Safari in Northern Tanzania

RiverTrees Country Inn is located in the town of Usa River between Kilimanjaro airport and Arusha. It is a good place to stay for visits to Arusha National Park, the town of Arusha, Mt. Meru and for tours of nearby villages.
What we will always remember about our stay is the gardens, the monkeys we saw in the trees in the morning, and the two biggest owls (giant Verreaux Eagle Owls) we have ever seen or ever expect to see.
The staff, especially in the restaurant, were always friendly and helpful and they served the best desserts we had on our safari. The owner and staff also went out of their way to arrange a special visit to a local church service for us.
Our only slight complaint is that the one table fan barely got us through our first night in Tanzania after arriving from a much colder climate.

Ng'iresi is one of several villages in the general Arusha area that offer tourists the possibility of experiencing something of local life beyond the usual safari attractions. It's a good option, since most visitors are unlikely to just drive into a local village, start walking around, and really experience daily life. In Ng'iresi, people expect and welcome tourists, and generally go about their normal activities. So don't expect any staged Maasai warrior dances.

The reason village residents welcome tourists is that part of the tour fees go towards supporting their primary school. The head of the village, Mzee Loti, will tell you this story as you are offered tea and coffee in his home. It's a modestly furnished home by western standards, but the best in the village and contains a Sony television. There's the opportunity to make an additional donation to the village and to buy souvenirs made by the local women. As we realized later during our trip, the prices were quite reasonable and there was no sales pressure.
(NOTE: "Mzee" is a Swahili title of respect for old, and presumably wise, men. I can't think of an English equivalent. It's about ten levels above "old geezer".)

We had a guide to show us through the village, a tour that took about two hours. For the first half of the tour, we were followed by a boy who was probably 4 or 5 years old. I wondered if a child that young could roam so freely in any of our "developed" countries.

We started by heading down the road we had driven in on, with our guide pointing out plants, cultivation methods, and explaining the size of the fields and their boundaries. Along the way, we spotted the biggest (maybe the only) chameleon I've ever seen. (See picture.) We eventually reached the school and went inside the local church. Our return was on local footpaths and included a visit to a family compound, including a mud-walled rondeval. We entered and saw the cooking fire in the middle and the 3-foot mud wall that separates the human inhabitants from the cattle at night. Soon we were back at Mzee Loti's house.

If you want to visit Ng'iresi or experience a similar cultural program, ask to travel agent or tour operator to include it in your schedule when you are in the Arusha area. We took a half-day tour, but full-day tours that include more hiking on the slopes of Mt. Meru, are also offered

Arusha National Park is too often missed by tourists eager to get out of Arusha and on to some of the bigger name parks, like Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. We can compare Arusha NP to three of the others just mentioned and are glad we did not miss it. It's worth an extra night in Arusha and will only take a half-day for a complete tour.
The unique and interesting colobus monkeys and blue monkeys are two animals we saw only in Arusha. We also saw more flamingos and from a much closer distance than anywhere else on our trip. Another close-up experience we had involved two grey-crowned cranes and their recently hatched offspring. Yes, we saw flamingos and cranes elsewhere, but not like at Arusha. Birders will also be able to add to their lists here.
You can also arrange to go canoeing in Arusha NP. We did and, of course, it turned out to be during the only downpour we experienced on our whole trip! That cut short our plan to search out the hippos.

Plantation Lodge is located in the hills near Karatu, Tanzania and may be used as a place from which to visit Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. Karatu itself offers a number of roadside souvenir shops, banks, and a supermarket.
The lodge is composed of separate cottages spread through a beautiful landscape of expanses of green grass, flowers, plants and various trees. It provides an outdoor pool, a very good restaurant, internet service and an interesting bar with a view into the underground wine cellar.
What sets Plantation Lodge apart is the combination of friendliness and efficiency with which it is run. The staff from the owner, Renate, down to the leaf raker out in the gardens were invariably friendly and helpful.
Try Plantation if you want to avoid the main tourist hotels and want a more relaxed, peaceful setting.

Ngorongoro Crater is classified as a World Heritage Site and appears on top 10 lists of the world's greatest natural wonders. But it's often number 10. It's probably not as impressive as the Grand Canyon, which I have not seen. It's not even as scenic as Bryce Canyon, which I have seen. But Bryce Canyon doesn't have lions, zebras, wildebeests, elephants and hyenas roaming around it either. Consequently, the Crater is both an interesting geological formation measuring about 8 miles in diameter and and a unique wildlife habitat.

There are two entrance roads into the Crater. One is at the Sopa Lodge; the other one that most people use has an iron gate across it topped by on old water buffalo skull. The hand-written sign says you must be out of the Crater by 6PM. (I'm not sure what happens if you're not, but you probably don't want to find out.)

