Steppes In Africa; One Letter at a Time- E is for: Even MORE Animals, Except by Foot! (6/8)

[Steppesister]

Glad you got that one sorted in advance!

For REALS! That would have been horrible to find myself with a $1000 fine , or worse a car that couldn't make the trip!

I was wondering how you were going to find your way around. Did you use Google Maps in the national park too? I would have been worried about coverage!

Yes, I did. Cell service was shockingly pretty good, but in the park itself it did become a bit dicey. BUT, I will say, you really didn't need it. The signage wasn't bad and there is really only one main road that goes through the park and there's no need to get off of that.

In my experience, very few of the national parks had 'roads'. It was definitely more 'tracks'.

For sure, that is true. And most of them are HORRIBLE "roads"/tracks. And even other, barely that.

Never saw an information centre at Chobe Reserve. I wonder if the one you went to is more set up for self-driving tours?

Most definitely it is. I will add a little blurb about that in my next chapter to explain more.

Your photo is confusing. Do you need to recruit an elephant for the squirty method?

LOL! The elephant was mostly referencing the informational things and pieces of interest. It's definitely a "center piece" at the Welcome Center/Headquarters.

Wow looks a lot more lush/dense than Chobe. You did well to spot so many animals without a guide!

It was super dense and lush. Not at all what I'd pictured ANY of Tanzania to be. This area really blew my mind in terms of landscape. Who knew?!

OMG zebra! We saw dozens of giraffes, hundreds of elephants and thousands of buffalo and antelope at Chobe, but at the time of year we went, the zebra had migrated further south. I was disappointed to have missed them.

I love that first photo of the zebra!

I have heard that zebra can be a bit harder depending on the season and where they are in the migration cycle. But, some are residents year-round in a few places like Arusha and Ngorogoro.

I disagree entirely. I think you got some spectacular photos!

Aww, thanks! I haven't even looked at the upcoming ones yet but am hoping there are a few even better ones from those.

Always fun to spot the rarer ones!

Very true. Still sad I never saw the platypus or the echidnas, but never thought I'd see a koala either!

Monkeys are always fun to watch.

They are hilarious!

It sure was! Who'd have thought that giraffes could hide themselves so well?

This one's camouflage made me very nearly miss it entirely. The coat is perfect for hiding in the leafy trees!

I could sit and watch a troupe of baboons for hours. They are very entertaining!

They are so full of antics of all kinds. Even the ones who go tin tussles and were screeching were fun to watch.

 

[Steppesister]

From an IPhone photographer perspective Your pictures are awesome. I love it! It reminds me of the Disney Safari in some ways! The baboons, giraffe and monkeys are captured well!
I can’t believe you are driving through the park on your own, you go girl! I would love it but I would definitely be a little nervous

I think you'll be interested in what I have in store then. The park was actually easy to navigate as there was only one road that runs through it for the most part. Pretty hard to get lost and there was enough traffic and other visitors that help was never too far away. I made sure to be back on the road WELL before dark.

 

[Steppesister]

That would have been a very bouncy and uncomfortable drive. Were you the only driver on the "track" this time of the day?

It reminds me of the AK savanna, but tons better! This must have been amazing!

But the real question is did I see more animals? Are the sightings just as good?

I was definitely NOT the only person there; there was just enough to provide a little piece of mind that help was never too far away, but light enough that the animals weren't too scared away either.

 

[Steppesister]

Those photos may not be spectacular in your eyes, but they are awesome for the rest of us! You done good!

Also, very happy they clarified and switched out your ride ahead of time! I'm sure you are not nearly the first one to have needed to make that change.

I'm so happy you like them!
Yes, for sure! That sure would have been disastrous!

 

[Steppesister]

Love the pictures! What an amazing trip! Had to giggle at the photos of the buffalo. They are definitely giving Pippi Longstocking vibes!

Thanks!!

So early in the trip and already AMAZING!!!

LOL! The buffalo may be kooky looking but they are actually one of the most feared animals among the local and guides. EEK! More on buffalo behavior coming up.

 

[summerlvr]

Thanks!!

So early in the trip and already AMAZING!!!

LOL! The buffalo may be kooky looking but they are actually one of the most feared animals among the local and guides. EEK! More on buffalo behavior coming up.

Yikes! Looking forward to reading more!

 

[zanzibar138]

Still sad I never saw the platypus or the echidnas, but never thought I'd see a koala either!

I bet 99% of the Australian population have never seen a platypus in the wild or even semi-wild like I did at the platypus sanctuary. And probably 90% for echidnas and koalas. Kangaroos, wombats and emus are far more prevalent, but still fun to see!

 

[pkondz]

imagine my shock when they told me that the car I had reserved was not allowed to be taken to the national park and that there’d be a $1,000 fine if I did.

