We were on holiday. So we were in no hurry. We had enjoyed the relaxed Namanga border crossing experience between Kenya and Tanzania. The areas around the Clock Tower in Arusha appeared to be quite peaceful, good for a night before and after safari. We experienced traffic jams on our way back in the middle of the afternoon, though, as we passed congested areas full of stores selling hardware, construction materials, automotive spares and the like.
Our Tour Operator Safari Multiways had thoughtfully suggested that we stay at the Arusha Naaz hotel which is conveniently located only a few hundred metres away from his office in the Tanganika Farmers' Association building near the Clock Tower.
The reviews on TripAdvisor were negative, though dated. Since I did not want to risk it, I asked for a change, and that is how we landed up at Outpost Lodge.
I must mention that we went across to Hotel Naaz on the first evening to take a look. It met or even exceeded our moderate expectations, suggesting that sometimes travelers may not take the trouble of writing positive reviews. We looked around several rooms, found them suitable, and told the manager that we would be back after our travels.
Our first night was at Outpost Lodge, built in a garden environment down a quiet street. A bunch of stray dogs got active that night on the street. Being familiar sounds, that did not bother us very much.
The rooms were reasonably well appointed. The skylights made the room appear bright. That was a nice touch.
Hot and cold running water was available. Shampoo was provided, but we preferred to use our own shampoo. After all, we had taken the trouble of carrying some with us, and may not get a chance to use much of it during our stay at Campsites.
The Simba Restaurant was a comfortable place for dinner that night. We were the only guests for a long while. A group of visiting college students and faculty trooped in late at night.
The menu was quite extensive, plenty of Indian dishes which we did not want to sample. We don't want home food on holiday, do we? So we opted for African Beef with Mashed potato and Salad.
Small bottles of local beer for me. As always, try the local offerings!
A few things were rearranged in our bags during the night and early morning. Dry tissues, wet wipes, flashlight, chargers, batteries and a few medicines were kept within easy reach. We were the first ones in the cafe for breakfast the next morning. Cheerful staff and a buffet spread greeted us: cereals, milk, bread, spreads, tea, coffee, fruits and eggs to order. Good enough!
Amos and Moses were punctual, and we loaded our bags in the 4x4. Probably a little apprehensive, but excited.
All aboard! Ready to roll by 07:30 AM. Tarangire, here we come!
=== Arusha -- Tarangire -- Serengeti -- Ngorongoro -- Empakai Crater -- Lake Natron -- Arusha ===
Second night in Arusha
We're back after our fabulous experiential trip. As planned, we showed up at the Naaz Hotel by the Clock Tower. The rooms and property are maintained very well.
Our room was also clean. We had peeped into 4 or 5 rooms during our first evening in Arusha, we found all of them to be clean and well maintained. Only one of them did not appear good enough, that was because of the odour of cigarette smoke hanging about the room. The other rooms were just fine. The only other minor complaint is that the bathroom was small, and the shower cubicle needed some effort for the doors to close. Well, at least there was a shower cubicle in there. Hot water was also available via the small 'instant geyser' setup. We were not expecting 5-star and were not paying 5-star rates, either. Moreover, the staff was very pleasant.
The other positive about the Naaz Hotel is its location, within shouting distance of the Clock Tower.
We strolled around that evening, and stopped by a few coffee shops and restaurants.
Travelers' needs are well taken care of in the area. Several ATMs, cafes, restaurants and super markets (where I bought coffee powder!), all within 5 minutes walking distance. Clouds and mountain in the background were a bonus.
Lots of public transport available nearby. A 'dala-dala' (mini bus) had an interesting sticker on the rear window, good enough to get Junior excited. He's an avid follower of EPL and UEFA games.
A couple of cafes and restaurants were open till very late in the vicinity of the Naaz. Good for a filling, steak dinner. We felt quite safe strolling around in the cool evening.
We were due to leave the Naaz Hotel at 07:00 AM the next morning, to hop into the Impala Shuttle to Nairobi. The restaurant at Naaz opens at 07:00 AM. So I went down at 06:00 AM and asked them whether any light breakfast options would be available at about 06:45 AM. Sure, they readily agreed. The cook made omlettes for us, which along with juice, bread, spreads, and coffee was an extremely reasonable breakfast. Very kind of the staff to allow us in while the restaurant was still being cleaned and set up.
The Impala Shuttle was quite punctual, it left the Impala Hotel at 08:05 AM. There were a total of six passengers on board. We got a rare glimpse of the top of Mt Kilimanjoro on the way to Namanga. Junior's project for the future: climb Mt Kili!
