One thing I had to do during my time in Tanzania was go on a Safari. I wanted to see with my own eyes what I’d seen on television and in books so many times before. I had booked a three-day trip that would take me to a local Maasai village, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Lake Manyara.
My trip started with a four-hour car ride from the volunteer house to the Maasai village. Here I met some of the local people, saw their homes, learned about their way of life and how they’re adapting to modern times. We met people from all over the village, from the chief with thirty wives to all the children, many of whom were working with the goats and cows. It was amazing to see such a different way of life with my own eyes. A personal highlight for me was seeing some Baobab trees with their vast water-storing trunks swelling to hold enough water to get through the dry season.
From the village, we continued in the car for a short while until we reached the campsite, our base for the next two nights. At the campsite, we were provided with brilliant food, a swimming pool and hot showers, making it the perfect place for us to recover from the days of game driving.
The next morning saw a relatively early start as we set off to reach the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This was the place I was most excited to see on my trip, as it is somewhere I studied extensively at school back in the UK. Having read about the area before visiting, I had high expectations, and these were instantly met as soon as we entered the large crater. The animals were everywhere, meaning that my guide, Ben, was constantly having to stop the car to let me observe and take photos of the stunning surroundings. By the time we stopped for lunch, I’d already seen four of the most famous animals in the park, the buffalo, lion, rhino and elephant. From the lunch spot, we drove back through the conservation area, getting up close and personal with more animals until we reached the viewpoint on the crater rim. Here we could see the entire crater in all its glory; it was undoubtedly worth all the driving!
On the way home, we stopped at some local shops, which allowed me to see regional products and even meet the people who made them, see their tools, and observe the processes that all the crafted items went through.
The final day began with a brief drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Here I was hoping to see giraffes and some elephants. Once again, I wasn’t disappointed. Soon after entering the park, we saw two male elephants fighting in the forest. Just around the corner from them, we were greeted by a herd of giraffes, and shortly after that, we saw a family of elephants, including a young calf, walking through the forest. Along with these animal sightings, we were treated to striking views of the lake and saw many of the local water birds. After this, we returned to the campsite for our final hot lunch and then drove back to Mosh.i
I would strongly encourage anybody visiting Tanzania to visit some of the safari spots and appreciate the animals in their natural habitats. A special thanks to my driver and guide, Ben. Without his experienced eye, I wouldn’t have even spotted half of the animals I managed to see!
