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SEE MOTHER NATURE'S ZOO ON SAFARI IN TANZANIA
Sept/Oct 2008
By Victor Block
As the four-wheel drive Land Cruiser bounces along a pockmarked dirt trail through the savanna, two lions casually cross directly in our path, their proud bearing befitting the King of Beasts. Beyond them, a hillside is dotted with countless zebra and wildebeast, grazing on the tall grass and glancing nervously at the large cats. Perched in the branches of an umbrella-shaped acacia tree, members of a family of baboons also multitask, observing the action below as they carefully pick insects from each other's fur.
Thus begins another day on safari in Tanzania. Whether marveling at the size of lumbering elephants up close, gazing at graceful giraffes as they nibble on tender treetop branches or excitedly watching as a sleek cheetah overtakes an antelope with a dazzling burst of speed, an animal-viewing excursion to Africa is many a traveler's once-in-a-lifetime dream trip.
Ernest Hemingway doubtless would scoff at the present version of a game drive. Shooting is done with cameras rather than guns. Rugged four-wheel drive vehicles provide transportation. And accommodations are in luxurious lodges, and comfortably furnished tents.
It didn't take long after my wife Fyllis and I began our excursion before we and our four safari mates were grabbing for our animal spotting checklist, which ranges from antelope to zebra, reaching for binoculars and fumbling with cameras. For many, the top priority is the opportunity to spot and photograph the "Big Five:" elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros and cape buffalo. We eventually were lucky enough to see all five beasts, an achievement we celebrated with a toast at dinner the last night.
Then there are the less familiar, if no less magnificent, species. Even city dwellers whose closest previous wildlife encounters have been with their dog or cat soon gain a nodding acquaintance with some of these more exotic types. After practice, Fyllis and I were able to distinguish a graceful Thomson's gazelle from the tiny dik-dik, and to notice differences between the hartebeest and the droll appearing wildebeest.
Our most successful encounters occurred in the Ngorongoro Crater. There, in an area of about 100 square miles, is a virtual microcosm of East Africa.
Just about every species of East African wildlife is found there, except for giraffes, which can't negotiate the sheer 2,000-foot steep surrounding walls. Another appeal Is that the crater encompasses examples of a variety of Africa's topographies, including grasslands, forests, hills, lakes, streams and swampland.
So vast are the concentrations of animals which make their home in that deep hollow that we could see and photograph the wealth of wildlife without the high-powered binoculars and long telephoto camera lenses that are required elsewhere. We paused almost in the shadow of a towering male elephant whose curving tusks nearly reached the ground, as an elephant "cow" and baby calf stood nearby. We gazed in wonder as a tawny lion crept noiselessly through the grass cover toward an unsuspecting gazelle, only to watch in evident disappointment as the anticipated dinner sprang away to safety at the last possible moment. And we chuckled as a half-dozen adolescent zebras cavorted around a water hole within a few feet of our vehicle.
Along with a visit to Mother Nature's zoo, a safari in Tanzania is a journey into a very different world in other ways. Our tour group passed near Mount Kilimanjaro, at 19,321 feet Africa's highest mountain and surely one of the most magnificent in the world. We visited the Olduvai Gorge, where the well-known Leakey family unearthed fossil bones and tools which scientists say provide a record of the past dating back more than two million years.
We also made stops at several villages, where we enjoyed brief introductions to the intriguing life of the people. Tanzania's population of close to 40 million includes some 120 tribes. Because the game parks are concentrated in the northeastern part of the country, visitors are most likely to encounter the legendary Masai who make that region their home.
Members of that tribe once held a well-deserved reputation as fierce warriors, and young men still must pass tests of strength and courage to be accepted into the ranks of junior elders. Today, many Masai have exchanged their tradition of moving across the vast plains in search of water and good grazing land. Instead, they build and live in huts fashioned of thatch, mud and cow dung. We came upon clusters of those simple dwellings surrounded by a stick fence designed to both contain cattle and fend off predators hoping to attack them.
Visits of safari groups to villages often begin with a traditional welcoming dance by the men, whose leaping gait mimics the antics of male crowned cranes seeking to attract the attention of females during mating season. Women of the village stand in the background, adorned by string after string of bead necklaces and long earrings.
At one village, the chief gestured for us to enter the hut that he shares with one of his four wives – an idea that, a stern glance from Fyllis told me, I should not even entertain. The simple shelter was furnished with two tiny beds, a jumble of very basic kitchen utensils and the small fireplace that provides both heat for cooking and the only source of light after sunset.
Days later, as Fyllis and I reluctantly left to return home, we knew that the fascinating combination of magnificent terrain, commingling of wildlife, and
equally intriguing people we had encountered
would continue long after we had gone, even as it occurred before our arrival.
Tanzania, including the Ngorongoro Crater, provides year-round opportunities for animal viewing. Most people who go on safari travel with a tour operator. We selected Abercrombie & Kent, which long has been considered a gold standard of the industry. From the time we left U.S. soil until our return, A&K provided excellent planning and extremely efficient coordination at every step of our trip.
The company operates 10-to-13 day safaris to Tanzania. Accommodations range from tents with modern-day comforts and more to luxurious lodges
For more information, call (800) 554-7016 or log onto abercrombiekent.com.
Among other tour companies that offer safari packages are Micato Safaris (log onto micato.com or call (800) 642-2861), Mountain Travel Sobek (mtsobek.com or (888) 831-7526) and Travcoa (Travcoa.com or (866) 591-0070).
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