Fun things to do in Tanzania

Looking for a Safari locally at arrival in Arusha, and having 5 days at our disposal, we were a bit sceptical about going as far as the Serengeti, because the drive to get to Seronera campside (in the middle of Serengeti), consists basically of a 150km free massage in the Jeep and dust treatment for your skin!

After half day of search in Arusha we were eventually lucky and found a tour that would take us there. It had already started a day ago with Tarangire Park (the other two tourist later told us it was excellent day as well) and a special driver took us directly to Manyara Lake the following morning to join the team there. It was extremely convenient for us as well that the TPPSL (www.tppsl.com) safari organizer took care of buying our bus tickets to Dar-Es-Salaam while we were already on Safari. For all this flexibility and helpfulness I would definitively recommernd this operator.

So the tour started for us in Manyara, and my challenge for our driver Cosmas Togolani was clear: NO CAMEL - NO TIP :) As there are no Camels in this area at all, I was on the safe side, and Cosmas loughing.

The day in Manyara lake was nice for the elephants we experienced there from very closeby! Our driver had the talent to bring us to the points where animals were about to cross the street or walk along the streets so that we could see them very closely. Most interesting, and for this experience, no way to Seronera is too long, was our morning game drive in Serengeti. From three days in Serengeti, we had 1 full day of game drive in the middle, which was amazing. It was a pity that we returned to the camp for lunch instead of going to areas further away (because the evening before this day and the morning after this day you also do game drives in this area), but the experience of the Serengeti is overpassing any expectations. From the big 6 (including the Camel), Cosmas showed us 4 of them here (lying around, hunting, mating, eating prey,...). He is a good expert and funny as well. He's an actor, made us smile when he loughed about most things and as well as when he speaks on the phone, and he's a permanent optimist! Most of all, not only did he show us the 5th animal of the big five from closeby (three wonderful rhinos in Ngorongoro, two of which crossing the road next to the Jeep), HE ALSO FOUND THE CAMEL!!!! A Massai was proposing camel rides as an attraction on our way to Ngorongoro!

The Serengeti tour was absolutely amazing, everybody around in the area should go for it! For us it was even more special as Cosmas found the unfindable! In the end, we had extremely nice photos from animals, and an experience of the Serengeti that I would never think I'll share on a website (not my style), but this I had to do! IT WAS AMAZING, GO FOR IT!

Hi, I just got back yesterday. I can highly recommend Tansafaris (www.tansafaris.com). The guys are fantastic. I did one tour with them and stuck with them for the rest of my trip. They are really well-connected (they have offices in Dar and Moshi, but know people everywhere) and can organize everything. For example, I wanted to hike up Ol Doinyo Lengai, but didn't want to join a group and didn't want to spend too much money. So they organized a ride in a truck to the village, we bought our own food on the market and cooked it ourselves at the camp - and the whole trip turned out to be really cheap for me. Also, ask them for suggestions. They have many ideas of what to do around town. They organized some really cool day trips from Moshi for us as well.
Just let them know what you want and they will sort it out for you.

I would like to recommend to travelers who are heading out towards, East African countries, looking for a safari try hook up with this company Elephant Adventures Tours,they have cheap and affordable prices than any other company, around East Africa visit their site http://www.elephantadventurestours.com

Zanzibar is one of the unmissable places in Tanzania. It was an independent island during colonial times, but finally joined Tanganika territories to form Tanzania.
There you will find an interesting old town (stone town) with a mix of muslim, swahili and indian cultures), former center of the slaves trade of East Africa, departure point of all the 19th century expeditions into the unknown Africa.
There are a lot of wonderful paradise-like beaches of white sand and wild palm trees.

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It’s not even a pleasure to write this article but a gift to all the travelers intending to visit Tanzania at their own time with different intentions.

Am from Germany and my ancestors used to live in Tanzania in 1920's, But we shifted to Belgium since 80’s for sure this was my grandfather and my grand mother who lived in the Derema Coffee farms during then. For long, we as a family we have been talking of the coffee farms and we have been dreaming of regaining them and our very big question was how to get to these farms and for sure nothing was in the internet about the farms in Muheza area. We have to make sure we get through to Amani Nature reserve. Basically, after the visit we headed to Derema Tea farm and Mwamkuju River Junction the strategic point of our travel to the coffee plantations.
I searched for the information about Amani Game Reserve and the Derema farms in vain in the internet, and in the forums and many other sources but the information I was sourcing wasn’t that much helpful. After a very long search I saw an article in the internet about how miraculous some people from America went off the unbeaten path with the help of Hussein even without payments.