Good thing that got straightened out! Phew! Bullet dodged.

Honestly, I’m SO glad they contacted me and I do wonder if I am not the only one who has made this booking mistake in the past…

I bet you weren't the first. Probably why they called to ask!

The rental car showed up at the airport by about 8:20 due to the driver getting stuck in traffic

Hmmm... not quite reading this... Is it "He should've been there well before 8, not okay!" or "Given the traffic, I was happy that he got there as quickly as he did"?

I was very careful to take a good video of the car prior to driving away on the lefthand side of the road!!

Smart. I do the same thing. Just in case.

Google was working like magic, thanks to my international phone/data plan (T-mobile FTW!),

Nice! I don't have that, but can definitely see how it would be an advantage to have.

I honestly thought to myself, "whelp, sadly, this trek may be a huge bust", and I started to get a bit sad about booking during rainy season and wondering if this was how it was going to be the entire trip. Would it rain all day? Would I see anything at all…?

Sure glad the weather started to cooperate. At least for the first part of your tour.

Looking a tad damp.

My first thought is... laundry?

At the park entrance, the road took a definite turn for the worse. Paved-with-potholes turned into dirt with washboard, holes, rocks, and small lakes to traverse. You have no idea how happy I was to have a bona fide SUV with clearance rather than the car I’d originally booked!

Good thing you got a better vehicle!

The entrance fee is around $45/pp during low season

That seems okay to me. Yes?

and best of all BATHROOMS.

You and your bathrooms!

You can go with TP or the ever-present squirty method.

squirty method?

I'm afraid to ask.

Look how brave you are, getting up close and personal with a bull elephant.

Not sure what I'm looking at! Other than it looks cool.

(This is the terrain that the animals in this park can hide in.)

Phew! I'm surprised you saw any!

So cool!!!!!

Love the zebras.
And I googled to make sure those were the Cape Buffalo you had previously mentioned, and I saw that they're considered Africa's most dangerous animal!! Hope you weren't that close!

Tiny little thing.

They are a small antelope, roughly 40 cm tall at the shoulder and weighing around 15 kg,

Yep. Small. Hard to believe it's considered an antelope.

If anything, this trip has cemented my resolve to finally get a new camera and lens after 13 years with the same trusty Canon T3i.

If you say so... but your photos say otherwise.

Great shot!

the absolute pure excitement of seeing my very first giraffe was almost overwhelming.

I can't even imagine!

Another amazing shot!

Almost to my next stop, a huge troupe of baboons decided to cross the road, some trotting, others stopping to groom their neighbors; babies hitched rides on their mommas and then scrambled to the other side of the road to climb the trees.

This is so cool!

Look at them all! So many!

Like this shot. Looking over the shoulder.

While I didn’t get a great ton of good, or even decent photos, from the first part of this day trip

I beg to differ. I think your shots are first rate!

 

[pkondz]

Not safe to drink tap at all. But I think more than trying to keep you safe, they are a marketing tool for the lodges and are given as a bit of a perk to make you feel welcome and pampered.

And a nice little souvenir, as well.

I did hear a few in Zanzibar buzzing around, but it was mostly when I was out and about after dark

That tracks. Skeeters are always far worse once the sun goes down.

But those critters ended up being the least of the pest problems...

Uh, oh...

I had started malaria prophylaxis meds 2 days before I arrived and continued taking for a full 2 weeks after as per CDC guidelines/best practice. I wasn't worried in the least.

Ah!

I think you'll be... amazed!

I already am!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Your photos are great by everyone else's standards. Amazing to see so many animals in their natural habitat.
I did not know that they drive on the left in Africa so that bit would be easy peasy for me No excuse for me not to go exploring there now besides being a bit on the wimpy side and the cold hard cash involvedIt does sound like you used a great company to coordinate everything for your trip.
Looking forward to the next chapter

 

[Steppesister]

And a nice little souvenir, as well.

Except I only brought one home. :/ Just ran out of luggage space.

That tracks. Skeeters are always far worse once the sun goes down.

They are! But, they sure weren't as bad I thought they might be.

 

[Steppesister]

Your photos are great by everyone else's standards. Amazing to see so many animals in their natural habitat.
I did not know that they drive on the left in Africa so that bit would be easy peasy for me No excuse for me not to go exploring there now besides being a bit on the wimpy side and the cold hard cash involvedIt does sound like you used a great company to coordinate everything for your trip.
Looking forward to the next chapter

Aww, thanks! I just hope they get better as I open them on the laptop and edit.

Yep, they sure do. A holdover from British times maybe?

 

[pkondz]

Except I only brought one home. :/ Just ran out of luggage space.

Ah... Let me rephrase, then.

And a nice single little souvenir, as well.

They are! But, they sure weren't as bad I thought they might be.

