I was super excited about getting up close and personal with some nature and was re-assured that an armed ranger would be with me the whole time- because yes, while there are no lions or leopards in this park, the Cape Buffalo can be extremely volatile and cranky and quite frankly at times deadly.
I was wondering... In Botswana, we were pretty much told to never get out of the vehicle. But there were lions, leopards, crocodiles, hippos and many, many elephants around. And thousands of buffalo lol!
Was the ranger armed with a tranquilizer gun or an actual gun? I'd hate to think of any animals copping a bullet because of the walking tours
My guide, Dilunga, had a smile that would light up a room. He was very friendly and knowledgeable and spent quite a bit of time sharing all kinds of information about the animals, their behavior, the landscape, the people and how they use the plants that we were seeing for medicine and food, and local culture.
All the wildlife guides I've ever had on my travels have been wonderful! They all seem to be very passionate about their jobs. You sure got some great sightings with him!
It wasn’t long before we came to our turnaround point- quite a lovely one at that! Napuru Falls is a lovely cascade and worth the short walk.
Beautiful! The whole landscape looks so lovely.
Just as the hike was nearing its end, the clouds lifted just enough for Mt. Meru’s peak to give us a glimpse.
Perfect timing!
I don’t know if his rifle was loaded but there was more than one occasion that he was rather flippant with its handling.
Oh gosh, I guess that answers my other question
This was my first reminder that on safari, you will see much, but not all.
I kind of like that aspect of it - it's what distinguishes it from a zoo. It makes any animal sightings you do have so much more special. Having said that, I was kind of devastated that I didn't see any lions on my safari. My ex-husband saw one on the very first game drive of our trip, which I missed because I'd come down with a nasty cold and couldn't drag my butt out of bed at 5am.
Distances are deceiving on safari mostly because of the numerous stops for animal viewing and the occasional roadblock.
As far as roadblocks go, I wouldn't complain too much
What wonderful photos you got!
The original plan was to stop for lunch in the village of Momella, but time was my enemy in seeing all I’d planned.
Always seems to be the way.
They are HORRIBLE photos from WAY too far away with my lens.
You are very hard on yourself - I think you got some lovely bird photos!
Except for the baboons. They are everywhere. All the time.
If there's any guarantee on a safari, it's that you will see baboons
This little Bushbuck seemed right at home in the Headquarters parking lot.
Ooh, I didn't see any of them! Cute!
By the time I’d left the park, my phone was down to a paltry 20%, and I limped into the airport with it down to about 6%. (Navigation burns a lot of juice!) I was VERY nervous that I’d not be able to communicate with the rental agent to coordinate the pick-up.
Uh oh... it's amazing how much we've come to rely on our phones these days. I remember as recently as 2017 I didn't even bother to take my phone overseas with me! Now it's nearly as essential as your passport.
As a point of discussion: Beware of the rental car scam across Tanzania. They rent you the car empty and you will have to fill up as you set out for any driving.
As far as scams go, that's probably on the lower end of the scale. I'd be far more worried about car jackings or being pulled over by cops!
I immediately plugged the phone in to a wall outlet and was gleefully relieved to see it start to charge. Phew!
Phew indeed!
I would say my first “real” day in Tanzania was a resounding success.