I emailed Lipi Adventure asking them about how we could visit Amani nature reserve with them while they are situated in Arusha, Zanzibar or Mombasa.The response to my e-mail was as quick as before an hour telling me that it was possible. First of all I must be very honest to everybody because when I asked Hussein about Amani Nature Reserves he accepted that he had only sent a couple with his driver Cosmas there. Then we asked him of Derema coffee farms, he said, he have never been there. We explained deeply how we instead of going to Amani Nature Reserves we want to Visit the coffee farms and we need specific places that we have in our grand’s diaries. A historical place like Ziggi River, and the history that during those days it was difficult to cross over.
In the beginning we were to do Derema privately and the safari privately but Hussein proposed that he would include it in the quote that he picks us in Tanga, do the Derema two days and then drive to Arusha for the last part of the Safari.

We arrived in Tanga Airport by Coastal Air ex-Zanzibar where we met Hussein. Amazingly, we met Hussein at The airport and not Cosmas who he said would send to meet us for transfer with the safari van to the city centre at a budget Hotel called Saad Hotel.

The next Day we drove arrived at the main gate we asked for information of the coffee farms the shock started from there. The gate staff told us that there are no longer coffee farms but tea farms and that where the confusion started. Hussein advised us to first deal with the mountains of the Amani Nature Reserve where walking and hiking through the forestry was the main attraction. Well-established walking routes are present. While walking, we had an opportunity to see black and white colobus, blue monkey, and the nature's main attraction, Nduk eagle owl, specie found only in Amani. We also saw nine species of African violet garden flowers and colorful butterflies some of them found only in Usambara. Other birds included green headed oriole, Amani sunbirds, Uluguru violet backed, forest warbler. To sum up, the area has wonderful birds, butterflies, animals and plants, some of them we found only in this area late in the evening we drove back to the gate and overnight at the gate bandas.

Day two Hussein said, we now head to the Derema farms which are situated almost 29Kms from the main gate with the help of Talented and gifted Hussein in Tourism he went on asking where the olden coffee factory farm so went on. Just at the junction we saw the sign board reading Derema tea farms 6kms ahead our driving force now was positive and went on. On our arrival at the old factory, Hussein went on to ask for the security office in charge of the farms, fortunately we met a Guy by the name Musa. He introduced himself to us as the person in charge of security of the farms for the past 24years as having been there working.

Things had changed . We were looking for the house of our grandmother in which she explained it was the only house in the center of all the farms, built on top of a rock facing a place where the Ziggi River and Kamkunju River join. She used water at the junction where these two rivers were meeting. For sure we got there, it was fun, it was amazing on the rocks though now the house was not there and the route to the rivers meeting point was not there and we had to drive around the rock to the place where my grandmother explained as the strategic and attractive point, she used to walk down the rock to go and fetch water and sometimes even just relax on the rocks.

But now it was not any longer wild, farmers have invaded the place growing cloves that we managed to see them grown and dried on the rocks.

Our journey from Tanga to Arusha began at six in the morning, with the driver Cosmas. This time without the accompany of Hussein who had traveled to meet some other clients in Dar-es-salam. We arrived safe at Le-Jacaranda a Hotel we had asked him to book us so he did and this was around 3pm.

After shower, Cosmas said if any one is ready to visit the Arusha market where our cook Harold was to do the shopping for our six days safari to beginning the next day. I thought that would have been an opportunity to see the market though it was not in the program. Along with Harold we bought all the staff for our safari at our own choice without being on tight budget, so during the safari Harold was very friendly used to ask us every day what we wanted to eat for the dinner, lunch or even breakfast, generally, Harold is recommendable, very humble and friendly. I don’t know if he can even say no to anything you can request Harold to do for you.

