Tanzania- Our Safari

Nelson and Allie on safari in the Serengeti

We traveled to Tanzania in plans to hike Kilimanjaro. Unfortunately Allie's feet weren't up for the task, and after careful consideration we opted for a safari instead. What a surprise we encountered from this 'spontaneous' change in plans. It was like nothing we had experienced and we ran into a bit of luck with the things we saw. Not many get to see the 'great migration' of wildebeest, 6 'rare to see' leopards, 4 of the big 5 (lion, elephant, leopard, and buffalo.. still looking for that rhino!) and a standoff between a herd of buffalo and a pride of lions! We also visited a Maasai village and somehow ended up in a luxury tent in the middle of the Serengeti! All and all it was an incredible experience!

First, we need to give kudos to our trek/safari company. Chief's Tours was excellent, professional, and very willing to accommodate our change in plans from a trek up Kilimanjaro to a 5 day/4 night safari. The company is based out of Moshi, Tanzania and owned by Adidas, a local of Moshi. He was very communicative and willing to make our experience a great one. But truly, the safari would not have been as amazing as it was without our driver Sharima! He was incredibly knowledgable and wanted to ensure we had a nice time, but also a genuinely nice guy! We became friends with him. After interacting with some other tourists and seeing their guides, I think we truly lucked out. If anyone is interested in a safari in Tanzania, go with Sharima!

We toured 4 major parks in the 5 days. Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara. If we could do it again we would spend even more than two days in Serengeti. We enjoyed it so much!

The experience brought us face to face with nature but also gave us an appreciation for the wild and for mother nature's influence on the world. Please enjoy our photos of a truly incredible experience! We would recommend to anyone!

Us with a member of the Chief's Tours team in Moshi.

Sharima, our number one driver! Some previous client's of Sharima's had a wonderful time on safari with him. When they arrived back home, they had this shirt made and sent to Sharima in Tanzania! We agree, hands down, number one driver! 

Our safari crew for 5 days!

They say the people you are with makes or breaks your experience. Along with our driver Sharima, we traveled with Paul from Berlin. He was traveling solo and has a great sense of adventure. Needless to say we got along wonderfully! We had so much fun! We even met up with Paul in Zanzibar (to come in a future post).

A Bilbao tree

Allie registering us at Tarangire Park

School children entering the park.

Nelson's ready!

Nelson and Allie ready to go! 

As soon as we entered the park it was like The Lion King. We couldn't believe how the animals coexisted. 

An ostrich checking us out. 

A herd of elephants

These two male giraffes were fitting, throwing their long necks at one another. Fighting over the female giraffe nearby.

Two giraffes fighting.

Just snacking on some hay.

Our first of many lion sightings.

Lions lazing under a tree.

Male lion in the shade.

Nelson and Allie with the crater.

Maasai in Ngorongoro

It was THAT dry, the dirt was blowing in our faces as we raced from one park to another.

The entrance to Serengeti

Paul, Allie and Sharima about to enter Serengeti

As we sped by this tree, we didn't see anything. Our driver quickly put it into reverse and he pointed out the lions sleeping under the tree. We would have never seen them!

As we watched them sleeping under the tree, one female lion rose.

We then saw her looking out in a direction just beyond our vehicle.

Then, she got up and started heading in the direction of our vehicle.

She roared out, and when she did...

A little cub came out of the bush right next to the road!

Mother and cub reunite.

Mother lion gives us a good stare down.

The mother brings the cub back to the tree with the rest of the lions.

Storms rolling into the Serengeti

The great migration right before our very eyes. 

Our TENT? This is a 5 star room! How did we get here?

Our tent?

Nelson Camping 4 Seasons Style

This is not camping. This is luxury. 

Staff members from the camp woke us to notify us of the great migration happening outside our tent!

The way my Nelson does 'Camping'. Watching the migration from our tent.

The 'tents' in our camp.

Nelson with our luxury tent.

Storks on site. 

The true great migration. There were hundreds of thousands of wildebeest. Even all the safari drivers were surprised! Check out the sheer volume!

It was something out of Animal Planet. They were running and the mud was slowing them down.

They were trying to keep up with the herd and not be left behind.

Male impalas.

A lazy lion in a tree.

Mother and baby baboon.

Hitching a ride.

One of the leopards we spotted. No pun intended. 

It was mating season and she was awake and trying to wake up her partner, but he wanted nothing to do with it!

Looking right at us. 

Hippos!

Happy hippos. 

Our bags have literally been everywhere! 

The wildebeest greeted us on the way out of the Serengeti, so many of them!!

This colorful guy is a bit different than the lizards home in FL!

Nelson entering the Maasai village. 

We decided to take some time while on our safari to visit a Maasai village. Many Maasai live in the Ngorongoro Crater Park. We stopped in and saw a typical home, how they begin fire, and what their daily life is like.

A typical Maasai home and family. 

Nelson entering the hut.

The sun streaming into the fire pit in the kitchen.

If Allie looks a little unsure, its because she was!

Maasai women

Mother and child

The Maasai showing us how they start a fire... with twigs and cow dung!

Our friend Paul looks on with intrigue.

The dung is on fire! 

The Maasai were fascinated with Nelson's GPS watch. One offered to trade him for his. LOL

Check out that Mohawk! They eat on their front 'knees' because its too difficult to reach otherwise. 

We witnessed an epic standoff between a pride of lions and a herd of buffalo.

When we pulled up to a group of 20 some safari jeeps, we knew something was happening. Our driver explained to us that the group of lions were very young and weren't quite sure how to take down a buffalo. They will look for a young weak buffalo to hunt, but the large male buffalos kept the weaker ones very protected. The lions couldn't do much. 

The lions wanting to attack. 

The lions are looking on, along with all of us tourists, hoping to see a hunt.

The lions were hanging around the vehicles using them for shade and protection.

The lions keep it moving. 

Hungry but not willing to hunt.

Nelson watching with suspense!

We had a great front row view of the showdown. 

Stubborn cats would not give up holding their ground. 

The final shot off the lions eventually running off. Scaredy cats!

Old elephant

The story with this elephant is a bit sad. When an elephant is old, the enamel on its teeth get quite soft and they are no longer able to chew the same grass other elephants would eat. So when an elephant is old like this one, they go off to a prairie land like this where they can easily it the grass. It will live out its final days in this prairie all alone. One can tell this is an old elephant because the tusks keep growing throughout their many years, so the longer the tusks, the older the elephant.

Flamingos.

Flamingos with the landscape.

"Don't mess with me."

Grooming time.

We will leave you with this 'little gem.' lol