Tanzania Travel Notes

Tanzania Travel Notes
Sept 2004

I promised several friends that I would put together some travel notes on my return from East Africa. I had two weeks of meetings and one week of holidays in Tanzania at the end of Aug and early September this year (2004), plus one weekend on the coast of Kenya. It was a fabulous visit, thanks to friends who gave me leads on places to visit and travel companies, and aTanzanian friend who hosted me.

Kilimanjaro
We stayed at a lovely small hotel at the foot of Kilimanjaro called Marangu[1]. We managed a half-day hike up to the first hut (and back down- quite a half day!). Most of the route to this first hut is in lush forest with ferns, vines, and occasional monkeys. The trees get smaller close to the hut. One can hike a further .8 km to a viewpoint where on a clear day you can see the Masai Mara of Kenya, and Mawenzi, the smaller peak of Kilimanjaro.

Kili is not cheap to climb. Park fees are around $75usd per day (this includes staying at the huts), plus the cost of porters and guides. Most routes take 5 days. There is snow all year round at the top, and many people get altitude sickness. Canadians should beware that this is not a lonely backcountry mountain experience. Striking and diverse scenery, but the huts are crowded with people.

Arusha and Game parks
Our Arusha meeting site was outside of town close to another mountain- Mt. Mehru[2]. On the last day I went for an afternoon walk and discovered the loveliest lodge where we stopped to have a drink. Ngare Sero[3] is close to Mt. Mehru, about 10km outside Arusha. Early German settlers established this small family-run lodge 50 years ago. The lodge is decorated with local art, and sits in peaceful and beautiful grounds above a trout pond. One can walk on paths through the trees to nearby villages. Arusha itself didn’t seem particularly interesting- a jumping off point for the game parks. We stayed at a very reasonably priced (and basic) Catholic guesthouse called ‘Spiritan’ close to the International Criminal Courts.

I finally managed to find a tour company who could offer me a group game park tour to join[4], (the price of a game park trip for an individual is prohibitive) and I signed up for a 3-day/2-night camping excursion to Tarangire, Manyara, and Ngorongoro. Due to circumstances I ended up with a guide and cook to myself, which was such a treat. The guide’s name was Amani, and I can highly recommend him- pleasant, knowledgeable, good sense of humour, and most importantly- a good eye for spotting game. You might want to check what kind of vehicle the safari company plans to use, and make sure it is a 4X4 with a roof opening. I saw some folk in vans that only had regular side windows, which is a limitation you should not have when viewing is the priority.

I went the economical way, which was to stay in regular campgrounds outside the parks. The first campground close to Manyara was fine but crowded and uninspiring. The second campground was above Manyara and on the way to Ngorongoro. It was more basic, but was in a peaceful and beautiful setting in the countryside, with a lovely dirt road leading to a view of the valley below.[5] One option to ask about is camping areas in the parks themselves. I was told it is possible to set up a tent in a designated area, if you pay a park guard (with a big gun) to stay with you. This is just a clearing, with absolutely no services. Note, this is in contrast to the luxury tent-camps that can be even more expensive than the luxury lodges. Depends on what kind of experience you are interested in!

Tarangire is two hours from Arusha. It is known as an elephant park but it has a real diversity of animals, and lots of Baobab trees. There is a river running the length of the park and in dry season the animals congregate nearby. Tarangire Safari Lodge sits on a high escarpment overlooking a length of the river. We were extremely fortunate in Tarangire to see two separate prides of lions, both just a few metres from our vehicle. The first pride slowly ambled across the road right in front of us, and the second pride lolled in the bush right at the side of the road, next to their recent kill.

Manyara is 3 hours from Arusha, and close to Ngorongoro and is much smaller, with lush green forest vegetation, but more tranquil, and with more birds. It borders lake Manyara, which is the home of thousands of flamingos, which create a horizon of pink in the distance. Because Manyara is smaller and less popular, there are considerably less vehicles- a pleasant change. One can stop at Gibbs Farm (a coffee plantation with a restaurant and guesthouse) on the way to or from Ngorongoro if you have time.

Ngorongoro Park
Although each game park is unique and worth a visit, it was Ngorongoro that most captivated me. My colleague describes it as:
one of the most dramatic places to visit on the planet. The decent road is a bit harrowing but being on the crater floor is remarkable. The crater wall (actually the mountain ring of a Cordillera) surrounds you. The animal population is rich and fairly stable as there is less migration in and out of the crater. All plains animals are in the crater, and the plain region of the park is home to large herds of wildebeest and zebra.

We got to the park gate quite early to make the most of the day. As we drove the long drive to start the descent into the crater, we were engulfed by a dense fog. It was indeed harrowing, as on-coming trucks would suddenly appear from the mist, barreling toward us. I despaired that we would see anything that day. However Amani, the guide, assured me that it would clear as soon as we started the descent, and he was right. It was a magical moment to turn a corner, stop the car, and watch the mist slowly start to lift, revealing the most dramatic sight of a vast flat plain with a lake shimmering in the distance. Hearing the bells of the cows (calling ‘ngoro-goro’) herded by the Masai boys in their bright red wraps and beads added to the magic. It was breathtaking.