Really! That's good.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Ooh, this is Mancala! We used to play it at Day Camp--we made our own using buttons and egg cartons. I can't exactly remember how it's played, but it was so fun and easy. I remember loving it and hadn't thought about it in forever!!

Your accommodations are lovely! Probably luxury compared to the hostels from last trip, no?!

Yikes on the near snafu with the car rental! I'm glad they contacted you about it ahead of time because that's certainly a HEFTY fine if you had broken their rules.

The animals!!! How exciting! I probably would've burst into tears at the sight of that first giraffe, honestly.

 

[Steppesister]

Ah... Let me rephrase, then.

And a nice single little souvenir, as well.

Which I use consistently for cold water at home now.

 

[Steppesister]

Ooh, this is Mancala! We used to play it at Day Camp--we made our own using buttons and egg cartons. I can't exactly remember how it's played, but it was so fun and easy. I remember loving it and hadn't thought about it in forever!!

The mancala we used to play only had 2 rows of holes so this must be a more elaborate version than I've played before. I'd love to learn!

Your accommodations are lovely! Probably luxury compared to the hostels from last trip, no?!

Very much so. Only one place came close in Australia and most were dumps compared to what you'll see.

Yikes on the near snafu with the car rental! I'm glad they contacted you about it ahead of time because that's certainly a HEFTY fine if you had broken their rules.

For REALS! That'd be far more than my souvenir budget and more. EEK!

The animals!!! How exciting! I probably would've burst into tears at the sight of that first giraffe, honestly.

It was pretty overwhelming to be honest. 100% in its natural environment, not fenced in any way whatsoever. So cool!

 

[pkondz]

Which I use consistently for cold water at home now.

And a useful souvenir to boot!

 

[buzzrelly]

The sunrise from my private patio that morning gave a colorful promise of the surprises in store.

What an outrageously Glorious sunrise! Stunning view from your patio!

Your accommodations look amazing! You are truly an adventurer! I cannot believe you drove yourself...on the wrong side of the road, no less! Good for you! That park seems cool, what wonderful animals and your pics are amazing!

 

[Steppesister]

E is for: Even MORE Animals, Except by Foot!​

The drive through Arusha National Park was proving to be quite productive, but the lush and densely forested landscape was making the spottings a bit tedious. The skies had given some relief from the rain and by the time I arrived at Momella Gate, which is on the Northern end of the Park, I had decided it was safe to add a 2-hour, guided walking safari to the itinerary as originally planned.

As always, I’d done loads of reading about these and had watched countless hours of Vlogs and videos of this little trek. This is a not a strenuous hike per se, but rather a nice walk on a rather well-used trail except for the small wet bits we came across. It’s flat and not difficult to navigate at all. 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. Locals HATE to run into them unawares from what I was told.

I checked in at the Park Kiosk and the walking safari fee was paid. I also made use of the extremely clean bathroom and then met my guide. I’d be joined by one other and was told it’d take about 2 hours to the turnaround point and back.

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. It was all so fascinating, and it was wonderful being so intimately immersed in it all.

​

He started the first few minutes showing us a few of skulls collected from kills or natural deaths which was like a natural history museum but open-air. It was particularly neat to see the difference between the male and female buffalo skulls and how the male skulls are made for fighting and rutting.

​

Further on, we crossed a little river, then into a wide, grassy, open meadow which would have given a view of Mt. Meru’s peak if it hadn’t been socked in.

(Taken by the other guest)​

This is the area where we spotted some of the resident warthogs. While a lot of the animals’ names in The Lion King DO mean the actual Swahili words for that animal, "pumba" actually means foolish, silly, absentminded, careless, or ignorant. It's a word used to describe someone who is slow-witted or not very bright. (Google)

​

These few didn’t seem to mind us watching them and, while I wished they’d come out from behind the little bush, it was fun to be so close. Others that I came across later were VERY shy and raced off before I could get many photos.

Further off, on the other side of the trail, was a herd of Cape Buffalo displaying their usual defense behavior. The males post 2 or 3 “guards” that stand intently watching the “threat” while the females surround the younger ones to protect them. They were probably a couple of hundred yards off and really didn’t make any signs of moving as we watched them and then moved on.

​

And thus begins the massive bird collection I amassed on this trip. Looky there! A Red-billed Oxpecker and a Cattle Egret!

Past the meadow, the landscape turned back to scrub and hardwoods including the Quinine Tree that natives use for fever and malaria treatment (but not the official Cinchona Tree from S. America that has been imported to E. Africa and used in the true anti-malarial medications used in pharmaceuticals), sycamore figs, and the occasional acacia and Eucalyptus.


Bird #3- Yellow-breasted Apalis:

​

Bird #4- Little Bee Eater

​

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.

​

I spied a few of the tiniest, yet no less beautiful, creatures shortly after we began our return via the King Charles III Nature Trail.