Our Safari in the Northern Circuit was under Cosmas. Togolani, the comedian; Cosmas is ridiculous he is charming and very friendly, while we were with Hussein; Cosmas was not open as he was alone with us in the absence of Hussein. We drove to Manyara and had our first encounter with the Tanzanian game I can’t forget this day, we met a herd of elephants whose mate was dead, just dead and the Elephants were very wild for sure it needed us to have the guts to wait for them calm down. Coming towards the card, scratching themselves with our car and making alarming noises. That day we spent almost three hours standing at a single spot where we were surrounded by elephants, every body was nervous even the guide himself now showed he had lost his courage, its not until the rangers came to disperse the elephants is when we could move out of that spot and the thirst for the game drive in Manyara was finished and we all agreed to get back to Jambo Campsite to relax from the day’s stress. I liked the behavior shown by the elephants, their co-operation and the way they mourn their mate.

Early morning game drive took us to the hippo pool the second day. This game drive was not in our program but because we lost the first day then our guide agreed to give us a morning game drive before heading to Serengeti. It was a successful game drive and thanks to Comas for his flexibility, after the game we drove back to the gate Headed straight to Serengeti via Olduvai Gorge for the fossil and then late evening drive to Seronera area arriving late in the evening.

For sure, Serengeti is amazing. the scenery, land scape, but most frustrating the crowded cars; during the game drive I wont be happy to talk of the Serengeti because I did not like the crowds at the campsite and during game drives. Whenever you go for a spot one or two minutes twenty cars will be there and that seemed very boring, so our two nights in Serengeti was as usual business in Serengeti.

Am very happy to talk of my walk at the Creator Highlands, the three hours walk that involved after breakfast, we drove to Nainokanoka village. Started our walking into Olmoti crater for at least 2 – 3 hours. Drove to Empakai Crater for a walk in a forest. Hiked down from the East Rim of the crater floor lake, where huge flocks of flamingos breed are. This was a full day tour that ended us to overnight at Executive Inn at Karatu based on budget accommodation and another very breathing taking occasion was the hunting with the Hadzabe in Lake Eyasi which took place after breakfast then went on with our guide running through the acacias just to kill rates and lizards something I have never done in my life. And that was Kisimangeda

Generally our plans went well, as per the agreement and per the booking, Yes we had some changes but they were positive and not negative like, Going back for an early game drive in Manyara after missing the afternoon one due to the Elephant scam and the change of accommodation in Karatu from Camping at Karatu to having a hotel called executive inn for overnight at Karatu instead of the camping

So with all these positives I really wonder how dare can I stop recommending Lipi Adventure Company to any one looking forward to a trip to Tanzania or where ever they can serve could it be in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar

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We are starting to worry that we won’t see many animals during this extremely dry season. Excitement soon returned however when we spot two very photogenic cheetah near the road way. Our guide tells us they are two brothers . They actually seemed to enjoy our attention and didn’t seem bothered by the many photos we were taking.
Shortly after seeing the cheetah we see a lion . She is only feet from our vehicle, in the shade of a tree, enjoying her dinner. We noticed she had a radio collar. This is an essential tool used in the Serengeti to monitor the state of the lion population. Her dinner is an unfortunate Thomson’s Gazelle. She eventually tired of our interruption and carried her kill off to a more private eating area.

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Now we drive over the roughest , dustiest road yet as we come closer to the Serengeti. Nearing the gate of the game reserve we see some Thompson’s Gazelle. They are so cute and even though we saw many exciting and exotic animals later they remained on my list of favorites.
When we stop at the gate we have to take a picture of this momentous occasion . It isn’t everyday you go through the Serengeti Gates. We see some Coke’s Hartebeast and other than that nothing much else. We are starting to worry that we won’t see many animals during this extremely dry season.

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We enjoy our box picnic lunch looking out over the Oldepai Gorge. The gorge is a steep-sided ravine about 30 miles long , in the Rift Valley.The Oldupai Gorge is commonly referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind." The name Oldepai is a Maasai word for the wild plant Sansevieria ehrenbergii. This is site was made famous largely by the work started in the 1930’s by Louis and Mary Leakey. It is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world dedicted to the understanding of early human evolution.
After lunch we’re given a brief lecture by local guide and a chance to visit the museum. The museum some exhibits of tools made from bone , prehistoric skulls and some more detailed displays of the archiological work that still continues here today.
Travelling on we leave the Gorge behind and follow the rim of the Ngorngora Crater. It is surprisingly cool here with lots of fog as we are now about 2300 meters above sea level . At the look-out point we get a birds eye view of the crater below and what a site.With binoculars we can see water buffalo , some giraffe and safari vehicles. It is a preview of our trip to come when we visit here in a few days.