Lushoto
I then took the local milk-run bus to Lushoto. It was a long, hot day in an over-packed bus that had two flat tires and ran almost 3 hours late. But as we left the main highway on the last leg of the journey, and wound our way high up into the lush green mountains, it all became worthwhile. I discovered this stunning region by grace of a Tanzanian friend who has a retreat/home in the area. The Lushoto region is a biosphere reserve high up in the mountains, supporting a diversity of plant and insect life that rivals the Amazon (or so they claim). There are many walks or mountain bike trails through temperate rainforest and local villages. I met a fellow who has started a tour company, and though I did not have time to do any tours with him, he did have some interesting interactive programs.[6] Each plateau of fields grows a different type of crop due to the slight change in altitude. We went to a spectacular viewpoint called Irente that offers a panorama view of the plains below, stretching toward Dar, and in the other direction the mountains and rainforests of Lushoto.A hotel is just being built here. There is also a tiny campground and canteen perched precariously on the terraced mountainside. Lushoto region has several small retreat/lodges in the mountains, used by those escaping the heat and noise of Dar. One particularly charming lodge is the Mullers Mountain Lodge[7] It is fairly secluded, several km from the town (except for its closest neighbor- the president of Tanzania). They can bring you there from the town of Lushoto, and they will also organize local sightseeing (walks in the mountains, rainforests, bird-watching…).

Zanzibar
I took a 15 minute flight from Dar to Zanzibar (rather than a 1.5 hour ferry- same price) Zanzibar is called the ‘Spice Island’ and is known for the diversity of spices that grow. It is also infamous for being the East Africa gateway for the slave trade. It was controlled by a Sultan from Oman until recently.
I thoroughly enjoyed the spice tour. A young Zanzibaré man generally accompanies you, in addition to the tour guide. The young fellow brings flowers and spices, leaves to smell and fruit to taste, and makes amazing baskets and hats out of the Coconut leaves.

The second day I went up Island on a boat trip to 'swim with the dolphins'. That was a trip highlight. Our small boat would approach a school of dolphins as close as it could, and we would jump over the edge with scuba gear, and swim toward them. During one foray a mother and baby were curious about me and let me get so close I almost touched them. They then swam off and led me toward a school of 15 or so dolphins. It was magical!

It is important to note that Zanzibar is 99% Moslem, and fairly conservative, so women should keep this in mind when selecting travel clothes. It would be a nice combination to spend a couple of days in Stonetown, which is a fascinating and historical place, and a couple of days up-Island at a beach resort closer to snorkeling and diving. I stayed at the Tembo House Hotel[8], which I found absolutely charming- a former residence of a wealthy trader that has maintained the Arabic architecture (and the Moslem prohibition on alcohol). It appears to be the best value for money in its category. It is half the price of the famous Emerson and Green[9], less than the Serena and considerably more interesting. But do your souvenir shopping in Dar if possible- much cheaper.

Tanzania is increasing in popularity, and so prices are also increasing and availability decreasing. Package tours may be cheaper to organize from Nairobi. Masaii Mara Game Park adjoins the Serengeti on the Kenya side of the border, which means tours from Nairobi can cover both parks; Zanzibar package trips are definitely cheaper to book from Nairobi. All in all it was a remarkable (but not cheap) vacation, with a great diversity of experiences.
Kenya
For game parks, Maasai Mara has the best game, and Amboseli is beautiful with Mt. Kili.
The Mt. Kenya area is gorgeous and I'd recommend the Aberdare Country Club and the Ark (combined places around an hour apart; the Ark a lodge built over a watering hole).
Then for the coast, Jadini is a reasonable hotel on the South Coast,
Diani Beach,and Lamu is certainly worth seeing if you can do it.

We stayed at the Galu Sea Lodge (Diani Beach- about an hour from Mombassa)
Hugh and Magdalena Rule are the delightful managers.
galusealodge@hotgossip.co.ke
cell- (+254) (0) 734 63 23 37

Travel Agent: Daniel at Maniago Travel (+254) (0) 20 444-9461 Cel: 0733-22 94 84


Animals we saw in Tanzania Game Parks:


Of the Big 5:
Elephant
Lion
Cape Buffalo
[and Cheetah- not one of the Big 5, but rare to spot]

the little 5 (I made this up)
Dwarf antelope (Dik Dik)
Thompsons’ Gazelle
Mongoose
Marita lizard
Baby baboons


And herds/groups of…
Giraffe
Hippo
Wildebeest
Zebra
Impala +harem


And…
Ostrich
warthog
reebuck
waterbuck
Bushbuck
Baboons
Jackal
Hyena
Wild boar
Colobus monkeys
Vervet monkeys




[1] Marangu Hotel, Kilimanjaro
email- marangu@africaonline.co.tz
They also equip for Kili treks
Africaonline is also a good website for travel info
[2] TCDC, or the’Danish’ mstcdc@mstcdc.or.tz ph (+255) 27 2553472
[3] Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge: (+255) (0) 27-255-3638
ngare-sero-lodge@habari.co.tz
www.ngare-sero-lodge.com
[4] Wonders of Creation email: info@wonderfultours.com Simon or Edger
[5] Dotcom Moyo Hill Camp (Paulo William Moyo) ph (+255) 27-275 4104
email kiran@dotcomsafaris.com

[6] Usambara Company, Active Safaris: gonnah2003@yahoo.com ph (+255) 748-696731
[7] Mullersmoutainlodge@yahoo.com ph (+255) (0) 27 264-0204
[8] Zanzibar: Tembo House Hotel, email- tembo@zitec.org www.tembohotel.com $95 usd for a double room
[9] Emerson and Green: emerson&green@zitec.org anything@emerson-green.com www.emerson-green.com $165usd per double room