We took an afternoon trip into the Crater and one the next morning. The road into the Crater is VERY rutted and it can take a half-hour or more to make the descent. Near the bottom you will see a giant acacia tree with many weaver-bird nests hanging from it and you might also see a Secretary Bird and nest on the top. (I'm thinking they should now be called Administrative Professional birds!)

On our morning tour we were the first vehicle into the Crater and it was nice to drive around and not see any other tourists for awhile. The animals also seemed more energetic, including a galloping herd of zebras heading for the water hole and a herd of over 30 elephants, some of which were playfully jousting. This was also the only time we saw a rabbit on our safari. So if you can only go once, try to do it in the early morning.

Yes, apparently some people complain the Crater is like a zoo. But there are no fences and you would not want to get out and walk around - except at the hippo pool and picnic area where it is allowed. The animals are used to safari vehicles and ignore them and nobody feeds them so they don't approach the vehicles either - except some daring weaver birds at the picnic area. I really didn't think the animals in the Crater acted any differently than those at Lake Manyara or in the Serengeti. So what's more natural - for the animals to act like you're not there or for them to run in panic? I'll take being ignored.

What seems particularly amazing about the Crater is the number and diversity of animals living there and how a balance is maintained between predator and prey. And the flatness of the Crater floor allows you (or more likely, your guide) to spot animals from far away, including the rare black rhino. There is also an incredible diversity of birdlife. So, if you had only one day and one game park to visit in Northern Tanzania, Ngorongoro Crater should be your choice.

Made out of tens of thousands of river rocks and natural wood, the Ngorongoro Serena seems to fit well into its location on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. At the same time, its general luxuriness, including wonderful restaurant with a diverse menu and sumptuous buffets, and well-stocked gift shop, make it seem somewhat out-of-place with its surrounding land and people. Its a contradiction one may feel during a safari in Tanzania in general, but seems more evident at the Serena.
So, it you want to be pampered and stay at a luxury hotel, this is the place for you. If you want to feel a bit more part of the local scene, while still having more than adequate accommodations, you would do well to try Gibb's Farm or Plantation Lodge. Neither is on the crater rim, but both make up for it by having wonderful gardens and other views.

On the morning of February 20th, we left Ngorongoro Crater and, after a visit to Oldupai Gorge, headed towards the Serengeti Plains. Halfway to our destination, a half-mile thundering line of galloping wildebeests crossed the road in front of us.

We had chosen to stay in the area near the southeastern border of Serengeti National Park in the hopes of experiencing the Great Migration of some two million wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. In fact, if you go to the website of the lodge at which we stayed you'll see its February newsletter talks of safari vehicles "surrounded as far as the eye can see with wildebeests". Perhaps the herds took a few days' vacation at the time of our stay.

Yes, we saw many wildebeests and zebras, but no vast herds. What was unexpected instead was the large number of cheetahs and the variety of other animals and birds that we saw. It was probably a good tradeoff. Wildebeests are definitely not the most attractive looking animals, but cheetahs might be.

How many cheetahs we saw is unknown. Each one supposedly has its own unique pattern of spots, but we were not expert enough to know how many times we saw a particular cat over the course of three days. What we did see were individual cheetahs, two or three males hunting together, feasting cheetahs, and a cheetah stalking a herd of gazelles. And then there was the amazing experience of watching a mother cheetah guide her three cubs on a hunting trip. The survival of the species depends on the mothering skills of female cheetahs. They get no male parenting help and must provide for their cubs for 18 months, all the while protecting them from lions and hyenas.

I'm sure, being in only one area of the Serengeti, that it is impossible to appreciate what a vast area it is. The plains stretch to the distant horizon and beyond. It seems somewhat dry with rather sparse vegetation. Yet it supports a remarkable diversity of animals and bird-life. Over the course of our 10-day safari, we recorded over 100 species of birds and many of those were observed in the Serengeti.

It was indeed a privilege to see cheetahs and the other animals of the Serengeti in their natural habitat. It's a unique experience to feel like you are the intruder in a world that man does not and should not control. Our Serengeti experience confirmed the decision I arrived at over the course of our safari -- I never want to visit another zoo. I just want to remember the twinkle in an elephant's eye and the uncorrupted presence of the cheetah.

One thing is certain: The Serengeti changes you.

If you want to stay in a safari lodge in the southeastern area of the Serengeti Plain during the time of the Great Migration in February, then you have a choice: Ndutu Safari Lodge. It's your only choice. Another option is one of the tented camps that follow the migration. This option may provide a unique experience -- and may also be more expensive than the lodge. For our family, the lodge could more easily accommodate three people in one room.

