul "civilization" I viewed in those brief moments in the city or countryside. I came here to see the four legged or feathered wildlife and will leave the other sorry state of modern day Africa to the sociologists, and other misguided souls.
We saw and approached at ridiculously close distance to almost all the animals we encountered. The exceptions were the hippos, rhinos, and leopards. I might include the African buffalo in this category, but they seemed to fall into an intermediate category. One could sense the brutal and incredible power and possibly resentment the buffalo exhibited. I couldn't help but admire them for this attitude. In one incident we witnessed a pool filled with hippos. We were told not to cross a barrier which consisted of some very easily crossed logs. Another group of visitors approached and immediately crossed this "barrier" and neared the pool's edge. The hippos immediately became agitated and some approached the shore line and made menacing movements. In what I was later told was behavior exhibited by the "alpha" or head hippo, he turned his behind towards us, let loose a spray of loose feces, agitated the fecal mess with his tail and grunted menacingly. Its closest parallel in human behavior is that of a modern day CEO as he "downsizes" employees who have worked at his company for years.
Perhaps the animal that most impressed me was the one I had least expected to. The giraffe. These creatures have a very special majesty to them. Their coat is amazingly rich in appearance, especially compared to those poor beasts captured in the zoo. Someday I hope we will view zoos in the same light as we now do the practice of slavery. Despicable. The worst nature documentary ever filmed has more to offer someone who has a true interest in animals than the best zoo, and I have seen more zoos than I can count. The reason I say this is that it is only by visiting a place like the Serengeti or Ngorogoro crater can you even begin to sense the incredible wonder of this country and its wildlife. People who think otherwise are probably more in awe of some wretched plastic replica of the Matterhorn that they might find in Disneyland than the real thing. As controlled as our trip was, at least you get some sense of the immense wonder, the smells, and the atmosphere of a land best visited by as few as possible. I hope if you visit there you will undergo some unpleasant experience that will make you think that seeing such an incredible place should entail some degree of difficulty.
Other highlights. I did manage to see [only by using the "night scope"] a ratel, a wolverine like beast with a foul temper and anal exudate to match. If bothered, they are reputed to go for the scrotum, be you buffalo, lion, leopard, or tourist. Now that is an animal best seen at a distance! They have even been known to flatten the tires of tourist vehicles whose presence annoys them.
I saw two pairs of copulating lions, and of all the creatures I came across, I liked the lions the least. I have never liked cheetahs till I saw the real thing. An incredible creature which I could only appreciate in its native state. I won't bother you readers with endless descriptions, but must add to see, hear and smell the raucous cries of bird and beast reducing some carcass to ribbons is an awe inspiring and terrible event. The 1,000 plus pictures I took have been reduced to some 70 or so pictures, and I hope that they will in some small way pass on some of what we saw to those that see them.
I'm not sure if I ever want to return. I hate to think of how the place will end up if too many visit. Already the Aga Khan is erecting some villa for the well-heeled to stay in while waiting for daylight and a chance to bother the hippos in nearby Lake Manyara Park. If Mr. Khan ever has to drive on the road from the villa to the hippo pool, he'll probably fly in a team of road workers and turn this "E" class ride it into a four lane concrete highway. Perhaps the greatest and most encouraging story I heard was how Jimmy Carter [the peanut farmer and one time president of the USA] managed to come up with some huge amount of money to pave a similar road. I am glad to say the money and the idea disappeared into the great cavernous money lined pocket of some African "leader", who in short circuiting this bit of do goodism, did more for Africa than can ever be measured. Take my advice. Stay home and watch it on the Discovery channel unless you are driven by a need as great as a salmon's to return to its birthing ground. I don't want to encourage the destruction of this great land by encouraging you to visit.
Tom Roach
troach@ix.netcom.com