The ride from Arusha to Namanga was about 1.5 hours. Being our second crossing, we had become Namanga experts by then. We had to fill in a YELLOW immigration form in the Tanzania exit office. The 150 metres walk across the border took us to the Kenya entry office. We had to fill in the common BLUE form here, and had to tick the Exit box. The officer at Namanga on the Kenya side asked us whether we had YF certificates, and was satisfied seeing them in our hands. The duration of the stop at Namanga was about 45 minutes.
The Impala Shuttle dropped us off at JKIA about 3 hours later, at about 13:30 HRS, on schedule. Check-in and immigration were smooth. The lady took a look at our Yellow Fever certificates. By then it was time for a snack at JKIA. We located a restaurant at the far end of the terminal. There are several duty free stores, but restaurant options are highly limited.
Not sure what Junior was up to, whether he was reading or whether he was taking a photo of his sandwich.
So, that was our memorable holiday, very unique. As many memories as the number of Wildebeest we encountered in Kirawira in Western Serengeti. It was about losing count of the number of Lion sightings and the number of Lions we sighted, several Leopards and Cheetahs, hundreds of Ellies and Baobab trees, beautiful birds, star filled night skies, the endless Plains with grass waving in the breeze, the Craters, Crater Lakes, Soda Lakes and the stark beauty of desert-like Natron. Besides the quality wildlife, the landscapes and hikes enchanted us.
The chance to have an "on-the'ground" holiday that included traveling in a 4x4 with our belongings, spending so many happy moments with Amos and Moses, camping, avoiding going to the loo in the middle of the night in unfenced campsites, wandering around local stores and markets, not to forget the 'Nyama Choma' evening, were all highlights of our amazing holiday.
I had gotten a little worried after a few days into our trip that Junior may not be enjoying himself. I was sitting cross-legged inside the cramped tent in Nyani Campsite in Serengeti, rummaging through our bags in the light of a single flashlight. I had asked him apprehensively: "So, how's it going?" He had answered very briefly: "Beyond expectations". He did not have time for me. He was extremely busy, in the middle of zipping and unzipping the tent flaps, heading out, playing with camera apertures and exposures in his attempts to get perfect shots of star trails in the pitch dark night sky.
Back home, Junior declared: "Tanzania felt like Africa." I guess he was referring to the amazing variety of landscapes, the fabulous wildlife and the lovely people experiences.
My thanks to superb help received from the TripAdvisor Travel Forum, and to Safari Multiways for having made our holiday incredibly unique and memorable.
What did we use a lot?
- Warm clothing (could have done with some more inside the tent at night in the rim of Ngorongoro Crater)
- Two pairs of footwear (one mid-range hiking pair and one general use spare pair)
- Tissues, wet wipes
- Flash light
- Two cameras (Canon D500 DSLR with 18-55mm and 70-300mm lenses and a Fuji FinePix HS30EXR, 24-720mm)
- Tripod
- Mobile phone charger, Camera chargers and several 4GB and 8GB memory cards.
If you have come this far, thank you for helping us relive our serious "Trip of a Lifetime", our second holiday in East Africa. Seven Lions in 2013 compared to about 70 Lions in 2014 about sums up the overall impact, not to mention the craters, crater lakes and hikes!
May I wish you 'Kwaheri' and 'Safari Njema'.
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Related posts in this series:
Namanga Border Crossing
The Gentle Giants of Tarangire
Tarangire revisited
Endless Serengeti Plains
Migrating herds, Crocodiles and Vultures at Kirawira
Big Cats of Central Serengeti
Camping under African skies
Flamingos at Empakai Crater Lake
Ngorongoro Crater - Wildlife, Maasais and Flowers
Campsite food and Nyama Choma in Mto Wa Mbu
From green to gray, the stark beauty of Lake Natron
Videos - Tarangire, Central Serengeti
Videos - Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Natron
Two nights in Arusha
-=-=-=-=
We continued wandering around the Seronera area in Central Serengeti, and also headed for a day to the Kirawira-Grumeti area in Western Serengeti to take a look at the migrating herds.
I hope I was able to give you a good idea of the random motion that the 4x4 makes. It was an effort to hold on and grab a few short clips. Once again, please overlook the quality, and continue enjoying the ride, sights and sounds!
We were fortunate to experience four Leopard sightings in Serengeti, and a very brief one in Tarangire. Two of our Leopard sightings in Serengeti included Gazelle kills stored safely up trees. Relatively safely, perhaps. While one Leopard was resting with the Gazelle draped around a nearby branch, a Leopard at another sighting was busy with morning breakfast.