Ndutu provides basic, clean accommodations in a rather remote and desolate location. Under the circumstances, it's unreasonable to expect anything more at a reasonable price. What you do get is the standard Tanzanian friendly service, a nice restaurant / bar area, and good food and drink. It's hard to complain about $2 beers and $4 glasses of wine.

And you may see a greater variety of wildlife on the lodge grounds than some people see on a half-day tour of the plains in other areas. In our case, we saw:

-- the weaver birds in the acacia trees
-- the dik-dik grazing under them
-- the rock martin building a nest where the wall and roof of the reception building meet
-- the mice scurrying along their trails at the entry from the parking lot
-- the glossy starling battling with a moth - and winning
-- the Fischer's lovebirds, mourning doves, and blue-capped cordon-bleus at the bird pond just outside the restaurant
-- the amethyst sunbird savoring the flowers on the aloe plants
-- the hyenas howling at night
-- the bat hanging from our bungalow roof to protect us from mosquitoes
-- the now infamous giant beetle referred to elsewhere
-- and, of course, the genet cats who inhabit the restaurant rafters at night and give the lodge its logo.

Are we watching them or are they watching us? We're the ones with the cameras!

We stayed at The African Tulip only for a day-room on the last day of our safari before heading in the evening to Kilimanjaro Airport. It was a perfect place to relax after our safari journey.

This is what would probably be called a boutique hotel - not very large and no more than 30 rooms - but very luxurious and modern. It was the first place in Tanzania we had a phone, an air conditioner, and a high-def television (or any TV) in our room. As was the case everywhere, the staff were helpful and friendly.

The African Tulip is located outside the center of Arusha, but within walking distance if you so choose. Although there was a restaurant on the premises, we decided to walk a couple of blocks in the other direction and go to lunch at the Impala Hotel. In doing so, we did not encounter any aggressive salesmen or "volunteers" to guide us.

The hotel is owned by the same company that runs Roy Safaris, whose offices are right next door. It should do well if it is as well run as the safari company.

At the beginning of our Tanzanian safari, we were at the tour company offices in Arusha when another tourist said, "Hey, if you need a place to eat, try the Indian restaurant at the Impala Hotel." At the end of our trip, we did just that for a late lunch. It was our best meal of the trip - although that opinion may be colored by the fact that all the lodges served pretty much the same standard fare and the Impala supplied something definitely different. The hotel also has several other restaurants - Chinese, Italian and Continental, I believe. I can only vouch for the Indian one.

The following are questions my wife and I wrestled with while planning our safari to Tanzania or that were asked upon our return. I will not be telling you to take your camera, binoculars, insect repellent and sunscreen. If you need that level of advice, you may want to skip the safari.

1. How do I pick a tour operator? Should I take a group tour? This is your most important decision. Pick the wrong tour operator and you could end up bumping around in an old minibus, staying in poor hotels, and not seeing everything you should.

Go online to get an idea of what's available, but don’t make your decision based on which website is the nicest. Use a travel agent experienced in Tanzania, talk to someone who’s been there, read guide books, and look for personal reviews like this one.

Our choice came down to going through a New York City-based travel agent or using an operator based in Arusha that was recommended in a recent guide book and who responded to emails. We went through the travel agent and are confident we made the right choice. Our Toyota Landcruiser was clean and new and we always saw other vehicles from the same operator in all the parks we visited. We never saw any vehicle from my internet alternative. Of course, quantity of vehicles is not a guarantee of tour quality, but it’s probably a good indicator.

Our tour operator was Roy Safaris and this is the only company I can personally recommend. I’m sure there are other good operators. Two companies we encountered that seemed to have numerous and well-maintained vehicles were Leopard Tours and Tropical Trails.

A word about group versus individual tours. Our 3-member family was very comfortable in our 6-seat Landcruiser. But we saw other vehicles containing 6 or 8 people that looked crowded and uncomfortable. Plan your own individual safari if you can. In a group, you may meet some nice people from Buffalo, but is that why you’re going?

2. What about Hotels? If you pick a good tour operator, you can be confident they will recommend lodges with which you will be satisfied. But you can also read reviews and visit lodge websites to get an idea of what you might like. Not everyone wants to stay in the 4-star overgrown lodge where most of the tour groups go. Perhaps you’d like to try a tent. If you have preferences, communicate them to your travel agent or tour company and ask their advice.

3. Long or Short? I wondered about this one a lot. Should I take short or long-sleeve shirts and shorts or long pants? I concluded I should take both kinds of shirts and primarily long pants. You may like to live in shorts. This is fine; you will just look more like a tourist. Tanzanian men mostly wear long pants. My wife and daughter wore mainly slacks as well. The appropriateness of the short or long-sleeved shirt seemed to depend on the weather.