(Junonia g.) OR (Yellow-banded Pansy Butterfly)​

Every King Charles III Nature Trail should have a King Charles III Giant Fig tree too. The Ficus thonningii is absolutely massive and my photo does it no justice at all. But apparently the King (then Prince) actually did take this walk so that’s kind of cool.

​

Continuing on we came back to the same meadow but on the farther edge that was behind the buffalo you saw in my earlier photos. I think the guide was hoping we’d see some giraffe here. Instead, we saw something much cooler- a Common Waterbuck, one of the larger species of antelope. A very large male with his prominent horns stood and watched us warily before lazily resuming his afternoon grazing.

​

Just as the hike was nearing its end, the clouds lifted just enough for Mt. Meru’s peak to give us a glimpse. It was fleeting, but a nice bonus to the very nice hike. A few last buffalo gave us a parting stink eye; And back to the Gate Complex we arrived. I thanked Dilunga for his excellent tour and tipped appropriately.

​

My only comment would be that gun safety was not practiced the same as what I’ve learned in my courses and time on the range. I don’t know if his rifle was loaded but there was more than one occasion that he was rather flippant with its handling. Yikes!

It was here at the gate that the guide told me I’d have the best chance of seeing the Black and White Colobus Monkeys that this park is famous for. While walking to the bathrooms and on the short walk back to my car, I hunted and hunted with no luck. Unfortunately, the guide also said it’d be lucky to see one on such a cloudy, drizzly day. They seek denser foliage for cover, so my chance of seeing one at all this trip was probably a no-go. This was my first reminder that on safari, you will see much, but not all.

​

My next destination was Small Momella Lake. Google maps says it’s about a 15-minute drive, but it took quite a bit longer if I recall. Distances are deceiving on safari mostly because of the numerous stops for animal viewing and the occasional roadblock.

​

Yes, JUST like on the Disney version, Kilimanjaro Safaris, giraffes will get on the road and not budge. And that’s ok (to a point), it makes for some pretty fantastic close-up encounters.

​

This couple appeared to be courting for a mating encounter with a lot of physical touch and snuggles. They kept me entertained for quite some time before I moved on.

​

Before arriving at the lake, I came across another sounder of warthog and a beautiful female (or juvenile?) Common Waterbuck with is distinctive white butt circle.

​

I’ll leave off here and pick it up next time with a slew of more bird encounters, the critters I saw while re-tracing my drive back to Arusha and a superb nightcap and dinner back at Katambuga House.

 

[pkondz]

Even MORE Animals, Except by Foot!

I gotta put my foot down here... Wait... no... nevermind...

the lush and densely forested landscape was making the spottings a bit tedious.

I bet! I presume the ones you had seen must've been very close to the road. No idea how you would spot them, otherwise.

except for the small wet bit we came across.

Considering you had said it was raining, only a small wet bit isn't bad at all.

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'm surprised they let you walk around with them! Even if they were a couple hundred yards away...
What was to prevent you from turning a corner and being face to face with one?

was told it’d take about 2 hours to the turnaround point.

Long hike!

My guide, Dilunga, had a smile that would light up a room.

He sure seems to.

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.

Nice! So not just an armed escort, but a knowledgeable guide as well.

Further on, we crossed a little river

Was this the wet bit you mentioned? How deep was it?

"pumba" actually means foolish, silly, absentminded, careless, or ignorant.

Oh dear. Poor Pumba. Don't anyone tell him!

Cute li'l guy.

The males post 2 or 3 “guards” that stand intently watching the “threat” while the females surround the younger ones to protect them.

Huh!

Great shot with the two birds.

Quinine Tree that natives use for fever and malaria treatment (but not the official Cinchona Tree from S. America that has been imported to E. Africa used in the true antimalarial medications used in pharmaceuticals),

I was just thinking that the other day.

Pretty. How big? Like parrots?

Can't really tell it's you, but... I know it's you.

Every King Charles III Nature Trail should have a King Charles III Giant Fig tree too.

Of course!

Instead, we saw something much cooler- a Common Waterbuck.

I don't know if a "Common" Waterbuck is cooler than a giraffe. I suspect for most of your readers, they'd rather see a giraffe.

A few last buffalo gave us a parting stink eye.

From a distance, I hope...

I don’t know if his rifle was loaded but there was more than one occasion, he was rather flippant with its handling. Yikes!

They seek denser foliage for cover, so my chance of seeing one at all this trip was probably a no-go.

Well, poop.

"May I see your papers, please?"

Yes, JUST like on the Disney version, Kilimanjaro Safaris, giraffes will get on the road and not budge.

And that’s ok (to a point), it makes for some pretty fantastic close-up encounters.

Nice shot!

Awww!

Awwwwww...