Our Lion sightings continued, too many to count.
A pair was lying down for a while, when they decided to walk away a little further, probably looking for a little privacy.
The migrating herds were scattered in the Kirawira area near the Grumeti river at the end of May. There are no public campsites in that area, so Nyani Campsite in Central Serengeti continued to be our home. We drove two hours from Nyani Campsite in Seronera to the Western area. The first part of the drive was in bright sunshine along dry, rough tracks.
The landscape changed during the next half of the drive. Several Zeebra and Wildebeest appeared, walking towards the west. The grass appeared to be not that dry and slightly greener. The Grumeti river area and Kirwira area were home to the migrating herds at that time.
Amos drove around the Grumeti river area for quite a while. We sighted herds running madly, trying to cross, crocodiles partly submerged under the water, Marabou Storks waiting on the rocks and several species of Vultures waiting on the trees. Meanwhile, Zeebra and Wildebeest appeared mighty confused whether to drink water or not.
Continuing from Serengeti, we headed to Ngorongoro Crater, and then to Lake Natron via Lake Manyara. The Simba Campsite perched on the rim of the Crater provided superb views of the Crater and Lake Magadi. We spent an interesting six hours driving on the Crater floor. The mountains that form the Crater rim, fields carpeted with little bright, yellow flowers and the clouds formed an impressive backdrop as we sighted Wildebeest, Zebra, Rhinos, Gazelle, Lions, Buffalo, Jackal, Hippos (in the rest area) and several bird species.
A large, male lion took a liking to the shadow of our 4x4.
Troops of Baboons went marching by, and a few youngsters decided to explore our 4x4.
Gazelle and Zebra stood by highly alert, continuously swishing their tails.
A night in the Lake Manyara area was our pit stop on the way to Lake Natron. The landscapes and the conditions of the roads changed over the close to three hours it took us to reach. The roads were very rocky and bumpy.
After that the road got even bumpier and dusty.
The final 30 minutes was along stretches of road that appeared to be ancient volcanic streams. An extremely fine grey dust hung around the air.
The afternoon was well spent hiking up the river to the Engero Sare waterfall accompanied by a Maasai guide. The water drains into Lake Natron. Early the next morning, at 6 AM, we set off on our walk around the Lake at sunrise. The atmosphere was surreal as the sun rose and the rays caught the top of the Ol Doinyo Lengai mountain, the Rift Valley mountains and then the Lake area got brighter.
I hope you enjoyed a few glimpses of the sights and sounds around Tarangire, Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Natron.
Next stop, Arusha.
-=-=-=-=
Related posts in this series:
Namanga Border Crossing
The Gentle Giants of Tarangire
Tarangire revisited
Endless Serengeti Plains
Migrating herds, Crocodiles and Vultures at Kirawira
Big Cats of Central Serengeti
Camping under African skies
Flamingos at Empakai Crater Lake
Ngorongoro Crater - Wildlife, Maasais and Flowers
Campsite food and Nyama Choma in Mto Wa Mbu
From green to gray, the stark beauty of Lake Natron
Videos - Tarangire, Central Serengeti
Videos - Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Natron
Two nights in Arusha-=-=-=-=
Here is a collection of videos ranging from ultra-short to short duration, from about 10 seconds to maybe just over a minute. Most of the videos were shot standing up in the 4x4 while the vehicle was moving. While the left hand clutched at any kind of support available, like the prop of the pop-up roof or the grill in front, the right hand tightly hung on to the camera. The vehicle meanwhile went its merry way, bouncing along on tracks that ranged from dusty to gravel like to rocky.
The vehicle randomly went up and down, left and right, and composed an infinite number of permutations in between. We were so intent on enjoying the proceedings fully that on one occasion in the Serengeti, one of us went tumbling down and fell on the other. There were no injuries and breakages. All for a good cause.
Many of the videos are jerky. A few clips were taken sitting down, sticking the camera out of the window.
For those who have not traveled to Tanzania, I hope the short clips gives you a reasonably good sneak preview. For the experts, it may bring back memories. Please overlook the quality, and enjoy the ride, sights and sounds!
The names in the frame attempt to convey the context of the videos.
Junior plays a spot of soccer with the boys at the public campsite in Tarangire. We were the only guests, so it felt extremely special that evening. Armed rangers showed up a little while later to keep us company.
We had just been attacked by a mob of Tse-tse flies. It appeared that the Ostrich had also suffered a similar experience.
Thousands of Quelea birds fly up, around and down in unison.
Hundreds of Buffalo at the Swala Swamp in Southern Tarangire appeared to be interested in our welfare.