4. What about bugs? I’m sure this answer depends on the time of year and the places you visit. As for me, I saw only one mosquito on our whole trip. Once we had a fly in our room(!). In the Serengeti, small non-biting flies were bothersome around mid-day, but they did not stay with the safari vehicle once we got moving and put on some bug spray. There was one incident where we were buzzed by a gigantic (OK, maybe 1.5 inch) beetle in the bar area, but the bartender came along and scooped him up in his hand and took him outside. Talk about bravery in the face of a wild animal!

5. Can we eat the food and drink the water? You will undoubtedly come to Tanzania with thoughts like: "I can’t eat a salad" and "I can’t have any drink with ice cubes". Well, we soon decided to eat the salads and only one family member missed a half-day trip due to an upset stomach – something that could happen anywhere. Most cold drinks were just chilled. And bottled water was readily available at meals, in our rooms, and in the Landcruiser.

That being said, I’m sure it depends on the quality of the restaurant and lodge. And nowhere would I drink water from the faucet at a lodge or even wet my toothbrush with it. I speak from the experience of another trip to Tanzania many years ago.

6. Should we get our visa before the trip or upon arrival? With some trepidation, I listened to the travel agent and decided to get our visas upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport. It went smoothly. Yes, we had to get in line, but so did everyone else who had visas and still needed to have their passports inspected. Just be sure to have the necessary U.S. dollars to pay for your visa and have it in new $50 bills. (Apparently, other bills are more likely to be counterfeit, at least in Tanzanian eyes.)

7. What about money matters in general? U.S. dollars and Tanzanian shillings can be used interchangeably in most circumstances (although not at par). The major exception is getting that visa at the airport.

So arrive with a good supply of U.S. currency, including small bills and $50 bills for the visa. All bills should, if available, be the new style with colors and larger images. Many banks in Arusha and even in Karatu have ATMs at which Tanzanian shillings can be obtained. Currency exchange offices exist and most lodges accept credit cards.

But travelers’ checks are almost useless. After our first lodge refused to accept them and Barclay’s Bank would not cash them, we were lucky our second lodge was willing to cash some for us.

8. What about gifts and tips? Restaurant workers and luggage carriers never seemed to me to be angling for a tip, but they were always happy to receive one. One of the best pre-trip investments I made was to buy a large supply of Obama campaign buttons. Occasionally I’d slip one into a waiter’s hand and he would not look at it right away. Thirty seconds later he’d come back saying "OBAMA! OH, THANK YOU!" If your politics will not allow you to hand out Obama buttons, then money will do fine.

DO NOT hand out candy, pens, pencils or any other gifts to children along the road or on the street. Your safari company will most likely advise you against this practice. Most of the children we passed would wave to us, but almost always with palms facing us, not outstretched for a handout. This is a good thing. If you want to bring gifts, visit a school or orphanage and give them to the headmaster.

9. Do people speak English? Everyone you encounter at a lodge, park office, or souvenir shop will probably speak English. And you will soon pick up the few words every tourist knows: Jambo! (Hello), Habari? (How are you? Literally, how’s the news?), Nzuri (Good -- as an answer to Habari?), and Asante sana (Thank you very much). If you take the time, as I did, to try to learn more than the basics, you will be glad you did. They’ll appreciate your effort to learn the language of their country and you’ll find yourself in more conversations with them (even if in English)

10. Weren’t you afraid of the animals? Did you get robbed? What were the tribes like? Isn’t Tanzania a very poor country? Why did you choose Tanzania? Some of these questions came from highly educated individuals and others indicate that the knowledge of Africa possessed by many Americans comes from old Tarzan movies.

The answer to the first two questions is "no" (except maybe for the giant beetle). The other questions and similar ones we received generally reflect the fact that people just want to know what Tanzania is like.

For me, Tanzania is a special country. It tries to live in peace with its neighbors and its people live in harmony with each other. Just like Americans, they complain a bit about their government and taxes and they have elections – similar to those we have in Chicago or Florida. And they try to protect wildlife and the environment.

Yes, Tanzania is a very poor country, but not one characterized by great disparities between rich and poor. Since independence, Tanzania has sought to develop as one people, together. If Tanzania is the first third world country you visit, you will notice the poverty, poor roads and dilapidated houses and buildings. If you have visited other underdeveloped countries, you will notice that people generally seem happy, that they appear to be hard working, and that, at least around Arusha, large-scale slums containing the worst living conditions do not exist. And if you take the time to know the people, you will find they are among the warmest and friendliest people anywhere.