The drive from the Ngorongoro Crater viewpoint on the western side to Naabi Hill in Serengeti was about two hours. The cold and the fog gradually gave way to the sun peeping out from behind the clouds, lighting up the meadows where domestic cattle grazed with Wildebeest, Zeebra and an occasional giraffe. The road got winding and bumpier as we headed north towards the plains of Serengeti.
After a hour or so, the road stayed bumpy, got dusty and very straight most of the way.
A Lioness was stalking a herd of Zebra near a watering hole one evening at sunset. She was part of a pride of maybe 10 Lions, Lionesses and Cubs. Many mouths to feed!
The Zebra were in an extreme state of panic. They could sense the presence of a Lion. The Lion was actually hiding in the grass about 100 metres away waiting for the opportune moment.
The Zebras ran back and forth. They wanted a drink, at the same time were panic stricken.
All the Zebras safely retreated into the plains in a cloud of dust, away from the watering hole. A few members of the pride had branched off towards the plains away from the watering hole a little while ago. We left the scene and headed to Nyani Campsite wondering whether the Lions' plans would work that night.
Junior had work to do. He had to set up the camera and tripod, to capture a few glimpses of the Serengeti sky at night.
Thank you for watching! The next set of videos covers sights and sounds in Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron. After that, we head back to Arusha.
-=-=-=-=
Related posts in this series:
Namanga Border Crossing
The Gentle Giants of Tarangire
Tarangire revisited
Endless Serengeti Plains
Migrating herds, Crocodiles and Vultures at Kirawira
Big Cats of Central Serengeti
Camping under African skies
Flamingos at Empakai Crater Lake
Ngorongoro Crater - Wildlife, Maasais and Flowers
Campsite food and Nyama Choma in Mto Wa Mbu
From green to gray, the stark beauty of Lake Natron
Videos - Tarangire, Central Serengeti
Videos - Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Natron
Two nights in Arusha-=-=-=-=
Lake Natron and surroundings was our second non-wildlife activity. Panorama Campsite overlooking Lake Manyara was our pit-stop between Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron, including a lovely evening sampling local BBQ, aka Nyama Choma, in the little village of Mta Wa Mbu. The drive from Panorama to Lake Natron River Camp was about three hours, including a 30-minute stop in the village to refuel and buy water. Amos used m-Pesa all the time!
The first one-third of the drive was on fairly good roads, with the mountains of the Rift Valley escorting us along.
The second third of the drive was rough, somewhat like the dirt tracks of Serengeti, slightly rougher and far more dustier.
We passed a few villages and gates on the way. Entry fees had to be paid. The villages were dry and dusty.
The final part of the drive was almost brutal. Rocky, dusty, going up and down extremely rough roads.
The roads had taken on a definite grey shade, first light, then darker. The region would have seen serious volcanic activity many, many years ago.
Some parts of the road were just soft volcanic ash on a bed of rocks and pebbles. We were probably driving on ancient volcanic rivers.
We soon got a good understanding of what "Pig Pen" would have felt and looked like.
Having reached Lake Natron River Camp at 11:30 AM, we pitched our tents. It was very warm, more than 30 C, and very bright and dusty, quite a change from the chill in Empakai and Ngorongoro. Lunch consisted of Ugali and Greens. We then made our way out after a bit of reading in the shade, and headed for the Lake Natron Tourism office, an extremely humble wooden building. The Maasai gentleman spoke very good English.
We paid the fee of USD 20 per person. A Maasai guide would escort us along the gorge up to the Engare Sero Waterfall, around Lake Natron the next day and then to the early human fossil footprints near the Lake.
El Doinyo Lengai seemed to rise straight up from the plains outside the little office.
Our hike started as soon as we parked by the twisting river.
Oops! Some confusion. To remove footwear or not to remove? Our shoes were not designed for wading through water!
The first steps were a little scary. It takes a little testing the gushing waters and getting used to.
Some of the initial part of the hike was in the water.
The latter part was clambering up and down rocks, trying to secure a foothold.
Meanwhile, the shoes presented a very wet sight. Will the thick material ever dry up? Amazingly, the heat and dryness of Natron ensured they did. It only took a few hours.
Junior sets up the tripod and captures a few long exposure shots at the Waterfall.
Hmmm... which way do we step now?
Two other visitors gingerly made their way along the rocks. So, the Natron Tourist Office would have earned USD 80 by way of fees that afternoon! Enough to take care of all the attractions in the area?
We're in no hurry. Take it easy. Though it gets dark earlier in the gorge, the areas outside are, thankfully, much brighter.
It does get brighter as we head out of the gorge towards the parked vehicle.
From rocks and water, the area turns grey and dusty again.
Water from Ngorongoro flows via the Engare Saro Waterfall into Lake Natron.
Wow, a rare spot of greenery amidst all the rocks and dust!
Our dinner was under cloudy skies that evening. The night in the tent was uneventful. No wild animals, no freezing cold! The dust had settled, as well.
Sunrise hike at Lake Natron
Our Maasai guide showed up at 06:00 AM in the morning, and we set off for Lake Natron. Ol Doniyo Lengai soon caught the first rays of the rising sun.
The montains of the Rift Valley were gradually lit up by the streaks of orange.
Sunrise by Lake Natron was surreal, almost eerie. Not a sound except for our footsteps. The views were so amazing that all of us were lost in our own thoughts. Junior was having an extremely busy time, adding to his Cloud and Sunrise collection!
We wandered around the lake, dutifully following our guide.
Our feet sank into the sand in the areas closer to the Lake. As if indicating to us that there is a place for us.
Sights like we had not seen anywhere else. You could just stand and stare at the drama unfolding, the major characters being the sun, clouds and the surface of the lake. We were like mere flies on the wall.
Oops... easy does it, make sure you don't slip!
Our guide led us around the lake, the path depending on the state of the ground. It was safer walking on parts that felt like the top of a hard baked cake, reminded me of the land around Empakai Crater lake, another soda lake.
We had to 1... 2... 3... jummmpppp at many spots, and hope that our landing was on solid ground.
About three-quarters of the world's Lesser Flamingos live in East Africa. Lake Natron is the most important breeding site.
A few attempts at photographing beautiful flying Flamingos, with Sacred Ibis busy in the grass below.
We trekked up a hill, and were rewarded with wonderful views stretching a long way.
This was an 'Oops' moment. One needs to be careful, since the firmness of the ground can be quite unpredictable. We stopped to say hello to a herd of Wildebeest.
A closer look at one of the Sacred Ibis foraging for food.
As the sun rose, Empakai mountain became visible beyond the range in the foreground. That is where we were not too long ago, almost frozen cold!
A few last glimpses of Lake Natron after which we headed out. It was getting warmer, even though it was only 08:30 AM.
Our final stop was at the site where the ancient (pre) human footprints were discovered.
Exposed and unprotected, there is a fence with an unlocked gate.
Several trails of adult and juvenile footprints are visible.
Anyone can literally walk over the ancient fossilized footprints.
How long will the treasure last, I wondered?
At USD 20 per person and a handful of people per day, it does not add up to too much revenues. There is a dire need for external aid.
Back at Natron, Moses treated us to a huge brunch, after which we were ready to hit the road to Arusha.
Rocky roads, laced with grey volcanic dust.
There are a few basic gates along the way. Just like Lake Natron, unsung and simple.
Fees are paid on the way in, and papers are checked on the way out. Nothing like the Visitor Centres at Nabbi Hill and Ngorongoro, right?
We stopped by a giant crater on the way, probably formed as a result of a meteorite hit many moons ago.
The drive to Arusha, including a bit of a traffic jam in the city took us about five hours.
The roads gradually transitioned from grey dust to rocky to tarred surfaces as we reached Mta Wa Mbu.
Our trip was coming to a close. We went to the office of our Operator, Safari Multiways, near the Arusha Clock Tower. Romeo was happy to see us and hear about our adventures.
Our second non-wildlife activity was preceded by months of debating and apprehension, similar to the Empakai Crater hike. We reflected on our trip to Lake Natron, from the green of Ngorongoro to the gray dust of Natron, desolate and stark in its surreal beauty, breeding ground of Flamingos, destination of water flowing in from Ngorongoro via the Engare Saro Waterfall, near the almost forgotten site of the poorly protected early human fossilized footprints. It was in fact a highly unique couple of days. It was certainly worth every moment.
One night in Arusha remained, followed by the Namanga border crossing. See you soon!
-=-=-=-=
Please click below for posts in this series:
Namanga Border Crossing
The Gentle Giants of Tarangire
Tarangire revisited
Endless Serengeti Plains
Migrating herds, Crocodiles and Vultures at Kirawira
Big Cats of Central Serengeti
Camping under African skies
Flamingos at Empakai Crater Lake
Ngorongoro Crater - Wildlife, Maasais and Flowers
Campsite food and Nyama Choma in Mto Wa Mbu
From green to gray, the stark beauty of Lake Natron
Videos - Tarangire, Central Serengeti
Videos - Central Serengeti, Western Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Natron
Two nights in Arusha
-=-=-=
